Quadruple family tragedy 1872 & a murder 1915 & a naval hero 1950 - the Johnston family of Dooraa, Kesh, Co Fermanagh
QUADRUPLE FAMILY TRAGEDY, 1872 Occasionally, when researching families, one uncovers other unrelated families that catch the attention. Whilst looking for a death record for another Johnston family I came across a striking triple death registration for three sons of an Andrew Johnston residing in the townland of Doora, near the village of Kesh, Co. Fermanagh. The three deaths were all registered on the same day, the sixth of April 1872 and made for very sad reading. Andrew had lost three sons within one month; William Andrew aged 4, George aged 9 and Acheson aged 13. It seems that typhoid fever (spread by a bacteria called Salmonella typhi), carried in contaminated water had struck the family with devastating consequences. Outbreaks of typhoid fever were not uncommon in 19th century Ireland. Having caught my attention I had a look at the family of Andrew Johnston and discovered that he had lost another son Francis Johnston, aged 16 years to the same disease on 16 May 1872. Four sons l