Tombstone Tuesday - John Johnston and his wife, Jane and daughter Mary

Today's tombstone is at St. Andrew's Scotch Kirk Cemetery, Quaker Hill, Uxbridge Township, Ontario County, Ontario at lot 35, concession 6.

In loving memory of

John Johnston

Born January 23rd, 1821

Died September 23rd, 1894

---

Jane Sommerville

Beloved wife of the above

Born May 5th, 1832

Died December 2nd, 1905

---

Mary their daughter

died May 21st 1859

aged 1 year 10 months

John is my great-great-great uncle. He was the middle of child of James Hardy Johnston and Margaret Byres. John was born in Annan, Dumfries, Scotland. He was baptized 31 January 1821. [1] He died 23 September 1894 from heart disease. [2]

Jane Sommerville was the daughter of John and Catherine Sommerville. She was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland.  [3] She died in the Town of Uxbridge on 2 December 1905 from a paralytic stroke. [4]

Their young daughter, Mary, was only 1 year 10 months old when she died 21 May 1859 [5] from whooping cough. [6] She was baptized 20 July 1857. [7]

[1] Church of Scotland. Parish Church of Annan (Dumfrieshire), Parish Registers for 1703 - 1855, Annan Parish Register microfilm #102307, Family History Library, Salt Lake City.

[2] John Johnston Ontario death registration #012863 (4 October 1894); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 29 September 2009), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 72, Archives of Ontario, Toronto

[3] Helen Johnston, "Descendants of James Hardy Johnston 1788-1872 and Margaret (Byers) Johnston 1793-1866 of Annan Scotland and Quaker Hill". (Queensville, ON : H. Johnston, 1979-1984.), p. 16. (viewed at the Uxbridge-Scott Museum) [handwritten history]

[4] Jane Johnston Ontario death registration #021118 (2 December 1905); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca ; accessed 29 September 2009), citing microfilm MS 935 Reel 122, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

[5] tombstone inscription, St. Andrew's Scotch Kirk Cemetery, Quaker Hill, Uxbridge Township, Ontario County, Ontario

[6] Helen Johnston, "Descendants of James Hardy Johnston 1788-1872 and Margaret (Byers) Johnston 1793-1866 of Annan Scotland and Quaker Hill", p. 26

[7] Mary Johnston record of birth and baptisms Quaker Hill Presbyterian Church (photocopy) viewed at Uxbridge-Scott Museum.

Note: Byers or Byres for Margaret Johnston's maiden name.

Funeral cards - another source of information

Funeral cards can provide information about a person and the particulars of the death - the location and date and the place of burial. It might include some biographical information and a photograph.

I do not have many in my possession. I did a search of some of the keepsakes that my mother had in some boxes. Until recently, I have not seen them locally but at more recent funerals or funeral home visitations, they have had bookmark sized cards with information and photograph of the individual but these are given out at the funeral home or place of visitation or service.

In my search, last night, I only found two, but I know there are others around the house. The two that I found were for deaths on the Manitoulin Island. In a locality with only a weekly newspaper, these funeral cards are placed in stores so that people can be alerted to an upcoming funeral. Once when I was visiting my cousin Valerie, we had gone into Gore Bay to shop. There in one of the stores, we saw a funeral card. She mentioned it was for one of my cousins. Of course, the person was her cousin too.

The first one I found was for Evelyn Jean Spry nee Wagg. I don't believe there is any family connection unless it is one of those, where it is a relative of a relative's spouse.

Evelyn was the wife of the late Chester Spry. She died suddenly on August 4, 1967, at her home when only in her 47th year. The visitation and the service were held at Mindemoya United Church. Printed on the card, her place of burial is shown as Mindemoya Cemetery but in hand writing Cold Springs, Rockville has been added.  There is the poem called "Comfort". There is no more biographical information about her.

The other is for my uncle Ross Love who died in Mindemoya Hospital on May 2, 1989. Included is some of the basic family information. The funeral service and visitation were also at Mindemoya United Church. There was also a Masonic Memorial service. The poem "Crossing the Bar" is printed on the card.

Tombstone Tuesday - Captain Allan Henry Dixon

During the Greenwood Cemetery Walk conducted by Terry Govier. superintendent of Greenwood Cemetery,  Owen Sound, we visited the grave of Captain Allan Henry Dixon. He is buried at Lot ID # G-NES18-7.

DIXON

Capt. Allan Dixon

1898-1957

His beloved Wife

Beatrice McAllister

1902-2001

Son

[living]

infant dau. Elinor 1932

Allan Henry Dixon was born in Sydenham Township on 23 August 1898 to Leslie Dixon (a weaver) and Edith Bigg.

According to information in the tour booklet prepared by staff at the Owen Sound Marine Rail Museum, Allan went on the boats at age 1914 and by the age of 21 he had his captain's papers.

Allen Henry Dixon was employed on the Grey Beaver and the R. Bruce Angus.

Two of his border crossing cards can be found on Ancestry.ca. On 9 May 1941, he entered the United States at Rochester, New York with his occupation listed as seaman. On 13 June 1942, he arrived on board the SS Grey Beaver at Oswego, New York, with his occupation listed as mariner. On both occasions, it indicates that his fingerprints were taken. Was this because it was during the Second World War? He is listed as 6 foot 1 inch with medium complexion, light brown hair and grey eyes. His contact is his wife Beatrice Dixon who was living in Owen Sound.

Tombstone Tuesday - Johnstone Cemetery

 

The Johnson Presbyterian Church cairn is in front of the few monuments that are in a fenced in area. The cemetery is five miles north of Annan on the Balaclava Road. A frame church was built on the Johnstone property in 1858. In 1920, it was replaced with a brick building. John Johnstone, son of William, who had originally gave the land, gave a bequest through his will to go towards the new church. In 1925, the church became a United Church. The last church service was 23 November 1969.

Ken Kivell built the stone cairn to mark the original location of the church. He inlaid the slab of stone from the building that bore the name "Johnson Presbyterian Church". The cairn was dedicated on 6 November 1977.

September Graveyard Rabbit Carnvial posted

The September theme for the Graveyard Rabbits Carnival was a potpourri of writings by fifteen graveyard rabbits.  To read them visit here.

The October theme, due September 25, is funeral cards. I will have to dig through some boxes to see what I have.