Mam-ma's Southern Family

This is my third year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow. I will write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails Into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.   My grandparents, Tom J. Johnston and Pansy Louise (Lancaster) Johnston, purchased a house in Pleasant Hill, California, in a housing tract called “Gregory Gardens.” I am not sure, but this may have been their first property purchased in California. 307 Nancy Lane, my grandfather & his jeep A copy of the deed and title insurance papers were stuffed in a 1950’s County Recorder envelope with a 3 cent stamp. The deed was from the Contra Costa County Title Company with filing stamps and original signatures on it. They purchased the house from the Hergan, Inc. as joint tenants and the property was described as: Lot 22, as designated on the map entitled, “Gregory Gardens, Unit No. 1, Contra Costa...

My maternal grandfather, Tom J. Johnston, Jr. passed away on  11 July 1973.  He was only sixty years old. He died of cor pulmonale due to advanced pulmonary emphysema. [1] He had been a life-long smoker. He was survived by his wife, Pansy L. Johnston, his daughter, Lela Nell Hork, his sisters, Beryl Russell and Mildred Bay, and six grandchildren. [2] Tom had been a member of the Carpenter’s Union and worked at Diablo Valley Community College. His funeral was held at Oak Park Hills Chapel in Walnut Creek and he was buried at Oakmont Memorial Cemetery in Lafayette. [3] His was the first funeral I attended. I was 19. At the funeral home, the casket was open when we got there and I was surprised by how peaceful he looked. I had been a bit afraid of him because he always sounded so gruff when he spoke. Though, when he spoke to his dogs, he was very sweet. Today, I thought I’d share a few photos of Tom and his dogs. [1] State of Cal...