My ancestors in Finland struggled through many hard times in the 1800's. Their country was

the object of many wars. Because of these continous wars and poverty many Finns, including

my ancestors were driven out of Finland. They heard America was the land of opportunity and

they came to America to find freedom, employment, land and excitement.

This leads to my story about my greatgrandfather, Juho Ruohonen, who later changed his name to John

Johnson. Juho was born February 23, 1887 in Ulvilankyla, in the parish of Isokyro, Finland, the son of

Juho and Sanna Ruohonen. He was the third of nine children.

Juho worked on an Englihs ship. He hated it. Around 1905 he came to America on this

ship and docked in Savannah, Georgia. He and a friend, a fellow Finn, jumped ship because the

conditions were so terrible. They hid under a bridge over the Savannah River. There they befriended a

local black man, who they paid to buy them new clothes. They threw their uniforms into the river.

Juho stayed in Savannah for some time (how long in unknown) working on a farm. It was

during this time he went by the name John Johnson. After he left Georgia he traveled around

the United States, mainly in the East. Finally he ended up the The Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

John Johnson married Jenny Marie Ollila on March 19, 1913. She was born March 26, 1894 in

Atlantic Mine, the daughter of Finnish immigrants. They too wanted to get away from the

hardships in Finland. John and Jenny had five children; Aileen Susanna, born June 21, 1913,

John Alvin, my grandfather (who went by the name Alvin), born September 20, 1919,

Marie Alice, born July 29, 1922, Alma Sylvia, born May 3, 1926 and Adele Salmetta, born

November 17, 1928.

John and Jenny made their home in Dodgeville, Michigan. During the day John worked in

the local copper mines as a fireman, putting our fires left by explosions. In the evening he worked on his

two farms, one which consisited of cattle and a vegetable garden, by the f amily

home, and the other in Atlantic Mine, which consisted of oats and hay crops for his horse and

cattle. All the work he did wore him down and he became very ill, developing a sleeping sickness,

called narcolepsy. He continued to work his jobs, but would fall asleep while working

the fields on his horse. The horse would automatically haul him home. Finally he became too

sick to work on the farms or in the mines.

Jenny went to work as a maid for a beautician and they son, Alvin went to work in the mines.

Together they made enough t o support the family. When World War II began, Alvin was called

to military duty and had to serve. Still not in good health and without Alvin's support,

John and Jenny moved to Detroit to work in the factories there, building war supplies.

After the war they returned to Dodgeville. John had developed heart t rouble by then and was

not able to work again. Jenny went back to work as a maid. John died on July 21, 1961 and

Jenny followed on March 29, 1978.

Cindy (Niina) Jukkala.

Senior, Houghton High School

Houghton, Michigan