It is also necessary to understand the state of Michigan itself in order to understand my family. Michigan is, of course, completely surrounded by water. If you live in a line from Grand Rapids south, Michigan is just called Michigan, or anything north is upstate. If you are anywhere north of Grand Rapids, everything from there is downstate. Unless you live from that line from Grand Rapids south, you don't have much contact with the people and politics of other states generally. Michigan is surrounded by water. Likewise, if you live in the Upper Peninsula of the state, you don't have much contact with other states unless you live west of Escanaba. These people are part of what's called Michconsin because they have close contact with Northern Wisconsin. There are many Finnish people in the Eastern UP that wish to become a new state because their ways are different. They appear to most outsiders as more sullen, and stick within their own groups. The people of the lower peninsula from Grand Rapids north have also developed unique perspectives since Michigan became a state in 1837.

Relatives of the hillbillies of Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia migrated from the hills of Michigan. These original hillbillies in the state of Michigan are called "Michibillies", and have necks at least as red as any Texan you ever saw. My grandfather McDuffie, Roy (pictured to the left with his family) was one of these sorts of people, as was his father and his father before him. My great grandpa Tom was a sawmill foreman,and later a sawsmill owner. The Yeos and the Francisco's of my mothers side, however, were very outgoing people who loved to socialize, and loved the idea of family. I always got along with them, and they with their family for the most part. My great grandma Francisco is pictured to the right. She was supposed to be a very loving person, who really never had a bad word to say about anyone. When she died in 1925, my great grandpa Francisco moved to Empire and remarried. I still have to look up the geneology and grave site of his second wife.

My grandmother and grandfather Yeo were incredible people. I never saw them fight, although I sure there were times when they did. If I had a marriage relationship, I would want to model it after them. My grandmother Yeo was a teacher in Mecosta, Michigan, and sometimes substitute taught for me as I went through elementary school. She was extremely kind and giving person. I have fond memories of dancing and jumping around the room while she played the piano for us grandkids. Grandpa Yeo was a taylor. He was not a rich man, but was very well respected by all the people of our small little town. He'd cuss alot when he was tired or frustrated, but generally liked to tell stories and jokes, and worked around the house and the garden. When they were older, my grandparents lived near the Muskegon River, and went fishing, had parties for their friends, and travelled alot. They were not rich people as to material wealth, but were well liked by the people of our town and well thought of.

The picture you see at the top of the page is the Muskegon river. It was the wellspring of the logging industry during the 1800's, being the longest river in the state heading through the White Pine crop, and was where I spent a Huckleberry Finn-type of childhood swimming, fishing, and boating.

References:

Who am I?
New Mexico State University
Genealogy Homepage
Family History P.1
Family History P.3
Family History P.4