Genealogical account of the family of Johnston of that Ilk, formerly of Caskieben, in the shire of Aberdeen, and of its principal branches

GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT
OF THE
FAMILY OF JOHNSTON OF THAT ILK AND
OF CASKIEBEN,
IN THE SHIRE OF ABERDEEN.
The surname of Johnston is of great antiquity in Scotland,
and must be familiar to every one conversant with the history of
that kingdom. The lineage of this race was of old proverbially
honourable ; — in the ancient rhyme on the characters of Scottish
families, to this day popular in some parts of the country, they
are designed " The gentle Johnstons."
In the manuscript history mentioned in the preface, the author
thus introduces the subject of his compilation :
" The description of the line of the Lairds of Caskiben, and
their alyances, from Stiven Johnstoun, sone to the Laird of
Anandail, the first of that surname that possest Caskiben, to
John Johnstoun, now heritable possessor thereof.
" Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth
greatly in his commandments ; his seed shall be mighty upon
earth; the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. — Psl. 112.
" Albeit God has not so multiplyed the neam of Johnstoun de-
pending of Caskiben, as others that are not so ancient, yet of
his great mercy, he has preserved ane continual and unbroken
succession by lineal descent in that house, by the space well near
of three hundreth years."
The two families of Johnston of that Ilk, and of Caskieben,
and Johnston of that Ilk in Annandale, long disputed the title