My maternal grandfather Peter (Petar) Babarovich was born April 12, 1861 in
the village of Splitska on the island of Brac in the Adriatic Sea. He died in
Anacortes, Washington March 5, 1935. For his family history see:  http://www.paulluvera.com/weblog/2011/03/peter.html The picture is of my maternal grandparents Peter and Marija.

They had seven children all of whom, except my mother Mary, were born in on
a small island Brac off the coast near Split, Croatia. I've written about the families  journey from the old country to America before as a result of locating a brother who had previously left for
America and then lost contact with the family back home. (http://www.paulluvera.com/weblog/2008/07/mary-thelma-babarovich-my-mother.html)

In 1902 my grandmother Marija, who, along with her five children, traveled with Peter's brother, Spiro, in May of 1902 to America. Their route was from Brac toFrance where they got on a ship. They landed in New York. At New York, they entered Canada and boarded a train across Canada to the West coast,making their way to Burlington, Washington. John picked them up at the Burlington station
with a wagon. He took them to Anacortes and then by boat to Sinclair Island where Peter  and  his  brothers had a homestead.

I was born on February 21, 1935 and he died on March 5th of that year. Peter and Marija’s seventh child, John, was born on Sinclair Island. After tiring of farming my grandfather took the entire family on a scow rigged with a homemade sail to Anacortes. They settled at 1108 6^thStreet in Anacortes where Marija ran a boarding house for Slavonian fisherman and Peter was a commercial fisherman. Their youngest child Mary, my mother, was born in Anacortes in 1905.

Peter supported the family from the garden and ocean. He caught crab which were sold and fished for both income as well as food for the family. They had chickens and a garden to feed the family. The photograph shows my grandfather rowing his skiff in the waters around Anacortes. This is how he rowed. Standing up and facing the stern of the boat. 

This is my salute to my grandfather Peter Babarovich, who I never had the opportunity of knowing. May he rest in peace.