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Finns in America is an artificial collection assembled to bring together a variety of miscellaneous printed material related to the Finnish experience in the United States.

Finns in America includes a variety of literary and historical works including songbooks, almanacs, novels, political tracts, emigration manuals, dictionaries, exhibit catalogs and religious publications.

Escanaba, Michigan, newspaperman. Subject files (including collected materials) relating to his research interest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, notably in the area of Cedar River, Escanaba, and Menominee; include manuscript of writings, subject files, and photographs.

The papers of Jean Worth consists largely of collected material relating to his research interest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The collection has been divided into the following series: Cedar River; Escanaba; Menominee; and Upper Peninsula -General.

The Michigan Historical Collections Topical Photograph Collection offer a broad and varied glimpse into nearly one hundred years of Michigan history, from the 1860s into the 1950s. The provenance of most of the photographs has been lost and therefore these images have been grouped together by subject into an artificial accumulation. Subjects depicted range from industry and transportation to clothing styles and social customs.

The photographs in this collection were received from various sources. Subjects include carriages, automobiles, Great Lakes shipping, railroads, and mass transit, especially street railroads. There are also images documenting activities within the mining, forestry, and lumber industries, mostly in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Also included are photographs of various ethnic groups and their societies, notably of Native Americans (1870s-1930s) of the Manistee and Ludington, Michigan, areas. Some of the images are street views and private residences in various Michigan towns and cities. Of interest are photographs of Michigan units taking part in the Spanish-American War and the "Polar Bear Expedition" of World War I. There is also a series of bookplates, [acquired from?] William H. Bicknell, many of which relate to the University of Michigan.

The Institute of General History at the University of Turku, Finland (Turun Yliopisto. Yleisen Historian Laitos) microfilmed thousands of letters from Satakunta region in 1964. The letters were written by Finnish emigrants to their families and friends in Finland.

There are about 6000 letters in this collection. Most of the letters have been written by emigrants who used to live in Satakunta but there are also some from persons who lived in other provinces before emigrating. There are also post cards, diaries and passports in the collection. The letters were written to residents of Satakunta from 1880 to 1964. Although most of the letters were sent from the United States and Canada, there were a few letters from South America, Australia, New Zealand and Soviet Union.

The collection was arranged by towns (also known as parishes or municipalities). Within each town series the letters of each recipient were kept together. The owners of the letters are in chronological order according to the emigrating year of their correspondents.

Every collector of letters filled out a questionnaire for each writer. The questionnaire is at the beginning of the sender's letters. In the upper right corner of the questionnaire there is a code that includes the abbreviation of the town and the location of the sender.

Questionnaire used in collecting America letters:

1. The owner of the letters (name and address)
2. The writer of the letters (name and last address)
3. The relationship between the owner and the writer
4. When left for America
5. Who were they visiting in America
6. Why left
7. Home town in Finland
8. The occupation of the parents
9. How large was the family of the parents of the emigrant
10. Was the emigrant married when he left Finland
11. Did the wife and children emigrate, too
12. Did the emigrant get married in America
13. What year
14. The nationality of the spouse
15. The occupation of the emigrant when emigrated
16. Had the emigrant ever been working outside the home town before emigrating
17. How did the emigrant go to America (route and vehicle)
18. The first workplace in America
19. What kind of work
20. Where did the emigrant live the longest time in America
21. What kind of work
22. Other members of the group who emigrated at the same time: name, hometown, return to Finland
23. The later life of the emigrant: did/did not return to Finland
24. If applicable, why did the emigrant return
25. Return route and vehicle
26. Occupation after return
27. The number of the letters (photos, diaries etc.) in the enclosed questionnaire envelope
28. The owner donates the letters/loans them only for microfilming
29. The collector of the letters (name and address)
30. To be filled by the Institute of General History

Documents in this collection contain the following abbreviations for the names of the town or parish from an immigrant came:

1. AHL = Ahlainen
2. ALAS = Alastaro
3. EURA = Eura
4. E-KI = Eurajoki
5. HIN = Hinnerjoki
6. H-KI = Honkajoki
7. H-TI = Honkilahti
8. HUIT = Huittinen
9. HAM = Hämeenkyrö
10. IKA = Ikaalinen
11. JAM = Jämijärvi
12. KAN = Kankaanpää
13. K-KU = Karkku
14. KAR = Karvia
15. KIH = Kihniö
16. KIIK = Kiikka
17. KNEN = Kiikoinen
18. KOK = Kokemaki
19. KUL = Kullaa
20. KOY=Köyliö
21. LAP = Lappi Tl.
22. LAV = Lavia
23. LOIM = Loimaa
24. MEL = Mellilä
25. MER = Merikarvia
26. MET = Metsämaa
27. MOU = Mouhijarvi
28. NOOR = Noormarkku
29. PAR = Parkano
30. POM = Pomarkku
31. PORI = City of Pori and rural parish of Pori
32. PUN = Punkalaidun
33. RAUM = Rauma: city and rural parish
34. SIIK = Siikainen
35. SUOD = Suodenniemi
36. SAK = Säkylä
37. TYRV = Tyrvää and Vammala
38. VAMP = Vampula

The Finnish Collection consists of 100 reels of microfilm concerning Finnish-American Churches, Labor Societies, Temperance Organizations, and other materials from the United States and Canada. The collection is the result of a joint project between the Bentley Library, Suomi College (now Finlandia University), and the University of Turku, Finland, coordinated in 1974-75.

The Suomi College Finnish-American Collection is comprised of 100 reels of microfilm containing records from 151 separate organizations (68 of which are located in Michigan). These organizations are comprised of the following kinds of records:

1. Church materials: 62 record groups (32 from Michigan)
2. Labor societies: 9 record groups (0 from Michigan)
3. Temperance materials: 61 record groups (26 from Michigan

Other organizations, including educational, relief, musical, athletic, national, historical societies, publishing companies, and some personal: 19 record groups (10 from Michigan)

Because the materials have been filmed in a random order, an index at the end of the container listing has been prepared to guide the researcher to specific kinds of records: church, temperance, etc.

The Institute of General History at the University of Turku, Finland (Turun Yliopisto. Yleisen Historian Laitos) microfilmed thousands of letters from Varsinais-Suomi (Southwest Finland) region in 1964. The letters were written by Finnish emigrants to their families and friends in Finland.

The Varsinais-Suomi Region immigrant letters consist thousands of letters written by Finnish emigrants from Varsinais-Suomi (Southwest Finland) region to their families and friends in Finland between 1880 and 1964. There are also post cards, diaries and passports in the collection. Many letters originate from the United States and Canada, but there are also others from South America, Australia, New Zealand and the Soviet Union. The Institute of General History collected the letters between February 1 and October 31, 1966. The collected letters were organized and microfilmed in the fall of 1966.

The collection was arranged by town (also known as parishes or municipalities). Within each town the letters of each recipient were kept together. The owners of the letters are in chronological order according to the emigrating year of their correspondents.

Every subseries of letters includes a questionnaire that was completed by the letter recipient. In the upper right corner of the questionnaire there is a code that includes the abbreviation of the town and the location of the sender.

The questionnaire for collecting these America letters contained the following questions:

1. The owner of the letters (name and address)
2. The writer of the letters (name and last address)
3. The relationship between the owner and the writer
4. When left for America
5. Who were they visiting in America
6. Why left
7. Home town in Finland
8. The occupation of the parents
9. How large was the family of the parents of the emigrant
10. Was the emigrant married when he left Finland
11. Did the wife and children emigrate, too
12. Did the emigrant get married in America
13. What year
14. The nationality of the spouse
15. The occupation of the emigrant when emigrated
16. Had the emigrant ever been working outside the home town before emigrating
17. How did the emigrant go to America (route and vehicle)
18. The first workplace in America
19. What kind of work
20. Where did the emigrant live the longest time in America
21. What kind of work
22. Other members of the group who emigrated at the same time: name, hometown, return to Finland
23. The later life of the emigrant: did/did not return to Finland
24. If applicable, why did the emigrant return
25. Return route and vehicle
26. Occupation after return
27. The number of the letters (photos, diaries etc.) in the enclosed questionnaire envelope
28. The owner donates the letters/loans them only for microfilming
29. The collector of the letters (name and address)
30. To be filled by the Institute of General History

Documents in this collection are identified with the following abbreviations indicating the name of the town or parish from which the immigrant came.

1. ALAS = Alastaro
2. AURA = Aura
3. B-DÖ = Brändö Al.
4. D-FJÄRD = Dragsfjärd
5. HAL = Halikko
6. HIIT = Hiittinen
7. HOUTS = Houtskari
8. JOK = Jokioinen
9. K-KERTA = Kakskerta
10. K-TI = Kalanti
11. K-LA = Karjala Tl.
12. K-NA = Karuna
13. KEM = Kemiö
14. K-KO = Kisko
15. K-JOKI = Kodisjoki
16. KORP = Korpoo
17. K-KI = Koski-Tl.
18. K-VI = Kustavi
19. K-TO = Kuuisto
20. KUUS = Kuusjoki
21. L-LA = Laitila
22. LEMU = Lemu
23. L-TO = Lieto
24. LOIM = Loimaa
25. L-TI = Lokalahti
26. MAAR = Maaria
27. M-LA = Marttila
28. M-KU = Masku
29. MERI = Merimasku
30. MIET = Mietoinen
31. MUUR = Muurla
32. M-KI = Mynämäki
33. NAAN = Naantali
34. ORIP = Oripää
35. PAAT = Paattinen
36. PAIM = Paimio
37. PAR = Parkano
38. PER = Perniö
39. P-LI = Pertteli
40. PYHÄ = Phyämää
41. RÖY = Pöytyä
42. RYM = Rymättylä
43. S-VO = Sauvo
44. S-RO = Somero
45. SUOM = Suomasjärvi
46. T-LO = Taivassalo
47. T-JOKI = Tarvasjoki
48. T-KU = Turku
49. USK = Uskela
50. VEH = Vehmaa
51. VEL = Belkua
52. VÄST = Västanfjärd
53. Y-NE = Yläne