Satakunta Region immigrant letters, 1880-1964
25 microfilms (positive)
There are about 6000 letters in this collection. Most of the letters have been written by emigrants who used to live in Satakunta but there are also some from persons who lived in other provinces before emigrating. There are also post cards, diaries and passports in the collection. The letters were written to residents of Satakunta from 1880 to 1964. Although most of the letters were sent from the United States and Canada, there were a few letters from South America, Australia, New Zealand and Soviet Union.
The collection was arranged by towns (also known as parishes or municipalities). Within each town series 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 collector of letters filled out a questionnaire for each writer. The questionnaire is at the beginning of the sender's letters. 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.
Questionnaire used in collecting America letters:
- The owner of the letters (name and address)
- The writer of the letters (name and last address)
- The relationship between the owner and the writer
- When left for America
- Who were they visiting in America
- Why left
- Home town in Finland
- The occupation of the parents
- How large was the family of the parents of the emigrant
- Was the emigrant married when he left Finland
- Did the wife and children emigrate, too
- Did the emigrant get married in America
- What year
- The nationality of the spouse
- The occupation of the emigrant when emigrated
- Had the emigrant ever been working outside the home town before emigrating
- How did the emigrant go to America (route and vehicle)
- The first workplace in America
- What kind of work
- Where did the emigrant live the longest time in America
- What kind of work
- Other members of the group who emigrated at the same time: name, hometown, return to Finland
- The later life of the emigrant: did/did not return to Finland
- If applicable, why did the emigrant return
- Return route and vehicle
- Occupation after return
- The number of the letters (photos, diaries etc.) in the enclosed questionnaire envelope
- The owner donates the letters/loans them only for microfilming
- The collector of the letters (name and address)
- To be filled by the Institute of General History
Documents in this collection contain the following abbreviations for the names of the town or parish from an immigrant came:
- AHL = Ahlainen
- ALAS = Alastaro
- EURA = Eura
- E-KI = Eurajoki
- HIN = Hinnerjoki
- H-KI = Honkajoki
- H-TI = Honkilahti
- HUIT = Huittinen
- HAM = Hämeenkyrö
- IKA = Ikaalinen
- JAM = Jämijärvi
- KAN = Kankaanpää
- K-KU = Karkku
- KAR = Karvia
- KIH = Kihniö
- KIIK = Kiikka
- KNEN = Kiikoinen
- KOK = Kokemaki
- KUL = Kullaa
- KOY=Köyliö
- LAP = Lappi Tl.
- LAV = Lavia
- LOIM = Loimaa
- MEL = Mellilä
- MER = Merikarvia
- MET = Metsämaa
- MOU = Mouhijarvi
- NOOR = Noormarkku
- PAR = Parkano
- POM = Pomarkku
- PORI = City of Pori and rural parish of Pori
- PUN = Punkalaidun
- RAUM = Rauma: city and rural parish
- SIIK = Siikainen
- SUOD = Suodenniemi
- SAK = Säkylä
- TYRV = Tyrvää and Vammala
- VAMP = Vampula