Trying to remember title, similar to The Stand

[Jarrod]

I'm trying to remember the title of a book a friend loaned me years ago.
The plot is similar to The Stand:
A military altered flu virus has all but eliminated humanity. An archeologist survives because he was isolated (up in the mountains)...
I remember a large mining hammer he found was kind of a key symbol throughout the story. The book follows his life from that point. He befriends a woman and starts a town. He sends his sons out, in a jeep they got running, to find other people. In the end he hands the hammer over to his grandson...

[Patrick]

Earth Abides by George R. Stewart ?

[Jarrod]

Yes! That's it thank you

[Patrick]

My pleasure.

[Debby]

I am going to check that one out....loved The Stand. Did you read "Floating Dragon" by Stephen King and Peter Straub? Another similar plot.

[Jarrod]

Haven't read Floating Dragon, yet. At first I thought you meant The Eyes of the Dragon...

[John]

Jarrod wrote: "Haven't read Floating Dragon, yet. At first I thought you meant The Eyes of the Dragon..."
Floating Dragon was a Straub only novel. He wrote The Talisman and Black House with Stephen King.

[Debby]

right> My mistake.