Nancy STEPHENS ¹

   Other names for Nancy were Mrs. James Rusling JOHNSTON and Mrs. Nancy JOHNSTON.

   User ID: P00050803.

  General Notes:

Janice Orth, who descended from Isaac and Hannah's daughter Florence, had
a written note that Hannah's parents were Irish, French, Scotish, Irish
(again) and Dutch. Note: This is not entirely correct as Hannah's
Grandmother, Hannah (Rusling) Johnston, was born in England.

Nancy moved with her parents to Warren County, Ohio, when fourteen years
of age, where she lived until 1844., when they moved to Knox County,
Illinois. Then, in 1867 she came with her husband to Marion County, Iowa
and in 1869 they moved to their present place.

James was a farmer and owned a large farm near Knoxville, Illinois. He
moved to Knoxville, Ill, before his parents moved there. In1867 he and
his family moved to Marion County, Iowa. Some references stated that he
died in Knoxville, Illinois. However, The "History of Marion County,
Iowa" is correct and he died in Marion County, Iowa.

Nancy and James were farmers owning 64 acres of land on Sec. 18 with a
post office address as Durham, Iowa in 1867. In 1875, they owned about
58 acres unless the rest of the 64 acres was in the names of N.J. and
C.J. (These names were probably Nancy Johnston and Clarinda Johnston.)
The History of Marion County tells about Durham, "Durham is located on
the line of the C., B., & Q. Railroad. Durham is in Clay Township. It
was laid out by C.H. Durham and William Harvey, in November, 1875. It
contains a post office, two general stores, depot, grain house, shoe
shop, blacksmith shop, and church."
Durham no longer exists in the year 2000. However, nearby Harvey, Iowa,
does exist. The History of Marion County describes Harvey as, "located
on the C., R. I. & P.R.R. it was laid out by James Harvey, S. Wright, and
E.G. Doughman, in September, 1876. It contains a depot, grain house and
grocery store. It has a population of twenty."

James and Nancy are both buried in Brekenridge Cemetery in the English
Settlement area, near Durham, Clay Township, and Harvey, Iowa, and east
of Knoxville, Iowa. Their burial plots are in block 2, rows 4 and 5.
Breckenridge was once know as McMillan Cemetery. It is located in
Section 13 of East Knoxville Township on highway 92 about 5 miles
southeast of Knoxville. The History of Marion County reads, "The cemetery
is named after Mr. Samuel Breckenridge who deeded an acre of ground for a
cemetery in the English Settlement. In 1866 the citizens cleared the lot
and seeded it down to grass; the ground having been previously enclosed
with a fence. In 1868, funds were contributed in the vicinity for the
purpose of adorning the grounds. Some forty evergreen trees wre
purchased and set out." Their daughter Clarinda was buried in
Breckenridge, also.

The Breckenridge Cemetery lists names (as listed in the cemetery record)
which look to probably be James and Nancy's children. However, one
listed, Hannah Johnston Miers is not buried there, but in Graceland
Cemetery in Knoxville, Iowa. The others are not researched as of March,
2000: Ancel, Clarinda (Clarinda is buried there), Clarrissa, Edward C.,
Elner, and Nancy A.

In the 1880 federal census for Clay Township, Marion County, Iowa, Nancy
Johnson (spelled wrong. It should be Johnston) was head of the
household, age 63, born in New Jersey and keeping house. Living with her
were her daughter, Nancy A. Sherwood age 22, born in Illinois, and
keeping house. Nancy's husband, Jessie Sherwood was age 26, born in
Iowa, a farmer whose father was born in North Carolina and mother was
born in Ohio. Nancy's daughter Martha M. was age 3, born in Iowa, and
her son, no first name listed, was four months old and born in Iowa.

A birth year for Nancy was given as 1818 in the "History of Marion
County, Iowa" published in Des Moines, Iowa, by Union Historical Company,
Birdsall, Williams & Co., 1881. Nancy's and James' daughter Hannah's day
of birth is listed as the 6th and Ellen's name is Elner in "History of
Marion County, Iowa". Also, her daughter Janetta is named Gennett and
her son Ancil is spelled Ancel in this reference. Another discrepency
is that Nancy A.'s death date is listed as the same date as her birth.
This should have been her birth date instead. She died much later per a
family note, see notes for Nancy Adaline.

Margaret Young Rice lists their marriage date as 1835. Lucille Webster
has it as 1936 from Velta Miers Kunkel.

Edward and Hannah owned four (4) lots in the town of Knoxville, Knox
County, Illinois, 10 acres in the country plus160 acres of farm land in
the country in Knox County. The four (4) lots and the 10 acres were to
go to Edward's executors of his will, Hannah, his wife, and James, his
son. His son also was to receive a forgiveness of a $300 demand note
held by Edward against James. Edward's daughters were each to receive 80
acres of land in the county.

Reference: The data about the Rusling and Fowler families has been
obtained from (1) Velta Miers Kunkel, and from (2) "The Rusling
Family". When I (Lucille Miers Webster) was a little girl, Grandma
(Lulu) Miers had told me about the book and I finally traced it down and
got a copy. It is written by James Fowler Rusling, A.M., L.L.D., who is
actually decended from Hannah Miers' brother Gershom. This James is
Gershom's son. The book was published in 1907 by J.B. Lippincott Co.,
Philadelphia. A copy can be purchased in 1999 from Higginson Book Co. at
E-mail: higginsn@cove.com or mail to 148 Washington Street,
P.O. Box 778, Salem, MA 01970.
(3) "History of Marion County, Iowa" published in Des Moines, Iowa, by
Union Historical Company, Birdsall, Williams & Co., 1881.
(4) Cemeteries of Marion County, Iowa, 1776-1976 book by Marion Co.
Genealogical society, published by R.C. Booth Enterprises, Harlan, Iowa,
with a publication date of 1974, pages 230 adn 237. (5) Marion County
Atlas, 1875, Indiana Township 75 North, Range 18 West of 5th Principal
Meridian. ARR & Sectional Map published by Harrison and Warner, 31 S.
6th Street, Philidelphia, PA. (6) Data gathered by Lucille (Miers)
Webster and data from Margaret (Young) Rice at Prairie Queen Farm in
Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois, April 15, 2000. Margaret is descended
from Hannah (Rusling) Johnston's daughter Mary (Johnston) Young. (7)
Will of Edward C. Johnston written July 20, 1847 with his wife Hannah and
his son James Rusling Johnston as executors. Lucille (Miers) Webster
copied the original which is owned by Margaret Young on April 15, 2000.
The will is also indexed in the General Index to Estates, Knox County,
Illinois, as listed in the Knox County Genealogical Society Quarterly
1975-76, Vol. 4, Spring 1976, No. 2, compiled by Mildred Doubet, as found
in the Galesburg, Illinois, city library on April 15, 2000. (8) Map of
Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois dated 1861showing lots and housing
additions to the town, as found in the Galesburg, Illinois, city library
on April 15, 2000. (9) Cemetery Stones for James Rusling Johnston and
Nancy Stephens, Breckenridge Cemetery, Marion County, Iowa, east of
Knoxville, Iowa, on old highway 92. (10) Telecon between Lucille Miers
Webster and Janice Orth who descended from Lucille's grandfather Joseph
Freeman Miers' sister Florence. February 9, 2002. (11) 1880 federal
census for Clay Township, Marion County, Iowa, Family History Library
Film 1254354, NA Film Number T9-0354, Page 555C.

Nancy married James Rusling JOHNSTON, son of Edward Campbell JOHNSTON and Hannah Fowler RUSLING, on 1 May 1836 in Warren County, Ohio. (James Rusling JOHNSTON was born on 3 Dec 1814 in Warren County, New Jersey, USA, died on 5 Aug 1870 in Marion County, Iowa, USA and was buried in Breckenridge Nr. Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa, USA, "Breckenridge Cemetery, Block 2, Row 4, Stone No. 5".)