earlycv.html

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., July 26, 1934, page 1

A.J. AHOLA FURNISHES EARLY HISTORY OF THE FINNISH SETTLEMENT IN COUNTY

We are indebted to A. J. Ahola, of this city, for the interesting and authentic information regarding the arrival of the Finnish people in Klickitat county, who settled in the Centerville section. Mr. Ahola furnishes this fine record with the hope of making a permanent record of the names and dates, for future occasion.
On the fourth day of July, 1877, there arrived at The Dalles, Oregon, four Finnish families who were ostensibly on their way to Pendleton, Oregon, but somehow were detained at The Dalles, Oregon, and while there a Mr. Russell who had a homestead on which part of Centerville is built, happened to come in contact with them while they were undecided just where to go and what to.
Mr. Russell informed them that there was good government land to be had by homesteading. He prevailed on them to go and see for themselves, so the four men John Crocker, Lairs Mattson, John Hagen and Jacob Jacobson came over into Klickitat Valley. It looked good to them so they returned to The Dalles, bought some horses, harness, wagons, and some provisions, loaded their belongings into their wagons and came to make themselves a home.
Their first stopping place in the valley was at the S.W. Childers ranch about a half a mile east of the present town of Centerville.
John Crocker's family consisted of a wife, four sons and a daughter; she remained in The Dallas helping some family there with housework. Lars Mattson's family consisted of the same number, a wife, three sons and two daughters. Jacob Jacobson and wife had one child, and John Hagen and his wife had no children. August Mattson was the first Finnish child born in Klickitat county.
They of course wrote to their friends in Michigan such glowing accounts of what they had found, that in October the settlement was increased by the families of John Niemela and Andrew Wiidanen, and in November and December the settlement was increased by the following families and single men, to-wit Andrew Liimatta, Henry Molstrom, John Kaidera, John Witikka, John Flink, J.E. Jussula, Gabriel Wallman Fred Johnson, Henry Lahti, Simon Dormanen, Matt Hyrkas and Auaust Klockner. With them were several single; men, of them only M.A. Ahola, Jacob Lauri and Peter Jacobson remained and took up claims. John Karjala came in the summer of 1878 and Mathew Ahola, Sr., came in the fall of that year with his family. Henry Niva and his family came about the first of August, 1879.
During the year of 1880 came the three Lehto boys, August, Herman, and the third one's name we were unable to obtain. He married Mary, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Witikka. He was affected with tuberculosis and passed away in a couple of years. The widow later married a Mr. Olson, who came here, in the middle eighties. Of that union a son, Oscar, and a married daughter, Mrs. Kahkonen, are living in that neighborhood, now.
Later on between, 1880 and, 1890 Peter Niemela, Erick Erickson, Herman Matta, Peter Anderson and Mrs. Jacob Lauri came, and later in the early nineties Jake Hendrickson, his mother and two, sisters came direct from Finland.
Nearly all those that arrived up to 1880 came from the copper mining region of Northern Michigan.
To the first few years many of the first arrivals endured many hardships incident of pioneer life, but they were hard working folk and lived within their means, and in a few years were comfortably situated.
Of the first arrivals Jacob Jacobson is yet alive, nearly 90 years of age, now living with, his daughter, Mrs. Lewis Haldeman, of Vancouver, Wash. Fred Johnson another of the early arrivals is living at Astoria, Oregon. He must be about 90 years old. Jacob Lauri is close to 90 and Mrs. Andrew Wiidanen is past 80.
During the year of 1887 these people built themselves a meeting home on the homestead of Jacob Jacobson, and later on after the Government townsite was laid out at Centerville about 1903, the members built a modest church edifice there, styled the Apostolic Lutheran denomination.
Previous to any regular meeting house or church was built these folks congregated at their homes in rotation throughout the neighborhood. After services were over a moderate meal was served to all who cared to participate, this custom being kept up until the last meeting house was built, Mathew Ahola, Sr., was selected as their leader of the devotional services. He was succeeded by John Hagan, Wilhelm Basi succeeding Mr. Hagan. The Basi family came here about the year 1900 or 1901.