Tombstone Tuesday - David R. C. Johnston, Trenton, NJ

David R.C. Johnston Oct 1859 - 31 Dec 1945

I had searched for over a year with little luck for the death date of my husband's great-grandfather, David R. C. Johnston who was born in October 1859 in Jefferson County, PA to Andrew Jackson and Eliza Mariah (London) Johnston.  He and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Hildinger moved to Trenton, NJ around 1914 when he began working as as manager for his brother-in-law, Charles C. Hildinger, at his growing movie theater business.

Ewing Church Cemetery, Trenton, NJ

Using numerous sources, including my subscription to the Trenton Times archives, I found a number of articles on David and Mary Johnston and their daughter Luella Ruth who married Dr. Alvin S. Rogers (my husband's grandfather) including Mary's obituary in 1954.  I never had any luck finding David's death date.  Finally a little luck came my way via a wonderful Find-A-Grave volunteer, Mark Snyder who had taken a picture of this Johnston headstone for me for Mary E. Hildinger Johnston.  Mary's name wasn't on the stone, just the name Johnston, but the headstone was near the Hildinger and Sweet headstones who are Mary's siblings.  Mark went out of his way to GO BACK to the cemetery office a few days later to ask if they could check their burial records to see if David was buried there as well.  They confirmed that David C. Johnston died 31 Dec 1945 at age 86 years, 2 months and was buried next to Mary in plot C123.  Find-A-Grave volunteers are the best!

They also reported that a Susan L. Rogers had been buried in the Johnston family plot on 5 Aug 1971.  That would have to be Luella Ruth Johnston, the daughter of David and Mary, my husband's grandmother.  She changed her name to Susan sometime after her husband Dr. Alvin Rogers died in 1937 and she later died in Miami, FL in 1969 and was cremated.  I assume my father-in-law took her ashes back to Trenton for interment.

Military Monday – George Washington’s Bodyguard - Samuel Callender

Samuel Callender 1756 - 12 Mar 1830

Sadly, I haven’t had much time to work on my genealogy research lately, but today while I was cleaning off my desk I took a break and started clicking on those leaves on Ancestry.com on my husband’s genealogy.  His family history is so rich and full of interesting characters.  I have long been interested in his two times great-grandmother Elizabeth Mariah London Johnston, daughter of  Truman Beauman London and great-granddaughter of Samuel Callendar.  I have been planning for some time to write about Eliza Maria as she was known, but today as I was looking at her family tree I noticed the shaking leaf on Samuel Callendar who would be my husband's five times great-grandfather, and realized there were six (6) hints.  Although I had added him to the family tree some time ago, I had never really paid much attention to his line.  Imagine my surprise to realize that he was a Revolutionary War veteran, but not only that, according to Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards; he was a body guard to George Washington!

The burial card states he was buried in Montdale Cemetery in Montdale, PA in Lackawanna County.  At first I could not find a cemetery with that name in Lackawanna County, but after a few minutes of searching I finally discovered he was already listed on Find-A-Grave in Scott Valley Cemetery in Montdale, Lackawanna County, PA.  Click on the link to see the great picture of his stone which also mentions his service and duty as body guard to George Washington.

What another great find in my husband’s family history!  Of course, as usual, I am more excited about it than he is……sigh.

Amanuensis Monday: Eliza M. Johnston - Last Will & Testament

Amanuensis Monday – Eliza M. Johnston Last Will & Testament

Elizabeth Mariah London Johnston

Born:  9 Mar 1834 Luzerne Co, PA

Died:  8 Jun 1914 Clearfield Co, PA

Buried:  Rumbarger Cemetery Find-A-Gave

Father:  Truman Beaman London

Mother:  Sally Maria Slawson

*******

I, Eliza M. Johnston, of Du Bois, Pennsylvania, being of sound mind, memory and understanding, do make, publish an declare the following to be my last will testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

First, I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid and discharged as soon after my decease as may be.

Second, All of my estate, real, personal and mired, of whatsoever nature and wheresoever situate, I give, devise and bequeath, share and share alike, unto my ten children: Mary M. Winslow, Susan C. Weaver, James K. Johnston, David C. Johnston, George McClelland Johnston, William T. Johnston, John A. Johnston, Eva Eliza Lenkerd, Joseph S. Johnston, Charles L. Johnston, and the heirs of my daughter Nancy Johnston Taylor, to wit: - Grover J. Taylor, Bessie Kauffman and Freda Steinmetz, who shall together have one share thereof, or the one-eleventh part.

Third, I nominate and appoint my sons, Charles L. Johnston and Joseph S. Johnston, to be the executors of this my last will and testament, and direct that they shall sell my real estate within three years from the date of my death, at public or private sale and at such price or prices as t them shall seem just and right, and make good and sufficient deeds of conveyance therefor, and divide the proceeds thereof as specified in the second item hereof.

                In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2nd day of July 1909. 

                                                                         Eliza M. Johnston (signature)(seal)

                Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above-named Eliza M. Johnston, as and for her last will and testament, in the presence of us, who, at her request and in her presence, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.

                                                                            Wm. G. Jones (witness)

                                                                            C. P. Hayward (witness

******

Eliza died in June of 1914, but the final accounting was not filed with the Court until April of 1921, nearly seven  (7) years later.  The sale of her real estate did not occur until January 1921 although her will directed it to be sold within three years of her death.  The debits to the estate including the sale of real estate were:

1. Cash on hand - $90.00
2. Cash in Deposit Nat. Bank of Du Bois, Pa - 732.00
3. Notes & Int. of Chas. L. Johnston & Susan C. Beard & J.S.Winslow  - 1705.74
4. Cash in First Nat. Bank of Reynoldsville, Pa -  732.32
5. Cash rec'd from sale of properties as dir. by will - 3100.00
6. Cash sale of stock Reynoldsville Water Co. - 40.60
7. Cash, net rentals after deducting expenses  - 551.38

Total $6952.04
******

The estate expenses including payments to the undertaker ($201.50), tombstone ($115.00) county recorder, cemetery sexton, legal services, medical services and miscellaneous came to $447.50.
******

Payments to heirs on 15 Jan 1921:  Charles L and Joseph Johnston each received $740.52 as their one-tenth share of the estate plus commission as co-executor.  Siblings James, David, George, William and John Johnston, Susan Weaver Beard, and Mrs. J. O. (Eva Eliza) Lenkerd each received $558.48 as their one-tenth share.  Daughter Mary Johnston Winslow died in Jun of 1914 and her children, Bruce, James, William & Merton Winslow, Eva Van Why and Ella Yates each received $93.08.  The children of daughter Nancy Johnston Taylor, Bessie Taylor Hoffman, Grover Taylor and Freda Taylor Steinmetz each received $184.04.