Gazlay Family History
 

Family HistoryFamily History - William George Johnston


Key:1.“+” before a child’s name indicates the child has their own entry in the next generation.
 2.“born xxxx” indicates the child is under 18 years of age so the birth date is not shown.
This family history features William George Johnston and two of his descendants down to the second generation.


First Generation
1. William George Johnston,1 born ____ in Bayfield, Ontario (parents not determined).1 William married Mary Matilda Eagleson (born ____ in Bayfield, Ontario, parents not determined1).

+2i. Edward Elden ‘Eddie’ Johnston, born 14 May 1906; died 3 June 1987 in Lake Worth, Florida. Married Ida Valentine Patterson.
+3ii. Irene Helena Johnston, born 28 January 1907 in Corrine, Saskatchewan, Canada; died 31 July 2005 in Lake Worth, Florida. Married (1) John Philp ‘Johnnie’ Patterson Married (2) Hobart M. Reese.

  1. Record of visit with Ida V. (Patterson) Johnston at her Florida home in 1996 by Lee Gazlay.
Second Generation
2. Edward Elden ‘Eddie’ Johnston2 (William1), born 14 May 1906;1 died 3 June 1987 in Lake Worth, Florida.1 Eddie married, 24 December 1955 in First Baptist Church, West Palm Beach, Florida, Ida Valentine Patterson2 (born 14 February 1907 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, the daughter of John Philp Patterson and Ida May Hauch;2, 3 Ida died 27 October 2010 in Lake Worth, Florida4).

Eddie played hockey and baseball in Canada, and he belonged to the Elks in Canada before immigrating to the United States in 1932. He was a staff sergeant, ordinance division, in the U.S. Army in World War II, enlisting at age 36. While serving in England, Eddie worked in truck maintenance. He worked for the Red Cross instead of going with his unit to the East after the European war ended. Eddie was a foreman in the chemical department of National Oil and Supply Co. for 25 years. He liked reading, sports and fishing, and he golfed now and then.2

Ida was a Girl Scout and was active in church groups as a child. She attended Robert Tread Junior High School through the 10th grade, and she attended Coleman Business College, Newark, New Jersey for two years. For 38 years until her retirement in 1967, Ida was the office manager and executive secretary for Disbrow Manufacturing Co., Newark, New Jersey (and later East Orange), a manufacturer of folding cartons, cards, and packing materials. Mr. Disbrow was a salesman in a similar firm when he started his own company along with his brother and Ida. Ida enjoyed ice skating, knitting, sewing, reading, crafts and traveling. She and Eddie moved to Lake Worth, Florida, in 1967.2


3. Irene Helena Johnston2 (William1), born 28 January 1907 in Corrine, Saskatchewan, Canada;2, 5 died 31 July 2005 in Lake Worth, Florida.5 Irene married, first, 25 June 1933 in Presbyterian Memorial Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, John Philp ‘Johnnie’ Patterson2 (born 26 January 1903 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, the son of John Philp Patterson and Ida May Hauch;3, 6 Johnnie died 8 December 1978 in Lake Worth, Florida6). Irene married, second, 19 September 1982, Hobart M. Reese2 (born 21 September 1901, parents not determined;7 Hobart died 28 June 1988 in Lake Worth, Florida7).

Irene and her brother Edward Johnston (husband of Ida V. Patterson) were from a large family in Canada. Their parents owned wheat farms in the Milestone, Saskatchewan, area. As a child, Irene was active in church groups and Canadian Girls in Training, similar to the Girl Scouts in the United States. She graduated from Milestone High School in 1926, and she immigrated to the United States on 31 October 1927. Irene attended Drakes Secretarial School in New Jersey, and before her marriage to Johnnie she worked for Penn State College. For 22 years, she worked as a stenographer and clerical worker for Disbrow Manufacturing Co., Newark (and later East Orange), New Jersey. Irene enjoyed sewing, cooking, reading and sports, and she did volunteer work for the American Lung Association. She lived in Lake Worth, Florida near her two sisters-in-law, Ida V. (Patterson) Johnston and Effie (Patterson) Steffen.2

As a teenager, Johnnie attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Newark Technical College, and he also completed several international correspondence courses. He was the assistant sales manager for National Oil and Supply Co. In 1954 he moved to Florida and opened a paint store as an agent for John Lucas Paint Co., along with his brother-in-law, Karl Steffen. He enjoyed bowling, golfing, reading, sports, traveling and music, and he was a Mason.2


  1. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). Edward Johnston, no. 148-10-9774
  2. Record of visit with Ida V. (Patterson) Johnston at her Florida home in 1996 by Lee Gazlay.
  3. U.S. Federal Census, 1910, New Jersey, Essex County, Newark, Enumeration District 102, Sheet 2B, John Patterson, 35, Scot[land], com. traveler, Eng. supplies; wife of 13 years Ida M. Patterson, 36, New Jersey, 2 children, 2 living; son John P. Patterson, 7, New Jersey; daughter Ida P. Patterson, 3, New Jersey; father George Patterson, 65, Scot[land], widow, carpenter, stairway co.
  4. Obituary, Palm Beach Post, Ida Valentine Patterson Johnston, 6 November 2010
  5. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). Irene H. Patterson, no. 137-03-2712
  6. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). John Patterson, no. 136-09-7419
  7. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). Hobart M. Reese, no. 285-22-4118