Frances Johnston1

#13, (c 1792 - 1869)
FatherWilliam Johnston1 (s 1750 - )
MotherJane Home2 (s 1750 - )
Charts5 Generations of Descendants of Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle (1791-1847)
Ancestors of Hope Lyall Rudd (Jen's line)
Ancestors of Allan Lorne Bonnycastle (Dick's line)
Timeline of RH & Frances & Their Children

Family

Richard Henry Bonnycastle (1791 - 1847)
Children

Life Events

BirthFrances Johnston was born circa 1792 in Scotland.3,4
 
Residence In 1812, Frances Johnston lived in St Andrews parish [part of Edinburgh].1 
MarriageShe married Richard Henry Bonnycastle on 6 Aug 1812 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.
The parish register reads: "Richard Henry Bonnycastle Esq. and Miss Frances Johnston, St. Andrews Parish, Daughter of Capn Willm Johnston Edinr."1
Marriage record of Richard Henry Bonnycastle & Frances Johnston
Edinburgh parish church register
Newspaper Published 14 Aug 1812 in the Edinburgh Advertiser.

Marriages - At Edinburgh, Richard Henry Bonnycastle, Esq; of the Royal Marines [sic], to Frances, second daughter of Capt. Wm Johnson.5
 
Newspaper Published 15 Aug 1812 in the Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh)

Married - On the 7th current, by special licence, by the Right Reverend Bishop Sandford, Richard Henry Bonnycastle, Esq. of the Royal engineers, to Frances, second daughter of Captain William Johnston of this place.6
 
Newspaper Published 19 Aug 1812 in the Aberdeen Journal

Married - By special licence, by the Right Rev. Bishop Sandford, Richard Henry Bonnycastle, Esq. of the royal engineers, to Frances, second daughter of Captain William Johnston of this place.7
 
Note."Frances, Lady, Bonnycastle, the second daughter and only surviving child of Capt. Wm. Johnston and Jane Hume of North Charlotte Street, Edinburgh, is extremely well connected." [a written page inherited by a descendant, source unknown]2 
Passenger ListThe family was listed on a manifest dated 20 Sep 1826 for the bark Vibilia which left London 31 July under the command of Master Corbitt and arrived at Quebec with Colonel Figg, Royal Engineers & lady & children and Captain Bonnycastle, Royal Engineers & lady & children on board. Cargo included stores and bricks consigned to the Government.8 
Newspaper

Fancy ball given by Hon. Mrs. Byng on April 1st [1830]

Captain Bonnycastle, represented 1st a Magician, and afterwards Earl of Sussex, accompanied by Mrs Bonnycastle, in the most superb dress, we ever beheld; 'twas indeed truly magnificent.
The whole scene was like one of fairyland, most brilliant and imposing; the splendour of the spectacle was much increased by numerous uniforms and regimentals.
 
(Heir) WillFrances was named an heir in the will of her husband Richard Henry Bonnycastle dated 17 Jul 1837 in London. She was the sole heir and upon her death the estate was to be divided amongst their four daughters.9
Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle, Knight, PCC Will
Newspaper Published 28 Jul 1840 in the St John's Newfoundland Public Ledger.

A CARD.

SIR RICHARD and Lady BONNYCASTLE and Family desire to express their sense of the attention they experienced from Captain SINCLAIR of the Brig Elizabeth, in a very unusually protracted voyage from England, during which they experienced no other privations than those incident to a state of the weather, more resembling winter than summer, which naturally required all the skill and foresight of the Master of the vessel to counteract.10
 
Newspaper Published 7 Jan 1842 in the Public Ledger was an account of a ball held by the Natives Society in honour of the birth of an heir to the British throne - the Royal infant the Duke of Cumberland and Prince of Wales [the future Edward VII]. The Governor arrived at nine o'clock to the cheerings of from 400 to 500 persons. "and after a brief period---the military band in attendance---the Royal set of Quadrilles struck up, and the President of the Society, Edward Kielley, Esq opened the Ball with Lady BONNYCASTLE, which was kept up with much spirit." Supper was served at 12 o'clock.11 
(Widowed) DeathHer husband Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle died on 2 Nov 1847.4 
1851 CensusFrances Bonnycastle appeared on the 1851 Census of St Heliers, Jersey Channel Islands, at 2 Drayton Place, enumerated 30 Mar 1851. She was a widow, age 50 [sic], and born in Scotland. Her children Charlotte, Henrietta and Louisa were living with her, along with one house servant.3 
1851/2 CensusLady Bonnycastle and her daughters Charlotte, Henrietta, and Louisa appeared on the 1852 Census of Quebec City, Quebec, enumerated 12 Jan 1852. They lived in a 3 story brick house and employed two Irish Catholic servants. Lady Bonnycastle was age 50 [sic], born in Scotland, widowed, and belonged to the Church of England.12 
SignatureThe signature of Frances Johnston was on the 1852 census return of her family.12
Frances Johnston Bonnycastle's signature, 1852
Residence In 1857, Frances Bonnycastle lived in Church Street, St Catharines, Lincoln County, Ontario, and was listed as "Lady Bonnycastle", widow, in the directory.13 
1861 CensusLady Frances Bonnycastle appeared on the 1861 Census of Kingston City, Frontenac County, Canada West, at S. Johnson St near Bagot, enumerated 1861. She was 60, female, widowed, born in Scotland, religion Church of England; with 9 people recorded as family members:
Bonnycastle, L., 21, female, married, b. Upper Canada, CE
Dale, A., 28, male, married, b. England, CE, occupation gentleman
Dale, H., 28, female, married, b. Upper Canada, CE
Dale, F.E., 5, female, single, b. UC, CE
Dale, R.T.H., 4, female, single, b. UC, CE
Dale, H.A., 2, female, single, b. UC, CE
Dale, L.E., 1, female, single, b. UC, CE
Thompson, M., 21, female, single, b. US, CE
Thompson, G., 16, female, single, b. US, CE.14,15 
Newspaper In the fall of 1864, the Kingston house in which Lady Bonnycastle was dwelling was put up for sale. Here is the newspaper ad.16
Kingston Daily News, 1 October 1864
Burial.She was buried on 15 Jul 1869 in St George's Cathedral, Kingston, Ontario. The register noted that she was the widow of Sir Richd Bonnycastle R Engineers, and was age 76, of Kingston.4
Frances Bonnycastle
Burial register entry
Last Edited2 Sep 2016

Citations

  1. Microfilm of the Marriage Register of Edinburgh, Midlothian, 1858-1863 (Family History Library, 993527), Bonnycastle/Johnston marriage, 1812.
  2. Letters from Doris Knox, Ontario, to J Kolthammer, dated early 1990s.
  3. England & Wales 1851 Census. HO107/2527 folio 858.
  4. Burial Register of St George's Cathedral, Kingston.
  5. Ancestry.com databases, online image from the Edinburgh Advertiser.
  6. Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh, Scotland), Saturday, August 15, 1812; Issue 14143. image online at 19th Century British Library Newspapers, a Gale digital collection.
  7. The Aberdeen (Scotland) Journal. image online at 19th Century British Library Newspapers, a Gale digital collection.
  8. Website The Ships List (www.theshipslist.com).
  9. Will and Administration of Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle, Captain in the Corps of Royal Engineers, 17 July 1837, proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 17 March 1848 (Family History Library, Film #0156663).
  10. The Public Ledger [St John's Newfoundland], 28 July 1840. Image viewed at Google news archives.
  11. The Public Ledger [St John's Newfoundland], "Natives Society__Splendid Ball and Supper", 7 January 1842, page 2. Image viewed at Google news archives.
  12. Online image of 1851/2 Census for Canada. District 38, subdistrict 558, household 263.
  13. Wilson, Directory of The Province of Ontario 1857 (Lambertville NJ: Hunterdon House, 1987).
  14. 1861 Census for Canada. Image from Library and Archives Canada viewed at Ancestry.com. Canada West, Frontenac County, Kingston, return #547 [the names are so faint as to be barely legible, the data is clear, and the return was signed by Frances Bonnycastle].
  15. 1861 Census for Ontario "rebuilt by Russ Walker."
  16. The Kingston Daily News, 1 October 1864, page 3. digital image viewed on PaperofRecord.com.
  17. Letters from Doris Knox, Ontario, to J Kolthammer, dated early 1990s "letter, 17 Apr 1991 (quoting a bible)."
  18. Terrence M. Punch, Nova Scotia Vital Statistics from Newspapers, 1813-1822 (Halifax: Genealogical Committee of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, 1978), Acadian Recorder, Sat 26 Aug 1815.
  19. Microfilm of the Bishop's Transcripts of St Mary Woolwich, Kent, 1813-1818 (Family History Library, 307732).
  20. Microfilm of the Bishop's transcripts of Plumstead, Kent, 1744-1853 (Family History Library, 1469482), film#1469482 contains Baptisms and burials 1820-1853 Marriages 1820-1836, Charlotte Bonnycastle baptism, 1825.
  21. Microfilm of the Bishop's transcripts of Plumstead, Kent, 1744-1853 (Family History Library, 1469482), film#1469482 contains Baptisms and burials 1820-1853 Marriages 1820-1836, Murray Bonnycastle baptism, 1825.