A long time ago…well 65 plus years ago I had a photograph taken.
I am the baby along with my Mom, my maternal Grandfather and my Great Grandmother photo taken in 1952.
Then in 1972 another photo was taken. My maternal Grandmother, my Mother holding Trica and me.
In 1996 Savannah was born. Me, Trica with Savannah and my Mother. This is a unique photo because it is of all the oldest daughters. My Grandmother died in October of 1995 and Savannah was born in July of 1996. So my Grandma just missed seeing her first Great Great Grandchild by nine months.
In 1998 we took another photo this time when Maddie was born. Me, Trica, Savannah, Maddie and my Mother.
Now it is 2017 and it was time for a five generations photo.
Maddie, Me, Trica and My Mother in front holding Mikey.
There are just a few photographs of my Great Grandfather Yliniemi. I have just two. All with other people.
One year a cousin did a drawing from one of the photos. My parents have a copy… I scanned it a number of years ago.
Isak died in 1932, my father would have been 6 years old.
Death Certificates are only as good as the people that are giving information. Notice he has a wife but she is unnamed. His father is listed as Iisaki most likely this is his Godfather Iisak Ollinpoika Yliniemi (no relation.) I believe his father to be Juho Mattias Ala known as Matti. His mother is listed at Liisa ( Liisa-Greeta). They were not married.
Everything is complicated. In the Finnish State Church communion is required. Therefore a public repentance of adultery was needed before either Matti or Liisa could take communion. She repented publicly twice (two children), Matti did not repent and the last time he took communion was in 1856. To further complicate things records are in Swedish because Finland was under Swedish rule.
Juho Mattias Ala was born January 4, 1825 in Kittila Finland, his father was Olli Ala who was born in 1792. Olli moved to Norway with his children and Matti was separated from the family. Matti was in Finland in 1841 and was employed as a farm hand by Liisa-Greeta until 1862. He fathered at least two children with her…Isak born in 1857 and Greta Matilda born about 1853. It is believed that Matti Ala came to America ( something to research someday.)
My Great Grandfather Isak died of a Cerebral Hemorrhage on December 8, 1932 at the age of 75. He most likely died at his home in Toad Lake Township. I have not located an obituary. ( Something else to put on the list.) He is buried in Pickerel Lake Cemetery. I am not certain that there is a headstone.
My Great Grandfather Isak decided to move his family north from French Lake Minnesota to Toad Lake Township Minnesota. He traveled with two horses, a colt, cook stove, barrel of salt pork, and three small children Marie ( Mary) age nine, Joe age 7 and Sam (My Grandfather) age 5. They travelled 170 miles north on wilderness roads, he homesteaded a parcel of land in Toad Lake Township Becker County Minnesota. He built a 10’ x 10’ home for Margaretta. She followed by train in October of 1896 with Isacki age 4 and Mikeal age 2. Isak was late picking her up in New York Mills..and while she was waiting she gave birth to John, he was born October 9, 1896. Later Levi, Ethel, Esther, Ida, Charles and William would join the family. Twelve children, thirteen if you count Greta Born November 16, 1886 and died December 10, 1886. It was cold and Margaretta took the baby to bed with her for the night and in the morning the baby was dead.
I have some photos of my grandfather brothers thanks to Verniel. ( Her Father Joe is my grandfathers brother.)
Lars Johnson a friend, Levi, Charlie, Joe and Bill my grandfathers brothers.
Joe (Grandpa’s Brother) Andrew Leinonen (Uncle to them and a half brother of their mother ) and Sam (My Grandfather)
1946 Ike (Grandpas Brother), Matt Leinonen (Uncle to them and half brother of their mother ) and Sam (My grandfather.)
They were salt of the earth men. I remember Great Uncle Ike and Great Uncle Mike the best, perhaps because my parents used to visit them sometimes on Sunday. The rest are just vague memories of very tall men that looked a bit like my grandfather.
Far Guy’s Great Grandmother divorced her husband in 1913 or 1914. They had ten children together, her husband Winfield …some called him “Winnie” was a drinker and a wife beater.
I think.. just my opinion that Martha was greatly attracted to Winfield, she was willing to overlook his shortcomings…her love would make him change. ( Play the violin music now.)
One child lead to more children…more fights and more “making up.” They were not well to do, but her father and mother were. They secured her a place to live that Winfield could not sell. I am certain that her father Xaver Aleck did what he could to protect her and the children, both of her parents died in 1903. She must have felt very alone.
Much later something happened…not sure what…it was the straw that broke the camels back…she was pregnant and the baby died. Soon after the oldest son beat the living daylights out of his father and threw him out of the house.
Martha divorced her husband. At that time she had nine children ages 3, 6,10,12,13,16,19, 22 and 24. The two oldest would marry that year. She was raising seven kids alone. I have heard that the kids would see their Dad drunk in the streets and ignore him.
The oldest son was Far Guys Grandfather and in early 1914 he would leave Logan and come to Minnesota to settle down. ( Some say…if he had stayed he would have ended up killing his father…so it was best he came to Minnesota.) He did not return to Logan for years, none of the children attended “Winnies” funeral in 1936. After Winfield died Martha said “He can’t hurt me anymore.”
I suppose it was quite a scandal to get a divorce back in 1913…in small town Logan Iowa I am certain the tongues were a wagging, everyone knew what Winfield had ben doing…but behind closed doors I bet many women were thinking that Martha was very brave. When Martha died in 1944 she was laid to rest next to Winfield in the cemetery in Logan.
***
Some women are so stupid they think that they can change men, it is impossible, they are what they are, if they drink before you get married odds are they are going to continue drinking. If they hit you once while dating odds are when you factor in a few kids and married life stress that the hitting will become a beating. If they can’t hold down a job what makes you think marriage will help? No amount of love will change them. Love does not conquer all.
I am not a fan of divorce, especially when there are children. In some cases it is the only way a woman can survive. I think it was that way for Martha …she divorced so she could survive. 24 years married to a drunken bum and wife beater was long enough.
Back in 1913 only one out of a thousand people sought out a divorce.
The Logan Iowa (Harrison County) area was where Far Guys Grandparents were born and raised.
This is his Great Grandmother Martha Aleck. She was born in a log cabin in 1868 and married in 1889. She was divorced in about 1914.
This photo was most likely taken about 1889, I think it may be an engagement photo or wedding photo as her ring is featured prominently.
She died in 1944. This photo was not dated, but I suspect it was taken in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s. I think this photo was taken near her house in Logan with the cemetery in the background.
This was Martha’s house in Logan Iowa, I took this photo in 1986. That same day we visited the cemetery in Logan. I took a few photos but not many. I should have taken photos of grave markers.
Evelyn, Aunt Charlotte, Far Guy and by the tree Marvin and Uncle Herman. When I found this photo I wondered what they were looking at near those trees. A grave marker maybe.
The last few times we were that way we didn’t have time to stop. Too busy, had to be home for something or it was winter time. ( Our oldest Daughter used to live in Elkhorn Nebraska a suburb of Omaha. Logan Iowa is about 30 miles from Omaha Nebraska.)
I didn’t realize that the Lincoln Highway went right through downtown Logan. The Lincoln Highway used to be the East West route between New York City and San Francisco…at one time it would have been a wagon road. They have a wonderful history center in Logan and I would like to see the old train depot.
I sense a spring time trip to Iowa coming on to answer a few questions and visit some relatives. It should be on the list of things to do!
We went to pick berries at my cousins. He and his wife live on the farmstead where my Maternal Grandfather was born and raised. I always call it Great Grandmas place..because she was the one that farmed there.. for many years she also took care of my Great Grandfather who had rheumatoid arthritis. He died before I was born so I always associate Great Grandma with that farmstead.
Picking berries in one of my Great Grandmother’s fields I always listen for sounds. Sounds that she may have heard..the Red Winged Blackbirds..children laughing..then there was this clop clop swish swish sound and then an aroma. I was intent on picking my containers full as fast as possible in the midday sun. Sweat was rolling off my nose in huge plops. I held the container almost at arms length so I could pick with one hand and steady the container with the other and not ruin any of the berries with sweat. I want to eat them next winter!
The clop clop swish swish with aroma..that aroma is what my cousins children call “buggy poop.” It was the Amish and their every other Sunday…they were either going or coming from church.
I wished that I had brought my camera into the raspberry patch…I didn’t ..but I did get some photos on the way home.
The swish swish sound was the buggy tires on the loose gravel that was on one side of the road.
The berries were plentiful. I am not convinced that we have enough for the whole winter yet. I may have to go back again on a cooler day.
I don’t make jam and I don’t make sauce. I freeze them in single layers on cookie sheets and then package them up into servings. They will be great next winter:)
This is a photo of Far Guy with his relatives. This beautiful old photo belongs to Cousin Jay now.
A number of years ago Uncle Jimmy gave our daughter Jennifer a copy of the photo.
Recently Jen brought it over so I could scan it on the large bed scanner. I took the photo into my scrapbook program and identified everyone.
Martha Jane is Far Guys Great Grandmother, Xaver and Christiane are his Great Great Grandparents.
In 1903 Xaver died, Christiane fell apart she was so used to him telling her what to do she could not function on her own. She was put into a hospital and died a few months later.
Xaver’s Obituary:
Xaver Aleck, the son of Lorenz and Agatha Aleck was born in the Grand-Duchy of Baden, Germany on March 13, 1828.
He migrated to America in 1852 settling for a time in Philadelphia. He came to Iowa in 1856 and served a home in Harrison County. After a sojourn of two years he returned to Philadelphia and worked at his trade of tailoring. In 1860 he entered upon his lifetime occupation of farming in Harrison County. He continued for 40 years to cultivate his farm and then removed to Logan, Iowa where he has since resided.
He died at 9 a. m. on June 28, 1903. He was married to Christiane Geiger in Philadelphia on February 18, 1860. To them were born twelve children.
He called no man “Master” and assumed no obligation he could not conscientiously fulfill. He would not countenance double dealing or subterfuge, nor lend his influence for mercenary gain. He united in himself the best elements of the land of his birth and the land of his adoption. He was successful in acquiring a competence. In attaining his ideal of manhood and in all things did well that which he was called upon to do. His name shall long be honored, his memory cherished, and his influence unimpaired.
His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, “THIS WAS A MAN!”
We have been to the Cemetery in Logan, Iowa where he is buried. He has a magnificent tombstone. Perhaps the largest marker in the whole cemetery.
I know that he was a good father..he made provisions for Martha Jane to always have a home. Martha Jane did not choose wisely when she married..but that is a story for yet another day:)
