1707, June 23. — James Johnston was ordained by the Presbytery of Armagh as the first minister of the
congregation. This Presbytery reported to Ministers of the General Synod of 1705 that they had Licensed Mr. James Johson ' (Johnston) to preach the Gospel.
James Johnston built Traymont (Tremont) House, and gave the site for the original church edifice. He purchased the townland of Lisserboy, in the parish of Newry, bordering that of Donaghmore, where he (and his son James) gave the site for the present church in 1702, which was erected during his pastorate. The lease, renewable for ever, was made to twelve trustees and reserved the family pew for the Johnstons
and their heirs.
James Johnston was evidently a man of much influence in the community, a devoted Presbyterian, and a faithful minister of the Gospel. The Presbyterians of Donaghmore will do well to revere the memory of the good man who did so much for their church in this place. He appears to have been a constant attendant at the General Synod, until by age and infirmity he was precluded from taking part in the supreme court of his church.
He appeared at Synod for the first time in June 1708, and the last record of his presence was in 1786.
* James Johnson's ' name appears in ' a list of the Presbyterian ministers to whom her Majestie's Royal
Bounty is to be paid for Xmass quarter 1712.* He was fifty-nine years minister of the Donaghmore
congregation. He died October 21, 1765, aged eighty-seven years, and was buried in the parish church-
yard, where his tomb remains ; but the stone is so broken and defaced that it is impossible to decipher
the inscription. We are indebted to Colonel Johnston (of Kilmore, co. Armagh), a descendant, for the
following particulars of the family :
James Johnston, Presbyterian Minister of Donaghmore, of Tremont, co. Down, and Carrickbreda,
CO. Armagh, was son of James Johnston of Knappagh, Carrickbreda and Dress, co. Armagh, by Sarah Dobbs, his wife. He was born about 1678, married (before 1772) Elizabeth, sister of Francis Wilson of Tully, CO. Longford.
He left two children : James, of Tremont, and Joseph, M.D., who was grandfather of Captain Robert Dudgeon Johnston, 66th, 7th, and 68th Regiments, who served in the Peninsular War.
James Johnston of Tremont (son of Rev. James Johnston) married his cousin, Elizabeth, daughter of
Francis Wilson of Tully, co. Longford, and had three children, James (his heir), the Rev. Francis Johnston,
Vicar of Donaghmore, and Eleanor (married, 1768, William Hawkshaw of Divernagh, CO. Armagh, and had a son, Lieut.-Colonel Hawkshaw, 31st Regt., whose son, the Rev. Edward Burdett Hawkshaw, Prebendary of Hereford, married, 1845, Catherine Mary Jane, daughter of Sir Hungerford Hoskyns, 7th Bart., and was father of Major Edward Crichton Hawkshaw, R.A.).
The elder son of James Johnston of Tremont (above mentioned) was James Johnston of Tremont and Carrickbreda, who married Anne Pyne, and had issue, viz. James, Arthur, John, Joseph and two daughters.
.... and they all lived happily ever after!!! :-))