Ishpeming Michigan

Left Newberry and drove to Ishpeming 178klm. not a good drive raining boring scrubby countryside until about 50k from Marquette when the sun came out and everything looked better.  Again we just got set up and the rain came again lasted all afternoon, just let up for us to rush to the brew pub next door to the camping for bbq ribs and their own beer. Not so lucky getting back to the trailer though like a couple drowned rats when we got back, beer was worth the wetting.

 The reason we came to Ishpeming was to visit the grave of my great aunt Eva. I first came here in 1968 with my first wife Jill my sister Lynne and cousin Stephen. Jill and I were living in Canada at the time and Lynne and Steve came over from England on a visit. the second time was in 1969 with my Mum and Dad. My aunt and uncle had come to Michigan in 1906, the iron ore mines in Northern Lancashire were coming the end of there life where here in Upper Michigan they had only just started.

 My Great Aunts grave above and the three family graves. The larger one are the two children, the first child born in 1908 and died only two days old and the second child Margaret born in 1910 and died in 1913, the middle grave is  Great Uncle John died in 19663.

John and Eva went to England for a visit in the early 20s my Farther was 7 or 8 years old at the time and could just remember them so the 1969 reunion was a special time.  My fathers sister Margaret who was born in 1918 is still going strong at 95 I wonder if she was named after her cousin.