SNGF - Best Find of 2014, and Challenge for 2015

It's has been a quite awhile since I've participated in a Saturday Night Genealogy Fun mission  from  Randy Seaver at  Genea-Musings. This week's mission is:

1) What was your best research achievement in 2014? 

My best research achievement in 2014 was discovering more about my Finnish side on my maternal great grandmother's side.  It all started with the help of a Finnish cousin. Once I discovered the parish they came from and how the records worked, I discovered many cousins and ancestors. I wrote posts for both my Finnish 2nd great grandparents Matti Mattinpoika Haukijärvi and Britta Maria Juhontytär Polo. The record that help get my Finnish research started was the marriage record for Matti and Britta Maria.

Honkavaara & Polo Marriage

2) What research problem do you want to work on in 2015?

For 2015 I would like to find out more information about my Finnish great grandfather Jaakko Makie or Makela. I have very little information about him. All I know about him is that he was born in Finland about 1883, I'm not even sure where. I'm not sure of his correct name and spelling. He lived in North Dakota, USA by Towner county where his children where born. He moved to the Coteau area in Saskatchewan about 1911. Jaakko ended up in Rich Lake, Alberta where he died in 1964 and he is buried in the Fork Lake Cemetery.

52 Ancestors – Matti Mattinpoika Haukijärvi – Finnish great grandfather

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.

Me – My Mom – Fridjof Makie – Carolina Waara - Sakris Honkawaara – Matti Mattinpoika Haukijärvi

Here is another one of my Finnish ancestors. I’m having difficultly figuring out if I should just use the patronymic names, include the farm names or the name that was recorded in the records in my genealogy database. For now I have decided to have the surname as the last name they went by with other names recorded as suffixes. I’ve tried to record the names in Finnish although the records are in Swedish. Since my ancestors probably were known by their Finnish names. My Finnish side of my family has required me to think differently about names and records and learn a little Swedish and Finnish. What I’m really enjoying are the church records. They are quite addicting. It’s like solving a great puzzle. Between the Finland's Family History Association and Genealogical Society of Finland website, you can discover ancestors going way back.

Oulu Coat of Arms

Matti was born July 28, 1808 on the Heickilä farm in the village of Puhos in the parish of Pudasjärv , Oulu, Finland to Matti Mattinpoika Riecki and Elsa Pekkantytär Timonen. Following the Rippikirjat books, Matti's family lived on the Heickilä  farm from 1799 to 1822. Then the Heickilä farm seems to remain empty till 1854. He is then found at the Haukijärvi farm from 1823 to 1838, with his wife, Elsa Maria Erikintytär Ruokangas who he married on March 17, 1830. Also on the Haukijärvi farm are Matti's parents, Matti and Elsa and his sister Christina and her husband, Henric Johonpoika Wäisänen with their children. Four of Matti's children are born here including my 2^nd great grandfather, Sakari in 1837. The other children born at Haukijärvi farm are: Matti, Elsa, and Erkki. 

Matti and his family is found in the Rippikirjat books from 1839 to 1845 under Torpare och backstugusittare (crofters and cottager)  with  three more children, Juho, Anna Lisa and Maria Magdeline. Then from 1846 to 1853 he is found under Backstuguhjon m. fl i Jurmu läslag (not sure of the translation) with another child Erkki (the first Erkki having died). 

Matti and his family are back at the Heickilä farm from 1854 to 1880. Maybe longer as 1880 is the last year of the  Rippikirjat books for Pudasjärvi online at Finland's Family History Association.

More on Matti family:

52 Ancestors - Sakris Honkawaara (his son)

Sources :

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1799-1804, entry for Matts Mattsson Heickilä; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2014); IK381 Kuva 176.

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1805-1812, entry for Matts Heickilä; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2014); IK381_II Kuva 101.

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1813-1822, entry for Matts Heickilä; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2014); IK381-382 Kuva 260.

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1823-1838, entry for Matts Haukijärvi; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2014); IK382 Kuva 155.

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1839-1845, entry for Matts Mattsson Riecki Haukijärvi; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2014); IK382 Kuva 193.

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1846-1853, entry for Matts Mattsson Riecki Haukijärvi; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2013); IK382-383 Kuva 222.

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1854-1861, enrty for Matts Mattsson Honkavaara Heickilä; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2014); IK383-384 Kuva 242.

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1861-1873, enrty for Matts Mattsson Honkavaara Heickilä; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2014); MKO1-21 Kuva 373.

Pudasjärvi, Rippikirja, 1874-1880, entry for Matts Mattsson Haukijärvi Honkavaara Heickilä; digital image, Finland's Family Hisotry Association (http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm: 9 September 2014); MKO22-32 Kuva 114.