Havelin family

[KrizR]

Hi,
I am a genealogy researcher in Trondheim, Norway. My father-in-law had parents from Finland and I am now looking for his ancestors. His father was Gustaf/Kustaa Havelin who was born on the Härsilä farm in Lapua on 01.09.1876.

I am looking for members of the Havelin family and ancestors as far back as possible. This surname was also spelled in other ways like: Hafvelin, Harfvelin, Hawelin, etc.

Is there anyone who has researched this family in Finland?

Any info would be appreciated.

Best regards
Kristen Rekdal

[Tuula Cu]

Gustaf's baptizing, father inhysing Johan Gustafson (Härsilä):
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/syntyneet_1858-1876_uk117/455.htm

Härsilä rippikirja (1869-78) begins here:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1869-1878_mko101-116_i/325.htm

You did not mention if you already have found these?

Lapua and other parishes of Southern Ostrobothnia are well researched, maybe you should try and ask for other researchers here:
http://www.etelapohjalaiset-juuret.fi/svenska.html

Tuula K

[KrizR]

Dear Tuula,
Thank you very much for the references which were unknown to me.

By the way, what is the meaning of the word 'inhysing'?

I have found several members of Gustaf's family by means of relatives in Finland, FamilySearch and the Genealogiska Samfundet i Finland - Historieböcker. His father was Juha Elsanpoika Härsilä-Havelin/Johan Gustafsson Härsilä (Havelin) and his grandfather apparently some Gustaf/Kustaa Havelin whom I have not found.

However, in my searching I have found a number of people with the Havelin family name, in several places, whose relationships I cannot understand.
This is a very confusing picture to me.

E.g. there are the family of Michael Havelin, born 1782, in Kokkola, and the family of Matts Hafvelin/Harfvelin, born around 1735, in Turku.

Since Havelin is a fairly uncommon name in Finland, my big questions are:
Are all the Havelins related?
If so, who was the first Havelin in Finland?
Where did he come from?
What is the lineage to Gustaf Havelin?

Since my knowlegde of the Finnish language is very limited I am unable to penetrate other sources of info, so I am turning to this forum asking for help :-)

[Tuula Cu]

Hi Kristen,

First on Havelin name. I am not 100 per cent sure but this name sounds like it is one of the artesan family names (tailors, blackmiths, shoemakers, etc) which were taken by people when they started being artesans, to make their work known by a family name. These were Swedish-speaking sounding. Another explanation is a soldier name but they are usually very short names like Tapper, Stolt, Alm etc. There is also a Klockare by name Havellin in Lapua. When you go further, maybe you find out that he is an ancestor?

It may be that Havelins are related, and maybe not...

So there is really no shortcut to happiness otherwise than going backwards, rippikirja by rippikirja, checking all the dates of births, marriages and deaths (Hiski is a good means first, especially in finding lost people but do check everything possible always in orginal books, as Hiski does not cover all those dates or parishes and there are also some mistakes sometimes).

There are original images of churchbooks in two net sources:
- Finlands släkthistoriska Förening, SSHY
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/index_eng.htm
where the digitizing is and has been done by volunteers. If you are their member, you may also see fresher books and e.g. soldier rolls. This site is working just now.
- The National Archives images are reached now mainly by https://astia.narc.fi/astiaUi/search.php (https://astia.narc.fi/astiaUi/search.php)as their database is "under construction" until half way of June or so . This repair has been going on for some months, and you can either try to search directly from Astia or via Digihakemisto, http://en.digihakemisto.appspot.com/ where you first take the right parish, then the right books from that parish (Pää- ja rippikirjat=lists of people by villages and farms, artesans often separate, at the end; Syntyneiden ja kastettujen luettelot=Births, there you also have in births vihityt=marriages, haudatut=deaths) When you find the right page, click Astia on the RIGHT hand side to get the picture. This site is only for looking at Nat.Arhives' images, and not working well due to the repair. But the images are often somewhat clearer as the Narc people have had the possibility of using better microfilms that the volunteers of SSHY. By the end of June you will be able to use both, I hope.

If you look at the Härsilä images beginning from the one I gave you, you should end up finding the family. There you will see from which page of this or previous book they came.

Do not hesitate to contact Eteläpohjalaiset juuret (Roots of Sothern Ostrobothnia). Most of us have studied Swedish at school, as Finland is a two-language country. And English is even more common nowadays.

Inhysing means a person who does not own a farm, works in other people's farms, a free soul (or also the descendant of a farm owner's youngest son a couple of generations later).

I believe that this is Gustaf's family:
(as you could see that the mother of Gustaf was Stina)
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1869-1878_mko101-116_i/354.htm
but Gustaf is not yet born. Johan's second name is Elsasson, and that means he is illegitimate.
Edellinen sivu 486, Hangasmaa:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1869-1878_mko101-116_i/444.htm

Good luck in research!

Tuula K

[Julle]

<By the way, what is the meaning of the word 'inhysing'? >

Parasite, person living with another, landless person

Best regards

[Pekka Sipari]

It is perhaps too strong expression/word "parasite".

For example some older people in the same family (or some relatives) which has given their land property to younger ones (and could not so effectively work for their living and for the house) are mentioned as "inhysning". However, they have done work for their living as hard as they could. Of course, some of them can be classified as "parasites" - but I could not use that mean minded term of all those people.

In some books it is also mentioned term "loinen" which could had then (and according to nowadays interpretation) meaning independed day - or more permanent worker.

Was I right

Pekka

[KrizR]

Tuula Cu: Thank you very much for valuable advice. Much more information is now available to me.

Julle and Pekka: Thanks for the translations. I think I get the idea of inhysing.
We have similar concept also in Norway.

[Julle]

< Julle and Pekka: Thanks for the translations. I think I get the idea of inhysing.
We have similar concept also in Norway.>

Inhysingar
inhysingar, förr benämning på personer, som varken hade del i byns ägor eller var i andras tjänst utan innebodde hos andra eller hade sin bostad på andras ägor. I. utgjorde en del av det agrarproletariat som uppkom under 1800-t. (jfr jordägoförhållanden (http://www.nykarlebyvyer.nu/sidor/texter/prosa/uppslfinl/jordagof.htm)); särskilt talrika var de i Savolax och n. Karelen. Man försökte råda bot på missförhållandet genom att skapa en torparinstitution efter västfinskt mönster, vilket dock inte innebar någon lösning av problemet. Åren 1887—1906 bildades 800 nya torp (http://www.nykarlebyvyer.nu/sidor/texter/prosa/uppslfinl/torpvase.htm) i Kuopio län med statslån.


Uppslagsverket Finland (1982).

[KrizR]

Interesting.
Not surprisingly we had similar developments in Norway at the time.

[Pekka Sipari]

Det är mycky intressant att ni har haft nästan samma systemet i Norge. Men inte heller männisor i Finland har varit livegna eller/landslaven som inte även kunde flytta bort från ägares land. Förstås, ni hade då tiden inte ännu hittat oljen. Efter detta har ekonomisk utvecklingen varit snabbare i Norge.

Pekka

[KrizR]

Det er vel naturlig at vi hadde parallell utvikling i de nordiske land mht. til dette. Hovedårsaken finner vi nok i den sterke befolkningsøkningen vi fikk på 1700- og 1800-tallet.

[KrizR]

Now I am asking for more help :-)

Tuula Cu pointed above to Klokkare Anders Havelin i Lapua.
He and his wife had a daugther there in 1860-02-17, Susanna Amanda. See Attachment 1.
I then found him and his family in Töysä, see Attachment 2, where it is stated that he was born in 1833-11-05 at Kuortane, was a Klockare apprentice and moved to Lapua i 1859.
Looking for his birth at Kuortane, I find no Havelin there. But there is a family with boy called Anders Andersson born at this date. His father was Anders Andersson Sr. born 1799-03-16, at Hallila (in Seinäjoki, I believe?). See attachment 3. So far so good.

But I am not able to read the name of his birthplace and where he came from, due to my limited knowledge of Finland. Anybody knows?

Obviously there is also a grandfather named Anders who must have been born around 1770 +- 10 years.
Is it possible to find any sources about him?

Hoping for your interest and curiosity :-)

[KrizR]

The file names of attachments 1 and 3 were too long and were truncated.
I attach them again.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Yep,
the communion book says that this Anders Andersson was born at Salmi [farm] and came from Alavo (Alavus in Finnish) in 1833. So, the next step would be to check the Salmi farm at Alavus. I recommend using the communion books because the birth records were destroyed over 200 years ago.

Also, there are two separate Hallila farms, one at Kuortane and one at Seinäjoki.
Kimmo Kemppainen

His father was Anders Andersson Sr. born 1799-03-16, at Hallila (in Seinäjoki, I believe?). See attachment 3. So far so good.

But I am not able to read the name of his birthplace and where he came from, due to my limited knowledge of Finland. Anybody knows?

Obviously there is also a grandfather named Anders who must have been born around 1770 +- 10 years.
Is it possible to find any sources about him?

Hoping for your interest and curiosity :-)

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

... and bingo, here you go:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1831-1837_uk316/208.htm

Kimmo Kemppainen

[KrizR]

Thank you very much for this interesting info.
I also found him in the preceding rippikirja:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1823-1830_uk316/178.htm

Here it is also apparently noted that he was married.
There is a lot more text there which I cannot decode.

But I cannot find him in the rippikirja of 1809-22. I would have expected that he there should have been mentioned with his parents. But maybe they were at a different farm then?

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Yes,
Anders Andersson was obviously born at Alavus so he is somewhere to be found. It may be that you need to go through the whole communion book to find him (although there is that 50 % chance that you will have found him by the time you reach the middle of the book).
Kimmo Kemppainen

Thank you very much for this interesting info.
I also found him in the preceding rippikirja:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1823-1830_uk316/178.htm

Here it is also apparently noted that he was married.
There is a lot more text there which I cannot decode.

But I cannot find him in the rippikirja of 1809-22. I would have expected that he there should have been mentioned with his parents. But maybe they were at a different farm then?

[KrizR]

Thank you for the reply.
Could there be some indications in the 1823-30 book?
Are you able to read his entry there? Also the remark at the right?
There seems to be some farm name(s) mentioned, e.g. ...gård.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

I did hastily check the remarks and might have missed something. Anyway, using a random approach I found this:

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1809-1822_uk316/209.htm

Kimmo Kemppainen

Thank you for the reply.
Could there be some indications in the 1823-30 book?
Are you able to read his entry there? Also the remark at the right?
There seems to be some farm name(s) mentioned, e.g. ...gård.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

...and these:

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1809-1822_uk316/359.htm

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1809-1822_uk316/362.htm

His place of birth seems to have been the Bömböle farm.

Kimmo Kemppainen



I did hastily check the remarks and might have missed something. Anyway, using a random approach I found this:

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1809-1822_uk316/209.htm

Kimmo Kemppainen

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

The farmer on the Bömböle (Bömbölä) farm Anders Andersson died on September 20th 1798 aged 36. As your Anders Andersson was born on May 16th 1799 perhaps he might have been his posthumous son.
Kimmo Kemppainen

[Pekka Hiltunen]

Den Västerbottniska familjen Havelin kan finnas här:

http://www.vilppula.com/people/p000001a.htm#I52716

På "Home Page" kan du även hitta personer med namnet Havelin i den albabetiska listan. I Kokkola (Karleby) fanns det en sjöman kallad för Havelin och man kan tänka sig att namnet pekar på havet.

mvh
PH

[KrizR]

To Kimmo, #19,20,21:
Thank you very much for your observations.
Anders seems to be a not very common name in this area so your hits are relevant.
However, your ref in #19 seems not to be the right Anders, his birthdate does not match.
The two refs in #20 must be the right Anders III, apparently related to his confirmation education. And there we find that his father was also an Anders, at Bömböle.
This Anders II was born in 1762, since he was 36 when he died in 1798. And his father was Anders I, presumeably born around 1730.
But, sorry to observe, there is no reference to the Havelin name along this line.
Only Anders III started to call himself Havelin when his second child was born in 1858. Why??

Elsewhere I have found several Havelins born in the 1730's, but no Anders.
A strange coincidence is that there is in fact an Anders Harfvelin born in 1762 and who died in 1799. But he was born and died in Turku, he was a sailor and the death dates are different.

It seems we have to conclude that the search along this lineage is negative.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

But the birth date does match, he is the 16th person counting from the top of the page, born on May 16th 1799

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1809-1822_uk316/209.htm

as he was born on May 16th 1799 according to this document, cited previously:

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/alavus/rippikirja_1823-1830_uk316/178.htm

Kimmo Kemppainen

To Kimmo, #19,20,21:

However, your ref in #19 seems not to be the right Anders, his birthdate does not match.

[KrizR]

To Pekka, #22:
Thank you for finding the Havelin genealogy website. Very interesting.
Good to see that all names here are written in Finnish, in contrast to the church records. I suppose the priests in Finland at the time were largely Swedish or Swedish educated. We have a similar fenomenon in Norway where priests where Danish or Danish educated and all church records are written in Danish. But the Finnish priests have generally a much nicer longhand writing (sometimes even beautiful) which is much easeier to read :-)

But back to the Havelin family tree. There are 37 Havelins in the list of surnames. Both the Alavus/Töysä and the Lapua branches are well represented. By the way, HAVELIN, Kustaa Juhonpoika b. 1876 in Lapua, is my wife's grandfather :-). He emigrated to Vadsø in Finnmark in 1903 and has a large number of descendants in Norway.

But, again I cannot find any relationsships between these two branches, and I do not understand from where Lukkari Anders Havelin acquired his surname.
He first appears as a Havelin upon the christening of his second child in 1858 which was before he moved to Lapua in 1859.

Could he just have started to use the name without inheriting it?

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

If I understand this correctly, your earliest Havelin was born without recorded information of his father. The common people had no permanent last names in the region at the time.

However, the fact that this Havelin did call himself Havelin may be a reference to his illegitimate father. This is by no means certain but it is one possibility.

My point is that searching this Alavus family may not be necessary until you get more evidence of their involvement. In fact, I believe I might be able to tell you more about these Bömböle people but maybe we can readdress the issue later if you can establish a connection.

If a y-chromosomal test were taken, a genetic link to the Teisko-Tampere region would be expected in case a member of the Alavus Havelin family was the father of your Havelin.
Kimmo Kemppainen

To Kimmo, #19,20,21:

But, sorry to observe, there is no reference to the Havelin name along this line.
Only Anders III started to call himself Havelin when his second child was born in 1858. Why??

It seems we have to conclude that the search along this lineage is negative.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Yes, precisely, that is what people did at that time.
Kimmo Kemppainen



Could he just have started to use the name without inheriting it?

[KrizR]

Kimmo:
Thank you for the correction. My mistake. I could not read no. 16, so I looked at no. 12.
No. 16 seems also related to his confirmation.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

So, what are your thoughts on the subject? Is it your project to find out if Johan Elsa's son Havelin's (b. April 1st 1842) illegitimate father was a member of the Alavus Havelin family?
Kimmo kemppainen

[KrizR]

If I understand this correctly, your earliest Havelin was born without recorded information of his father. The common people had no permanent last names in the region at the time.

This is precisely the case. He was born out of wedlock and is usually only referred to by his matronymikon.


However, the fact that this Havelin did call himself Havelin may be a reference to his illegitimate father. This is by no means certain but it is one possibility.


I believe so.


My point is that searching this Alavus family may not be necessary until you get more evidence of their involvement. In fact, I believe I might be able to tell you more about these Bömböle people but maybe we can readdress the issue later if you can establish a connection.

If a y-chromosomal test were taken, a genetic link to the Teisko-Tampere region would be expected in case a member of the Alavus Havelin family was the father of your Havelin.
Kimmo Kemppainen

I think I would not pursue this issue further until more evedence comes up.

[Pekka Hiltunen]

I do not understand from where Lukkari Anders Havelin acquired his surname.
He first appears as a Havelin upon the christening of his second child in 1858 which was before he moved to Lapua in 1859.
Could he just have started to use the name without inheriting it?

Yes. The sextons - or the chuch´s bell ringers - were oftenly ascedants of a priest or husbands of female ones. As a members of "higher class" they if, male ones, took a surname - just to be noted not to be members ordinary farmer families. For the name Havelin to be invented it may have been a reason good enought that the vawes of the see were observed from the belltower of the chuch. In Pohjanmaa (eller i Västerbotten) it can be expected to be found several different families with that "surname".

PH

[KrizR]

So, what are your thoughts on the subject? Is it your project to find out if Johan Elsa's son Havelin's (b. April 1st 1842) illegitimate father was a member of the Alavus Havelin family?
Kimmo kemppainen

Indeed, Juho Elsanpoika Härsilä Havelin is the one I try to find the ancestors of. The Alavus branch I think we now have to discount.

I have in fact found that in one case, at the christening of his son Gustaf in 1876, he is referred to as Johan Gustafsson Härsilä, indicating that his father was Gustaf, probably born around 1810-15.

In my current thinking, if there is an inherited connection, I think we have to look to the Havelins in Kokkola and perhaps Turku.
There are several Gustaf's and some Johan's in those families, although this is not a very specific indication as these are quite common names. There is, in fact a Gustaf Hafwelin born in Kokkola in 1812, but he died in 1831 :-(
There are several Havelins in Finland born in the 1730's, but I have not found any older ones. I also observe that quite a number of the early Havelins are sailors. So my guess is that some Havelin immigrant came to Finland in early 1700's.

If we look at the grand picture and search the Internet, there are many Havelins around the world, more than 118 000 hits last time I googled.
And the largest Havelin population is in the USA.
But the name is old, found in several European countries, and most Havelin immigrants to USA came from England, Scotland and Ireland.

Fabulating further my guess is that British timber traders came to Finland in the 1600's and 1700's after having depleted the Norwegian coastal forests a hundred years before. There might have been a Havelin among them :-)

[KrizR]

Yes. The sextons - or the chuch´s bell ringers - were oftenly ascedants of a priest or husbands of female ones. As a members of "higher class" they if, male ones, took a surname - just to be noted not to be members ordinary farmer families. For the name Havelin to be invented it may have been a reason good enought that the vawes of the see were observed from the belltower of the chuch. In Pohjanmaa (eller i Västerbotten) it can be expected to be found several different families with that "surname".

PH

Very interesting info which probably explains it.
This Lukkari Anders he ascended from being a lukkari apprentice in Alavus to become a lukkari at the Lapua cathedral. This was probably a major jump in his career.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Yes, I know. Unfortunately, that patronymic might be correct... or not. You see, here Johan was indeed called Gustavsson:

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/syntyneet_1858-1876_uk117/455.htm

However, when he died of consumption on June 4th 1884, he was referred to as "Juha Eliaksenp. Havelini", now his patronymic was Eliaksenpoika, son of Elias:

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/kuolleet_1882-1885_mko7/11.htm

This Elias's son was possibly a corruption of Elsa's son, but as you see, the patronymics must be taken with caution in this case.
Kimmo Kemppainen

Indeed, Juho Elsanpoika Härsilä Havelin is the one I try to find the ancestors of. The Alavus branch I think we now have to discount.

I have in fact found that in one case, at the christening of his son Gustaf in 1876, he is referred to as Johan Gustafsson Härsilä, indicating that his father was Gustaf, probably born around 1810-15.

In my current thinking, if there is an inherited connection, I think we have to look to the Havelins in Kokkola and perhaps Turku.
There are several Gustaf's and some Johan's in those families, although this is not a very specific indication as these are quite common names. There is, in fact a Gustaf Hafwelin born in Kokkola in 1812, but he died in 1831 :-(
There are several Havelins in Finland born in the 1730's, but I have not found any older ones. I also observe that quite a number of the early Havelins are sailors. So my guess is that some Havelin immigrant came to Finland in early 1700's.

If we look at the grand picture and search the Internet, there are many Havelins around the world, more than 118 000 hits last time I googled.
And the largest Havelin population is in the USA.
But the name is old, found in several European countries, and most Havelin immigrants to USA came from England, Scotland and Ireland.

Fabulating further my guess is that British timber traders came to Finland in the 1600's and 1700's after having depleted the Norwegian coastal forests a hundred years before. There might have been a Havelin among them :-)

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

...also, when Johan Havelin died, his age was recorded incorrectly apparently because his year of birth 1842 was read as 1848.
Kimmo Kemppainen

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

In fact, it would be a good idea to look into the life of Johan Elsa's son Havelin's mother. She was Elsa Lisa Gustavsdotter Punkari aka Hautala, born at Ylistaro on October 15th 1810. She married Nils Henrik Mårtensson Uitto who thus became the step-father of Johan Elsa's son Havelin.

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1847-1855_uk113_ii/217.htm

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1847-1855_uk112-113_i/384.htm

She had lived at Ylihärmä before she moved to Lapua in 1834:

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/yliharma/rippikirja_1831-1838_uk37/211.htm

http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/yliharma/muuttaneet_1829-1855_uk40/12.htm

Kimmo Kemppainen

[KrizR]

Many interesting details here, thank you!
Johan's patronymikon is a source of confusion. Because his mother's name was Elsa Elisabeth, he is variously referred to as Elsanpoika, Elsasson, Liisanp., Lissason, and then once Gustafsson. But there seems to be no doubt that it is the same person.

Question: Since his mother's father was also a Gustaf, could it be that Johan be given the patronymikon of his grandfather? If so, we still have no clue as to his father's first name.

Havelin is mentioned several times in connection with Johan. First time I have found was here:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1869-1878_mko101-116_i/334.htm
I don-t quite know how to interpret his relation to the Hafvelin name here.

Anyway it seems that Johan had no career jump, like lukkari Anders, which should warrant aquiring a name like Havelin. Quite to the contrary. Looking at other Havelins at the time, many of them seem to have higher status. Which even might have been a good reason for the father to hide?

Johan's birth record says clearly that he was born in 1842. Also several rippikirja entries state his birth year as 1848. Maybe it is just a misreading, or maybe it could be a trick to make him look like a legal child, because 1848 is also the year Elsa Lisa married his stepfather, Nils Henrik Mårtensson Uitto ??

Elsa's life history is interesting. She apparently did not marry a stranger when Nils Henrik came from Ylihärmä in 1848.

At this stage of the quest, I think it could be interesting to look at the Havelin,s in Kokkola to see if there are any clues.
The entry of Michel Havelin and his family is interesting as a start:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/kokkola/rippikirja_1820-1830_mko83-93/184.htm

He is reported to have married with Greta in 1807:
http://hiski.genealogia.fi/hiski/66o60t

Strange then that he is listed with his first legitimate child in 1817. There must have been more children. But he was a sailor, so maybe he was moving around.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Yeah, it is impossible to say for sure where the patronymic Gustavsson came from. There seems to have been little attempt to hide the fact that Johan was an illegitimate child as his matronymic was used so many times. His year of birth shifting from 1842 to 1848 was probably a random copying error.

Yep, it is quite plausible indeed that Elsa Lisa knew her future husband from the time she was at Ylihärmä.

The "last names" of people were sometimes marked in the place where the place of birth should have been.

I suppose the best thing you could do for now is to find every document of Elsa Lisa and her son. You would then see where she was when she became pregnant and also when the name Havelin was first used by her son.
Kimmo Kemppainen

Many interesting details here, thank you!
Johan's patronymikon is a source of confusion. Because his mother's name was Elsa Elisabeth, he is variously referred to as Elsanpoika, Elsasson, Liisanp., Lissason, and then once Gustafsson. But there seems to be no doubt that it is the same person.

Question: Since his mother's father was also a Gustaf, could it be that Johan be given the patronymikon of his grandfather? If so, we still have no clue as to his father's first name.

Havelin is mentioned several times in connection with Johan. First time I have found was here:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1869-1878_mko101-116_i/334.htm
I don-t quite know how to interpret his relation to the Hafvelin name here.

Anyway it seems that Johan had no career jump, like lukkari Anders, which should warrant aquiring a name like Havelin. Quite to the contrary. Looking at other Havelins at the time, many of them seem to have higher status. Which even might have been a good reason for the father to hide?

Johan's birth record says clearly that he was born in 1842. Also several rippikirja entries state his birth year as 1848. Maybe it is just a misreading, or maybe it could be a trick to make him look like a legal child, because 1848 is also the year Elsa Lisa married his stepfather, Nils Henrik Mårtensson Uitto ??

Elsa's life history is interesting. She apparently did not marry a stranger when Nils Henrik came from Ylihärmä in 1848.

At this stage of the quest, I think it could be interesting to look at the Havelin,s in Kokkola to see if there are any clues.
The entry of Michel Havelin and his family is interesting as a start:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/kokkola/rippikirja_1820-1830_mko83-93/184.htm

He is reported to have married with Greta in 1807:
http://hiski.genealogia.fi/hiski/66o60t

Strange then that he is listed with his first legitimate child in 1817. There must have been more children. But he was a sailor, so maybe he was moving around.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

When you look up the birth record of this sailor Mickel Havelin, you will find that he was born on the Iso-Havela (Stor Havela) farm at Lohtaja on August 17th 1781. In this case the name Havelin was clearly a sailor's name derived from the Havela farm.

In contrast to this, the origin of the Havelin name at Lapua is anything but obvious.
Kimmo Kemppainen



At this stage of the quest, I think it could be interesting to look at the Havelin,s in Kokkola to see if there are any clues.
The entry of Michel Havelin and his family is interesting as a start:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/kokkola/rippikirja_1820-1830_mko83-93/184.htm

He is reported to have married with Greta in 1807:
http://hiski.genealogia.fi/hiski/66o60t

Strange then that he is listed with his first legitimate child in 1817. There must have been more children. But he was a sailor, so maybe he was moving around.

[KrizR]

When you look up the birth record of this sailor Mickel Havelin, you will find that he was born on the Iso-Havela (Stor Havela) farm at Lohtaja on August 17th 1781. In this case the name Havelin was clearly a sailor's name derived from the Havela farm.

In contrast to this, the origin of the Havelin name at Lapua is anything but obvious.
Kimmo Kemppainen

Kimmo,
Great work to find his birth place! A very important observation that the Havela farm is a source of the Havelin name. I think this explains a lot of things.
Having found a domestic Finnish source of the Havelin name is much better than my previous fabulations. It is obvious that there are several origins for the name Havelin in different countries.

Following your lead I have read the rippikirjas of Lohtaja and Kokkola.
Lohjata is very interesting because the family can be traced all the way back to the late 1600s. E.g.:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lohtaja/rippikirja_1789-1795_uk516-517/113.htm

Many people were born on the Havela farm(s) and it is obvious that sailor Mickel Havelin is not the only one leaving to find work elsewhere.
So, it is quite likely that several people took on the Havelin name when they left the farm. By the way, in early 1700's the farm is called Hafwela, which could have been the source of the Hafwelin name, or even Harfvelin.
There were also apparently unrelated families on these farms, so all Havelins are not necessarily related even if they have a common name origin.

This could also explain why there are so many seemingly unrelated Havelins in various parts of Finland.

It seems very likely to me that some person originating from Havela is also the source of Juha Elsanpoika Havelin's surname. But so far we have found no proof.

Sailor Mickel Havelin is a candidate in the lineage, but there could be others. Mickel seems to be missing in a couple of the Kokkola rippikirjas at the beginning of 1800s. So these sources are not sufficient to establish a link.

A final thought: Havela being a large and important farm must have had a rich and interesting history, and there must be a considerabel amount of historical documents available, e.g. deeds, testaments, legal proceedings. Is there anybody who has done research on this topic?

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Behind the link below there is an article on finding the fathers of illegitimate children. It is in Finnish but that should be a minor obstacle since there are Internet translators and perhaps a few friendly "Piirkas" in your neighborhood.

http://www.genealogia.fi/genos-old/62/62_176.htm

Kimmo Kemppainen

Kimmo,
Great work to find his birth place! A very important observation that the Havela farm is a source of the Havelin name. I think this explains a lot of things.
Having found a domestic Finnish source of the Havelin name is much better than my previous fabulations. It is obvious that there are several origins for the name Havelin in different countries.

Following your lead I have read the rippikirjas of Lohtaja and Kokkola.
Lohjata is very interesting because the family can be traced all the way back to the late 1600s. E.g.:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lohtaja/rippikirja_1789-1795_uk516-517/113.htm

Many people were born on the Havela farm(s) and it is obvious that sailor Mickel Havelin is not the only one leaving to find work elsewhere.
So, it is quite likely that several people took on the Havelin name when they left the farm. By the way, in early 1700's the farm is called Hafwela, which could have been the source of the Hafwelin name, or even Harfvelin.
There were also apparently unrelated families on these farms, so all Havelins are not necessarily related even if they have a common name origin.

This could also explain why there are so many seemingly unrelated Havelins in various parts of Finland.

It seems very likely to me that some person originating from Havela is also the source of Juha Elsanpoika Havelin's surname. But so far we have found no proof.

Sailor Mickel Havelin is a candidate in the lineage, but there could be others. Mickel seems to be missing in a couple of the Kokkola rippikirjas at the beginning of 1800s. So these sources are not sufficient to establish a link.

A final thought: Havela being a large and important farm must have had a rich and interesting history, and there must be a considerabel amount of historical documents available, e.g. deeds, testaments, legal proceedings. Is there anybody who has done research on this topic?

[KrizR]

Behind the link below there is an article on finding the fathers of illegitimate children. It is in Finnish but that should be a minor obstacle since there are Internet translators and perhaps a few friendly "Piirkas" in your neighborhood.

http://www.genealogia.fi/genos-old/62/62_176.htm

Kimmo Kemppainen

Thank you. There is a short summary in Swedish at the end from where I note the following:
"Om modersnamnet plötsligt i kyrkböckerna ersatts av patronym, är det troligt att faderskapet på sätt eller annat fastslagits;"
Which is the case for Juha Elsanpoika, when he in one case is referred to as Johan Gustafsson.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Well, that may be true, but the problem is that this Gustavsson is only used once and then one reverts to Lisa's son and even Elias's son.
Kimmo Kemppainen

Thank you. There is a short summary in Swedish at the end from where I note the following:
"Om modersnamnet plötsligt i kyrkböckerna ersatts av patronym, är det troligt att faderskapet på sätt eller annat fastslagits;"
Which is the case for Juha Elsanpoika, when he in one case is referred to as Johan Gustafsson.

[KrizR]

Agreed. It is certainly no proof. It just adds to the evidence.

[KrizR]

Two questions:
1. There is a torpare Gustaf Johansson at the Sikasaari torp at Härsilä.
He is a suspect. He was born in 1806 at a place which I cannot interpret. See:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1838-1845_uk111-112/299.htm

Where was he born?

2. Elsa Lisa Gustafsdr. is mentioned on this page:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1861-1867_mko59-74_i/347.htm

In the 'Anmärkningar' column there is something about a 'falskt vitnemål'.
Please tell me the full text. What kind of a vitnemål is this?

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

The birth place is Kauhava.

Yep, it seems to say "Lägr[ad] 1838." and "fälld för falskt vittnesmål". Judicial records would give the details.
Kimmo Kemppainen

Two questions:
1. There is a torpare Gustaf Johansson at the Sikasaari torp at Härsilä.
He is a suspect. He was born in 1806 at a place which I cannot interpret. See:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1838-1845_uk111-112/299.htm

Where was he born?

2. Elsa Lisa Gustafsdr. is mentioned on this page:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1861-1867_mko59-74_i/347.htm

In the 'Anmärkningar' column there is something about a 'falskt vitnemål'.
Please tell me the full text. What kind of a vitnemål is this?

[KrizR]

What does 'lägrad' mean?

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

...having had premarital activity.
Kimmo Kemppainen

What does 'lägrad' mean?

[KrizR]

Tough luck!
I interpreted the rippikirja to say that Gustaf Johansson was born on 2 May 1806.
But just the April and May pages of the 'Kauhava , Syntyneet, 1781-1811' are blank!
Seems to be something wrong with the scanning.

Is there any solution to this problem?

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Yeah,
what are the odds, it just had to be that page. Well, the Astia service of National Archives is not working either right now so use Hiski and check the information later from an intact copy or, if you can't get one, the communion book.
Kimmo Kemppainen

Tough luck!
I interpreted the rippikirja to say that Gustaf Johansson was born on 2 May 1806.
But just the April and May pages of the 'Kauhava , Syntyneet, 1781-1811' are blank!
Seems to be something wrong with the scanning.

Is there any solution to this problem?

[KrizR]

Searching Hiski with 'Kauhava - alla - Døpta' leads to
Nybygg. Johan Johansson Winicka and his family.
He has a son called Gustaf, born 08.05.1806 and a wife called Brita.
So it is probably him.
Is Winicka a place in Finland? Google Maps only points to Poland.

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

Yes,
Viinikka is a farm name in Finland. As far as I know, it is derived from the Germanic man's name Vinnick.
Kimmo Kemppainen


Searching Hiski with 'Kauhava - alla - Døpta' leads to
Nybygg. Johan Johansson Winicka and his family.
He has a son called Gustaf, born 08.05.1806 and a wife called Brita.
So it is probably him.
Is Winicka a place in Finland? Google Maps only points to Poland.

[KrizR]

There is something in the rightmost column 'Avgått' that I cannot read:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1838-1845_uk111-112/299.htm

What does it say?

[Kimmo Kemppainen]

1839 fl. till Ylistaro attest No 54.
Kimmo Kemppainen

There is something in the rightmost column 'Avgått' that I cannot read:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/lapua/rippikirja_1838-1845_uk111-112/299.htm

What does it say?

[KrizR]

The baptizing of Matthias Willhelm Havelin (2nd from bottom) is quite interesting:
http://www.sukuhistoria.fi/sshy/kirjat/Kirkonkirjat/kokkola/syntyneet_1812-1834_mko513-518/52.htm

Looking at the set of witnesses we see that there are a Magister, two Madame's and other notables. I don't quite know the significance of a Magister in Finland at the time, but this is not exactly the kind of witnesses I would have expected for an ordinary sailor's child.
But maybe sailor Michel Havelin was not an ordinary sailor?
We know he was born at the Stor Havela farm on 1781-08-17.