Johnston James Brandon [ 1860 - 1911 ]

Johnston J. Brandon was the son of Andrew and Martha Brandon. Although listed as a “gentleman” in the 1881 Census, he opened “a large stock of boots and shoes and groceries in one of Mr. Cunningham’s brick stores” in October 1882 [FFG 21 Oct 1882; 2]. This business lasted to the end of the year for by January 1883 Findley McDougall and John H. Brandon took Johnston into partnership, and their firm became known as McDougall and Brandon Bros. This partnership itself did not last, as it was dissolved on March 3rd 1884 [FFG 22 March 1884; 2].

Afterwards Johnston formed a partnership with William L. Robson and “bought the stock and good-will of John A. Ellis’ grocery business” which they took possession of on January 1st 1885 [FFG 27 Dec 1884; 2 : 2 Jan 1885; 2]. Brandon and Robson sold “general groceries and provisions” and appeared in the directories until 1887. The partnership was dissolved in November, when “Mr. Brandon takes the whole business on himself” [CP 11 Nov 1887; 1]. By the end of that year Johnston Brandon “one of our flourishing and popular merchants” was “removed to Peterborough” suffering from a “severe illness”, where he was under the care of Dr. King [CP 9 Dec 1887; 1]. The Ontario Directory for 1888/89 lists Brandon on his own selling groceries and boots and shoes; as does the January 1890 edition (general store) of D&B, but he disappears from the July issue. The 1891 census records that he was living with his widowed mother and was employed as a bookkeeper; he is not listed in the 1901 Census. He died on October 12th, 1911 at the age of 51 years, and was buried in the Fenelon Falls cemetery [FFPL 11: 15].