Author Topic: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912  (Read 9269 times)

Offline kshaw

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Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« on: Wednesday 06 November 13 14:00 GMT (UK) »
I have been trying to find information about my great grandmother Hilja Kutja for years but have not been able to find anything more than her Death Record and my grandfather's birth record with her name on it.

As far as I know she was born in Finland (don't know where) about 1891. She immigrated to Canada before 1912, but I can't find any record of when or where she entered. The first record I have is my grandfather's BC ( Jalo Johan Gate Anderson born 1 May 1913). It says that she and my great grandfather Manasse Anderson (1887 Finland - 1930 Fort William, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada) were married 5 Oct 1912 in Port Arthur, Thunder Bay.... however I have yet to find a MC to confirm what they told the register. I know that she got T.B. while pregnant with a baby girl who I think was stillborn or died shortly after birth (again I can't find record, but I've seen the grave), she herself than died 7 Dec 1917 Port Arthur, Thunder Bay aged 26 not long after the baby from what I'm told. On Her record of Death it has her listed as Hilja Anderson, but again I don't know if her and Manasse were ever really married. He has himself listed as a widower on military recruitment papers that are dated twice (once while Hilja was sick in hospital on 9 Nov 1917 and again in 1918. However I found a MC for Manasse and his second wife 10 May 1918, on which he is listed as a Bachelor not a widower....

I would really like to find out where she came from and anything about her family. Any help would be amazing and Thank you for reading my long winded story!! X

Offline miriamkinga

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Re: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 06 November 13 15:44 GMT (UK) »
Hello there

Manasse's second marriage is on the familysearch website: -

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/278Y-YPH
GOATER, LAN, ALL
BOURKE, MAYO/ LAN
LONERGAN, TIP
McGREAL, MAYO
FLAHERTY, GALWAY/ ALL
HOUGH, LAN/ ALL

Online jorose

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Re: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 06 November 13 16:24 GMT (UK) »
Do you know where Manasse was born and when he came to Canada?  It would be worth checking the area he came from, as well as any parts of Canada where you know he lived for Kutja families -  it's possible they knew each other in Finland and she followed him to Canada to get married.

Who gave the information on her death certificate?
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline kshaw

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Re: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 06 November 13 19:11 GMT (UK) »
Hi,
Thank you, I have found a lot about Manasse and my grandfather had some contact with family on that side. Sadly my grandfather was very young when his mother Hilja died and was away sick in hospital for about a year before, so he did really remember her. Manasse also remarried or married (as it may be) less than 6 months after Hilja died. Almost everything to do with Hilja was removed from the house and Manasse never told my grandfather anything about her other than were her and the baby girl were buried.

Manasse was from Isojoki, Finland his father was Antti Toristo and his mother was Klaara Korpi. I'm not sure when Manasse started using Anderson but I couldn't find anything about with under Toristo. I believe that I found him as M. Anderson listed on a steamer arriving in the Port of Port Arthur Aug 1911, from Duluth, MN from what I can tell Hilja is not on that passenger list. From what I've been told people in Finland had no set surname at that time unless they were of high standings or high occupation (Doctor, Lawyer, Officer/Military etc.) All others carried the place where they were living as their second name, changing it if they moved and that the parish records had where they came from and where the moved to. Yet I still can't find Hilja anywhere!


Offline kshaw

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Re: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 07 November 13 12:32 GMT (UK) »
Do you know where Manasse was born and when he came to Canada?  It would be worth checking the area he came from, as well as any parts of Canada where you know he lived for Kutja families -  it's possible they knew each other in Finland and she followed him to Canada to get married.

Who gave the information on her death certificate?

I don't know for sure when Manasse came, but think that it was Aug 1911. As far as I know he and Hilja only stayed in Port Arthur and Fort William (now the two cities are one city called Thunder Bay), Ontario. There was/ is a very large number of Finnish people that settled in P.A, Thunder Bay during the turn of the century and into the early 1900's.

Her death certificate was filled in by her doctor, I'm guessing that she had been in hospital (which was being used as a home for those with T.B. at the time) for about a year as the DC said she'd been sick for a year.

There has always been a lot of mystery surrounding Hilja, with no one to share info about her. I have found others with the surname Kutja but have yet to link them to her.

Online jorose

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Re: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 07 November 13 20:50 GMT (UK) »
Have you tried http://www.finnishhistory.ca  ?
 Perhaps they could point you in the direction of church records or local newspapers for the Finnish community in the area that might have more information.
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline kshaw

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Re: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« Reply #6 on: Friday 08 November 13 11:34 GMT (UK) »
Thank you, I've not looked at that one! x

Offline jamcat95

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Re: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« Reply #7 on: Friday 30 September 16 14:03 BST (UK) »
Hi

I have tried to find Hilja without success. Where did you get the name Kutja from? Was it from a certificate? If possible I would like to see the record..... if I may.
You say you have a lot on Manasse but here are a few records I have found which you may already have. I have a few more but they are only available to members.

His parents marriage record:
1884 26 Dec: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ilh/

His father's birth record:
1854 25 Sept: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ili/

His mother's birth record:
1856 2 Aug: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ilj/


I also have Manasse's birth record and his last entry in the "census" book from 1902. The name "Toristo" is actually Todisto - the place he lived at in 1902. Manasse was born Johan Manasse Andersson but also known as Juha.


Ian




Offline jamcat95

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Re: Finland: Hilja Kutja b. 1891 to Canada by 1912
« Reply #8 on: Friday 30 September 16 17:45 BST (UK) »
I have just found Jalo Johan Gate Anderson's birth record on Ancestry. Is this where you got the name Kutja?


Ian