Stitchers (Marquette County, Wisconsin): Kathleen McGwin, Nancy Kloskowski, Jean Dawidziak, Candy Williams, Linda Mulle, Barb Montes, Katie Dobberpuhl, Montgomery Baker, Christine Benedict, Jacqueline Heinze, Karen Marton, Lisa Melloch, Tiffany Lodhols, Nick Weiss, Karen Weiss, Hazel S Novotny, Eileen Noegel, Pat Wallace, Mary Bornhoeft, Pat Houkohl, Catherine Warrack Willegal, Bev Butcher, Steve Butcher, Laurel Bennett.
When the family of a young John Muir, later to become the famous naturalist and founder of America’s National Park system, migrated from East Lothian, it was to Wisconsin that they moved. In 1849 they set up Fountain Lake Farm. Here he was enthralled by the excitement of the landscape, proclaiming “Oh, that glorious Wisconsin wilderness!” He later recalled the white water lilies on the lake adjacent to the farm – trying three times to purchase the land! John writes several times about the lovely white water lilies on the lake next to his first Wisconsin home and later in his life he three times tries to buy the land with the lake rimmed in lilies with its fern gardens that he recalls so fondly. The nature and the wildlife seemed wondrous to the 11 year old, who marvelled at the dragonflies and fireflies, the blue jays and the “brave little bluebirds”. The family later moved to the nearby Hickory Hill Farm. Before his work on the farm began each morning, John used the his free time to create his first inventions. When the ingenious whittler began to show his inventions at the Wisconsin State Fair, it soon became clear that John had an extraordinary talent which would have an impact far beyond the reaches of Wisconsin.
US20 Iain Muir, Siorrachd Marquette
Ghluais teaghlach Iain Muir gu Wisconsin ann an 1849 agus chuir iad Tuathanas Fountain Lake air bhonn. An seo, bha Iain air a bheò-ghlacadh leis a’ chruth-tìre, a’ sgrìobhadh às dèidh làimh mu na duilleagan-bathte geala air an loch ri an taobh, na cuileagan-dràgain agus na cuileagan-teine, na steàrnagan gorma agus na ‘brave little bluebirds’. Ghluais an teaghlach às dèidh sin gu Tuathanas Cnoc Hickory, agus mus robh an obair tuathanachais a’ tòiseachadh sa mhadainn bhiodh Iain a’ cur seachad a thìde a’ cumadh a chiad innleachdain. Bhiodh an “ingenious whittler” gan taisbeanadh aig Fèile Stàit Wisconsin agus thàinig e am follais glè luath gun robh tàlant air leth aige.