Contents
Scotland or Ireland, and Finland are the 19th century origins of the two families but for this site the prime locations are the cities of Chatham and Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Ties to the "old country" faded with the passing of the first arrivals although Kallios had annual reunions in the 90s and early 21st century, with a Kallio family tree created by Ken and Irene Wedell, from which I heavily draw.
Martha Kallio and Floyd Ferguson were both born & raised in Chatham although there is a fuzzy, to me, relationship with nearby Munising. By the early 40s they were living in coastal Marquette where their 8 children were born. Their home from 1945 was 415 Craig Street on the south side, until their deaths in 1990 and 2005. With grandchildren they came to be called Nanny & Papa and were well-loved and respected by family, friends & neighbors.
Using the links below you can browse a limited look at the parents of Floyd & Martha, early days in Chatham, Marquette, siblings, children, grand children, great grandchildren, relatives, friends and neighbors. There is far less documentation on the Ferguson side.
(photo: Chatham, Michigan 1920s(?)
John Jacob Kallio,
Justina Wilhelmina click
Floyd Wedlock Ferguson (Papa) click
Martha Kallio (Nanny) click
Floyd's Siblings click (3 pages)
Martha's Siblings click
Chatham is the
birthplace of Floyd and Martha, a very
small town which, in 1925, suffered the old sad story of kids
playing with fire, much of the town destroyed.
Marquette is located on the south shore of Lake Superior, a unique setting. There are two harbors, with one "ore dock" (still servicing nearby mines), islands, rivers, inland lakes and is quite hilly making for an interesting cross-town drive in winter with its 200+ inches of annual snowfall. Summers are very mild, often too short and cool for the locals who have endured the winter and expect some summery reward.
Gus (Darlene Alma) click (for these links use your back arrow to return here
Spouse & Kids click
1950s(?)
The railroad
tressell to the
"ore dock" in the mid-right has
been dismantled since this photo was taken. Neither is the Union
National Bank building still there, though the bank is, in a newer,
less interesting structure. The harbor has
been developed, transformed from a utilitarian site for coal delivery
(see huge piles of coal),
ore transport and commercial fishing to a pleasure boat harbor and a
charming park used for festivals and other community
gatherings, sur- rounded by up-scale condos, bike-paths and
restaurants. Summers are sweet 'n mild, winters... ah, challenging (see
Chatham photo above).