[Letter from Huger W. Johnstone, Idylwild, Georgia, September 16,1901]
135. Howell—In The Constitution September 8, query No. 172, "Howell," you give the historical notes and extracts as to the naval career of Captain John Howell with commendable accuracy. With your permission, I shall only touch briefly upon his family connections. Daniel Howell and his wife, Elizabeth, were reared in Wales, of French extraction (Huguenots). They emigrated to New Jersey and came thence to Georgia in 1765, settled on Savannah river in what is now Burke county. They came down in ships, stopping along the coast. (It is a family legend that at Cape Fear they were joined by Michael Johnstone Kenan, who settled on Sapelo island and named his estate "Droplin." He was ancestor of Augustus H. and Owen H. Kenan.) Daniel and Elizabeth Howell had eight children, viz:
1. John Howell, born 1750 in Wales.
2. Daniel.
3. Robert.
4. James.
5. Charles.
6. Margaret, born in 1760.
7. Anne.
8. Catherine.
They had ample means, social position and were enterprising. The children were well educated by private tutors in Georgia and Virginia. We know little of the four brothers of John Howell, except that one of them had two daughters, one of whom married a son of Dr. Hays, of Washington, Georgia. (We do not know if it was the county or the town). The other daughter married a Mr. Bashelotte, of St. Marys, Georgia.
At the beginning of the Revolution John Howell, then about twenty-six years of age, was interested in the Burke county estate and also owned estates on Sapelo island and near St. Marys. He had several vessels employed in the West India and the coast trade.
When Georgia joined the other colonies in opposition to Great Britain, John Howell changed two of his vessels into armed privateers and commanded them with such success as to become known as the "guardian of the Georgia coast." At the close of the war Captain John Howell married Miss Mary Ennis, of Virginia, a neighbor (and connection some claimed) of the Washingtons. They had residences at Savannah, St. Marys and at Darien, Georgia. In 1793, when Washington came to Georgia, he was entertained by the city of Savannah, but made his home with Captain John Howell. His sister, our great-grandmother, Margaret Howell Higdon, often spoke of Washington's visit in detail.
John Howell had no children. He died 1830 at St. Marys, Georgia. The eldest sister, Margaret Howell, married, first, Mr. Johnstone; the issue was one daughter, Mary, who married Dr. William Cooke, of Virginia, a physician and lawyer who lived in Savannah and later on an estate near Montgomery, Ala.
Margaret married, second, Mr. Charles Higdon, bore him one child, Ann Elizabeth, born May 12, 1800. Captain Howell adopted this child and she was reared and educated at his home in Savannah and St. Marys. Charles Higdon died and his widow, Margaret, lived with her brother; later she lived at Monticello, Georgia. It was there that Huger Johnstone met and married Ann Eliza Higdon, July 8, 1817. It was at this time that Huger Johnstone, a direct descendant of the Annondale and Armagh Johnstones, changed his name to Hugh G. Johnson. The issue of this marriage: 1. Wm. Cook Gautier Johnstone, who married, first, Miss Mary B. Hardin; their surviving children are: Huger, William, Robert, Charles and Henry Lafayette. By his second manage with Miss Virginia Powers, two daughters are living—Mrs. R. J. Cuthbertson and Mrs. J. M. Estes.
2. Charles H. Johnstone, of Griffin, who married Miss Francis Anne Mangham and has several children living, among them Rev. James B. Johnstone.
3. Susanna Johnstone, married Wm. Lorenzo Gwynn, of North Carolina. Her son, Dr. James Peyton Gwynn, lives at High Shoals, Ga.
4. Robert Higdon Johnstone, married Belle A. Dickens, who survives him.
5. Henry Lafayette Johnstone, who married Miss Marie Weeks, of Long Island.
6. Anne Eliza, who married Dr. M. M. Greene. The family lives in Gordon county except the eldest son, who is member of the California conference.
7. James Huger Johnstone, married, first, Miss Higdon, and second, Miss Johnstone. He now lives in Florida.
Margaret Higdon (nee Howell) lived with her daughter, Mrs. Huger Johnstone, at Zebulon and Griffin. She died in 1851 and rests (near the pulpit of the Baptist church) at Zebulon, Georgia.
In 1830, after Captain John Howell died, his widow, Mary Ennis Howell, left her home to live with her nieces. In 1835 she was at the home of Mrs. Mary Cook, near Montgomery, Ala.; she died and lies buried there.
John Howell's second sister, Anne, married Mr. Andrews. Their daughter, Mary, married Alan McClendon. Their sons were William, Oliver and Joseph. Joseph McClendon's daughter, Fannie, married Seneca Burr, of Griffin, Georgia. We know little of others.
Catherine Howell, Captain Howell's youngest sister, married, first, Mr. Parrish, a sea island planter; no issue. Second, she married Judge Osborne. The issue were James, John Henry and Maria. Maria Osborne was drowned at sea when returning from a pleasure trip to Cuba.
Catherine married, third, Mr. Edward Fitzgerald, an English subject. When war of 1812 opened he returned to Great Britian. Catherine remained in Georgia. Later he succeeded to the family titles and died in India. He was General Lord Edward Fitzgerald. Catherine Fitzgerald established a seminary for young ladies at Scotsboro, Georgia, which was conducted under her supervision. It was attended by the very best class of students. Many ladies now living remember her—petite, elegant, charming. She died in 1851.
In 1824, when General Marquis de Lafayette visited Georgia, the city of Augusta entertained him at a state ball. The honor of opening this ball with General Lafayette was accorded to Lady Catherine Fitzgerald, the youngest sister of Captain John Howell. I have heard my great-grandmother, Margaret Howell Higdon, describe the visit of General Washington to her brother and of visits by McIntosh, John Macpherson Berrien, John Forsyth (the elder), George M. Troop, Mr. Nathaniel Greene and others of his associates and friends, all of whom she knew.
Mrs. Ethel Johnstone Mann, Miss Mary Johnstone and Miss Kathleen Johnstone, members of your chapter, are great-greatgranddaughters of Margaret Howell, great-great-great-nieces of Captain John Howell. There are many others of her descendants living and it is to encourage them to keep these memories green that I have so far trespassed. I beg to be, sincerely your obedient servant.
Huger W. Johnstone.
Idylwild, Georgia, September 16,1901.
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[cos1776 Note: Johnstone is mistaken in some of his facts. For one, the marriage of Henry Osborne to "Miss Catherine Howell" is recorded in the newspapers of the day (see Family Page), making that Catherine's first marriage. There might be other errors. More research needed.]
