52 Ancestors #7 The Finnish Invasion – Heikki Anttila and Ida Paavola

Heikki Anttila and Ida Paavola of Finland
My husband’s mother’s paternal grandparents (his great grandparents) were Henry Antilla and Ida Antilla from Finland. At the time Ida's immigration, Russia claimed possession of Finland.
VITALS:
Heikki Anttila (Otherwise: Henri, Henry Antilla)
   B. Sept 25 1856, Christened, Sep 28. 1856
   Location:
   Kankaan, Reisjärvi
   Oulun Laanista (Oulu area), Finland)
   D. Oct 5 1926, Buried  Oct 14 1926 in Troy, NH
   
   Immigrated: Before 1893
    
   Naturalized as a US citizen:
   July 26, 1904 in the County of St. Louis in Minnesota 
  
Married: May 22, 1893 Fitchburg, Mass-marriage cert-by  Rev. George S Butters, Methodist Episcopal Church, 58 Oliver Street, Fitchburg, Mass.
 
Ida Maria Johanna [?] Paavola [also spelled Pavola, Poavola and Pavlova]
          
  B. Sep 9 or Oct 10, 1875 in Hietala, Viipurin Msrk, Finland
  D. June 2, 1940 Troy, NH

Children:
 1 - Johan  Aug 23, 1895- Aug 23, 1895, Fitchburg, MA
 2 - Väinö (Vaine) Oct 3, 1896-Feb 20, 1969 Fitchburg, MA
 3 - Jennie  1898 -?
 4 - Veino  1901 in Sparta, Minn-1973
 5 - * Antti (Andrew) Jul 11, 1903 in Sparta, Minn-Aug  25, 1949
 5 - Roy Benjamin Nov 24, 1908 in Troy, NH-Mar 20,1975
6 - Etheli 1911-1912
7  - Tauno Aug 27, 1913 Troy, NH- Nov 26, 1990 Peterborough, NH

* Antti ( or Andrew) Antilla married Marion Lottie  Cook
Heikki and Ida were immigrants from different areas of Finland. Heikki changed his name to Henry and Anttila was anglicized to Antilla.  Finnish sources tell me Anttila is a very common name, like “Brown” or even “Smith,” so tracing it is hard. Paavola is a common name as well, but not quite as common as Anttila.

When they married, Ida was a good deal younger: Ida gives her age as 18. Her father’s name as Andrew; her mother’s name was Eva.  At 35 Heikki was at least 17 years older than she (if you do the math, he would have been 37 that year). He gives his father’s name as John and his mother as Tinancy.

Heikki apparently immigrated with little or no English. If he was schooled, it wouldn't have mattered much. He worked for some years in Sparta, Minnesota in a granite mine--when there was work (some of the children were born there). Records indicate that that granite mine was full of Finnish laborers.

I am guessing that when the job ran out, or when they needed more money, he moved back to New Hampshire. There was a small community of Finnish immigrants is southern New Hampshire and the Mass border.  The Finnish Lutheran churches (and other Finnish churches) were in existence to serve that group of people for a period of time. 

Heikki Anttila, Sparta, Minn

  I haven’t found a draft record for Henry and, being a hard-drinking man-as many Finns where, he died on the young side. It seems life was hard on Heikki.

According to the  1910 census, Ida and Henry had a total of  9 children born to them, you can see several children did not reach adulthood. 

Ida (Paavola) Antilla & dog, Troy, NH

Ida, according to John’s mother, was extremely fond of animals. She was very good with birds at calling song birds to them. She seems to have had a way with animals—a trait that many in the family continued to have. The only photo I have of Ida, she’s with a dog.

Ida Anttila (widow)1927 Troy NH city directory

 Antilla Brothers (Andrew on right in sweater) sometime between 1946-1950