Mackinac County MI Archives Photo Tombstone.....Blanchard, Jr., Isaac 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Betty Cogan longlakegranny@dishmail.net November 19, 2007, 10:34 am

Cemetery:           Gros Cap Cemetery
Name:               Isaac Blanchard, Jr.

Date Of Photograph: October 21, 2007
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mackinac/photos/tombstones/groscap/blanchar128210gph.jpg
Image file size: 213.9 Kb

In Memory of 
Isaac Blanchard, Jr. 
Born March 20, 1837 
And Murdered 
June 18, 1859


Additional Comments:
Isaac was born 20 Mar 1837 to Isaac and Mary Babbien Blanchard in Mackinac 
County, Michigan and wasd murdered by Augustus Pond on 18 Jun 1859.

Source:  Mrs. Emerson (Margaret) Smith, 1961 - Gros Cap Cemetery Records
The story is that fishermen from here went to the fishing grounds near Seul 
Choix, pronounced Shiss-wa by the French fishermen, as it still is.  Seul 
Choix is located on Lake Michigan.  They set up housekeeping in small 
buildings.  During a party some of the younger men drank too much and Isaac 
Blanchard made trouble at the Pond property.  He was ordered off but refused 
to leave.  In the encounter Augustus Pond shot and killed Blanchard.  The 
trial was held in Mackinac County and Augustus Pond was convicted of 
manslaughter but the Michigan Supreme Court reversed the confiction and 
ordered a new trial and Augustus Pond was freed, as the ruling was that he had 
a right to defend his property  This story has recently been publicized in 
news articles and this case set a precedent in law and is often quoted as the 
People vs Pond.

Some time later, presumably after the Supreme Court decision, the 
word "Murdered" on his tombstone was partially obliterated by a chisel.  About 
1989 the entire gravestone disappeared but was later returned in November 1994 
to the Moran Township Hall ---- no questions asked.  It had been broken into 
four pieces.  

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/mackinac/photos/tombstones/groscap/blanchar128210gph.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/

File size: 2.3 Kb