Oscar and Hilda married on November 27, 1909, which that year was Thanksgiving Day. They lived on the Harris farm on road #71 in Floodwood, Minnesota for 4 years. Their fist two children (Ed in 1910 and Walter in 1911) were born at the Junnikala farm as Oscar was away working in the woods at the time for August Perkki. He worked with Sam Haanpaa in the woods. Little Helen was born at home in 1913. Mrs. Keo Johnson�s mother was midwife to her for these first three babies. Hilda�s sister Jennie stayed with her to help out.

Arvid and Tekla Jarvi lived with them for a while and then Oscar and Hilda moved to Sam Heikkela�s (1913) in Van Buren. Emil (1914) and Siama (1916) were born here. Mrs. Tom Raihala was the midwife for these two births. Picture of 5 of the sons as boys click Here Picture of the oldest 6 Here

In 1917 Oscar Homesteaded the Hiskie place after Hiskie died. This became their home for many years. All of the rest of the 13 children were born here. The first was Matt (1918) then George (1919), Helen (1921), Bill (1924), Raymond (1925), Donald (1931), Norma (1936) and Shirley (1935).

Oscar worked in the woods all of the time. Hilda�s brother, Emil returned from WWI he stayed with them and helped Oscar log and clear farmland. In 1920 Emil (Hilda�s brother) died from pneumonia.

In 1940 Oscar died as a result of a hunting accident. Hilda remained on the farm and took care of it and her family herself. Ed, Siama and Emil had married and moved by this time. Matt, George, Raymond, Donnie, Norma and Shirley all remained on the farm.

When World War II came in 1941, one by one the boys inlisted. At one point of the war Hilda had 5 sons in the armed forces. Walter, Matt and George were in the Army, while Raymond was in the Navy and Bill in the Merchant Marines.

In the spring of 1944 Hilda traveled with Donnie, Norma and Shirley to Ten Mile, a logging camp near Fort Bragg, CA. After two years she and the three yougest went back to Minnesota to the farm in Van Buren. This lasted for another 2 years and Hilda decided to sell the cattle and equipment and come back to Fort Bragg. A while later she sold the Van Buren Farm and bought a house on Park Street in Fort Bragg, CA. She later bought and moved to the house I remember on Sanderson Way in Fort Bragg, CA. During this time she ran the cookhouse at Halesgrove for Hollow Tree Lumber Co. and then worked for Hilija Davis at the Club Fort Bragg Restaurant until she retired at the age of 62.

In 1983 the family had a huge party for Hilda's 90th birthday. At that time I believe that she had over 90 grandchildren. (93 I believe, broken down like this; 30 grandchildren, 57 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren!!)

Hilda died at the age of 91 years 15 days old.
**Family photo Here
**For Picture of Oscar click Here
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