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The Finnish immigration to Norrland was extensive during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. I have at least 12 Finnish immigrants in my descendant chart or maybe children to immigrants. These are shown in a special Finnish descendant chart. Several of the wives of these 12 were probably also immigrants although we know only a few such cases. In the descendant chart is also noted how many times a given immigrant appears in my descendant chart.
We know quite much about our Finnish immigrants and their children and grandchildren. They were often very clever and purposeful persons. Sometimes they, however, met with opposition from those who lived near where the new settlements were built. The solidarity was very good between the Finnish immigrants. Often they lived separated from the other Swedes. Their identity as Finns comes back during several generations after the immigration. There were also some who had difficulties to follow the laws and regulations we had in Sweden. But here we must remember that it is quite easy to find in our judgement books persons who have committed a crime. The big number of our ancestors has, however, had no contact with the court. They have, as my Finnish ancestors 346 Per Mattsson, "led a quiet life". Such opinions are very seldom written down. Information about the fate of some Finnish ancestors is reported more thoroughly. This is valid for persons who have red sides on the squares in the descendant chart. But in the ahnentafel reports there is much more to read about most of the 50 persons who are included in the chart. In a book named "Det skogsfinska kuturarvet" (The cultural heritage of the forest Finns) we have an all-round and fundamental report of the Finnish immigration. |