Prominent Swede-Finn descenders...

[Hasse Admin Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Hasse]

In 2004 SFHS presented an exhibition at the genealogy conference in Borgå, Finland. This exhibition which was based upon the material Syrene Forsman had put together for an exhibition in USA is still circulating in Finland - but my intention is to present the material in smaller pieces here on Finlander.
The persons presented will not be in any particualar order. Feel free to comment if you have additional information about the person or about the subject.

[Karen Norwillo Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Karen Norwillo]

Thank you, Hasse, for the great biopics. I enjoy them very much. Karen

[granskare Registered Find all posts View Profile Close granskare]

Herman Elson, born kesäk. 26 p. 1866 Kauhajoella

Nice to see the exhibit and it's very well done also!
I just got back from the U.P. of Michigan where I found a book Amerikan Suomalaisia for years 1922-1927.
This guy, Herman Elson, was a bottler of soft drinks in Ishpeming - he made the smoothest cream soda and root beer ever. The coca cola company bought the works and shut down the flavors line and I have hated coke ever since I couldn't find him in the church films nor is the parish hiski record late enough.

Do you think this guy is a Swede-Finn? I don't know about the surname Elson. I do see it on the passenger and passport lists but he's not there.
This guy ought to on the next list.


Chuck

[June Pelo Senior Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close June Pelo]

Herman Elson

I found a reference to a Herman Elson here, but it's in Finnish:

www.helsinki.fi/~lagerste/jag.html

June

[granskare Registered Find all posts View Profile Close granskare]

Perhaps somebody can tell us about the website.

I don't have a clue as to what it is about.

Chuck

[Hasse Admin Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Hasse]

"Herman Elson perusti virvoitusjuomatehtaan. 20. 7. 1988"

xlates: HE founded a soft drink factory

Seems like Mr Lagerstedt has written an article about the subject.

[SusanR Registered Find all posts View Profile Close SusanR]

Re: Prominent Swede-Finn descenders...

Originally posted by Hasse
Syrene Forsman

Do you know if she was from California? I know that when my Grandmothers' 2 sister went to the US, they went to their Uncle, an Emil Forsman, Fort Bragg, California.

He was their Mothers' brother.

Susan

[Roger Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Roger]

Elson's Bottling Works

I was born and raised half a block away from where this cream soda and root beer was made! We would go there to beg the workers for a bottle or two, and, if the boss wasn't around, they would give us some. It was warm, but, that didn't matter, it was delicious! Herman must have been the father of the two men that owned it at the time, their names were Waldemar and William Elson. I always assumed that they were Finnish, because, they belonged to our Bethel Lutheran Church, and, many people who lived in Ishpeming at the time, called it "the Finn church". I was surprised, and pleased, to see our little town of Ishpeming mentioned here, where I have lived most of my life. I hope to see some of you at the Finn Grand Fest in Marquette, which is about a 15 minute drive from Ishpeming.

[syrene Registered Find all posts View Profile Close syrene]

HI Susan

re: Forsman
"man" means "man" in English, and "Fors" means "rapids". There are thousands of rapids in Finland which would give rise to someone thinking about a new name an easy option if he lived near one. A second source of the name might be the parish of Forsby in Finland.

In fact, my husband's grandfather had carried his home farm's name Hjulfors to Helsingfors when he was sent there to learn the tailoring trade. It seems he felt that Hjulfors was too countrified, so he changed his name to Forsman. It was already Forsman, when he emigrated to America.

Sorry we're probably not related.
Syrene

[Alicia Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Alicia]

Elson

in the 1900 census Herman's job was listed as police.
In 1910 his wife states that she is a SwedeFinn.
Alicia

[Trigge Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Trigge]

Re: Herman Elson, born kesäk. 26 p. 1866 Kauhajoella

Herman Elson?

Kuuttinen, Herman Valentin
Birth : 26 JUN 1866 Kauhajoki, Österbotten, Finland
Death : 26 NOV 1932 Ishpeming, USA

Oberg (Åberg), Maria Katharina
Birth : 30 DEC 1870 Kärrbäck, Sweden
Death : 21 DEC 1944 Ishpeming, USA

Marriage: 19 JAN 1890 in USA
Kuuttinen + Åberg = Elson in USA

Children:
Elson, Walfrid V. Birth : 7 JUL 1893 Ishpeming, USA
Elson, William A. Birth : 21 FEB 1896 Ishpeming, USA
Elson, Hulda Maria Birth : 23 JAN 1898 Ishpeming, USA
Elson, Waldemar T. Birth : 23 JAN 1901 Ishpeming, USA
Elson, Tyyne Birth : 10 AUG 1904 Ishpeming, USA


/ Jonas Trigell (jonastrigell*hotmail.com)

[Alicia Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Alicia]

Herman Elson obituary

Herman Elson Dies
Ishpeming
Herman W. Elson , one of the Upper Peninusla's most prominent Finnish citizens died Saturday morning at 1;30 at his home , corner of Cedar and First Streets as a result of a stroke of paralysis which he suffered Thanksgiving day
He was born June 26 (or 28) 1866 in Finland and had been a resident of Ishpeming for 45 years
coming to this city direct from his native home in 1887
Mr Elson worked as a miner for 13 years but left the mines and took the management of the Barnum house in 1899. He successfully conducted the Barnum until 1906 when he entered in the soft drink manufacturing business. The Barnum house during the time of Mr Elson , concucted , it was one of the largest boarding houses in the city. While he managed the Barnum he also served as a member of the Ishpeming police force.
Ironwood Daily Globe (Ironwood, Michigan) > 1932 > November > 30

[Trigge Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Trigge]

Re: Elson

Herman Elsons wife states that she is a SwedeFinn.

She was from Tornedalen, Kärrbäck SWEDEN !!!.
Kärrbäck 30 miles from Haparanda and 6 miles from the Finish boarder. I think she must bee my great grandfathers sister. Åberin Majja (local) or Åberg Maria. He was from Vaasa in Österbotten Finland.

In enlish you dont have Å so thay put O instead, Oberg. Kuuttinen or Oberg was not any good namnes so they change it to Elson.

[Trigge Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Trigge]

Re: HI Susan

Forsman

"man" means "man" in English, and "Fors" means "rapids". There are thousands of rapids in Finland which would give rise to someone thinking about a new name an easy option if he lived near one.

Thoose men who worked with the timber using the lakes to get it to the coast also called fors-men or in singularis forsman.

[jonnee Kohler Registered Find all posts View Profile Close jonnee Kohler]

Re: Herman Elson, born kesäk. 26 p. 1866 Kauhajoella

ancestry.com has 1930 census dist number 52-15 sheet 6B Patrick Riedy 4101. April 14, 1930

of Ishpeming
with naturalized alien entered USA 1887: Herman W. Elson, 63, b. Finland, speaks Finnish. Proprietor of Soft Drink bottling company
and wife Mary K. 59, b. Sweden, entered USA1888. speaks Swedish.
Children William A., 34, single, manager of bottling company and Tyyne S. 26, single, teaching school.
on ?Cedar St. Owned home worth $4000.

Originally posted by granskare
Nice to see the exhibit and it's very well done also!
I just got back from the U.P. of Michigan where I found a book Amerikan Suomalaisia for years 1922-1927.
This guy, Herman Elson, was a bottler of soft drinks in Ishpeming - he made the smoothest cream soda and root beer ever. The coca cola company bought the works and shut down the flavors line and I have hated coke ever since I couldn't find him in the church films nor is the parish hiski record late enough.

Do you think this guy is a Swede-Finn? I don't know about the surname Elson. I do see it on the passenger and passport lists but he's not there.
This guy ought to on the next list.


Chuck