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Collection

Varsinais-Suomi Region immigrant letters, 1880-1966

16 microfilms

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