While searching through some old boxes I brought from my grandmother's house when she died 20 years ago, I found a cookbook from the women of Negaunee, MI. The date this book was given to my grandmother was Sept. 13, 1923... my grandmother's 24th birthday. (She was born 1899 in Negaunee). There's also a letter in this book from her aunt Myra (Mrs. Robert Thompson) (Rachel Myra Annie Verran b Jan 9, 1870 d Oct 29, 1942 both events in Marquette Co., MI) dated Aug 9, 1938... guess she kept it here because Aunt Myra sent her a recipe for chow chow. (the mustard pickley kind I remember... not the kind my mother-in-law made with cabbage, etc.) My grandmother's name was Ethel May Verran Phillips. She was the daughter of Philip John Verran, a brother to Aunt Myra. Does anyone know who this Robert Jackson could be? Or Aunt Annie Ruth? Or Margaret Ford??? I know my grandmother used to say the only living relative (besides us) was her cousin, Sis Ford. Sis, I'm sure, wasn't her name. Don't know her husband's name... Perhaps someone out there does??? Aunt Maud is my grandmother's aunt... Aunt Myra's younger 1/2 sister. She married a Hauserman and had a daughter, Elizabeth Ann (goes by Ann), who is still living and married Gordon Rice. Robert Thompson 509 Co. Rd. Negaunee, MI Aug 9th, 1938 Dear Ethel and all We received your nice letter and was pleased to see you were all well. We are all fine but uncle is not so well but he looks good. I had your father here for a week. He is not so well. He has gall bladder trouble and suffers a lot of pain at times. I have not heard from him for quite awhile now and Aunt Annie Ruth and her little girl was here for two weeks and then I had Robert Jackson for ten days. He has the same thing as your father but he is on a diet so you see, I have been busy for awhile but I am thankful to be able to do our own work and Margaret Ford was married June 25th and they went on a trip to the Soo and Canada and now she is gone on another trip to Detroit with her father and family and left her hubby home and we have him here to dinner every other day and he goes to his brother's the other days. It has been real hot for up here the last two weeks... 90 but that's not 103 ha ha. I supose you have a garden. We have a lovely garden this year. Maud's boys take care of it for us as uncle can not do anything this year but boss. So I put up 3 quarts of beans and going to put up more as they come, and we have carrots, beets, parsnips, cabbage, corn, citron, Punkin, cucumbers and potatoes. Aunt Maud is at camp. She is having a good time and I am so pleased too as she is so good to everybody. Our Maud is feeling better and she wants us to go on a trip with them but uncle don't feel good enough so I guess that means stay home for me but I don't mind as I like to take care of him. Maybe next year he will feel better. And Sis had a bad spell after the wedding with her heart, but I think she done too much getting everything in order. They had a nice time, so I think when they come back from their trip they will go to Mayhas(?) again. Well my dear I guess I told you all now for the time so will close with loads of love to all of you. Hope you will be coming up next summer. Now for the chow chow: If you have ten or twelve quarts of pickles of all kinds you put enough vinigar on till you can see it then take two cups of sugar, 1/2 lb. colman's mustard, 1 cup flour, 1 Tablespoon red pepper, 1 of tumeric and mix them altogether with vinigar and pour on the pickles while hot and let stand on stove till thick. Lima bears are nice in it. You par boil first and then add to pickles. Well we hope you have good luck with them. I am going to make some this year. It's years since I made any for ourselves, but I make Olive's every year. She gets everything ready and then I make the soupe. Well excuse writing. Hope to see you all next summer. God bless you all. From Aunt Myra. Can anyone help me out here??? Joanne Morgan Kansas City, MO