THE JOHNSTON-GOEBEL-McCLURE FAMILY 1927
This page was last updated 6/30/2000

George Irwin Johnston (IJ6) was born 1/3/1906 in Scotland, probably in County Ayr. He and his brothers and sisters went to live with their aunt in Belfast after their mother became too ill to care for them. He also lived for a time in the old Irwin homestead in Loughgall. He immigrated to New York in 1922 and eventually moved into the Philadelphia area. He and Evelyn Amelia Goebel were married, secretly in 1927. He became unemployed during the early Depression years and he, his wife and their son moved to Baltimore to live with Evelyn's parents. After he and Evelyn divorced he moved to Salem, OR in 1936. He and Jessie Ruth McClure were married and had three children. She was born 1/13/1910. George retired in 1971 after a successful career in carpentry, contracting and building. He founded the Johnston Construction Co. in Salem. George was a member of the First Methodist Church, Ainsworth Masonic Lodge AF&AM, Salem Shriner's and the Elks Lodge. He died 9/25/1983 in Salem. His funeral was from Howell-Edwards-Doerksen Mortuary and the Chapel of the Gardens in Salem. He was buried at Restlawn Memory Gardens in Salem after a Masonic ritualistic service. Ruth last resided in Salem and died 6/3/1998.