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Christopher Johnston(e) (1828-1911) and Margaret Smith Johnston(e) (1826-1898) came from Scotland to Ontario, Canada in May of 1885.
"Rae Hills is a farm not shown on most maps in the vicinity of the Castlemilk Estates.
Christopher Johnston(e) (1828-1911) m. Margaret Smith (1826-1898). We do not know the names of her parents. A sister who married a Stevenson moved to Canada and then to the USA. Grace lived with her Aunt Maggie in Winchester for several years before Margaret died. She claimed that Margaret Smith had come from a much more prosperous family than her husband. She also mentioned money which Margaret's mother had given her.
Christopher married Margaret in early April of 1849. He had leased a few acres for six years just before his marriage, less than a mile away from where he had grown up and about three miles north of Ecclefechan on the Road to Lockerbie in the Shire of Dumfries, Scotland. The rent was reasonable at the time. because many young men and their families had gone overseas to find someplace where the potato blight did not ruin that staple. He had considered going too, but Margaret's parents wouldn't hear of it. By the fall of 1854, he and Margaret had three children. They could see that they had made some progress. Then the lease came up for renewal and the new laird wanted to triple the rent. By then, Margaret's brother, Henry Smith was living near Winchester, Ontario, Canada and Christopher's youngest brother, James, was living at Bethune Bush. Their letters contained glowing accounts of the prospects in the Winchester and Chesterville area. Because Henry was there, Margaret's parents gave their blessing.
Christopher, Margaret and their three children had an uneventful trip to Cornwall in April and early May of 1855 . . . see database for more
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