Person:Mary Johnson (434)

Johnston vs. Johnstone vs. Johnson

Mary's surname is spelled in a variety of ways across the records. The earliest known record of her existence is her 1810 marriage bond in which her father signed his name "Johnstone", but his other children seem to have not followed his convention, mostly using the shortened spelling Johnston on their legal documents during the course of their lives. In keeping with her generation of siblings, I [cos1776] have chosen to designate "Johnston" as the primary spelling of her maiden surname.

Parents of Mary (Johnston) Hall

• Mary's father, Peter Johnston(e), is established on her 1810 marriage record to James Hall³. The marriage record is accompanied by a hand-written note, written and signed by her father, "Peter Johnston". See family page for details.
• Some OLT's list Mary's middle initial as "E". No sources given. Needs further research.

Where was Mary (Johnston) Hall in 1840?

• Possible record match: Mary Hall, age 50-60, head of household in 1840 census in Dearborn county, Indiana (see below). This might be her. It is interesting to note the other Johns(t)ons listed on the same page. Is there a connection? Needs further investigation.
• Mary's daughter-in-law, Emily P. Hall, recorded in her Bible⁴ that after the death of husband James Hall, Mary moved first to Rush county, Indiana, and then to Shelby county, Indiana, where she died.
  • Possible clue: Mary's known sister, Margaret (Johnston) Current, was living with her husband and family in Henry county, Indiana during this timeframe.
  • Possible clue: Shelby county is adjacent to Decatur county. Mary's 3 grown sons later appear in the 1850 census in Fugit, Decatur, Indiana.

When/Where did Mary (Johnston) Hall die?

• Mary's daughter-in-law, Emily P. Hall, recorded in her Bible⁴ that Mary died of diphtheria in Feb 1844 in Shelby county, Indiana, at about the same time as her young son William, and that they both were buried in Brandywine cemetery in Shelby county, but no stone for either of them can be found today.⁵
• This same death date and place were used years later in the DAR applications of her descendants.¹

Research Tasks

• Check Shelby county records for Mary's will.
• Research Person:Mary Hall (424) further for possible connection. She died in 1849 and is buried in Zion Cemetery in Rush County. On her stone is a 4 yr old Matilda Hall. Also in Zion Cemetery is a "James William Hall" [1] who died in 1839. There is no further info on them... could this be the missing Mary Johnston Hall and son William?

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Mary Johnson , in DAR application 463970.

   Mary Johnson born on - - 1790 at _______________
   died at Shelby Co IN on - Feb - 1844 married on - - 1810
   -----
   [Note: DAR applications that contain this information include:
   * 185359 Ashcroft, Bertha H. 4095IN
   * 336834 Olmstead, Charlene (Hall) 1025NY Dec 1942
   * 463970 Biser, Nellie (Scheidler) 4063IN Jan 1959
   * and others.]

2. ↑ POSSIBLE MATCH for Mary Hall, in Dearborn, Indiana, United States. 1840 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication M704).

   [CAUTION: This record may not be a match. Analysis is in progress.]
   -----
   Year: 1840; Census Place: , Dearborn, Indiana; Roll: 77; Page: 48; Image: 104; Family History Library Film: 0007723.
   -----
   Name: Mary Hall
   Home in 1840 (City, County, State): Dearborn, Indiana
   Birth Year: abt 1765
   Age: 55
   Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 1
   Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1
   Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1
   Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59: 1 <-- [b 1781-1790: HOH Mary Hall]
   Persons Employed in Agriculture: 2
   Schools - No. of Scholars (Pri/Comm): 1
   No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write: 1
   Free White Persons - Under 20: 4
   Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2
   Total Free White Persons: 7
   Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 7

   POSSIBLE CENSUS MATCH - 1840
3. ↑ West Virginia Marriages, 1853-1970.

   "West Virginia Marriages, 1853-1970," index, FamilySearch, 2009. Digital images of originals housed in County Courthouses in various counties throughout West Virginia. Marriage records. FHL microfilm, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
   -----
   groom: James Hall marriage type: Marriage marriage date: 11 Dec 1810
   marriage place: Harrison, West Virginia bride's father: Peter Johnstone
   bride's mother: groom's marital status: Unknown groom's previous wife:
   bride's marital status: Unknown bride's previous husband:
   film number: 847274 digital folder number: 4011518 image number: 227
   reference number: v 2 p 364 source: County Records

   1810 Marriage Record - James Hall and Mary Johnstone
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Family Bible - Hall, Mrs. Patience Emily (Sutton).

   "James Hall was born in 1790-was married to Mary Johnson, who was near the same age. They lived in Harrison Co., West Virginia, until they moved with family of nine children to Montgomery Co., Ky. They lived there until his death, was buried in Shilo Cemetery on Kingston River. Died March 16, 1932. He lived a strictly honest life, always manifesting a strong faith in God. His last words were "all is well, all is well.' Mary Hall, his wife, then moved to Rush Co., Indiana, then to Shelby Co. where she lived until her death Feb. 1844. She and her youngest son were buried the same month and the same cemetery (being Brandwine). The son's name was William, aged 12 years. Both died very sudden of diptheria. She often expressed the desire to depart and be with her loved husband and her Savior." signed, Emily P. Hall.
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   [cos1776 Note: Emily P. Hall was the daughter-in-law of Mary (Johnston) Hall, having married her son Thomas in 1856. However, it is important to point out that it is unlikely that the two women ever met each other as Mary supposedly died in 1840, sixteen years earlier.]

5.   90180290 90180290, in Find A Grave
   no headstone photo, last accessed Oct 2024.

   [cos1776 Note: Many thanks to Find A Grave contributor Mark McCrady who searched the cemetery for Mary's stone in Aug 2014. Unfortunately, he reports that he was unable to locate it at that time and that the cemetery contains many broken, toppled, half-buried and worn-smooth stones.]