In the surveys of some houses there are already mentions of people who went to America. Now we hope that the readers of the blog will give us more information, pictures, documents and stories on the inhabitants of Laitasaari who visited America or settled down there. It would also be great to have information on their descendants because of the English part of the blog, which will first concentrate mainly on those villagers of Laitasaari who moved to live in America and their ancestors and posterity.
On the page of Holappa number 51 Solja tells for example of Juho Jaakko Holappa’s (born on the 16th of March, 1894) trip to America. Jaakko was 19 when he left together with 21-year-old Eemeli Parviainen (born on the 13th of December, 1891) from the house of Kangas-Parviainen. Their destination was Houghton Michigan and Baltic Mine. 1
The handsome, young man in the picture is Aappo Holappa (the 17th of May, 1890), Jaakko’s brother, who also visited Michigan, where most people from Laitasaari headed for. The picture has been scanned from Ida Arola’s, née Parviainen’s (born on the 18th of November, 1884) album. She was Eemeli’s sister.
This is what Juuso Hirvonen wrote in his book Michigan’s copper area and Finnish emigrants in 1920:
The Finns and other nationalities that live in America know Copper area and especially Copper Island. The copper area consists of the northernmost part of the upper spit of Michigan. The center proper is Copper Island, surrounded by lake Superior and separated from the continent in the south by lake Portage and its canals.
Copper Island has been the earlier center of our Finnish emigrants. The first Finns that settled down in Calumet came in the year 1865. According to some old Finnish tales there may have been some occasional visitors before that. The famous local copper mines had started operations in previous years and they needed experienced miners. 2
Click the photos!
You’ll get information on those who moved to America from the web pages of the Institute of Migration, either in the passport or passenger databases. Both the databases require paid passwords if you want to search for complete information and they mainly consist of information on those who crossed the herring pond during the years 1898-1920.
The databases of the Institute of Migration – list of passengers (318 000 pieces of information) – list of passports (251 500 pieces).
Search from the passport database, under the home town (Muhos), finds in all 705 persons who got passports. All of them didn’t necessarily make a trip, but that’s the number of people who took passports in Muhos during that time.
For this reason the list Pentti Lohela has written down in the provincial archives in Oulu of the people from Laitasaari in America mentioned in the census list of the year 1896 is interesting – their names can’t necessarily be found in the above mentioned databases – not at least yet (edit 15.5.2014 by Solja: added census 1900, 1905 and 1910 info, edit 15.10.2016 by Solja: added census 1915). Updated list available here.
Arola Heikki (b. 1853) 1896
Arola Mikko (b. 1882) 1900
Arola Kalle (b. 1880) 1900
Aitamurto Jaakko (b. 1882) 1900
Björkberg Matti Juhonpoika (b. 1.2.1879) 1900
Dahlman Lauri (b. 1874), wife Anna (b. 1874), son and 2 daughters 1905 1910
Haataja Ida (b. 1844) 1896
Haataja Johanna (b. 1841) 1896
Hakkarainen Eino (b. 1884) 1910
Halonen Nikolai (b. 1878) 1900 1905
Halonen Juho (b. 1883) 1910
Hartikka Anna (b. 1893) 1915
Haverinen Akseli (b. 1860) 1896
Heikkinen Uno Antinpoika (b. 1878) 1900
Heikkinen Eemeli Juho Antinpoika (b. 1877) 1900
Holappa Aappo (b. 1886) 1910
Holappa Heikki (b. 1880) 1900 1905
Holappa eli Arola Juho (b. 1874) 1896
Holappa eli Räisänen Jaakko (b. 1857), wife Kaisa (b. 1857) and son 1900
Holappa Juho (b. 1880) 1900
Holappa Juho Jaakko (b. 1883) 1900 1905 1910 1915
Holappa Kreeta (b. 1882) 1910 1915
Holappa Paavo (b. 1842) 1896
Honkanen Sakari (b. 1860) 1896
Honkarinta Tilda (b. 1896) 1915
Honkavaara Matti (b. 1863) 1896
Huovinen Eino (b. 1891) 1915
Huovinen Fanny (b. 1889) 1915
Huovinen Jaakko (b. 1873) 1900
Huovinen Juho (b. 1871) 1896
Huovinen Kalle Jaakonpoika (b. 22.3.1879) 1900 1905
Huovinen Veikko (b. 1893) 1915
Huttunen Benjamin (b. 1873), wife Amanda (b. 1877), son and daughter 1905 1910
Huttunen Kustu Pekka Iikanpoika (b. 1882) 1905 1910 1915
Hyvärinen Antti Antinpoika (b. 1872) 1900
Häikiö Matti (b. 1853) 1900
Hämälä Liisa (b. 1876) 1905
Isomäättä Juuso (b. 1865) 1896
Jaara Anna (b. 1889) 1910 1915
Jaara Iida (b. 1892) 1915
Jurvakainen Anna (b. 1891) 1910 1915
Jurvelin Kalle (b. 1890) 1910 1915
Juvani Heikki (b. 1873) and wife Anna (b. 1877) 1905 1910
Kaiponen Heikki (b. 1881) 1900 1905 1910 1915
Kaiponen Kalle Heikinpoika (b. 24.5.1884) 1905 1910
Karhu-Pesonen Frans Annanpoika (b. 1881) 1905 1910 1915
Karhunsaari Mikko (b. 1885), spouse Anna (b. 1894) and daughter 1915
Karppinen Kaarlo (b. 1888) 1910 1915
Karppinen Kaisa (b. 1884) 1910
Karppinen Paavo Paavonpoika (b. 1890) 1915
Karvonen Juho (b. 1863), wife Kaisa (b. 1861) and two daughters 1905
Kauniskangas Antti (b. 1887) 1910
Kauniskangas Heikki (b. 1891) 1915
Kauppi Maria (b. 1888) 1910
Kekkonen Aksel Aleksander Kallenpoika (b. 1879) 1905
Keränen Aukusti (b. 1883), vaimo Liisa (b. 1887) and daughter 1910 1915
Keränen Juho (b. 1870) 1896
Kesti Antti (b. 1882) 1910 1915
Kesti Hannes (b. 1891) 1910
Kesti Heikki (b. 1888) 1910 1915
Kettunen Ferdinand Ferdinandinpoika (b. 1880) 1900 1905
Kihlström Sylvester (b. 1879) 1910
Kilpeläinen Aatami (b. 1877) 1910
Klemetti widow Maria (b. 1847) and daughter Hilda (b. 1890) 1910
Koskenniska Olli (b. 1874) 1896
Kosunen Juho Hjalmari (b. 1878) 1900
Kosunen Heikki (b. 1881) 1900 1905
Kylmänen eli Pekkala Anna (b. 1865) 1900
Kynsilehto Anna (b. 1867) 1910 1915
Kärnä Aappo Eemeli (b. 1878) 1900 1905
Kärnä Johannes Jaakonpoika (b. 1882) 1905
Kärppä Kaisa (b. 1884) 1905
Könö Jenni (b. 1884) 1915
Laurila Juho Jaakko Jaakonpoika (b. 1879) and wife Hanna (b. 1874) 1905
Leskelä Juho (b. 1871) 1900
Liimatainen Kaisa (b. 1873) 1900
Lohela Matti (b. 1866) 1896
Lohela Sofia (b. 1864) 1896
Matero Iikka (b. 1864) 1900, wife Anna (b. 1863) and two sons 1905
Mattila Kalle (b. 1883) 1910 1915
Mattila Wäinö (b. 1888) 1910
Mertaniemi Juho (b. 1885) 1905
Mikkonen Reeta (b. 1886) 1910 1915
Mäkelä Armiida (b. 1885) 1915
Mäkelä Elias (b. 1890) 1915
Mäkelä Frans (b. 1855) 1896
Mäkelä Hanna (b. 1886) 1910 1915
Mäkelä Laina (b. 1882) 1900 1905 1910
Mäkelä Olga (b. 1883) 1905 1910
Mäläskä Elias (b. 1877) 1905
Määttä Heikki (b. 1891) 1915
Määttä Juho Erkinpoika (b. 1883) 1905 1910 1915
Määttä Pekka (b. 1880) 1900
Määttä Pekka (b. 1870) 1905
Niskanen Jafet (b. 1880) 1910 1915
Ontero Juho (b. 1861) 1896
Ontero Matti (b. 1863) 1896
Ontero Samuli (b. 1863) 1896
Paasimaa Anna (b. 1892) 1915
Paasimaa Jaakko (b. 1863) 1896
Paasimaa Pekka (b. 1890) 1915
Paasimaa Reeta (b. 1878) 1910
Pakonen Aina (b. 1884) 1905
Pakonen Juho (b. 1886) 1910 1915
Pelli Anna (b. 1846) 1896
Penninkangas Juho (b. 1884) 1910 1915
Penninkangas Jaakko (b. 1886) 1910 1915
Perttunen eli Kangasolli Juho (b. 1872) 1896
Perttunen Priita (b. 1879) 1900 1905
Perttunen Heikki (b. 1876) 1900
Pesonen Juho (b. 1888) 1910 1915
Polvinen Lydia (b. 1892) 1915
Puhakka Juho (b. 1882) 1910 1915
Puhakka Kalle (b. 1890) 1910 1915
Puhakka Priita (b. 1889) 1910 1915
Putaala Aappo Matinpoika (b. 1883) 1910 1915
Pyky Anna (b. 1890) 1910
Rahko Aappo (b. 1885) 1910 1915
Rauhaniemi Lyyli (b. 1888) 1910 1915
Raumala Juho Pietari Pekanpoika (b. 29.4.1884) 1905 1910
Rautio Kreeta (b. 1878) 1905 1910 1915
Ritokangas Juho (b. 1872) 1896
Ritokangas Kalle (b. 1873) 1900 1905
Ritola Kalle (b. 1872), spouse Liisa (b. 1876) and three childern 1915
Roininen Heikki (b. 1878) 1905
Roininen Kaisa (b. 1886) 1905 1910 1915
Roininen Priita (b. 1885) 1905
Roininen Sofia (b. 1874) 1896
Roivainen Priita (b. 1885) 1910
Rovala Juho (b. 1864) 1905 1910
Rönkkö eli Kärnä Matti (b. 1866) 1905
Sakari Pekka (b. 1882), wife Aina (b. 1884), daughter and son 1910 1915
Saunakangas Juho Eliaksenpoika (b. 1877) 1900
Saunakangas Konstantin Samuli Eliaksenpoika (b. 20.8.1879) 1900
Siekkinen Juho Heikki (b. 1874), wife Priita (b. 1871) and son 1905
Siekkinen Herman (b. 1888) 1915
Sipola Liisa (b. 1881) 1900 1905
Tervonen Anna (b. 1887) 1915
Tihinen Yrjö (b. 1886) 1910 1915
Tikkanen Matti (b. 1891) 1915
Törmänen Hilda (b. 1879) 1905
Vainiokangas Heikki (b. 1870) 1900
Väyrynen Pekka (b. 1885) 1915
Wiittanen Heikki Juhonpoika (b. 1875), wife Kaisa (b. 1872) and son 1905
Wunch Juho (b. 1845) 1896
Yli-Kärsämä Kaisa (b. 1868) 1900
Ylilehto Heikki (b. 1862)1896
Ylitalo Heikki (b. 1876) and wife Anna 1910
Ylitalo Juho (b. 1888) 1910 1915
Ylitalo Priita (b. 1879) 1910 1915
Ylitalo Saimi (b. 1893) 1915
Ylitalo Wäinö (b. 1891) 1910 1915
Ähkynen Kreeta (b. 1862) 1896 3 4 5 6
I the undersigned have lists of those persons from Laitasaari who got passports during the years 1898-1915. More of them later. See also the gallery of photographs taken in North America in the beginning of 20th century and Laitasaari in English. We will add more posts in English in near future.
– Solja Holappa, translation Liisa Palovaara from Suvela
- Solja Holappa’s family database ↩
- Hirvonen, Juuso. 1920. Michigan’s copper area and Finnish emigrants ↩
- Muhos hk 1896, b. 505 ↩
- Muhos hk 1900, s. 421 ↩
- Muhos hk 1905, s. 436 ↩
- Muhos hk 1910, s. 303 ↩
6 vastausta artikkeliin “From Laitasaari to America”
We believe we are related to Juho Jaako Holoppa and Ida Parviainen mentioned in the Holoppa #51 story. We may also be related to Mikkonen William Arola (Eli Blomster) b. 8/23/55 married to Riita Fannie Paavola b. 9/28/1849– our Grandfather Gust Arolas father and mother. Possible great grandparents were Juho Elanspoika Blomster b. 7/11/1823 and his wife Eeva Mikontytar Maatta b. 4/26/1816.We also think that Juhos fathers name was Michael Johanns Arola. We would like to know what other relatives we currently have in Finland. I am writing from Minnesota, USA. We do speak Finnish, but do not read it well. Kiitos!
Hello to Minnesota and thank you for your message! It seems that you are writing about same persons – see the story of Holappa nr 51 farm in English
https://www.laitasaari.fi/taloja/holappa-no-51/holappa-nr-51-english/
(in Finnish, written a bit different way but the data should be about the same
https://www.laitasaari.fi/taloja/holappa-no-51/)
Arola / Blomster see Arola nr 44 farm https://www.laitasaari.fi/taloja/arola-no-44/ pity only in Finnish – neccessary parts can be translated if needed
See also photos from North America etc. https://www.laitasaari.fi/laitasaari-in-english/kuvia-ulkomailta/ there are couple of photos in which there should be Arola family – do those look familiar to you?
-Solja Holappa
P.S. In Holappa house archives there are couple of letters from 1890-10 or so, signed by Arola.
Holappa and Arola families still have family in Finland. I’d like contact you and tell you about us.
Jaakko Holappa in Muhos was my father’s uncles. My father’s mother was Kustaava Holappa. Kustaava’s sister was married to Arola in America.
In 1963 I was in Minnesota visting relatives with my father. We may even have met.
Oh my! It was wonderful to hear from you! Photo #585-William Arola looks just like our Grandfather Gust Arola! From my research Gust and William would have been brothers. What do you know about William?I have read that his name in Finland was Juho Viljami and in America he became William Arola. He married Reeta Johanna and the three children in the photo, we are familiar with the names. In fact, I believe Wiljo, to be my fathers cousin whom we visited frequently in Menahga, Mn when we were little children. His wife’s name was Sadie. Yes, please tell me about you. From what I have figured out, your Fathers, Mothers sisters name was the Reeta Johanna who was married to William Arola? My Grandfather Gusts brother?You may contact me directly at my email address as it is noted on this page. Thank you so much! I hope that I am on the right track. Looking forward to hear some more from you. Best regards! Alice
Alice,
My great-grandmother is/was Signe (Arola) Gustafson of Menahga, the little girl in photo #585. I remember Bill and Sadie as well. I live in MN. Gust and John William were half-brothers. Feel free to contact me, would love to share info. amyruffi@gmail.com
Jälleen saimme vieraita USA:sta, joiden juuret ovat Laitasaaressa! Ikimuistoisia yhdessäolon hetkiä ja uskomattomia löytöjä menneisyydestä.
We had again guests from the USA, whose roots are in Laitasaari! Memorable moments of togetherness and amazing discoveries from the past.
Welcome! https://www.laukanranta.fi/theme-of-the-month-usa/