exodus.html

This story was submitted by Josh Lehto, great-great grandson of August Lehto.

THE EXODUS AND TREK OF MY FATHER
As told by Victor Lehto and written by his sister
Jennie Wayne

The trek and exodus of my father, August Lehto and his near twin cousin Andrew Lehto at the age of 15 years, when they left their homes in Kuusamo (Koosamo) Finland, close to the Russian border, a little south of the Arctic Circle and migrated to the United States.
They left the second week of January 1880 right after the Christmas and New Years Holidays, which ends January the 6th (Epiphany). They hired a man with a canoe-type, sharp-keeled sled, drawn by a reindeer with room for the three men and luggage. They traveled north over snow covered hills and mountains to a fresh water harbor in northern Norway, a place called North Cape.
During this trek, which took nearly a month, father came down with pneumonia and was unconscious, burning with a very high fever and not knowing where they were going. He recovered by the time they arrived in this harbor, and was practically in normal condition.
There they got on board a small passenger ship and went to Liverpool, England. They spent three days there, and before boarding an ocean liner, bought a dozen oranges. Father became quite ill either from eating the oranges (which he wasn't use to) or the voyage to New York. From there they traveled by train to San Francisco, then again by ocean liner to Astoria, Oregon.
In Astoria they met some Finnish fishermen who were from Centerville. When they inquired about Klickitat-they said it was easy; just go to The Dalles and up over the hill to Centerville. They went by steamboat to The Dalles (as there wasn't any other means of transportation then), but they neglected to tell them that it was located across the Columbia River. That was the end of their ticket, except for a night lodging in a hotel called the Umatilla House. Now in all these exchanges along the route the officials in charge could direct right according to the ticket, even for a nights lodging at The Dalles, but there the hotel manager kept the ticket. The person sending the tickets hadn't advised them of the exact location of their destination either-so with the language barrier it was difficult for them to explain where they wanted to go.
They wandered around there for awhile trying to get their bearings and finally after looking at the map in the hotel lobby, blurted out the word Klickitat, which to their amazement, was the correct pronunciation. The manager hearing that, directed them to the river bank where they could get across in a ferry, motioning to the other side: that they'd have to climb a winding road up a hill, making twists and turn s with his hands. It was a wide valley and prairie they were looking for, according to the information in Kuusamo, when people wrote and spoke of the area where many before them had come.
After having ferried across the river, the day was well into the afternoon when they arrived at the Crawford place, half way up the south side of The Dalles Mt. There was good spring water there, and they were glad to have some cool water to drink. I don't know how close the boys' birthdays were but same year anyway. Father had his 16th birthday on the 26th of May and arrived during the first week or so in June.
Now the clothes they wore and were carrying in their packs were all homespun wool, no change of anything lighter. Shoes were homemade leather boots similar to our cowboy boots. They cached their packs in fence corner rock boxes, which were picked up later. Then carrying their heavy wool socks, they made it to the top far enough to see the valley and father said, "There it is!" When they got down to the foot of the mountain, they headed straight through the fields and pastures, where there were some buildings.
Andrew didn't make any suggestions but always agreed to whatever father said. They by-passed the St. Lawrence place, Ueckers now, and picked out what still is in the Ahola family. Uncle Matt Ahola's home-of course no uncle then-and headed for it and as it happened all the Ahola's were still living there as Matt was the only one who had bought a place. They crossed over the swale bridge below the old Hollett place, and then took off on a beeline for Matt Ahola's. Father didn't really know why they by-passed the St. Lawrence place. Anyway, as they had crossed the road south side of the place and were climbing over the fence to go straight through the field to the house, unnoticed by them which really startled them when someone spoke behind them and asked in Finnish, "Where do you young fellows think you are going?" When they got over the shock, father told him they had planned to see if they could get lodging at that house for the night. The man said, go right ahead. I live there also, you must go through the gate a little farther on with the horse. So after spending the night there, they were directed to Tormanens where they went the next day. Tormanens was head-quarters and home for quite some time.
Father stayed single for 15 years after arriving but Andrew married Mary Witikka soon as he came of age. They had one child who died in infancy and Andrew contacted a fatal illness and passed away still a young man. Andrew was a brother of Greta Liisa Laurila. Mary married a Peter Olson and they had two children, Oscar and Emma. Mr. Olson died quite young also, so Mary married a Mr. Halonen and they moved to New York. They had several children.
Father was a self educated man, learned to speak and read English without any schooling, but could not write, as he couldn't spell the words. He did all his business transactions verbally without a translator. He bought and sold property and made money at that and also fished at Astoria during the fishing season. He saved money and after being here nine years he went to Finland for the three winter months, as there wasn't much work here during those months. Before he went to Finland he had sent tickets to his brother Herman Lehto, sister of Lena, who married fathers pal Peter Jacobson, and later Gus Maatta, after they each lost their spouses. He also sent a ticket to Riika (Lehto) Mustola another sister. Through the experience he had acquired, he undertook to be a guide and translator for a number of young people coming to the United States, who dropped off at relatives from New York to Butte, Montana.
Andrew also sent tickets to his brother Adolph and Greta Laurila and another younger sister, whom I've never met or known personally, moving to California soon after arriving at Centerville. One sister Mrs. Joseph Anderson, Anna Liisa, lived here until passing away in her middle-age.
Now mother, Augusta Karoliina (nee Ahola) was twelve years old when father arrived at the Ahola ranch and 15 years later they were married. I am the first of nine children born of that union in 1896, being born in my grandfather Ahola's home on the ranch, now owned by Alvin and Eleanor Randall in the Happy Home district. Mother received her primary schooling in the Happy Home School, which was on the west edge of the ranch. She also attended a Junior College in Spokane, while working there for a family. Mother had three brothers, Matt, Peter and Abraham Ahola and one sister Aunt Margaret, who never married. Father spent his first night in the valley in my mothers home. In business matters Mother didn't need to translate for father verbally, but she would write messages, when dictated to. That job fell on me as I grew up and began to take part in deals. Mother passed away in 1950 at the age of 52 during the "Flu" epidemic of World War I. Father passed away at the age of 80 years in 1944 of a heart ailment. The Ahola family came to Centerville during the summer of 1877. Grandfather Matt Ahola was the first minister of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church incorporated in 1879, when the first church was built on the Jacobson ranch N.E. of Centerville. There were six of us youngsters, Vivian, Martha, Carl, Frank, Ida and me when folks sold their ranch 2 ½ miles west of Centerville and moved down to Battle Ground, Washington. August, Jennie and Gertrude were born in Battle Ground. Sister Vivian and I started school at the Carter School, some called it the Lowery School. But Tom Carter was the sponsor of that school and a director as long as he lived on Finn Ridge Road and sold out and moved away. Father was one of the directors also until moving away. Many more events could be added to the escapades of the August and Augusta K. Lehto's. I could perhaps term them as my most unforgettable characters.

This article is dedicated to all my children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and my sister Jennie.