Ann Johnston was the daughter of James Robertson and "Elizabeth Crawford" (of Augusta Co., Virginia & married 18 Aug 1743 or "1739."*) and granddaughter of Alexander Crawford and his wife Ann. She is believed to have been born 20 May 1742. Rev. John Craig baptized her a month later, on 20 Jun 1742 (source in her father's bio). She married Zachariah Johnston in "1762" in Augusta County, Virginia.

I note a a candidate for her father: Jas Robertson residing on land in 1743 next to Zachariah's father William Johnston. Chalkley's Chronicles, Vol. 3, p 254; Page 65.--18th February, 1743. John Lewis, of County Augusta, to Jas Robertson, £30 current money Virginia; 274 acres in Beverley Manor, part of 2,071 acres deeded to John by Wm. Beverley, 21st Feb, 1738, recorded in Orange; on Lewis Creek, Daniel Dcniston's line; Jas Trimble's line; John Craig's line. Witnesses, Wm Henderson, WM. JOHNSTONE, Thos Lewis. Acknowledged in Orange County, 23d February, 1743. Acknowledged in Augusta by John Lewis, 15th Apr 1746, and Margaret, his wife, released dower.

They had 11 known Johnston children most likely at her husband's childhood home, the Barrens or Stone Fort (in Augusta County, Virginia on Long Meadow Road):

James Robertson, 19 May 1763 (Esther Turk), below

John, 15 Nov 1764, below

William, 10 Apr 1766 - died young

Elizabeth, 22 Feb 1768 (Robert McChesney), below

Zechariah, Jr., 18 Jan 1770 (Jenny McMath), below

Thomas, 10 Jan 1772 (Susan McMath), below

Ann, 27 Oct 1774 - 27 Jun 1851 (Jos White), below

George, 9 Feb 1777 - 10 Sep 1800 in KY (letter), below

Alexander, 6 May 1779 (Sarah Ellen Wilson), below

Margaret 'Peggy" 10 Apr 1781 (Robt I White), below

Jean/Jenny/Jinnie, 28 Oct 1783 (Jno Sharp), below

All of the above children and their birthdates are listed in the Johnston Family Bible printed in 1811. It begins with Zechariah Johnston, born in 1742 and Ann Robertson Johnston. It was offered by Miss Johnston in Lexington, Virginia. She was buried here also. It was from the Lexington Congregation, Film # 007769168 on Familysearch 85/759 (see photo).

From "Chalkley's Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish in Virginia" Abstracts of Wills of Augusta Co., Virginia, Augusta Co. Court, Will Book #3; Page 10, 18th Feb 1761. Page 109. "Zachariah Johnston's wife was Ann Robinson (sic), sister of Alex. and James Robinson; Jane Robinson. Ann's sister, married John Blair (of Augusta Co., Virginia). Both James and Alex. went to Kentucky, Jessamine County? from Geo. Armentrout."

I later discovered that Ann's brother, Alexander Robertson of Mercer County, KY, voted NO in the 1788 ratifying convention in Virginia and her husband Zachariah Johnston, was also there, from Augusta Co, voting YES. Also, "Alexander Robertson was a "near relative" of Wm Robertson, the celebrated historian, whose nephew, John Henry, was the father of Patrick Henry."

On 21 May 1792, a "Church letter" stated Capt. Z. Johnston and wife, Ann, and children, were certified in good standing (Zachariah Johnston Papers). She made a will 12 Jun 1818, her property was appraised, and on 30 September 1818, there is a recorded Accounting of the public sale of property of "Ann Johnston deceased."

The Zachariah Johnston Papers at the Library of Virginia contain many family and other letters. Letter involving the Robertsons include: (A) an 11 Sep 1800 letter from Ann's sister Rebeckah ROBERTSON Dunlap (Wm Dunlap, born 1744), from Shelby (Felby) County, KY, to sister, Mrs. Ann Jonson (sic). Informs Ann her son George died 10 Sep 1800 (see photo below, shared by HL) Rebecca Robertson Dunlap (FaG #99754991), 1751 - 1848, is buried in Lexington, KY with her husband Wm DUNLAP, 1744 - 1816). (B) a Feb 1802 letter from Elisabeth SHANKLIN to sister, Ann Johnston, near Lexington. (Elizabeth Robertson "married John Shanklin in Nov 1767." (C) 1?Feb 1802 letter from Elisabeth Shanklin to Anne Robertson, near Lexington. It sends well wishes from sister (Rebeckah Robertson Dunlap and Sister ? HOGSET (HL). (D) 9 Aug 1776, Alexander Robertson, Castle _?_, to Zachariah Johnston, Augusta (Co.). (E) 8 Dec 1784, Alexander Robertson, [Harl?]ins Spring, to (Zachariah Johnston). (F) 23 Sep 1787, Alexander Robertson, Mercer Co., to Capt. Zachariah Johnston, Augusta Co. (G) 26 Aug 1797, James Robertson, to _?_.

Letter from Rebeckah Dunlap, (Shelby) County, Kentucky, to sister "Mrs. Ann Jonson" (sic), 11 September 1800". Hard to read letter (see photo from HL) MAY SAY (? = below are hard to make out):

Felby County, Kentucy

My Dear Sister

I am sorry to ?allure? your ?over or woes? with news

that must afect your hart and wound

your Spirits, but the ?devices or desires? of providence

must be acomplished, god was pleased to

Call hom your Son George from this

troublesom world ye 10th of this instant,

true it is that the wills hand to Submit

and part with a dear friend, but when

we reflect upon the upright walk and

General Conduct of our now deceased friend

we must rest Sattisfied that a happy

Change has taken ?pause or place? respecting him,

therefore we ought not to ?Sorrow? ?as? they

that have no ?hap or help?, may the almity God

Support you under this and every disperation

of divine providence he may be please to

trust you with and enable us all to

?work? and be Sober waiting for the

?bridge? some Coming that when death

Calls we may be redy.———

Through the ?marige? of god my family

is at present in good helth

I am with the outmost Respect your

affectionate Sister

September ye 11th 1800 Rebeckah Dunlap

In The Scotch-Irish in America, Proceedings and Addresses of the Seventh Congress at Lexington, Virginia, Jun 20-23, 1895, Published by the order of Scotch-Irish Society of America, Nashville, Tennessee, 1895, p 328 adds: Ann Robertson the wife of Zachariah Johnston is the niece or grandniece of Wm Robertson, the historian of Scotland and aunt to Geo. W. Robertson, the Chief Justice of KY. Rev. William Robertson died in 1793 in Edinburgh, Scotland, but the exact connection has not been found. He wrote several books on Scotland, Charles V., America, etc.

Her second home with Zachariah is located at the edge of town in the meadows of Woods Creek by the Lexington Golf and Country Club. The Preservation Nation site says his descendant Matthew Paxton's family "with guidance of noted restoration architect Thomas Craven, preserving the original flooring, stone fireplaces, Georgian woodwork, and detailing." It's beautiful inside and out.

According to his Findagrave bio, Capt William Robertson, is Ann's great Uncle.

She is buried beside her husband Zachariah Johnston.

In August 1990, I took my first grave photos of Ann and Zachariah's markers. I've posted the earliest I took in about 1993 or 1994, and they needed cleaning. I note on Ann's marker, that someone heavily scratched an "E" at the end of Johnston, making it Johnstone. Johnstone and Johnston were both used in Scotland. I find other relatives also changed the spelling of their surnames when they came here in the 1700's, like they were making a clean break. I've only found two Johnstones buried here (Susan McMath J and May Ross J), and 28 Johnstons. Their markers were beautifully cleaned by my cousin in 2016-2017 and look great in the photos :)

Her gravestone says:

Here

lies the Body of

ANN JOHNSTON

who departed this life

the 25 day of Aug. 1818

Aged 77 Years.

To the right of her marker is 6 year old grandson Zechariah Johnston, died 1813 and daughter in law Sally Ellen Wilson Johnston, the wife of son Alexander Johnston.

*Kentucky state representative, George Robertson (1790-1874) was the son of ALEXANDER Robertson and grandson or James Robertson. According to George's autobiography, An Outline of the Life of George Robertson, Lexington, KY, 1876, p 14. George describes his grandfather James Robertson as "Tall and spare, but of large frame." He had blue eyes and fair skin. He married the handsome Elizabeth Crawford in Augusta County. He wrote about his aunt, Rebecca Robertson Dunlap: "Rebecca Dunlap, mother of Rev. James Dunlap, the oldest citizen of Fayette, died at the residence of her son, Col. John R. Dunlap, near Lexington, KY, on the morning of the 7th of November, 1849, in the 99th year of her age..." Also, "... Her father, James Robertson, about the year 1735, came to America from the north of Ireland, and in 1739 married Elizabeth Crawford, and settled about one mile from Stanton (sic), then in the backwoods of Virginia, where Rebecca, his sixth child, and the last survivor of his family, was born and reared, and where he died in her infancy about the year 1758. He was a plain upright man, of spotless character and exemplary piety, living and dying a steadfast Presbyterian. She also, at an early day after her settlement in Kentucky, became a member of the Presbyterian church at Walnut Hill."

Bio researched and written by LSP