Walter's parents were Napolian B Johnson and Jane Calcraft. Walter and his father were born in the UK and travelled to Australa when he was very young child.

Blowering School at Brandy Mary's Flat, Blowering Rd, via Tumut.

General help on parents property at Jones's Bridge, Blowering Road, Tumut.

Farm Hand - on West Blowering Station - which was run under manager Mr Peter Watts, With his brother Albert Johnson at "Glen Luna" West Blowering Road, West Blowering. The brothers then ran property together and after his marriage Walter took over and ran the property as his own.

1907 - Dairy Farmer - West Blowering - (Ref marriage to Miss Grace Ada Skein on their Marriage Certificate).

1943 - Dairyman - (Ref Daughter Bessie's Marriage Certificate - to Delson Matthew French in Tumut - (Ref NSW BDM 6394/1943).

1907 Walter W JOHNSON married Miss Grace A SKEIN in TUMUT - (Ref- NSW BDM 11896/1907).

1912 Kenneth Johnson, was born on a Monday at - "Glen Luna", West Blowering. via Tumut . NSW

1922 Bessie Johnson, was born in Tumut . NSW

1926 Tumut and Adelong Times and Tumut Advocate - Tuesday - 27.6.1926.

Mr Walter Johnson of West Blowering, received from Victoria last week a beautiful Jersey bull calf, three weeks old, from one of the best herds in Victoria. Its breeding is exceptionally good and discloses some of the best milking strains in Australia.

Mr & Mrs Walter Johnson and daughter Bessie left by car on Wednesday to attend the Royal Easter Show in Sydney.

Mr Walter Johnson of Tumut had a narrow escape one day last week when driving his lorry round the "silent cop" on the corner of Wynyard and Fitzroy Streets. When about to make the turn the steering gear suddenly snapped and the truck careered across the street in front of Moran & Cato's store. Mr Johnson quickly jammed on the breaks and brought the vehicle to a stand still.

About 3pm on Saturday a fire broke out between Mr Harry Myers and Worldon's properties on which is known as Sam's Flat, a portion of East Blowering Station. The flames travelled up hill, fanned by a slight breeze into a corner of Mr Walter Johnson's property.

Many of the land owners were in Tumut at the time and hurried out in answer to calls to return immediately. A strong muster of fire fighters soon had the blaze under control. No stock was lost but approximately 700 acres of grassland and several lines of fences were burnt.

Well known Tumut resident and formerly of Blowering Mr Walter William Johnson, collapsed suddenly and died outside the Rural Bank in Wynyard Street, Tumut, at 11.30am on Wednesday.

He had not shown any signs of sickness and was his usual active self on the morning of his death.

The late Mr Johnson was born nearly 83 years ago in a small cottage just passed Brandy Mary's Flat on the Blowering Road and was a son of the late Mr & Mrs N B Johnson who later moved to another home at Jones' Bridge. Following his schooling at the old Blowering School then situated along side the Church of England, the deceased assisted on the family property during his early manhood.

When Blowering Station was subdivided and sold into blocks over fifty years ago the late Mr Johnson purchased a section at West Blowering where he carried on dairying pursuits.

Shortly after he married Miss Grace Ada Skein of Batlow and a new home was erected on the property. Over twenty years ago he retired, selling the Blowering property to his only son Ken, and purchased a town property on the corner of Wynyard and Capper Streets on which he erected two brick houses and where he had since resided. Mrs Johnson has been seriously ill for some years and has been a patient in Tumut District Hospital for the past fourteen months.

In addition to his son Ken of Blowering there is also one daughter, Bessie ( Mrs Brad French of Brungle) surviving.

There is also one brother and four sisters also surviving: Fred, of Tumut ( the last survivor of nine brothers, Lillian (Mrs Grady of Shepardstown), Ella (Mrs E Nuttall) and Clare (Mrs W Banwell) all of Tumut. Those who predeceased him were brothers George, Mervyn, Albert, Herbert, Hector, Ernest and Milton.

The late Mr Johnson was a keen judge of cattle and his knowledge of animal sickness was expensive, his services often being called upon by farmers in the Blowering area to diagnose and give advice in this regard.

The funeral took place yesterday morning, leaving from All Saint's Church of England for the C/E portion of the Tumut cemetery. Rev F J Dau officiated at the grave side and W Beavan & Son had charge of the mortuary arrangements . Pall bearers were Ken Johnson (son), Fred Johnson (brother), Maurice Johnson (nephew) and Brad French (son in law) . - (Ref Margaret B)

C of E CERTIFICATE SECURING RIGHT OF BURIAL - NO. 12800

This is to certify that Gracy Johnson of Wynyard Street, Tumut, has paid to the Trustees of the Church of England Burial Ground, Tumut, the sum of 2 pound and 6 pence, and in consideration of such payment the said Trustees do hereby grant to the said Gracy Johnson the exclusive right of Burial in Portion No. 47, Section No. IN, nine feet by four feet in the said Burial Ground, subject to the conditions prescribed in the rules and regulations for the time being in force relating to the said Burial Ground. Dated this 17th day of June, 1961. John French P Pidlsely...Trustees

A Kirkman Sec.

CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION OF DEATH - NO.7/57.

I, James Norman Ayling, Registrar of Births and Deaths in the district of, Tumut, do hereby certify that the death of Walter William Johnson was duly registered by me on the 3rd May, 1961. Witness my hand, this 3rd May, 1961 J Ayling

RECORD

Walter William Johnson was the second son of Napoleon and Elizabeth Johnson ( nee Quarmby).

He was born at Blowering on 10th June, 1878 and Baptised on 1st September, 1878: one of fifteen children, two of whom died in infancy.

For several years he worked for Mr Peter Watts who managed West Blowering Station.

Around the turn of the 20h century this property was sub divided and sold. Walter and his younger brother Albert purchased a property of about 240 acres which had been part of the station. It was called "Glen Luna". Walter later brought out Bert's share and Bert brought some land down the river near Jone's Bridge.

On 16th October, 1907, Walter married Grace Ada Skein of Batlow at All Saint's Church of England, Tumut. She was the daughter of Copeland and Mary A Skein (nee Tompkins). Grace was born at Yarragon, Gippsland, Victoria, on the 13th April, 1883 and came to Reedy Flat (Batlow) with her parents when quite small. She and two of her sisters were Baptised at their residence at Reedy Flat on 12th May, 1886, this being the first opportunity of having three children Baptised by a Presbyterian minister.

For several years Walter and Grace lived in an old house on "Glen Luna". In approximately 1920 they built a fine new brick home into which they moved with their young son Kenneth Vivian Edgar (Ken) who had been born at "Glen Luna" on 4th November, 1912. Their daughter Bessie Joan was born later (in Tumut) on 5th January, 1922.

Walter ran a very successful dairy farm, eventually building up a Jersey Stud. He also kept a few sheep and some pigs. As well as this he operated the West Blowering cream run for may years, even after he and Grace moved into Tumut in 1938. He owned one of the first trucks on Blowering.

Walter and Grace's son Ken married Mona French of Brungle on 22nd December, 1937 and he continued to run the dairy, which he took over early in the e1940's, until it was resumed for the construction of the Blowering Dam. Ken and Mona had three children - Margaret, Milton and Bill. Milton was working on the property with his father at the time of resumption.

Their daughter Bessie married Delson French of Brungle (Mona's younger brother) on 6th January, 1943. They had one daughter Beatrice.

Both Walter and Grace idolised their four grandchildren and would have adored their eleven great grandchildren if they had lived long enough to see them born.

Walter was always a keen gardener - there was always a plentiful supply of home grown vegetables and he also had a lovely flower garden. His special claim to fame was the beautiful Iceland Poppies which he always grew. His house in Tumut always boasted a beautiful manicured lawn.

When Walter and Grace made the move to Tumut after Ken's marriage they moved into a new brick home which they built on the corner of Wynyard and Capper Streets. They also built two more houses and brought another one. These were rented out - in the early days for a princely sum of thirty shillings per week.

Walter could turn his hand to most "handy - man Projects"and was often to be found doing jobs for others.

In 1953 Walter and Grace's happy life suffered a set back. Grace had a stroke and although after some months she made a reasonable recovery, she could not do some of the things she had previously enjoyed such as playing bowls and participation in the activities of the Women's Organisations to which she had belonged. Unfortunately over the next eight years she had several more strokes, each one devastating that the Last. Walter lovingly cared for her at home, attending to her needs, taking her for drives in the car etc. until the time finally came when she had to be hospitalised for the last couple of years or so of he life as home care by then was out of the question. He used to walk to the hospital to visit her even though he was over eighty years of age and had stopped driving by now.

Walter had always had good health: therefore it was a great shock to the family when he collapsed and died whilst doing business in the Rural Bank at Tumut on 3rd May, 1961.

Grace died in the Tumut Hospital on the 18th September, 1961. They are buried side by side in the Anglican Section of the Tumut Cemetery.

They would by now have been the proud great great grandparents of 18 children (one of whom was stillborn) with one more due shortly.

This report is submitted in good faith. All endeavours have been made to make all entries authentic and correct. For any corrections and additional valuable information, maps and photos you may have please contact John

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