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"Pirate" Johnston 1782-1870
Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted March, 2006
Photo from Google Street View ©2010 Google - Posted December, 2010
Plaque Location
The United Counties of Leeds & Grenville
The Town of Gananoque
On the water's edge at the parking lot
at the foot of Clarence Street
Coordinates: N 44 19.453 W 76 09.889 |
 |
Plaque Text
At nearby Wellesley Island on the night of May 29-30, 1838 a band of Upper Canadian rebels and their American supporters burned the Canadian steamer "Sir Robert Peel". The attackers, about thirteen in number, were led by William "Bill" Johnston, a former Canadian who had fled to the U.S. during the war of 1812. He became a trader and smuggler and, in 1838, was appointed Commodore of the "Patriot" navy. He participated in several attacks upon Canada during the Rebellion and subsequently settled in Clayton, New York, where he became keeper of a lighthouse.
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