Johnston Family Coat-of-Arms
Contributed by Janet J. Johnston
"Nunquam Non Paratus" translates to "Never Unprepared"
Timeline of David Johnston
Contributed by Janet J. Johnston
Written on 3/18/2017
1745 - Born at Ardess in County Fermanaugh, Ireland.1
1769 - Arrived in America with his brother, Dr. Lancelot Johnston at the port of Charleston, South Carolina.2
1780 - Was a private in the North Carolina Mecklenburg Militia and lost his left arm in the Battle of Blackstocks on the Tyger River in
South Carolina on November 20, 1780.3
1784 - He was living in Caswell County, North Carolina. He and his family were living in the household of his brother,
Dr. Lancelot Johnston.4
1785 - In July, 1785, the Caswell County, North Carolina Court recommended that David Johnston, a militia soldier, be given state
aid in view of his loss of an arm "in the service of his Country." Early the following year, he was awarded €15.5
1788 - On November 19, 1788, he appealed to the North Carolina General Assembly for a pension. On November 25, 1788 the
General Assembly rejected his claim and he was told, “…that by an act passed at Hillsborough in the year 1784 the County Courts
are fully empowered and authorized to make allowances to citizens wounded in the service of the State...”6
1789 - On March 16, 1789, the Hillsborough District granted him an annual allowance of 24 pounds.7
1791 - On January 5, 1791, Col. Robert Irwin sold him 320 acres of land located on the waters of the Little Harpeth in
Williamson County, Tennessee. The deed says that David Johnston was living in Caswell County, North Carolina.8
1792 - On January 13, 1792, Ephraim McLean of Davidson County, Tennessee conveyed to David Johnston 700 acres located in what is now
Williamson County, Tennessee.9
1796/1797 - He witnessed a 1796 deed, in Caswell County, North Carolina, for William Holderness who had sold land he owned in
Montgomery County, Tennessee to George Oldham. David appeared in the Caswell County Court, January 1797 term, as subscribing witness
to the deed.10
1799 - He is in Logan County, Kentucky owning 200 acres of land located on the Red River.11
1800 - He received exemption, by a Logan County, Kentucky court order, from paying taxes on his Logan County, Kentucky land.
“Ordered that David Johnston (with one arm) be exempt from paying County Levy.”12
1801 - On February 9, 1801, he purchased 145 acres of land located on the Whippoorwill in Logan County, Kentucky from William Roberts of
Shelby County, Kentucky.13
1804 - On July 17, 1804, he surveyed and acquired 200 acres of land on the Red River in Logan County, Kentucky.14
1812 - He was living in Williamson County, Tennessee and sold to Jesse Williams 213 acres of his land located on the Red River in
Logan County, Kentucky.15
He is listed on the Logan County, Kentucky tax lists from 1799 to 1806. It will show that his sons, Robert and James are included in
some years.16
He is listed on the Williamson County, Tennessee tax lists from 1802 to 1826. It will show that his sons, Robert and James are included in
some years.17
1829 - He died on February 18, 1829 in Williamson County, Tennessee and is buried, with his wife, Elizabeth in the David Johnston Cemetery
located on the property of the Baptist Children’s Home at 1310 Franklin Road, Brentwood, Williamson County, Tennessee.18
__________________________________
1 Letter written by Dr.William Johnston in 1849 about the Johnstons. The letter is in the Johnston family collection, located in the
Wilson Library, University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
2 Newspaper article printed Sunday, April 27, 1902, page 18 in the Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia where they were issued a
“Let Pass” document that was dated September 13, 1769.
3 David Johnston’s pension file number S13587. Further records show that he was a member of the Mecklenburg Militia Light Horse
Dragoons under Col. Thomas Polk and commanded by Col. Robert Irwin. They both signed a certificate, dated November 14, 1788, describing David
Johnston’s service and loss of his arm.
4 North Carolina 1784 State Census. The enumeration on the census fits the ages and gender of both Lancelot’s and David’s families.
5 Caswell County, North Carolina Court Record.
6 David Johnston’s pension file. Caswell County, North Carolina is in the Hillsborough District.
7 Ibid.
8 Davidson County, Tennessee deed book C page 27.
9 Land Deed Genealogy of Davidson County, Tennessee 1783-1792, page 240.
10 Montgomery County, Tennessee Deed Book A, page 526. William Holdnerness previously purchased 390 acres from Dr. Lancelot Johnston on
November 13, 1795. Caswell County, North Carolina Deed Book J, page 188.
11 Logan County, Kentucky tax list.
12 Logan County, Kentucky Court Orders Book A-1, December 1800, page 194.
13 Logan County, Kentucky Deed Book A-1, page 356.
14 Logan County, Kentucky Survey Book C, page 93.
15 Logan County, Kentucky Deed Book C, page 383. There is no other record of him buying or selling land in Logan County, Kentucky.
16 Logan County, Kentucky Tax Lists.
17 Williamson County, Tennessee Tax Lists.
18 His will is recorded in Williamson County, Tennessee. The tombstones were placed by the Lt. Andrew Crockett Chapter of the
Sons of the American Revolution and David Johnston is marked as Patriot.
Revolutionary War Commission for Lancelot Johnston (David's brother)
Contributed by Janet J. Johnston
Atlanta Constitution newspaper, Atlanta, Georgia, Apr 27, 1902
Johnston Family Crest
Contributed by Janet J. Johnston
Prominent on the crest of the Johnston clan is a winged spur. Legend has it that while John Baliol was King of Scotland, Edward,
King of England, tried to force him to make Scotland a tributary to England. Robert Bruce, a powerful Scottish earl, bitterly
opposed the scheme. King Edward, upon hearing of Bruce's opposition, plotted to kill him and was only prevented from doing so
by Baliol's sending the chief of the Johnston clan, known as "the Johnston," one of his closest confidants and supporters, to
Bruce with a warning. Fearing that a written message would be intercepted by the followers of the English king, the Johnston
carried to Bruce a spur to which he had tied a bird's wing. It was if to say, “spur your horse and take flight.” Bruce took
the hint and saved himself by fleeing. When he later became King of Scotland he conferred the crest of the winged spur upon the
Johnston clan.
Also seen on the Johnston family crest is the motto, "Nunquam Non Paratus," "Never Unprepared," indicating the readiness of Johnston
to go to the aid of Robert Bruce and of his country and then later for William Wallace, renowned as Braveheart, as he led a
rebellion against England and took the first steps toward nationhood for the Scots.
A quote about the Johnstons from Sir Walter Scott’s “Fair Maid of Perth.”
“Within the bounds of Annandale,
The gentle Johnstons ride;
They have been there a thousand years,
A thousand more they’ll bide.”
Letter from Dr. William Johnston
To D.P. Johnson dated 3/15/1849
Contributed by Janet J. Johnston
From the University of North Carolina Archives
Here is another document from the University of North Carolina
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements
Pension Application of David Johnston - S13587
Contributed by Janet J. Johnston and Transcribed by Will Graves
[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of
the database. Where the meaning is not compromised by adhering to the spelling, punctuation or grammar, no change has been made. Corrections
or additional notes have been inserted within brackets or footnotes. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. A
bracketed question mark indicates that the word or words preceding it represent(s) a guess by me. The word 'illegible' or 'indecipherable'
appearing in brackets indicates that at the time I made the transcription, I was unable to decipher the word or phrase in question. Only
materials pertinent to the military service of the veteran and to contemporary events have been transcribed. Affidavits that provide additional
information on these events are included and genealogical information is abstracted, while standard, 'boilerplate' affidavits and attestations
related solely to the application, and later nineteenth and twentieth century research requests for information have been omitted. I use speech
recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor
proofreading skills fail to catch all misinterpretations. Also, dates or numbers which the software treats as numerals rather than words are
not corrected: for example, the software transcribes "the eighth of June one thousand eighty six" as "the 8th of June 1786." Please call material
errors or omissions to my attention.]
[p 2]
North Carolina
David Johnston, private, in the Army of the United States.
Inscribed on the roll of the North Carolina Agency at the rate of $5 per month increased to $8 by the Law of 24 April 1816
Formal Certificate issued 13 May 1822 and sent to D. A. Davis Esqr.
Fayetteville North Carolina
Placed on roll 16 March 1789
[p 6]
State of North Carolina, Hilsbouro [Hillsboro] District
We the Commissioners appointed by an act of the General assembly Do Certify that David Johnston a Soldier in the Militia of the United
States who lost his left arm in an action with the Enemy in the year 1780 on Tiger River [sic, Tyger River] in South Carolina as appears
by a certificate dated November 14th 1788 By Robert Irwin Colo. 1st Batn MM and Thomas Polk is intitled [entitled] to an annual allowance
of Twenty four pounds.
Given under our hands the 16th day of March 1789
Ledg’d in Comptrollers office S/ J. Estes
March 16th 1789 S/ John Taylor
Williamson Courtney [?]
MM Macklinburg militia [sic, Mecklenburg militia]
State of Tennessee, Williamson County: I Joshua Farrington one of the acting Justices of the peace for the County & State aforesaid do
certify that the above is a true coppy [copy] of a Certificate this Day produced by David Johnston & Examined by me
Given under my hand & Seal at office this 7th day of Janr [?] 1822
S/ J. Farrington
State of Tennessee, Williamson County
I Joshua Farrington one of the acting Justices of the peace for the County & State aforesaid do hereby certify that David Johnston named
in the above copy of a certificate personally appeared before me this 7th day of Janr 1822 and made oath the [sic, that] he never received
any other certificate from any office raletive [relative] to his wound than that which the within is a true and that he has never received
a pension Certificate from the Secretary of War.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 7th day of Janr 1822.
S/ David Johnston
S/ J. Farrington, JP
[p 8: On January 24, 1822 in Williamson County Tennessee, the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas certified that Robert Johnston had appeared in
person and identified David Johnston as the person mentioned in the above certificate. The relationship, if any, of Robert Johnston to David
Johnston is not stated.]
[Fact in file: veteran died February 18, 1829.]
History of Enniskillen
Contributed by Janet J. Johnston
The History of Enniskillen with references to some Manors in County Fermanagh
By William Copeland Trimble, 1919
Footnote page 123
The name and clan of Johnston is numerous in Fermanagh, and the
founder, John Johnston, called "Old Lurg," appears to have come here about 1602-3.
You can download both volumes by clicking on the links below:
The History of Enniskillen with references to some Manors in County Fermanagh - Volume 1
The History of Enniskillen with references to some Manors in County Fermanagh - Volume 2
Williamson County Historical Society
Publication Number 16
Spring 1985
Contributed by Janet J. Johnston
