Mary Johnstone (1848-1916) was an unmarried daughter of an agricultural labourer, unrelated to the wealthy Johnstone family of Westerkirk parish. She accumulated significant wealth, probably mostly from her two brothers and a cousin, and by 1915 had 34 properties in both the Old and New Towns, including:

• Five shops/workshops:
  • Bootmaker James Ellis
  • Grocer Thomas Smith
  • Joiner Walter Morrison
  • Saddler David Smith
  • Milliner Janet Latimer
• 23 houses: mainly in Henry Street, Factory Entry and Albert Street.

Her brother Andrew was the Langholm town clerk and a partner in the legal firm of Stevenson & Johnstone. He died single in 1906, leaving an estate of £25,656 (over £2.8 million today).

Mary’s cousin Andrew Marchbank was a draper who had retired by the age of 40 and lived at Laurieknowe House, Dumfries, the same address as Mary and her brother James, also a retired draper. Andrew left an estate of £12,333 (around £1.3 million today) in 1908 and James left £13,871 (nearly £1.4 million) in 1912.

On Mary’s death, her estate was worth £49,322 (over £3.7 million today).

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