Settler of township lot: Lot 26, Conc. 2, Stanhope

Location: This 98 acre lot is half way between Hwy 118 and Tulip Road on the east side of 25th Line Road

Land acquisition: 

• 1871 This 98 acre lot was registered as a Free Grant through the Free Grant and Homestead Act of 1868 under the locatee name John Johnston.
• 1875 Patent from The Crown. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 165).

Family locations: Conc. 2 - all one lot south of Hwy 118 on both sides of 25th Line Road

• Lot 24: James Johnstone - father
• Lot 25: Mathew Johnston - son
• Lot 26: John Johnston - son
• Lot 27: William James Johnston - son

Other land:

• Lot 26, Conc. 1: 1884 from James Johnston (his father) for $500. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 255).

Dates of residency: 1871-1897

• 1881 Census of Canada, Stanhope: John & Margt Johnston with 4 children
• 1883 called for mail in Carnarvon
• 1883 Stanhope Voters List: John Johnston, owner, Lots 26, 26, 27, Conc. 1, 2, 2
• 1890 Stanhope Voters List: John Johnston, owner, Lot 26, Conc. 2
• 1891 Stanhope Voters List: at this location and Lot 27, Conc. 2 which was owned at that time by his brother, William James Johnston. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 170)
• 1893 Stanhope Directory: John Johnston, Carnarvon Lot 27, Conc. 2
• 1896 Death of Daughter Hannah Johnston at Lot 26, Conc. 4, Stanhope

Interesting facts:

The Minden Echo of September 2, 1892 contains an account of an early ecumenical movement which included Presbyterians, Methodists and Anglicans, the County of Haliburton Sunday School Association. John Johnston was on the committee, and was the Superintendent for the Carnarvon Sunday School, average attendance of 21. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg. 261-262

In the manufactured products department at the 1892 Minden Fair John Johnston's carpentry work was a winner. The Minden Echo of September 2, 1892 contains an account of an early ecumenical movement which included Presbyterians, Methodists and Anglicans, the County of Haliburton Sunday School Association. John Johnston was on the committee, and was the Superintendent for the Carnarvon Sunday School, average attendance of 21. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg. 289

Brown's School as it was called, was also known as the Union School for it was a federation of S.S. No. 1 Stanhope and S.S. No. 10 Minden (see S.S. No. 1- Stanhope / S.S. No. 10 Minden. - Carnarvon School) and served pupils living on both sides of the Peterson. Those walking the farthest to classes came from the north side of beech Lake. Built by John and Matthew Johnston from logs hewn with a broad ax and chinked with plaster made from locally burned lime, the 20 by 26 foot school had a front porch to distinguish it from the usual box type cabin. windows on both sides tempted the fickle fancy of generations of day dreaming school boys. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg. 315.

From William John Johnston Obituary - son of John Johnston:
William John Johnston was born at Carnarvon, Haliburton County on December 25th, 1876 and there he spent the first twenty-one years of his life, going to Neche, North Dakota, in the spring of 1895 with his parents. From that time until his death he had always made his home in the Park Centre district. About seven years ago he complained of not feeling very well, and upon consulting the doctors, was told he had a kind of a paralysis of the nerves and from the first they gave him no hope for recovery. For the last several years he has been entirely helpless, remaining so until the day of his death. Source: Ancestry.ca Owner/Source Lydia Coulter Scrapbook Collection

Preceding landowner: The Crown

Succeeding landowner:

• 1897 William Cooper
• 1940 Wesley James Cooper

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

• John Johnston, b. 26 Mar 1848, Ontario d. 24 Mar 1900, North Dakota
  Parents:
  • James Johnston, b. Abt 1823, Ireland
  • Hannah Sidey, b. Jun 1829, Scotland
• Margaret Fitzsimonds, b. 31 Jan 1851, Quebec,  d. 11 Nov 1932, North Dakota, (Age 81 years)
• Children:
  1. Hannah Johnston, b. 03 Aug 1873, Stanhope, d. 20 Mar 1895, Ontario, (Age 21 years). Cause of death: Heart failure for 3 weeks
  2. James Henry Alexander Johnston  b. 24 Jan 1875, Stanhope
  3. William John Johnston, b. 25 Dec 1876, Carnarvon, d. 8 Jan 1930, North Dakota, Age 53 years)
  4. Mary Catherine Johnston, b. Abt 1879, Ontario, d. Alberta
  5. Robert S Johnston  b. Sep 1883, Ontario
  6. Frances Janet Johnston, b. 8 Feb 1885, Stanhope
  7. Margaret Ann Johnston, b. 5 Aug 1887, Stanhope, d. 12 Nov 1930, Manitoba, Age 43 years)

Photo: Margaret (Fitzsimonds) Johnston obituary 1932. Source: Lydia Coulter Scrapbook Collection - Book 1, Pg 22