Roosevelt  during his 1906 visit to Panama.

The engineer is my great-grandfather and the 13 year old girl on the right is my grandmother.

WILLIAM F. ASHTON was born in Plymouth, England, February 14, 1872; came to the United States with his parents and settled at Calumet, Michigan, in 1876; was educated in the public schools at Calumet; he began work with the Tamarck Mining Company at Calumet, Michigan, in 1889; in 1892 he went with the Ashland Mining Company of Iron Wood, Mich. He was married in 1892 to Miss Annie Holmberg and has eight children (5 bovs and 3 girls). In 19OO, he removed to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to take charge as superintendent of the Copper Queen and Calumet, and Ontario mines, where he remained until he came to the Isthmus in the early part of 19O5; he started work for the Isthmian Canal Commission on April. 23, 19O5, a Pumpman at Mount Hope Pumping Station, and at present is employed as General Foreman of Pumping Stations and Water works of the Atlantic Division.

  (This bio is from the Society of the Chagres 1911 Year Book)

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EMMA ASHTON (EBDON)   Born in Iron Wood, Mich. in 1893.  She arrived in Panama with her mother and siblings in 1906.  She and her family lived in a tent by the water tower above Mount Hope train station.  They later moved into a house (the present Mount Hope Cemetery) overlooking the the train station.   She  married Thomas J.  (Pop) Ebdon, Sr.

(More complete bio to follow.)

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