Two additional children were born to Anders and Eva in America: Ida Holappa was born on February 29, 1884. Ida died on November 5, 1933 and is buried in Lakeview Cemetery located in Hancock, Michigan.
Sofia Holappa was born on July 13, 1886. Sofia died on June 13, 1964 and is buried in Lakeview Cemetery. My grandfather, Matt Holappa, married Hilma Lydia Somero on March 31, 1896. The Somero family had emigrated from Finland in 1887 and settled in Elo, Michigan. Matt and Hilma had 14 children: William, Aurora, Charles, Alma, Lempie, Mayme, Albert, Effie, Lempie, Esther, Florence, Wesley, Theodore, and Martha. The 1910 census shows Matt Holappa and his family living in Boston Location, Franklin Township, Houghton County, Michigan. Matt was working for a mining company as a self employed teamster. The census report also shows that Matt could read, write, and speak the English language in addition to Finnish. Matt was a U.S. citizen. Matt and his family moved to Elo, Michigan in late 1910. Matt worked for the U.S. Postal Service after moving to Elo. Matt delivered the mail from Pelkie, Michigan to Elo and the neighboring community of Tapiola, by horse and wagon during the summer months, and by horse and sleigh during the winter months. Matt traveled twenty six miles on his mail route each day.
The Anders Holappa family emigrated from Puolanka, Finland in 1882. Anders, his wife Eva (Ridell), and their son Matt arrived in New York aboard the ship "EGYPT" on July 3, 1882. Matt, my grandfather, was ten years old when they arrived in America. The family settled on a farm in Oneco. Oneco is located a few miles North of Hancock, Michigan. The farm is now a part of the Houghton County Airport.
Ida married Kalle (Charles) Koykka in 1902. They had eight children: Lempi, Hilma, Charles, William, Walfred, Rudolph, Henry,and Martha.
Sofia married John Hanninen and they had two childrem: Clifford and William.
My father, William Holappa, married my mother, Elizabeth Moilanen on November 8, 1930. Elizabeth was born in Askel, Michigan on February 12, 1912. Askel borders Elo to the East.
Elizabeth's father, Andrew Moilanen, came to America from Puolanka, Finland in 1900 and her mother, Walpuri Waaraniemi, came to America from Finland in 1903.
My father, William Holappa died in 1968. The picture on the left is of my mother Elizabeth and me. It was taken in 1999. My mother died on December 11, 2006.
I will tell you about our life in Elo on my next page.
