Astoria - The Capital of the Finns on the West Coast

 

Astoria scenery

In the 1910s and 1930s, the Finnish American pastor Salomon Ilmonen (1871–1940) published several books in which he had compiled the history of the American Finns. In several books, he tells when a Finnish settlement was born in the locality in question and who were the first Finnish settlers in the locality. In his book "History of American Finns II and Biographies", he writes on pages 248-259 the stages of the birth of the Finnish community in Astoria and its pioneers. Astoria developed into a significant Finnish American center at the end of the 19th century. It was hailed as the capital of the Finns on the West Coast.

I have translated first part of Ilmonen's text. The second part includes biographies of the Astoria Finns. I will publish that part later and try to find extra information to the biographies.

Suomi Hall in Astoria

Finns in Astoria

Finnish settlement in Astoria began around 1870. Our first citizens have come from San Francisco, being mainly sailors who settled down to fish. It is not possible to say for sure which of the Finns from California was the the first having home in Astoria, but the first ones to be mentioned may be: Jakob Poikajoki from Saloinen, Abram E. Efraimson from Kustavi, Erik Peterson (Seppälä) from Muhos, Johan Hendrickson from Pattijoki, Charles Newman from Liminga, Johan Pakanen from Ii, Gabriel Karvonen from Saloinen.

A considerable increase was received by the Finnish settlement of Astoria in 1873, when a group of Finns of about thirty arrived from Erie, Penn. The leader of this group was Aksel Seaborg, a foreman from Ohio Railways who spoke Finnish, Swedish and English. This group included: Josep Kippo, Johan Koski, Johan Lakso, Johan Maunumäki, Emanuel Maunula, Erik Melin, Frans Penttilä, Janne Penttilä, Jakob Riippa, Johan Tuomaala and Jakob Uusitalo from Kälviä, Jakob Kaski, Herman Perttilä, Herman Purtilo from Isokyrö, Antti Kari from Kalajoki, Tuomas Tunkelo from Pyhäjoki and others In 1877. A new era began for the Finnish settlement of Astoria in 1877, when the people from Kuparisaari (Copper Country, Mich) began to come here.

These pioneers of Calumet's Finns included Antti Eskola and Augusta Eskola from Siikajoki, Johan Kallunki and Augusta Mursu from Kuusamo, Karl Mäkitalo from Matarengi, Johan Vilmi from Simo and others. More and more Finns come from Kuparisaari, some for fishing in Astoria, others to get a homestead from a suitable area near the Columbia River. A smaller group, a dozen people, arrived from Asthabula Harbor, Ohio in 1877, but that was the end of the arrival of Finns from Ohio.

When, through correspondence, the excellent fishing waters of Astoria were known in Finland, immigrants began to arrive directly from there, albeit in even smaller numbers in the 1870s, but quite numerous in the following decade. Immigrants from Central Ostrobothnia and around the Kalajoki River in particular came to Astoria: from Kälviä, Kaustinen, Lohtaja and Kalajoki. In the 1880s, quite a number of our citizens arrived in Astoria from Kuusamo and elsewhere in Perä-Pohjola (Northern part of Finland).

When the year 1879 ended, a few hundred Finns lived in Astoria, but they did not yet have any joint efforts, except for the keeping ofreligious services in private homes, when a traveling preacher happened to visit the locality and these were also rarities. In the 1880s, the number of Finns in Astoria grew to a thousand and larger. Joint efforts were waking up, the congregations were starting their activities, temperance societies were established, etc.

Maailmanpolitiikan järkyttämä yritti kuristaa kirkkoherran

Etelä-Saimaa 24.11.1956

Eilinen silmiini sattunut Talouselämä-lehden lehtiotsikko Kutsumustyölläkin on rajansa, papit haluavat järkeä työaikoihinsa sai allekirjoittaneen kaivaamaan lehtileikearkistoani. Papin ammatti ei varmasti ole niitä helpoimpia työtehtäviä ja se voi olla joskus myös vaarallista. Lisäksi sen hoitaminen niin, että on sinut itsensä kanssa, edellyttää kyllä  ehdottomasti kutsumusta/vakaumusta. Papin työssä voi joutua myös traagisten ja dramaattisten tapahtumien kohteeksi. Olen aikaisemmin kirjoittanut sotavuosina tapahtuneesta vankilapastorin murhasta.

Marraskuussa 1956  joutui Kuusamon kirkkoherra Antti Poukkula oheisen lehtiartikkelin kuvaamaan tilanteeseen. Mielenhäiriöön joutunut seurakuntalainen yritti kuristaa hänet hengiltä nahkavyöllä. Liiallinen annos maailmanpoliittisia uutisia oli saanut hänet tolaltaan.

Centerville Finnish Pioneer Families in the 1870's and 1880's

I compiled this list of the Finnish Pioneers in Klickitat County, Washington, with help of following sources:

Centerville Finns. Published by Finnish- American Historical Society of West, July 1977.

Death Certificates of Finns in Klickitat County, Washington, 1908-1942. Excerpted by Merle A. Reinikka.

Centerville Cemetery transcriptions recorded by Sharon Allan of Pasco, Washington, August 2000.

Salomon Ilmonen: Amerikan Suomalaisten Historia II (History of Finnish Americans, part two,), pages 272 - 275. Published 1923 in Finland.

As you see, individuals can have different dates for their birth and death, depending on source. In those cases, I've given other alternatives as well, in parenthesis.

Headstone of Ahola family at Centerville Cemetery in Washington

Finnish Pioneer Families in Klickitat County

Matti Ahola, born August 23, 1826 in Tervola, Finland, immigrated 1873 first to Copper Country in Michigan, died October 2, 1903 in Klickitat.

Wife, Briita Matleena Leinonen, born February 15, 1824 in Tervola, Finland, died May 1903 in Klickitat, 5 children.

Son Matti Ahola, born October 20, 1853 in Tervola, Finland, died 1931 in Klickitat.

Wife, Saara Mathilda, born 1872, died 1953.

Joseph (Männikkö) Anderson, born November 29, 1859 in Kuusamo, Finland, died 1947 in Klickitat.

1^st  Wife Anna Liisa Lehto, born November 27, 1859 in Kuusamo, Finland, died May 27, 1905 in Klickitat

2^nd  Wife, Susanna Leinonen born June 2, 1872 (death certificate: February 6, 1852), died April 6, 1936 in Klickitat, 7 children.

Johan (Kaarakka) Crocker, born October 18, 1832 in Tervola, Finland, immigrated 1871 from Norway to Copper Country, Michigan, died October 17, 1906 in Klickitat.
Wife, Maria K. Heikura, born December 31, 1833 (cemetery: January 1, 1834), in Tornio, Finland, died November 14, 1917 in Klickitat, 5 children.
Son Matt (Kaarakka) Crocker, born May 18, 1868 in Vadsö, Norway, died 1962 in Klickitat.
1^st  Wife Anna Briitta Mattson, born February 14, 1876 (death certificate: March 5, 1876, Michigan), died October 19, 1918, in Klickitat.
2^nd  Wife Eva Hagen, born August 16, 1880, Centerville, Wash., died December 1, 1938 in Klickitat.

John Albert Erickson, born June 6, 1865, died 1952 in Klickitat.
Wife, Briita (Bertha) Walborg Leinonen Karjala, born 1869 (death certificate: February 24, 1870, Finland), died November 5, 1935 in Klickitat, 5 children.

Johan (Pörhölä) Hagen, born February 4, 1846 in Pudasjärvi, Finland, died April 6, 1919 in Klickitat.
Wife, Walpuri Seppänen, born August 20, 1852 (death certificate: August 21, 1851) in Suomussalmi, Finland, died August 14, 1931 in Klickitat, 2 children.

Matti Matthisson Hyrkäs, born June 25, 1843 (cemetery: March 7, 1844; death certificate: March 17, 1842) in Kuusamo, Finland, died April 25, 1919 in Klickitat.
Wife, Kaisa Lehto, born March 1, 1841, died March 23, 1907 in Klickitat, 4 children.

Jacob (Hyttinen) Jacobson, born March 10/16, 1843 (cemetery: 1842) in Suomussalmi, died 1935 in Klickitat.
Wife, Kristiina Häivälä, born August 8, 1845 (cemetery: 1846) in Ylivieska, Finland, died June 25,1922 in Klickitat, 6 children.

John (Kinnunen) Johnson, born January 9, 1842 in Vadsö, Norway, immigrated in 1871 to the Copper Country in Michigan, moved in 1919 to Astoria, Oregon.
 Wife, Eva Greeta Östi, born September 20, 1835 in Karunki, Finland, died July 18, 1913 in Klickitat, 3 children.

John Erick Jussila, born April 14, 1848 in Kemijärvi, Finland, immigrated from Norway to Copper Country, Michigan in 1873, died July 13, 1928 in Klickitat.
Wife, Sophia Alexandra Tikkanen, born December 10, 1857 in Vadsö, Norway, 10 children.

John Kaidera, born July 16, 1844 (death certificate: July 5, 1844) in Tyrnävä, Finland, immigrated in 1873 – 1874 from Vadsö, Norway, died  December 9, 1917 in Klickitat.
Wife, Greeta Matilda Kaarakka, born May 6, 1848 (cemetery: 1847; death certificate: January 1, 1846) in Alatornio, Finland, died April 7, 1913 in Klickitat, 8 children.

John Peter Karjala(inen), born 15 May 1833 in Petsamo, Russia, immigrated 1873 from Norway to Copper Country in Michigan, died 1906 (Cemetery: 3 May 1909).
Wife Kaisa M. Manninen, born 17 Mar 1827 in Kuusamo, Finland, died 20 October 1902 in Klickitat, 3 children.

Peter Karjala(inen), born April 18, 1873.
Wife, Briita Valborg Leinonen, born 20 Jun 1869, 2 children.

August Klockner (Klockar), born September 20, 1849 (Ilmonen: 1845) in Haparanda, Sweden, immigrated in 1871 to Copper Country in Michigan, died March 25, 1905.
Wife, Margareeta Ollila, born November 30, 1839 in Sodankylä, Finland, died December 12, 1911, 6 children.

Henry Lahti, born August 21, 1842 in Kukkola, Alatornio, Finland, immigrated in 1874 to Copper Country in Michigan, died June 23, 1895 in Klickitat.
Wife, Greeta Karoline Rautio, born June 28, 1854 in Vadsö, Norway, died September 12, 1882 in Klickitat, 5 children.

Jacob (Laurila) Lawery, born October 15, 1845 in Suomussalmi, Finland, immigrated 1873 from Norway, died November 27, 1936 in Klickitat.
Wife, Greeta Liisa Lehto, born June 2,  1855 (Cemetery: 1859) in Kuusamo, Finland, died 1950 in Klickitat, 5 children.

Herman Lehto, born November 2, 1857, died April 1,  1940 in Klickitat.
1^st  Wife, Katie Valborg Karjala, born August 23, 1871, died May 29, 1907 in Klickitat, 10 children.
2^nd  Wife, Briita Ullarika Kuntijärvi, born June 8, 1875 (cemetery 1874), died 1960 in Klickitat.

Andrew Liimatta, born May 12, 1846, died May 8, 1934 in Klickitat.
Wife, Maria Stina, born September 30, 1843 (death certificate: September 23, 1842 in Finland), died June 23, 1908 in Klickitat, 6 children.

Lars (Seppanen) Mattson, born April 23, 1841 (cemetery: 1842) in Suomussalmi, Finland, immigrated to Copper Country in 1873, died 1926 in Klickitat
1^st  Wife, Anna Kaisa Kaleton, born March 18, 1846 in Taivalkoski, Finland, died June 10,  1919 (Cemetery: 1920) in Klickitat, 12 children.

2nd Wife Briita Johanna Nelson (Kankkonen)
Son Matti Mattson, born 1865 in Suomussalmi, Finland, died 1936 in Klickitat

Johan Niemelä, born June 1,  1839 (cemetery: May 24, 1838) in Tervola, Finland, immigrated in 1872 to Copper Country in Michigan, died May 16, 1912 in Klickitat.
1^st  Wife Briita Eliza Pietilä, born January 1, 1840 in Tervola, Finland, died November 13,  1906 in Klickitat, 8 children.

2^nd  Wife Maria Tormänen, born in Kuusamo, Finland.
3^rd  Wife Liisa Laide.

Peter Niemelä, born February 12, 1843 (cemetery: February 15, 1844) in Tervola, Finland, immigrated 1874 from Norway, moved 1884 to Klickitat, died February 22, 1908 in Klickitat.
Wife, Maria Kustaava Pietilä, born November 3, 1842 (death certificate: November 1, 1841) in Taivalkoski, Finland, died August 16, 1926 in Klickitat, 7 children.

Henrik Niva, born March 25, 1845 in Karunki, Finland, immigrated 1873 from Norway to Copper Country in Michigan, moved in 1880 to Klickitat, died February 3,  1917 in Klickitat.
1^st  Wife Greeta Liisa Jokiaho, born December 25, 1859, 7 children, died 1895 (cemetery: 1894).

2^nd  Wife, Dorothy Jokiaho, born November 2, 1851 (death certicate: February 11, 1851), died March 31, 1936 in Klickitat.

Henry Molstrom, born January 1, 1850.
Wife, Greeta Tengman, born December 30, 1848, 6 children.

Sifert Kustaa Törmänen, born July 7,  1845 in Kuusamo, Finland, immigrated 1873 to Copper Country in Michigan, died May 3,  1918
1^st  Wife, Eva Stiina Lehto, born May 20, 1833 (cemetery: April 20, 1823) in Kuusamo, Finland, died Septermber 24, 1910 Klickitat.

2^nd  Wife, Maria Kämärä, born 1858 in Kuusamo, Finland.

Gabriel (Matalainen) Walman, born February 17, 1841 (death certificate: February 28, 1846) in Pudasjärvi, Finland, immigrated 1873 to Copper Country in Michigan, died May 28, 1911 in Klickitat.
Wife, Johanna Höök, born 1850 (cemetery: 1852) in Vadsö, Norway, died 1908 in Klickitat, 10 children.

Andrew (Antti) Wiidanen (Viitanen), born June 20, 1845 in Pulkkila, Finland, immigrated 1872 to Copper Country, Michigan. died January 12, 1925 in Klickitat.
Wife, Amanda Karoline Holm, born September 10, 1857 in Haparanda, Sweden, died 1925 in Klickitat, 9 children.

Matti Wiidanen (Viitanen, Andrew’s brother), born l May 1849 in Pulkkila, Finland, moved to Klickitat in 1883.
1^st  Wife Matlena Walborg Hyvärinen, born April 8,  1847 in Pulkkila, Finland.

2^nd  Wife, Kaisa Emelia Määttä, born February 25,  1870, 9 children.

Mikael (Mike) (Wirkkunen) Wilson, born 2 Jan 1836 (Ilmonen: July 27 1842 in Haukipudas, Finland, cemetery: 1838), immigrated 1866 to Copper Country, Michigan, died 24 april 1917 (cemetery: 1914) in Klickitat.
Wife, Briita Fredriika Höök, born 20 Nov 1858, died 1930 in Klickitat, 10 children.

Johan (Witikka) Vitikkohuhta, son of Laestadian preacher Antti Vitikkohuhta, born May 20, 1845 in Hammerfest, Norway, immigrated 1869 from Norway to Copper Country, Michigan, died  April 24, 1910 (cemetery: April 26, 1910) in Klickitat.

Wife, Maria Charlotta Ollila, born October 8,  1844 (cemetery: August 10, 1844) in Sodankylä, Finland, died December 1,  1903 in Klickitat, 8 children.