Guide to the Paul Johnston Collection (1870s – 1960s)

This collection consists primarily of materials related to and collected by Paul Dombey Johnston (1889-1991) relating to family life, interests, pursuits, and livelihoods from the end of the 19th Century to the 1960s. This collection contains materials of one of his passions – photography. He not only recorded family history and events but also local history of Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Soquel. The bulk of these photographs were generated from the 1910s to the 1960s. Also, as a member of the local historical society he collected newspaper clippings, magazines and ephemera related to local history primarily after the 1930s. The collection includes photographs, negatives, glass plates, ephemera and newspaper clippings. The collection primarily reflects Paul Johnston’s interests, livelihoods, military service and education.

Paul Dombey Johnston (1889-1991) was born in Vancouver, Washington. With his mother Mattie, brother Dean, and sister Ruth, he moved to Capitola in 1899. His mother worked for F.A. Hihn as seamstress, repairing linen for the Hotel Capitola. In 1905 the family moved to Aptos Village, where Paul lived for the remainder of his life. As a boy and young man, Paul worked for Augustus Noble at his Soquel apple dryer, sold popcorn at Capitola Beach, picked cherries and apples, and was a champion apple-box maker. Later he became a mail carrier and owned a garage, gas station, and other properties in Aptos. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, and amateur photographer. He married Christina Henrietta Jensen in 1913, and they had a daughter, Anne (Johnston) Bass (1919- ). The images and other materials in this collection capture almost one hundred years of people, places and events in and around Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Soquel.

Christina Henrietta Jensen was born in Oakland, CA in 1887. Her parents, Lorge and Anna Jensen, emigrated to the United States from the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany. In the 1890s the family (Lorge, Anna, Christina and Christina sister’s Clara and Marie) moved to and settled down in Aptos, they stayed on the Mangels Ranch. While not sure it appears Lorge Jensen was a foreman or caretaker on Mangels Ranch. Christina married Paul Johnston in 1913. She was an active member of the Aptos community – serving as PTA President and was a member of the pioneer club. She was also active with the Red Cross during the depression – making garments for the needy. During World War II she served as a plane spotter. For many of the photographs she was a subject or the photographer.

Mattie Johnston (mother)

Paul Dombey Johnston marries Christina Henrietta Jensen in 1913

Anna (Johnston) Bass (1919- ) marries Leo D. Bass

Leela Bass

Dean Johnston
Ruth Johnston

Lorge Jensen marries Anna _____ in Germany

Christina Henrietta Jensen marries Paul Dombey Johnston in 1913

Anna (Johnston) Bass (1919- ) marries Leo D. Bass

Leela Bass

Clara (Jensen) Wekkerink
Marie (Jensen) Dollar

Series I:  Photographs (1870s-1960s)

Series II:  Negatives (1910s-1960s)

Series III:  Glass Plates (circa 1900)

Series IV:  35mm Slides

Series V:  Magazines (1894- 1975)

Series VI:  Newsletters, Agendas, and other Correspondence

Series VII:   Correspondence

Subseries VII.A.  Letters.

Subseries VII.B.  Example of Historic Building Register package.

Series VIII:  Ephemera

Series IX:  Family Records (1860-1970s)

Subseries IX.A.  The Fourth Reader of the School and Family Series

Subseries IX.B.  Newspaper Clippings

Subseries IX.C.  Kazimir Witwicki’s Retirement Paperwork

Subseries IX.D.  Duty Roster Cards for the Aptos Rifles

Subseries IX.E.  Drawings and Paintings

Subseries IX.F.  Paul Johnston Interview Cassette Tapes

Subseries IX.G.  Prayer Book

Series X:  Post Office Records (1900 – 1930)

Subseries X.A.  Postal Money Order Receipts (1920s)

Subseries X.B.  Postal Money Order Cash Books (1901 – 1905 & 1915 – 1919)

Subseries X.C.  Postmasters’ Account and Records Book (1901 – 1904 & 1913 – 1917)

Subseries X.D.  Letter from the National Surety Company (1917)

SERIES I.  PHOTOGRAPHS (1870s-1960s)

Four (4) Boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains photographs taken and collected by Paul Johnston.  He took photos of various family events.  In addition many of his photos have captured local history in Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Soquel.  The photos from the 1800s are primarily cabinet cards by various photography studios, including William Bickmore.  Starting about 1910 Paul Johnston, family or friends, took the majority of the photographs.  These photos record people, places, and events in and around Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, or Soquel California, or family trips.  Digital scans have been made of these photos and subject and catalog information has been entered in the museum PastPerfect database.  Recommend you contact the archivist to view the photos stored in the database.  (1523 x Photographs)

This series is divided into thirty-eight (38) folders:

Box 1, Folder 1: Family (77 x Photos)
Box 1, Folder 2: Family (78 x Photos)
Box 1, Folder 3: Family (88 x Photos)
Box 1, Folder 4: Family (76 x Photos)
Box 1, Folder 5: Family (63 x Photos)
Box 1, Folder 6: Family (103 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 7: Miscellaneous (76 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 8: Miscellaneous (40 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 9: Ranches and Homes (40 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 10: Railroads (Includes a series of photos of Lucille Aldritch and the ladies of Aptos protesting the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1963)(40 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 11: Aptos, People (22 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 12: Aptos, People (27 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 13: Aptos, Businesses (Includes photos of the Hihn Apple Packing Shed and members of the packing crew in the early 1900s)(12 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 14: Aptos, Bridges (Includes photos of the dedication ceremony and parade for the new Aptos Bridge in 1929)(14 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 15: Lumbering (Includes photos of the Loma Prieta and Hihn Lumber Mills in the early 1900s)(15 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 16: Aptos, Public Service (Includes photos of the dedication ceremony for the new Aptos Post Office in 1963)(30 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 17: Aptos, Drilling (2 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 18: Santa Cruz (Includes photos of the Neptune Casino and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk from the early 1900s)(5 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 19: Aptos, Hotels (16 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 20: Automobiles (31 x Photos)
Box 2, Folder 21: Automobiles (24 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 22: Aptos, Shoreline (56 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 23: Aptos, Shoreline (52 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 24: Animals and Flowers (24 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 25: Aptos, Cityscape (52 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 26: Aptos, Cityscape (51 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 27: Soquel (2 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 28: Hunting and Fishing (56 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 29: Aptos, Military (20 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 30: Aptos, Schools (17 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 31: Aptos, Schools (3 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 32: Soquel, People (1 x Photos)
Box 3, Folder 33: Capitola (5 x Photos)
Box 4, Folder 34: Picture Postcards (35 x Photos)
Box 4, Folder 35: Miscellaneous (9 x Photos)
Box 11, Folder 36: Scrapbook, Miscellaneous (76 x Photos)
Box 11, Folder 37: Scrapbook, Miscellaneous (97 x Photos)
Box 4, Folder 38: Hunting and Fishing (88 x Photos)
Box 12, Folder 39: Hunting and Fishing (112 x Photos, 2 x Negatives)

Box ID#: Folder ID#
1-4

SERIES II.  NEGATIVES (1910s-1960s)

Two (2) Boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains negatives taken and collected by Paul Johnston.  Many of these negatives match with photos in Series I.  These negatives have captured people, places, and events in and around Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Soquel, or family trips.  (1059 x Negatives)

This series is divided into twenty-two (22) folders:

Box 5, Folder 39: Hunting and Fishing (14 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 40: Family and Beach Scenes (58 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 41: Nordoff and Ranch (20 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 42: Mangels Ranch (69 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 43: Miscellaneous (32 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 44: Aptos (42 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 45: Miscellaneous (14 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 46: Miscellaneous (44 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 47: Aptos (47 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 48: Mangels Ranch (21 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 49: Hunting and Fishing (63 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 50: Out of Area (33 x Negatives)
Box 5, Folder 51: Hunting and Fishing (83 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 52: Miscellaneous (22 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 53: Family Travels (54 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 54: Hunting and Fishing (44 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 55: Hunting and Fishing (87 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 56: Mangels Ranch (33 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 57: Mangels Ranch (100 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 58: Fishing (59 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 59: Mangels Ranch (103 x Negatives)
Box 6, Folder 60: Mangels Ranch (17 x Negatives)

Box ID#: Folder ID#
5-6

SERIES III.  GLASS PLATE NEGATIVES (circa 1900)

Two (2) Boxes on Glass Plate Storage Shelf

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains glass plates taken and collected by Paul Johnston.  Many of these glass plates match with photos in Series I.  These glass plates have captured people, places, and events in and around Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Soquel, or family trips.  Included are the Neptune Casino and the Loma Prieta Lumber Mill. (14 x Glassplates).

Box ID#: Folder ID#
7-8

SERIES IV.  35mm SLIDES

One (1) Folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains 35mm slides taken and collected by Paul Johnston.  These slides have captured people, places, and events in and around Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, and Soquel.  (7 x 35mm Slides).

Box ID#: Folder ID#
6: 61

SERIES V.  MAGAZINES (1894- 1975)

One (1) Box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains magazines with photographs and/or articles of local interest.

Midwinter International Exposition, San Francisco, CA, 1894
The American Review of Reviews, April 1915
Good Housekeeping, August 1939
Cosmopolitan, October 1922
Cosmopolitan, November 1918
Sunset, November 1959
National Geographic, January 1975

Box ID#: Folder ID#
9

SERIES VI.  NEWSLETTERS, AGENDAS, AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE

One (1) Folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains various brochures and other correspondence of sites or events pertinent to the history or Santa Cruz County.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
10:62

SERIES VII.  CORRESPONDENCE

Two (2) Folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains various correspondence.

This series is divided into two (2) subseries:

Subseries VII.A.  Letters.

Subseries VII.B.  Example of Historic Building Register package.

SUBSERIES VII.A.  Letters, 1836-1860

One (1) Folder

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains two (2) letters.  One from an I.E. Johan (?) dated May 18, 1860.  The other letter is to a William Heath from I.T. Pillsbury dated November 29, 1836.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
10:63

SUBSERIES VII.B.  Example of Historic Building Register package

One (1) Folder

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains an example of an Historic Building Register package.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
10:64

SERIES VIII.  EPHEMERA

One (1) Folder

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains ephemera and memorabilia related to family history and the Santa Cruz area.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
10:65

SERIES IX.  FAMILY RECORDS (1860-1970s)

One (1) Box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains various family records.

This series is divided into seven (7) subseries:

Subseries IX.A.  The Fourth Reader of the School and Family Series
Subseries IX.B.  Newspaper clippings
Subseries IX.C.  Kazimir Witwicki’s Retirement from the Air Force
Subseries IX.D.  Duty Roster Cards for the Aptos Rifles, California State Militia
Subseries IX.E.  Drawings and Paintings
Subseries IX.F.  Paul Johnston Interview Cassette Tapes
Subseries IX.G.  Prayer Book

SUBSERIES IX.A.  The Fourth Reader of the School and Family Series

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains a school book reader.  There is a handwritten note on the first page “This is Tina’s Book.”

Box ID#: Folder ID#
11

SUBSERIES IX.B.  Newspaper Clippings

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains newspaper clippings relevant to family or local history.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
11
12 (Includes a copy of the American Legion Magazine from April 1941)

SUBSERIES IX.C.  Kazimir Witwicki’s Retirement from the Air Force

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the official copy of Kazimir Witwicki’s retirement and discharge paperwork.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
11

SUBSERIES IX.D.  Duty Roster Cards for the Aptos Rifles, California State Militia

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the duty roster cards for the Aptos Rifles, California State Militia for June 1942.  Members are listed below with their place of birth and their profession, if listed.

List of Duty Roster Cards for Aptos Rifles

Box ID#: Folder ID#
11

SUBSERIES IX.E.  Drawings and Paintings

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains several drawings and paintings.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
11

SUBSERIES IX.F.  Paul Johnston Interview Cassette Tapes

Two (2) Envelopes

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains five (5) cassette tapes of two oral interviews conducted with Paul Johnston on 11/28/86 and 12/18/86.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
11

SUBSERIES IX.G.  Prayer Book

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains a prayer book.  Note on page 2 is “Aunt Emily.”  The prayer book needs a lot of care – the binding is broke, taped, very worn, and pages are loose.

Box ID#: Folder ID#
11

SERIES X.  POST OFFICE RECORDS (1900-1930)

Six (6) Folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains various post office records for when Paul Johnston was the postmaster for Aptos.  These records include money order receipts, money order cash ledger books, postmaster account and records books, and a letter from the National Surety Company concerning Federal bonding for postmasters.

This series is divided into four (4) subseries:

Subseries X.A.  Postal Money Order Receipts (1920s)
Subseries X.B.  Postal Money Order Cash Books (1901 – 1905 & 1915 – 1919)
Subseries X.C.  Postmasters’ Account and Records Book (1901 – 1904 & 1913 – 1917)
Subseries X.D.  Letter from National Surety Company (1917)

SUBSERIES X.A.  Postal Money Order Receipts (1920s)

One (1) Folder

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains postal money order receipts sent to various individuals or companies.  Some of the companies include Sears Roebuck, Farm Life, Charles Ford Co. of Watsonville, and Bank of Italy.  There are also receipts in which the postmasters deposited money in a “Money Order Account.”

Box ID#: Folder ID#

12

SUBSERIES X.B.  Postal Money Order Cash Books (1901 – 1905 & 1915 – 1919)

Two (2) Folders

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains postal money order cash ledger books.  These ledger books provide a daily summary of the money order sales.  The ledger for 1915 – 1919 also contains an audit statement dated January 14, 1919.

Box ID#: Folder ID#

12

SUBSERIES X.C.  Postmasters’ Account and Records Book (1901 – 1904 & 1913 – 1917)

Two (2) Folders

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains the Postmasters’ Account and Records Books.  These books provide an inventory of the postal supplies maintained at the Aptos Post Office including 1 to 10 cent stamps, postage due stamps, postal cards, etc.  The record book from 1901 – 1904 includes copies of invoices from the ‘Postage Stamp Agency’ and an audit for the Post Office Department, dated 1905, that includes an extract of the postal laws and regulations relevant to postmasters..  The record book from 1913 – 1917 includes a letter specifying the amount of credit authorized for the Aptos Post Office.

Box ID#: Folder ID#

12

SUBSERIES X.D.  Letter from the National Surety Company (1917)

One (1) Folder

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains a latter from the National Surety Company.  The letter explains the bonding procedures and requirements for 1917 along with the cost of the bond.  Mr. Bayard Wyman also explains the other services that are available through the company.

Box ID#: Folder ID#

12