Adventures of an Adventurer who Adventures: Finne Family in Finland

Now for some experiences with the Finne side of my Finnish ancestry. (once again I apologize to my Finnish relatives for not being able to write their names correctly because of the unSwedishness of my keyboard, I have none of the letters that are part of the language)

My great-grandmother Johanna Finne also came over to America, through Ellis Island and joined two of her sisters in the states; Maria and Edla. Her father was a stonecutter who had built a monument for the battle of 1808, several stone bridges and foundation of houses around the area. I had been in contact with my Finne relatives for several years, and now was my chance to get to meet them.

Wilhelm and Sophia Finne

Anna-Lena and her husband Kenneth picked me up and we drove to meet the other Finne decedents. Eeva’s home (the matriarch of the family, also known as mommo J ) was near the stone bridges in Oravais. Her children Inger, Viveka, Jorgen and Vivian had played around these bridges as they grew. Eeva mommo and Inger welcomed me warmly and offered up a scrumptious treat. We had enjoyable conversation and they were able to show me a book about my Finne family that was very interesting, and even though it was all in Swedish I was determined to figure out what it said…I won’t tell you the results of that experiment. As a whole gang we drove out to Ostero, her home on an island. We had a great lunch and enjoyed her home and visited “Rebecca” her boat and heard harrowing stories of bandit diaper thieves. We also visited the area where Viveka takes a short cut to work during the winter by driving over the frozen Baltic Sea. It was then and there the family decided that I should visit Finland in the winter to #1 drive on a frozen sea (which scares the bejezzers out of me) #2 See that it does actually get dark in Finland and #3 they would willing line up to push me down a hill to “teach” me to ski. I can sure make an impression! Everyone was so generous and a great amount of fun. We didn't get to spend enough time together, but we will find a way to see each other again.

Wilhelm's bridges

Ostero

After this wonderful time with the Finne family, I was taken to meet Asa Bjorklund. She had written the Finne chapter I had read in the book about Oravais families. Her husband is also a historian of the area and they treated me along with their daughter Catrin, treated me to the sites of interest of the Finne side of my ancestry. We started off at the war of 1808 monument which I had previously visited. However, this time I was informed that my great great grandfather Wilhelm Finne was involved in the creation of the monument as the stonecutter. We also visited the museum with was one the Finne residence, but the house had been moved off the property. Wilhelm’s name was to be found somewhere in the stones, but they were too covered for us to find it. However, I did get a personal, after-hours tour of the house/museum from the Bjorkunds. We saw how they would have lived and what experience the wars were on the community.

house of the Finnes...now a museum

We then went and visited the land where my great grandmother grew up. The house was not there anymore, but we were able to see pictures of it. It was a peaceful and picturesque place. Wilhelm’s stones still stood under the barn and stones he had cut out still rested nearby. It was a special moment for me, to think about the solid foundations he had built under so many homes, including my own.

what it would have looked like when the children were growing up

Wilhelm's carved stones

The house Johanna my great grandmother grew up in

The land my great grandmother played and worked on

roses Johanna would have had

The view from the yard my ancestors had

where my great great grandmother grew up and was her last name...Sophia Seiplax...meaning farm number 9

I was then taken to a summer house of some of my relations from the Finne side that I had not met, and had not known to exist until that moment. The summer house was as the edge of the Baltic. The Baltic was stretched out shimmering with silver scales that was breathtaking to gaze at…and which I tended to keep gazing distractedly during the whole meal…but, they were patient with me and realized quickly I was EDBPS (easily distracted by pretty seas). These relations were a lot of fun and I gave them plenty of fuel for the fire by being a non-coffee drinker and showing up with toothpaste on my feet. (hey…I had 50 Finnish army (mosquito) bites by their most vicious soldiers…the only thing that helped was toothpaste) The food and conversation was fantastic. I had the opportunity to meet Marianna who had written letter, along with her mother, to Johanna and remembered receiving packages from America during the war with shoes and dresses. She was enthusiastic and loved seeing the pictures and letters I brought. I wish I could tell you in words my feelings as she made connections and explanations of the pictures I brought and the stories she told, it was very special, very special, tender moment for me.