Arvo Gustav Halberg aka Gus Hall

[granskare Registered Find all posts View Profile Close granskare]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gus_Hall

I had always thought Gus was Hallinen and he shortened it from that but here is is a Halberg from Finland.

Not much about his Swedish-Finn roots online though.

Anybody have something about that?

Chuck

[Roger Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Roger]

Gus Hall

I have information in my paternal grandfather's book of ancestors pertaining to Gus Hall. His father was Toivo Hallperi, born 16.6.1885, in Lapua, his parents were Kustaa Mikonpoika Härsilä Naami Halperi, and, Sanna Valpuri Matintytär. Toivo was their 8th, and, last child, he came to Minnesota in 1906, and, died there 10.6.1964. I have a friend whose mother was connected in some way to the Hallperi family, and, he said that Gus Hall was never discussed in front of the family, but, he remembers overhearing his mother speaking very quietly about him to a Finnish neighbor. He didn't really know much about Gus Hall until he was an adult, and, he understands now why his mother, who was a devout Lutheran, was so secretive about the Communist Gus Hall.
The book I have is : Leskelä - Lescelius - Lescell - Lesell
The mother of Toivo's father, Kustaa, was Maria Greta Anders-Heikinpoika Lescell Lesell, her father Anders, was a cousin to Emanuel Lescell. Emanuel was a grandfather to my grandfather, Antti Matinpoika Lesell, and, he changed his name to Andrew Matson after he arrived in Michigan. The book I mentioned above was published by Matti Nieminen from Lapua.

[granskare Registered Find all posts View Profile Close granskare]

Thanks Roger and looks like I was half right in that he was from a Finnish speaking family in Finland.

Chuck (once a Yooper, always a Yooper, eh?

[Roberta Rae Registered Find all posts View Profile Close Roberta Rae]

Gus Hall

Gus Hall is a home-boy, although he left the area many years before I reached the "age of reason". I think everyone considered the family to be Finnish.

My mother often told me that she and her friends would attend dances out in the country, and Mr. Hall would be there "trying to organize".

We are a small community and people try to get along. I don't remember ever hearing of Gus Hall as a topic of public discussion.