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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 46: Random Fact – Luther “Toofer” Johnston played college football

I am 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’m looking forward to writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

The college newspaper of John Tarleton College, The J-TAC, is available on the Portal to Texas History website. I have found numerous articles about my grandfather’s younger brother, Luther E. Johnston (1918-1970), playing center on the football team.

However, Luther was better known as “Toofer” and searches in the newspaper of “Luther Johnston” did not bring up matches. Yet, as "Toofer" Johnston, there are many articles about his football games and social activities in the years of 1936 through 1938.

He was first mentioned in newspaper in the fall of 1935, about his football exploits on the Yellowjackets team while still at Stephenville High School.

He played center for the junior college and was co-captain of the team in 1938. The team was referred to as Plowboys.

He was a member of the Sons of Tarleton Society (S.O.T.S.), serving as vice-president in 1937, and president in 1938.  He dated B.J. McMillan in 1938.

Also at the website was the 1938 yearbook for John Tarleton Agricultural College. 


From this photo, I can see where my brother got his curls.

Copyright © 2018 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.

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