If you're just discovering Pasty Central, each Sunday we begin the week with a "Shoebox Memory" from regular Pasty Cam-watchers. Our pursuit of a "glimpse of life in the U.P." has introduced us to many colorful people and places. These men are on their way down into the mine - we're not sure what year or which shaft - but you can bet there are a few pasties in those lunch pails.

Meet Uncle "Cam" (Stanley Paull)... he's the guy on the left in the third row from the bottom, all bundled up. His nephew Tim Colburn provided today's memory from the shoebox of Grandma Paull.

Take the time to look at each face of these rugged men of the U.P. You'll find determination... worry... enthusiasm... apprehension... gratitude for having a job... What a rich collection of stories, told with more eloquence than words.

You're right, Charlie, even the guys who are smiling have a sort of gritty determination about them. They remind me of the guys I'd see going into the steel mill where my dad worked, off to their dangerous, hard, boring jobs to support their families. Funny that I don't see the same expressions on the faces of the million-dollar-a-year executives stealing the retirement funds of their workers or cooking the books to defraud their investors.

what mine is that picture from? my dad worked in the mines, along with my grandfather.

This message is more of a question:
How did so many miners come from Finland to mine copper in the UP rather than other countrys?
Was there a story behind this?

L.Aldrich
aldrichlw@hotmail.com

Great picture Tim. Would your uncle Stanley Paull be the same Stanley who lived in Ahmeek Location? He was once married to my Aunt many years ago. I knew Stanley very well. He was a good man. One of the things he always used to tell me was that a man cannot move his jaws if he does not work his paws. Anyways thanks for the glimpse into the past.

In June my grandsons and I took the tour of the Quincy mine. What a great picture this will be to show them what it actually looked like for that car to be filled with men going to work. Any chance a copy of this picture could be placed by the miner's helmet on the car???

Click here for a mining history site that tells where the miners came from and what thier roles were.

That is quite a picture...I shall never complain about my job(s) again!!

I think I see my neighbor from my childhood home- Leo "TINY" Pelligrini in that photo....He was a such a fun neighbor to have growing up....With the HUGE "Famous" garden (he would let us kids help him out with his garden- and tell his stories of the days gone by- what a wealth of information - He passed on a few years back, but this is a nice tribute to see all the hard working guys in the mine!

I would imagine that a lot of the finns came to the copper country because it offered good jobs and also it is as close as you can come to the same type of terrain as native finnland. lots of pine trees and hilly terrain, this is just a guess on my part, also you have to understand that back then the soviet union occupied the area and for many that was a way out.

I thought that looked like Tiny Pellegrini (left). Actually it looks more like Clark, Tiny's son.

That picture was taken at Ahmeek #2 about 1947 or 48. I worked on the surface during that time and all those faces are familiar but the names just don't come back to me now - getting old I guess. We often helped in removing the Skip that carried the rock during the shift and replacing it on the rope (cable)with the man-car that the miners are sitting in. We didn't dare be late in getting the man-car down to pick them up. These men in the picture are going down to start the shift; their faces are clean and they look fresh. Later, while I attended Tech, I did work underground at both Iroquois and Meadow Mines.

Uncle Stan married one of the Harry girls from Ahmeek. There were a lot of nice families in that little town, in fact, they were all nice families.

Somehow I knew that Bill would know where this picture was taken!!!

I just returned from four days in Menominee and a short visit with my Aunt Grace. She is the last of the original "Paull Children" and has been under the weather for some time now. We told her about Pasty.com and all the great memories Charlie and everyone else help keep alive. Uncle Cam, Uncle Al, Aunt Lottie and of course Grampa Paull would have all loved this site. They were all proud of where they grew up and although they all ended up elsewhere (except Cam) they all considered the Copper Country home.

second row from the top on the right is Joe Reilly, my dad. I'll show him the picture later today and will have more info on the date and mine this evening. The picture was taken by Bob Reilly, my grandfather. He owned Reilly's Modern Studio in Calumet.

I believe the very top man in this picture is Mr. Peterman who lived in the first house in New Allouez as you approach from the Calumet direction. He was the Shift Boss and is riding on the very top because he will get off at the first working level. During the shift he will walk down through the mine looking at the work being done at the various levels.(Sure beats going to the bottom and climbing up) The men in the lowest seats of the man-car are going to work on the lowest level and it wasn't good operating procedure to lower the bottom on the man-car down into the shaft below the bottom level, which would be necessay if they sat higher, because of any debris or water that might be there in that sump. So they sat where it was most convenient for downloading.

Scott, yes this is Stanley Paull who was married to your Aunt LonaBelle. Stanley and my dad, Bill Paull were brothers. We were just with your cousin (and mine) Jim Paull for 4 days in Menominee. My son Tim is the one who sent this picture in. We so much appreciate the work that Charlie does on here because of what we learn of 'our heritage' from people writing on here. Pasties also came from England too. Both my grandfathers, Wm Paull Sr.(Ahmeek) and John A. Perry (Mohawk) came from Cornwall, England to the Copper Country to work in the mines. THANKS AGAIN CHARLIE for your work on this.

I believe i recognize Dominic Spagnotti & his brother Nib (Hanibile) who lived in New Allouez and Bert Peterman , all my neighbors. does anyone else recognize miners? Thanks. Dan Belo -- djbelo @hotmail.com

Top right - Ed Petermann; 3rd down left Mike Filip

The Man -second row off the bottom on the right is john kangas from e-river-- he has passed on-----

Bill P, CA-

You mentioned the Harry girls. Were they related to Russell Harry? I remember my dad talking about Russell Harry a lot when we were growing up. I think they were pals/friends, but I don't remember the Ahmeek. My dad lived in Quincy and then Houghton/Pilgrim area. But then too, maybe he knew Russell when they were young adults. Hard to remember the details any more, but I sure remember my dad talking about Russell Harry.

Alice in Ventura,

I don't know if they were related or not. The father of the Ahmeek family was named Jack. The name Russell Harry is familiar. Was he a menmber of the Cornish Carollers that sang under the direction of Mr. Williams in Calumet?

To Dan Reilly-

I picked out Joe Reilly immediately. After all he is my uncle. Enjoyed our visit over 4th, but never enough time. Special place in my heart for Uncle Joe and Aunt Barb.

Alice:
Russell Harry is of no relation to the Harry family of Ahmeek. Dont know the whereabouts of Russel but know his brother Neil is a pilot who flies for the DNR and lives in Eagle Harbor. My mother is Mabel Harry, Lona Belles sister who was married to Stanley Paul. The Harry Family included John (Jack,) Lilly Mae who were my grandparents and Thomas (Deceased) Herbert (Jan) Deceased, Lona Belle (Deceased) Mae Dower (Deceased) Jean Berryman who lives in Laurium and Elizabeth who lives in Detroit. I have tried without much succes to research my family tree. My grandfather John came from the District of Redruth County of Cornwall and my grandmother was from Sub District of St. Ives in the County of Cornwall. I hope to visit the land of my grandparents some day.

This is Awesome! I'm thrilled that sooooooo many faces are being identified!!!!

The picture was taken circa 1957, and the mine is Ahmeek No. 2 according to Joe Reilly.

well that is my uncle joe, proud to this day! hi uncle joe! hey aunt barb love you mike

Then there were the copper miners in White Pine Michigan as my father was. Boy those were the days, huh? Such hard workers. And people complain today about their jobs. As I remember he worked swing shifts too. Oh how times have changed.

Bottom looks like Tony Abe from CopperCity

What an absolutely incredible look at the past! This website should get a national award!

Alex Tiensivu

Does anyone know if any of the men in that cart is Carl Labelle from Laurium? He was my grandfather and I know he worked in the mines. Although its not clear to me exactly what mines he worked in. If anyone has any idea if Carl LaBelle is one of the men in the picture, I would be most greatful if someone could please let me know. Thanks!

My daughter-in-law maiden name is Vahama, does
anyone know of that name??