Edward William Johnston: A Graveyard Mystery in St. Louis, Missouri

To recount from earlier research findings, Edward William Johnston was born on October 17, 1799, at Longwood, Prince Edward County, Virginia. He died on December 9, 1867, in St. Louis, Missouri. In between, he married Marie Antionette Estelle Costar Villagrand on February 7, 1824, probably in New York City, and she died in Washington, D.C., on December 15, 1848. Edward moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1855. So far, so good.

To confirm Edward's death date, we can turn to a compendium written by Franklin Benjamin Hough, the "Father of American Forestry." From American Biographical Notes: Being Short Notices of Deceased Persons . . . (Albany, N.Y.: Joel Munsell, 1875, page 229):

Edward W. Johnston died St. Louis, December 9, 1867. Professor of history and belles lettres in University of South Carolina, Editor or associate editor of Richmond Whig, National Intelligencer, New York Times, St Louis Intelligencer and Leader.

Now the latest mysteries. In a garbled text written by Stella Pickett Hardy, she lists Edward as having married two different people: first, "Miss De Corba" [presumably Estelle "de Costar" Villagrand]; and second, "Mrs. Wooley." (Hardy, Colonial Families of the Southern States of America: A History and Genealogy of Colonial Families Who Settled in the Colonies Prior to the Revolution, New York: Wright, 1911, page 306). I have yet to come across "Mrs. Wooley" anywhere else. But I did come across this information from the St. Louis, Missouri, Burial Index, Archdiocese of St. Louis, 1700-2010 [online database at www.stlcathcem.org]:

Calvary Cemetery, Edward Wm Johnston, burial date December 11, 1867. Age: 68.
And: Ditto., Margaret Johnston, burial date December 11, 1867. Age: 46.

Note: Calvary Cemetery is adjacent to Bellefontaine, the mostly Protestant cemetery that includes the remains of poet Sara Teasdale, Senator Thomas Hart Benton, Union generals Don Carlos Buell and Francis Preston Blair, Jr., Confederate general Sterling Price and 20th century writer William Seward Burroughs II, among many others. 

Calvary houses the mostly Catholic side of things, and includes the graves of Dred Scott, Kate Chopin, Tennesee Williams and William Tecumseh Sherman.

There are at least three things to figure out here. 

1). Did Edward convert to Catholicism while with Estelle, or even before marrying her? 
2). Who exactly was Margaret Johnston?
3). Why were they both buried on December 11, 1867?  Was there an accident, foul play, epidemic, or merely a relocation so they could both be buried together?

Was Margaret "Mrs. Wooley?"  (Note that Estelle was also about 46 when she died in Washington, DC, in 1848).  Or was "Margaret Johnston" an entirely different woman?

If you have any leads, thoughts, ideas or suggestions, I can be reached by email (at least at the time of this post) at:  efrance23@gmail.com

Meanwhile, I scanned through some online indices via The State Historical Society of Missouri, and came across references that may or may not shed more light on this particular graveyard mystery:

Death notice: Edward William Johnston. Jefferson City Peoples' Tribune, December 10, 1867, Page 2, Column 1.

Liberty Tribune. Edward W. Johnston. Death notice and brief sketch. Resident of St. Louis. December 13, 1867, Page 2, Column 5.

Given enough time and focus, more will be revealed.