I have been doing research into my family history on and off over the past decade, and I’m hooked. I love the challenge of the search, and the thrill of finding something new and exciting.
My dad’s family seems to be 100% Finnish, as far back as we can see. So far, my research confirms this.
My mom’s family is a bit more of a mix – one of my great-grandmothers was born in London, to immigrant parents (from Poland or Russia or somewhere else in Eastern Europe). I have some photos and copies of census reports and other fascinating information.
My research, so far:
My paternal great-grandparents, Eli and Lydia Moilanen, and my great-great-grandparents, Iisak and Kaisa Kinnunen.
My maternal great-grandparents, Louis & Kate Scheinker (also my namesake), and my great-great grandparents, Solomon & Rachel Taub.
I have learned a great deal from the Suomen Sukututkimusseura, (the Genealogy Society of Finland)’s extensive web pages and resources. I’ve joined a Finnish genealogy mailing list, and have shared resources with other researchers. I’m currently using Hiski to verify the information that has been shared with me.
My personal ancestral file is available if you’re interested in seeing the information I’ve culled so far. I don’t consider it complete or verified beyond the fourth to fifth generation, and at this point I’m not ready to openly link it from this page.
All of this information is from A View of the Century Past : Laird Township Centennial 1887-1987, which is a great resource for family histories of the people (mostly Finns) that settled and lived in Laird Township, in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I’d love to own a copy of this book, however it is out of print, so I continually interlibrary loan it from the few libraries around the state that lend copies.
Other family names I’m searching: Pohjola, (possibly Pohjala, Pohjolainen), Moilanen, Kinnunen, Heikkinen, Tauriainen, Paulson, Taub, Marks, Kass, Scheinker
If you think you’re a relative or want to talk further about these family names, feel free to get in touch with me.
