James Johnstone

Awarded the compensation for the Whitehall estate in St Mary Jamaica with Robert Ballard Johnstone (q.v) as owners-in-fee.

1. Probably the Jas Johnstone who witnessed the marriage of Frances Elizabeth Johnston [sic] to Francis Henry Mitchell, brother of Rowland Mitchell (q.v.) 31/03/1821 at St Marylebone, with the consent of Mary Beckford Johnston widow the natural and lawful mother. The father of this Frances Elizabeth Johnston was James Johnston. Francis Henry Mitchell and James Johnstone [the younger] had both lived at Upper Wimpole Street, and appear as co-trustees for a Johnstone spinster who married the Rev. John Craig, including an indenture of March 1838 which deals with property in England.

2. In 1841 James Johnstone aged 49 'Army' born in Scotland, Ireland or overseas, was living at Midgham House with his wife Laura aged 30 and daughter Laura aged 12, and 11 servants.  In 1851, James Johnstone Captain HP [half-pay] Army aged 60 born Jamaica was living at 8 Hyde Park Gardens with his wife Laura aged 41 and daughter Laura aged 10 [sic] and son Francis aged 2.    

3. Will of James Johnstone of Ashfold [sic] Sussex proved 14/10/1853. The will (which is very hard to decipher) identifies Robert Ballard Johnstone as his brother, Laura Adelaide Justinia as his wife and Francis Henry Mitchell as his brother-in-law.

T71/856 St Mary no. 168. T71/1606 letter 20/09/1835 from James Johnstone of Midgham House near Newbury Berkshire, in which he describes himself as sole proprietor of Whitehall estate.

1. Ancestry.com, London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 [database online]; Ancestry.com, London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 [database online]; http://www.craig-telescope.co.uk/life_craig.html [accessed 01/02/2011] which refers to James Johnstone as 'the Rev.' in the context of the marriage of his daughter Miss Jane 'Helena' Johnstone to Rev. John Craig: no evidence has been found to support the contention that Johnstone was a clergyman or indeed the assumption that Miss Jane 'Helena' Johnstone was the daughter of the James Johnstone of the compensation award; http://www.familychest.co.uk/FamilyChestDocs/documents/0607011.htm [accessed 01/02/2011] shows Francis Henry Mitchell and James Johnstone of Midgham House.

2. 1841 and 1851 censuses online.

3. PROB 11/2165/173.