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CJ Max | all galleries >> Galleries >> JOHNSTON Family Album © 2005 > Uncle Attie, Aunt Annie & John - 1898
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1898, restored 2005 Cliff. Johnston

Uncle Attie, Aunt Annie & John - 1898

Plantagenet, Ontario, CANADA

Arthur Johnston, 1863-1949
son: John McQueen Johnston, 1890-1918
wife: Anna (Reid) Johnston, 1868-?

A loving family portrait with one of the few images that we have of John. John was handsome, charismatic, intelligent and seen by all who knew him as being destined for a bright future. In WWI John had been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in action. John and Clifford were first cousins, neighbors back home and great friends. They got together as often as possible. John was with the amunition train that supplied Clifford who was a Bombardier with the Canadian Field Artillery. On July 12, 1918 at Caix, France, while waiting for Clifford he decided to go to the trenches at the front to get a better look at the enemy. It was a fateful decision. He was killed by a German sniper's bullet to the head. His cousin (my grandfather), Cpl. Clifford Johnston had to confirm his identity. Even more difficult for Clifford was explaining John's death to his Uncle Attie and Aunt Annie after the war.

Aunt Annie, as she was known to the rest of the family, was almost completely deaf. She passed that trait onto most of her children. As we can see in this photograph, she was a very slender woman. My Dad used to speak very lovingly of both her and Uncle Attie.

Uncle Attie was a very successful farmer. He eventually owned 500 acres of land, and belonged to the Masons. After his brother Clifford's death in 1926 from mustard gas poisoning suffered in WW I, Attie & Annie took my Dad under their wings. I heard many stories of how Dad would go out with Uncle Attie to collect maple sap, make maple syrup and then enjoy the hot pancakes that Aunt Annie would have waiting for them.

A difficult photograph to adjust as there appears to have been only one very bright light used to the right of the photographer. When Curves is used to lighten the dark areas, the highlights on their heads blow out. full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Karen Johnston Zobel 20-Nov-2014 23:18
My father was also deaf Bonnie. It was interesting at times when the siblings
were together. You never knew who's hearing aid was squealing.
Bonnie Minor 03-Nov-2013 15:58
These are my great grandparents. My mother Lorna Johnston lived with them and her parents Bruce Robert Johnston and Muriel Dixon Johnston in the farmhouse in Pendleton. It was interesting that Annie was deaf because I think that trait carried on in the whole family. My grandfather Bruce Robert Johnston was very deaf as were my mother and her sister. bonnieminor@yahoo.com
Guest 21-Jun-2005 19:00
Wonderful old family portrait. The history is very sad and very interesting.