    
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Administrative
Information
Scope and Content Note
Biographical Information
Lineage
Selected Search Terms
Partial Interview Transcript
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Information
Resources
Robert A. L. Mortvedt Library
Pacific
Lutheran University
Tacoma, WASHINGTON 98447
Phone: (253) 535-7586 E-mail: archives@plu.edu
New Land
New Lives Oral History Collection
Sulo John Rinne
A Guide to His Oral History Interview |
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Administrative
Information
Creator:
Rinne, Sulo John
Collection Nr: t082
File Content:
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3 file folders
1 photographs
1 sound cassette
0 compact discs
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Processing Information:
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The
interview was conducted using a cassette recorder. A research
copy was also prepared from the original. To further preserve
the content of the interview, it is now being transferred
to compact disc. We deliberately did not transcribe the
entire interview because we want the researchers to listen
to the interviewee's own voice. The transcription index
highlights important aspects of the interview and the
tape counter numbers noted on the Partial Interview
Transcription are meant as approximate finding guides
and refer to the location of a subject on the cassette/CD.
Interviewed
by Donna Mallonee
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky
Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality: Good
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Restrictions:
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The
collection is available for research.
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Preferred Citation:
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[Collection
Number, Collection Title]
New Land New Lives Oral History Collection
Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection
Robert A.L. Mortvedt Library
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA 98447
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This
interview was conducted with Sulo Rinne on August 26, 1981.
It provides information on family background, emigration, employment,
marriage, and return trips to Finland. The interview also contains
a newspaper clipping from The Daily Astorian, which includes
a photograph of Sulo at Hillcrest School in 1913 and a picture
of Sulo at the time of the interview. Also see Esther Wiirre
Rinne. The interview was conducted in English.
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Sulo
Rinne was born on March 12, 1896 in Pirkkala, Finland to John
Rinne and Hilma Lehtinen. Sulo was one of ten children. In 1902,
Sulo's father immigrated to the United States, eventually settling
in Astoria, OR, where he worked in the logging camps. When Sulo
was sixteen years old, his father sent him a ticket to America.
Sulo lived with his father in Astoria and found work at a logging
camp. The language differences initially caused many difficulties
for Sulo, but he attended a one-room schoolhouse to learn the
English language. Sulo met his wife, Esther, in Astoria and
built a home for them in Gearhart, OR, near Astoria. Sulo began
fishing in the summer and working at the sawmills during the
winter. He also joined Peace Lutheran Church in Astoria and
the Finnish Brotherhood. He has returned to Finland three times,
but by his last trip, everything had changed. Sulo has no special
feelings about his Finnish heritage.
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Full Name: |
Sulo John Rinne
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Father: |
John Rinne
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Mother: |
Hilma Lehtinen
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Paternal Grandfather: |
John Stull
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Spouse: |
Esther Wiirre Rinne
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Children: |
One son killed in World War II.
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This collection is indexed under the following headings
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Personal Names |
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Rinne, Sulo
Rinne, John
Lehtinen, Hilma
Rinne, Esther Wiirre
Stull, John
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Family Names |
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Rinne family
Lehtinen family
Stull family
Wiirre family
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Geographical Names |
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Pirkkala, Finland
Astoria (Or.)
Gearhart (Or.)
Svensen (Or.)
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Subjects |
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Family -- Finland
Finland -- Emigration and immigration
Peace Lutheran Church (Astoria, Or.)
Finnish Brotherhood (Astoria, Or.)
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Occupations |
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Logging -- Oregon
Fishing -- Oregon
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Genre/Form |
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Oral history
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Institution |
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Pacific Lutheran University. Scandinavian Immigrant Experience
Collection
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The
partial interview transcription highlights important aspects
of the interview. Numbers on the left may be used as guides
to important subjects. Two numbers separated by a slash indicate
that the first number is for cassette and the second for CD.
005 PERSONAL BACKGROUND: born 1896 in Pirkkala, Finland.
017 PARENTS: father - John Rinne employed as bricklayer. Mother
- Hilma Lehtinen.
029 GRANDPARENTS: Father's parents died in famine of 1866. Father
had to work hard at age 5. Brother and sister separated, met
accidentally much later and realized that they related.
069 Father spent some time in the Army.
082 CHILDHOOD: worked on a farm.
090 BROTHERS AND SISTERS: 1 brother, 8 sisters.
097 Father came to U.S. in 1902 when Sulo was 6.
098 SCHOOL DAYS: attended until age 16, father sent him a ticket
to America then.
106 Father immigrated to Michigan - employed in the mines. Later
father and brother moved to Astoria, Oregon and worked in logging
camps.
114 TRIP OVER: felt lonely in America. Was put off train in
US because he had only Finnish money.
146 Arrived Svensen, Oregon which is 15 miles east of Astoria.
Father had land and had built a log cabin there.
168 Mother sent him with a suitcase of hardtack. Man on the
train shared his pork and beans. Very hungry when he arrived.
194 DESCRIBES LOG CABIN: No floor, wood stove, rats came in
at night.
201 EMPLOYED AT LOGGING CAMP. Built Columbia Highway 1913 for
a few months.
205 ENGLISH DIFFICULTIES: Didn't speak any English - caused
many difficulties. Learned English in a one-room schoolhouse.
242 GILL-NET FISHING: Describes experience. 2 men, 1 captain
and 1 putter. 28ft. long boat. Lunch was a 5 gallon can. Stayed
out about 3 days or until lunch was gone. Fish 6 cent a pound.
Fished mostly in summer and worked at saw mills during the winter.
335 MOVED TO GEARHART, OR.: Built a home. Worked in saw mill.
Met wife in a restaurant. Worked in logging camp and went home
on Sundays.
348 CITIZENSHIP: Received it in 1939.
353 FIRST IMPRESSION OF US.: didn't like it here felt like home
after a while.
360 CHURCH LIFE: Belongs to church in Astoria.
362 FINNISH BROTHERHOOD: Meetings once a month. Helped the immigrants.
Had sick benefits. At one time 1600 members, now 500.
385 TRIPS BACK TO FINLAND: 3 times. 1948 - same was when he
left. 15 years later everything was different. Two sisters still
in Finland and still correspond.
406 FINNISH HERITAGE: Doesn't feel any difference. No Special
feeling.
421 CHRISTMAS: Similar to US. Here they have a tree a month
before, in Finland the day before and homemade decorations.
437 Father returned to Finland for 1 visit. Later died in Astoria.
Farmed until his death.
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