In 1810 there were four brothers on the Isle of Coll in Argyllshire, Scotland.They went by the alias surname of Johnston. Their father was Roderick "Rauri" Johnston.This Roderick or Rauri descended from Iain MacIain (John Johnston) of the MacIain MacDonalds of Ardnamurchan.This Iain MacIain or John Johnston went to Coll in 1587 to protect an Una or Anne who was the daughter of the powerful MacIain Chief John MacIain (d.1591). The four sons of Roderick were Donald of Arinagour, John of Arnaboast, Angus of Ballihough and Duncan of Grisipoll. In 1819 Donald and Duncan emigrated to Nova Scotia on the ship the "Economy". Many of their descendents changed their name to Johnson and they can still be found throughout Nova Scotia and the rest of North America.In 1850 one son of Angus went to Cape Breton in Nova Scotia and the rest of the family went to the Rothesay and Glasgow region of Scotland.By the mid 1850's many of John's descendents had emigrated to the rest of Scotland and the Township of Mara, Orillia and Simcoe in Ontario,Canada. A number of related Johnston families also went to Hobart Tasmania and Australia on the ships the "Persian" and the "Brilliant" around this period of exodus. For the last decade I have attempted to reconstruct the complete family tree of the Johnston Family of Coll. If you have any information on this family or if you believe yourself to be a Johnston descendent please contact me.I have a great deal of information to share and I know that your out there! Thank You Brian Harry Johnston [email protected]
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