A Finnish Death

My children have a branch of their paternal tree that originates in Finland.  We had the most amazing trip last summer to the area just south of Vasa, Finland to see where the husband’s ancestors lived.  I have found several photos relating to this branch of the family.

This photo appears to be a trip Wendla Batmaster took back to Finland in 1930 to visit family.  It also indicates I need to look for a passenger ship manifest to find Wendla coming back to the United States in that year.

 

Grandma “Great” lived to be over 100 then fell & broke her neck.  In Finland

Grandma Botmaster & Great Grandma Botmaster

Grandma Long & her sister Anna Ostergard. June or July 1930.

I am not sure who wrote on the back of this photo but I am inclined to believe it was Shirley (Gingg) Pope.  This reasoning is that she refers to Grandma Long (Wendla Batmaster).  Wendla Batmaster remarried after the death of her husband Charles Mattson.  Her second husband was John Long.  Even today, a few generations youger everyone calls her Grandma Long.  It is hard for me to see Agnes Mattson (Shirley’s mom) referring to her mom as Grandma Long.  Other photos Agnes owned say Mom in reference to Wendla.

I am not sure how accurate this description is.  Far right in the photo is Brita Maria Marander, Wendla’s mother.  She lived to 81 (died 1939). This dates her to 72 years old in this photo.  I do not know how old Brita’s mother, Maria Stina Alskog, lived.  If she was born approximately 1835, theoretically, the person at the left could be Maria Stina Alskog. In 1930 she would have been 95.  I am not convinced the person at the left looks 95 years old. Also the person is referred to as Great Grandma Batmaster.  This points to Jonas Batmaster’s (Brita’s husband) mother, Ulrika Johannesdotter. We do know that  only lived to 47.  Unfortunately, I do not have any other photos of the woman at the left.  I do not know who she is.  There is family resemblance but I am just not sure who she is.

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One Reply to “A Finnish Death”

  1. Wendla Long was my great aunt. Her brother John Isaac Johnson was my grandfather. I am the second daughter of John Arthur Johnson. He, Chester and Elsie lived across the the street from Auntie Long in San Francisco on Wright street. We played with John and Shirley Pope’s kids when we visited our grandparents and aunt and uncle. My siblings name are Anna Johnson, Carolyn Maxwell, Lance Johnson and Elyce Johnson. I just happened to write in Batmaster and saw the name Wendla and recognized the photo of auntie Long.

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