My Trails into the Past

Although my grandfather, Tom J. Johnston, worked many jobs, mostly he was a carpenter, able to make things with wood. Many of the pieces of furniture in my grandparents’ home were made by him: tables, lamps, picture frames, and even a bar. This photo of my two grandmothers shows the two tables and lamp that he made. An ad in the Stephenville Empire-Tribune in 1940 explained his occupation before the war. [1] He and my grandmother had been married for seven years with one child and lived with her parents, Warren and Leah Lancaster. His occupation was listed as the owner of a wood shop and his income the previous year at $1440. [2] When he was drafted into military service, he gathered up letters of recommendation, probably to aid in getting a carpenter gig in the U.S. Navy. These letters stated he worked the following positions: Worked as a carpenter from August 15, 1941, to December 16, 1941, at the construction of the Fort Worth Aircraft Plant No. 4. Written by J.S. Tait, project c...