Page Five

Clan Johnson

Clan Johnstone

Johnstone, Johnston, Johnson were all pronounced "Jawnson" by the Scottish Borderland Clans and are all of the Clan Johnstone.

"The different spelling is due to Literacy of Speller and /or Individual and Pronunciation due to Nationally of Individual, Johnstone/Johnston/Johnson is pronounced by Scots as Jawnson. Frequently in Ulster the "e" was dropped, "e" was pronounced aye, and Johnstons were known as the “aye less Johnstones”. Spelling is not a factor, as many variations exist of all Surnames, such as: Donald; Donaldson and MacDonald all reconignized by Clan Donald as the same Surname, also Forester; Forest and Foster and MacIntyre; MacAntuer; MacKantare. In America, as late as 1915, only 13% of Americans had a High School Diploma, with Surnames "Originating" as early as the 12th Century, some one other than your Ancestor determined the Spelling on Immigration and other Documents, and in some cases your Surname.

  Ts deleted, Johnston to Johnson, often on the Scottish Border and in Ulster. Beginning in the 1700s – 1800, Immigration Records list Johnsons as Irish, beginning in the 1800s the T remained most of the time in Irish Johnston immigrants and almost always in Canada. In the 1800s, Scottish Immigrants often retained the t and e, more Literate and Family Name conscious? Ts are often Removed and Reappear on different Documents, of the same Individual, written by different Individuals as late as the 1860s in America.

  In Britain the Majority of Johnson, Johnston & Johnstones, reside in the 2 Northern Border Counties of Lancashshire and Yorkshire, occupied by Celts since 800BC, a large Colony of Vikings (900AD) and Saxons after 1066. It probably "Originated" by Celts in the same manner as their near Neighbors in Scotland as Johns Tun (Farm) "Evolving" to Johnston/Johnson and Johnstone. The Vikings may have began as a Johansson, "Evolving" to Johnson, "Adopted" by Saxons and many J/J/J Scotts "Relocating" across the Border. All 3 Spellings occur in all 4 Races.

  Other Johnston/es and Johnsons : Kasibeian Johnstons "Originated" on the Scottish Border and also have Johnsons, most notable Dr. Lorand V. Johnson, FSA Scott, many Immigrating to the New World / Clan Gunn of Northern Scotland: less than 5% of Johnsons and Johnstons are of this Heritage, a few Claim Border Heritage, the Name did not appear until after 1478 / Clan Donald states that "less than 2% of Johnsons claim their Heritage". / Perths original name was St. Johns, named after a Monk, "Originating"as St Johnstoun (Johns Land / Farm), " Evolving" to St Johnstone and A few adopting the Surname and not uncommon for the T to be dropped to include Johnson.

  The Surname Johnson, Johnston & Johnstone "Originated" on the Scottish Border and was exported to Ulster beginning in 1606 as James 1^st brought Law & Order to the Borders and revived the Colonizing of Ulster. For all practical purposes all of the Johnston/es and Johnsons of Dumfries were deported / immigrated. With Death Warrants issued, they willingly immigrated as “Ulster Planters” or escaped to England or Europe. The "Planters" were exclusively Scottish, as no English were to be found of prior settlements. The majority (85%) of all American Johnson, Johnston, and Johnstones today are the descendants of the Ulster Planters that began leaving Northern Ireland in 1707 - 1800, more than 250,000 Scot-Irish, leaving for the New World of Australia, Canada and America.

  All Surnames have different variations to spelling, such as Johnstone, Johnston and Johnson, between the "Origin" (1066) of Surnames and your first Documented Ancestor, may be unaccounted time, and in that period any of your Ancestors may have Relocated and Adopted, Assigned and Changed Surnames several times, your Surname was determined when it was Recorded.

  Most Family Historians can not go further than “across the pond” to Europe, rarely to the 11th Century Scottish Border, the present spelling of your Surname, and it's many variations, is your Heritage."   --- Billy C. Johnson

http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/htol/johnson3.html

 

Clan Johnston/e in America

http://clanjohnston.org/

Border Reivers

The Riding Families

The Border Reivers

http://www.sorbie.net/border_reivers.htm

"Border people did not necessarily think of themselves as either English or Scottish : in general they considered themselves to be Borderers before all else. The line of the Border had changed several times throughout history, from Roman times up to the 16th century, and its position was established more from an attempt to conserve the territory of the English and Scottish kings than from any consideration of the safety and well-being of the inhabitants of the region. The kings and governments of both countries had made political use of the Border families as mere elements in a "buffer state" destined to take the brunt of almost incessant warfare waged throughout their lands. Vast areas of the Border region were often devastated whenever one or other of the rival armies chose to pass through them on foraging or punitive missions. Each mission brought its inevitable reprisal raid, and so it went on, with the local inhabitants paying most of the price for each event."

"Well now, just how did they act ? Expert horsemen, whose mounts literally took very difficult terrain in their stride, they were used by their king in time of war as extremely effective light cavalry. In time of peace their skills were not allowed to become rusty. The families -- riding families, as they were called -- often lived in fairly overpopulated upland river valleys, where they grew their sparse crops and tended their cattle and sheep on the bleak slopes. The problem of survival was always with them, and their "official" foraging in time of war became "unofficial" in time of peace. It was not only Englishman against Scot, but often Englishman against Englishman, Scot against Scot, family against family as well. In fact any combination of adversaries was possible. In the darker days and nights of late Autumn and Winter, when the sparse grain harvests (if they had not already been destroyed by passing armies) had been consumed, what else was there but to eat meat ? And where, after one’s own larder had been depleted, could that be obtained ?

Reiving, that is, the wholesale raiding and rustling of neighbouring livestock was the only solution open to them, and so, almost every riding family went out looking for cattle and sheep to lift and bring back home, often in the dead of night. Not without a fight, of course. Homes were often pillaged and burned, their occupants killed or wounded, and reprisal raids to recover stolen livestock were undertaken as soon as possible. And so it went on......."

"When did all of the reiving finally come to an end ? The short answer is : when Queen Elizabeth the First died in 1603 and King James the Sixth of Scotland became King James the First of England and Scotland. The new king had no further need for any border and so abolished it altogether, redesignating the region as the Middle Lands.

But what about the Reiver families ? The king forbade any further reiving activities, declaring known Reivers to be outlaws who were to be hounded and persecuted, imprisoned and/or hanged, or sent into exile. Some of the families were dispersed to seek a means of survival, some finding work at home, along the Border or away from it, some even emigrating to find their future in Ireland, Europe, the New World and elsewhere. That they have made their mark can be seen by casting even a cursory glance at any list of names of prominent people in almost every profession and calling throughout the world.

Our ancestors were survivors and that’s what we must be. Let us be proud of our surname, whatever its spelling. Let us also remember that we belong to the CLAN JOHNSTONE and endeavour to support it always."

                                                                                --- C.J.

Quotes from The Border Reivers – a short introduction

http://www.johnstoneclan.org.uk/13604.html

The Latin slogan NUNQUAM NON PARATUS is translated as Never Unprepared.  Another form of it is Ready, Aye Ready or even just Aye Ready. Note that the Scots word Aye here means Always. The crest is a winged spur, a heraldic reminder of the service  given to King Robert the Bruce of Scotland by the Clan Johnstone (Johnson) Chief, and official recognition of the fact that the Johnson Clansmen were known as the finest Cavalrymen in the Britannic Isles.  They were a very well known"Riding Family" of the Scottish Borderlands!

"ALWAYS READY"

http://clanjohnston.org/

http://www.johnstoneclan.org.uk/

The Historical Families of Dunfriesshire and the Border Wars
by C L Johnstone, published in 1878.

http://www.electricscotland.com/history/dumfries/index.htm

PREFACE

In a previous edition, I alluded too briefly to the important Border war of the reigns of Robert Bruce and Edward I., but as the three claimants to the Scottish throne possessed lands in Dumfriesshire, who naturally took much share in it, I have added a Chapter on the subject. In describing the different families celebrated in past ages, I have given greater prominence to those whose history has never been published before, and who are still represented in the legitimate male line. Owing to the custom of the sons of heiresses inheriting their mother’s name, and of lands being rarely entailed exclusively on male heirs, it is a very unusual circumstance to find two branches of one family claiming unbroken male descent from the 15^th century, as is the case with the Johnstones, who numbered nine lairds (more than any other house in Dumfriesshire) in 1581, and a tenth laird in Lanarkshire. Family details help to illustrate the manners of a period, and assist in elucidating some obscure points of national history. The list of members of ancient Scottish Parliaments will, it is hoped, be found interesting, as well as the pictures of ancient Castles, for which I am indebted to the kindness of a proficient in Scottish archaeology and antiquities, Richard Gardiner, Esq., M.D.

CONTENTS

• CHAPTER I.
  Norman Settlers in Dumfriesshire - Bruces -Carliles, &c. - The Douglas Rebellion - The Corrys - Hostages for David II.

• CHAPTER II.
  A brief account of the Relations of Scotland with England before the Accession of the Stuarts - The Early Scottish Church-Royal Letters - Death of Alexander III. - King John Baliol - Bruce - The Scots Appeal to the Pope - Carliles - The Stuarts or Stewarts - Sir W. Wallace - The Kirkpatricks - Johnstones - Edward Baliol -  Douglas - The Kerrs - Bruce’s Army - A Dumfries Inquest - Escheats in Annandale - Edward II. - Eustace Maxwell - Scottish Prisoners in England - Safe Conducts.

• CHAPTER III.
  The Stewarts - Douglases - Their Rebellions - Battle of Langholm - The Dukes of Albany - The Scottish Archers - The Crichtons.

• CHAPTER IV.
  Death of Malcolm III. - Rise of The Maxwells - The Johnstones - Carruthers - Corries - Reputed Relationship of the Newbie and Gretna Johnstones to the Marquises of Annandale - Curious Charter - The English Invasions of Annandale - The Annandale Peerage Case - Johnstones of Westerhall - Note on Lady Janet Dunbar, &c.

• CHAPTER V.
  The Grahames - Prince Charles - Gordons - Jardjnes - Kirkpatricks - Cummings - Flemings - Claimant of the Wigton Title - Carrutherses - -Carlyles - Murrays - -Lord Mansfield - Thieves of Liddesdale - The Debateable Land - Irvings -Charteris - Stewarts - Fergussons - Few Heirs of the Male line - Griersons - Herries - Maitlands - Boswells - Sharpes - Clark Kennedys - Dunwiddies - Bells - Homes.

• CHAPTER VI.
  Queen Margaret - Third Douglas Rebellion - Death of James III. - Scotts of Buccleuch and Branxholme - Battle of Flodden - English Invasion - Retaliation - Johnnie Armstrong - Quarrel between the Maxwells and Johnstones -  The Reformation - Plan to Kidnap James V. -  Scots Defeated - The King’s Death - List of Prisoners - Maxwell - Another English Invasion - List of Border Chiefs who Surrendered - Outlaws - Queen Mary’s Letter - Cruel Ravages - Peace.

• CHAPTER VII.
  Lord Herries-Bothwell - The Armstrongs - The Reformation - Acts against the Romanists -Queen Mary visits Dumfries - Civil War - The Regent’s Progress - Another English Invasion -The Gladstones - Younger Sons - List of the Men of Annan.

• CHAPTER VIII.
  Sir James Douglas - The Lairds of Johnstone and Newbie - A Border Chief’s Will - The Lairds of the West Marches - Civil Feuds - Battle of Dryfe Sands - Respite - Queen Mary and her Friends - Her Death - Queen Elizabeth’s Letter - Romanists and Protestants - Scottish Soldiers of Fortune - List of Lairds and Gentry - Letters from James VI. and the Laird of Johnstone.

• CHAPTER IX.
  King James’s Interview with Johnstone and Scot - Johnstone of Gretna - The Grahames - Lochinvar - Settlement of the Borders - Attack on Newbie - Consequent Lawsuits - The Trumbles - Rigorous Treatment of the Romanists - Maxwell kills the Laird of Johnstone - His Exile and Execution - John Corsane - Justices of the Peace in 1610 - Letters of Slain.

• CHAPTER X.
  Actions with regard to the Sale of Newbie and other matters. Provosts of Annan - Galabank - John Galloway - Edward Johnstone of Ryehill - Dr Robert Johnstone’s Will - Newbie Castle Burnt - Johnstone of Mylnfield - Authors - The Decline of a Border Family - A Funeral - The Poverty of Scotland - Smugglers - Prince James’s Invasion - Execution of Lord Kenmure.

• CHAPTER XI.
  The Johnstones of Galabank - Prince Charles Edward Invades Dumfriesshire - Count Lockhart - Imperial Visitors - Funeral Expenses - Howard’s allusion to the young physician - Sir William Pulteney - Alienation of Galabank - The Poles - Manipur - The Dryad - The Second Marquis of Annandale - The Last Marquis.

• CHAPTER XII.
  The Presbyterian Kirk - Intolerant Measures - Charles I. and the Despoilers of the Church - The Earl of Buccleuch - The Duke and Marquis of Queensberry - Provosts and Bailles of Dumfries -Stewards Depute - Registers of Dumfries - Note - Provosts of Annan.

• APPENDICES.
  Sovereigns of Scotland-Royal Descents - Letters from Irving and Carlyle - Members of Parliament for Dumfriesshire.

http://www.electricscotland.com/history/dumfries/index.htm

 

Scottish Books Online at the Electric Scotsman:

http://www.electricscotland.com/history/books.htm

 

Whaup O' The Rede
A Ballad of the Border Raiders by Will Ogilvie

22 "The smallest one will become a clan, And the least one a mighty nation.  I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time."

ISAIAH 60:22   ~   HOLY BIBLE   ~  

~   New American Standard Version   ~

Robert the Bruce leads the Scottish Army into Battle

Keltic Klan Kirk of YHVH

Reverend Colonel Joe Johnson / Senior Pastor

Celtic Clan Church

P.O. Box 1166  Malvern, Arkansas 72104