According to Renee Randall, 16 SEP 2001, via e-mail:
"Jacob (Jaako) was born in Taivalkoski, Finland on November 29, 1856 anddied in Keweenaw County, Michigan in July of 1934 (I think!) When hefirst came here (in 1882?), he worked on the railroad in Minnesota for ayear. From Duluth, he traveled to Hancock, Michigan. His first wife wasKreeta Lohilahti (also from Taivalkoski). I had thought that theymarried in Finland. However, after reading the Lohilahti parish records(which my aunt obtained from Finland), it appears that they marriedhere--as far as I can tell, they married in the U.S. in 1887....
Jaako's first wife died in 1897. A number of years later (in 1905), hesent for his first wife's widowed older sister in Finland, Anna KaisaLohilahti Halkola. She had had five children with her first husband.She died in Michigan in 1931 at the age of 82. According to my aunt,Jaako is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Eagle River, Michigan betweenhis wives--cozy, eh? There are no markers, however.
My grandmother went to live with her aunt (your great great grandmother)in or near Sebeka for awhile when she was 16 (in 1910). We have a fewpictures of her taken there. While living with the Wesala's, she workedfor about 6 months at a hotel in Wadena. She always spoke of itfondly--I'm certain it was the first time she had been out of Michigan.
My grandmother always said that, according to her father, Antti returnedto Finland to sell his reindeer (the "family fortune"). In Liverpool (onthe way back to America), he supposedly went to buy liquor, was murdered,apparently robbed (perhaps the spirits loosened his tongue), and buriedat sea. Alas, the money was never seen again. Did you ever hear anysuch story? It's quite possibly been embellished through the years! Atany rate, according to Lydia Pauna, Antti died on June 28, 1890."
According to Renee Randall, 16 SEP 2001, via e-mail:
"Jacob (Jaako) was born in Taivalkoski, Finland on November 29, 1856 anddied in Keweenaw County, Michigan in July of 1934 (I think!) When hefirst came here (in 1882?), he worked on the railroad in Minnesota for ayear. From Duluth, he traveled to Hancock, Michigan. His first wife wasKreeta Lohilahti (also from Taivalkoski). I had thought that theymarried in Finland. However, after reading the Lohilahti parish records(which my aunt obtained from Finland), it appears that they marriedhere--as far as I can tell, they married in the U.S. in 1887....
Jaako's first wife died in 1897. A number of years later (in 1905), hesent for his first wife's widowed older sister in Finland, Anna KaisaLohilahti Halkola. She had had five children with her first husband.She died in Michigan in 1931 at the age of 82. According to my aunt,Jaako is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Eagle River, Michigan betweenhis wives--cozy, eh? There are no markers, however.
My grandmother went to live with her aunt (your great great grandmother)in or near Sebeka for awhile when she was 16 (in 1910). We have a fewpictures of her taken there. While living with the Wesala's, she workedfor about 6 months at a hotel in Wadena. She always spoke of itfondly--I'm certain it was the first time she had been out of Michigan.
My grandmother always said that, according to her father, Antti returnedto Finland to sell his reindeer (the "family fortune"). In Liverpool (onthe way back to America), he supposedly went to buy liquor, was murdered,apparently robbed (perhaps the spirits loosened his tongue), and buriedat sea. Alas, the money was never seen again. Did you ever hear anysuch story? It's quite possibly been embellished through the years! Atany rate, according to Lydia Pauna, Antti died on June 28, 1890."
Marriage Notes for Jaakko A. (Soronen) Räisänen and Kreeta Lohilahti-800
According to Jim Kurtti (E-mail, 1 APR 2002):
"Married by Johan Takkinen. Jacob was living in Central Mine at the time.
Witnesses: Johan Hiltunen and Jacob Soronen."
"Poika" is Finnish for "son", so Erik's father's name is Abram, like hisson's.
"Vesa" is Finnish for "sprout, sapling, shoot, willow". "Vesala" means"in the willows", making it a place name. In Swedish the name would bespelled with a "W" (there is no "W" in pure Finnish). Therefore "Vesa","Vesala" and "Wesala" are all variations of the same name.
Other variations might be: Wesanen, Wesa, Wesas, Vesases.
Merkita and Margita are no doubt variants of the same name.
Lassentytär means Lars' (or Lassi's) daughter.
Of his siblings only Juho and Lassi immigrated to America, according toLola Heikkinen.
Caisa is a variant of Catharina.
Stina is a variant of Christina.