Funding for encoding this finding aid was
provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Biographical Note
Esther Rinne was born on January 7, 1901 in
Pyhajoki, Finland to Antti and Sophia Wiirre. Esther had five older siblings,
but most of them had immigrated to Eureka, CA in the 1890s. When Esther was two
years old, her mother passed away. Her father, who was a carpenter, tried to
take care of her but had to board her out to different families for ten years
while he worked. When Esther was nineteen, one of her sisters sent her a ticket
to America. By the time Esther arrived in California, her sister, Anne, had
already arranged a job for her. She began living and working at a cookhouse,
where she washed dishes and waited tables. The language differences were a
problem at first, but Esther remained at the cookhouse for two years. When she
was granted a two-week vacation, Esther went to Astoria, OR to visit her
sister, who ended up convincing Esther to stay. Esther found a job at a local
restaurant and met her husband, Sulo Rinne, who was originally from Pirkkala,
Finland. They had one son, but he died while serving in the military. In
Astoria, Esther also joined the Peace Lutheran Church and American Legion
Auxiliary. She has returned to Finland twice, but by the second trip, so many
things had changed that she felt no need to return a third time. Esther likes
living in America and has no special feelings about being Finnish.
Lineage
Full Name: Esther Rinne. Maiden Name:
Esther Wiirre. Father: Antti Wiirre. Mother: Sophia Wiirre. Brothers and
Sisters: Heikki (Hank) Wiirre, Jenny Wiirre, Hilda Wiirre, Anne Wiirre, Helmi
Wiirre. Spouse: Sulo Rinne. Children: One son killed in World War II.
Content Description
This interview was conducted with Esther Rinne on August
25, 1981 Astoria, Oregon. It provides information on family background,
emigration, employment, marriage, and community activities. The interview also
includes a photograph of Esther. Also see Sulo Rinne.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The oral history collection
is open to all users.
Restrictions on Use :
There are no
restrictions on use.
Administrative Information
Custodial History :
The Oral History collection
project was started during an experimental course on Scandinavian Women in the
Pacific Northwest. Students in the course were encouraged to interview women
and learn about their experiences as immigrants to the United States. The
project was continued and expanded with support from the president's office and
by grants from the L.J. Skaggs and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, from the Joel E.
Ferris Foundation and the Norwegian Emigration Fund of the Royal Norwegian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project was directed by Dr. Janet E.
Rasmussen. The collection was transferred to the Archives and Special
Collections Department.
Acquisition Information :
Related Materials :
To search and view Pacific
Lutheran University's digitized images, visit our
Digital Assets
Website
Processing Note :
The interview was conducted by
Donna Mallonee 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. The recording quality is good
The
collection was transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky Husby.
Bibliography :
Rasmussen, Janet Elaine. New Land
New Lives: Scandinavian Immigrants to the Pacific NorthwestTacoma, WashingtonUniversity of Washington
Press1993
Additional Reference Guides :
Detailed Description of the Collection
The partial interview transcription
highlights important aspects of the interview. Numbers 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.
Cassette
81, side 1
018: ESTHER RINNE
Maiden name was Wiirre. Born in Pyhajoki, Finland on
January 7, 1901. Pyhajoki is near Oulu in Oulun Laani.
81, side 1
074: PARENTS
Father - Antti. Mother - Sophia. Mother died when Esther was
2 yrs old. Father was a carpenter. Father tried to take care of her. He had to
board her out because he had to work. Some families treated her cruelly. She
didn't dare tell her father. He visited her often.
81, side 1
140:
This went on for 10 years. Went to school. When 14 years old
found a nice family to stay with. Took good care of her.
81, side 1
156: BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
Had a brother who was 22 years
older, a sister 21 years older. They were in America when she was born. Heikki
(Hank), Jenny, Hilda, Anne, Helme. Esther was youngest. Only knew Helme. Helme
17 when mother died. Most of them settled in Eureka, California in 1890's.
81, side 1
211: GRANDPARENTS
Doesn't remember them.
81, side 1
216: FAMILY NAME
Name hasn't changed.
81, side 1
225:
Stayed with a good family from age 14-17. Their name was
Harrilla (?). Lived on a farm. This was still in Pyhajoki.
81, side 1
248:
After this, went to stay with a sister in Rauma in the
southern part of Finland. When Esther was 19, a sister in America sent her a
ticket to come to the US. Came to Eureka, California. Came by herself.
81, side 1
282: TRIP TO
AMERICA
Came on the Lusitania (?) across
the Atlantic. Ellis Island was awful.. Dirty. 5 girls from Finland. This was
1920.
81, side 1
318:
Sister wrote from America - don't take any money with you.
She wrote that they'd send what she needed to Nilson & Lundbeck Co. in New
York. When Esther got to Ellis Island, she found out Ellis Island was Ellis
Island and New York was New York. Esther didn't have the $25 on her so she had
to send a telegram to her sister for money. Stayed in a tiny room with some
other Finnish girls. Finally got her money. They gave her a sack lunch. Cost
$3.00. Bread and moldy cheese. Escorted to the train. Pinned a note on her said
where she was going.
81, side 1
387: TRAIN TRIP
Saw a black person for the first time. They wouldn't
let her go anywhere when the train stopped. Trip took 9 days.
81, side 1
457:
Came to San Francisco, California first. Went to a restroom
to wash up. Left suitcase on bench. Two ladies eyed the suitcase. Trapped
Esther. Took her on two streetcars and up to the 6th floor of a hotel. Started
looking for her purse. One of the ladies went to a phone.
81, side 1
500:
Signaled for Esther to come. She heard a Finnish voice. Said
the ladies were policewomen; they wanted to know if she had the $1.50 to pay
for a hotel room for the night. They showed her where to go in the morning.
Showed her the time on a clock when she should be there. Was ready to go at
5:30. Went to the place they showed her. Found an ocean in front of her instead
of a train. The two ladies were there again.
81, side 1
560:
Gave her an envelope to give to the conductor. She had to
take a ferry across the bay. Goldengate Bridge wasn't built yet. Policeman met
her at other end. Escorted her to the train. She gave the letter to the
conductor. Took a whole day to get from San Francisco to Eureka,
California.
81, side 1
586:
Sisters were there. Esther told them to ask the conductor
what the letter was. The letter said not to let her go anywhere. In those days,
many girls disappeared. Her sisters arranged for her to be protected on her
journey.
81, side 1
617: FEELINGS ABOUT COMING TO
AMERICA
Left Finland from Hanko (Hangö).
On a beautiful evening. Felt lonesome. Felt better once she got to England and
met some other Finnish girls. Got to California and her sister, Anne had a job
for her. Esther had only 2 days before she started. Sister told her not to
bring many clothes with her. They'd be out of style here. Esther was sorry she
hadn't brought more. Styles were the same. Clothes were expensive.
81, side 1
665: WORK
Worked in a cookhouse near Eureka, California. First washed
dishes. Then waited tables. Owed her sister for the ticket and the $25. Lived
at the cookhouse. Cook was German. One girl was Finnish-Swedish. Mrs. Curry was
America. Esther felt at home here. People were nice.
81, side 1
703: PROBLEMS WITH THE
LANGUAGE
People were very understanding.
Always confused cabbage and lettuce. Which ever the cook asked for, she brought
the other. Had to learn English. Nobody spoke Finnish there. Every fourth week
she'd go to Eureka and visit her sister. She stayed at the cookhouse for 2
years.
81, side 1
728:
She got a 2 week vacation. Went to Astoria, Oregon. by boat
to visit her sister. Sister talked her into staying in Astoria. Got a job at a
restaurant. Waited tables.
81, side 1
766:
Met her husband in Astoria. They've lived there for 58
years. They had one boy, but he died in the service. Her husband's name in
Sulo.
81, side 1
789:
After getting married they bought a farm. Had cattle,
chicken. Raised lettuce, peas, etc. Farm was in Gearhart, Oregon. Son grew up
there. Was born in a hospital in Seaside, Oregon. Went to high school
there.
81, side 1
816: CHURCH
Belong to Peace Lutheran Church in Astoria., Services in
Finnish once a month.
81, side 1
824:
Doesn't belong to any Finnish organizations. Belongs to
American Legion Auxiliary.
81, side 1
833: FINNISH
COOKING
Mommi - a Finnish dish made at
Easter. Lutefisk - A Christmas dish. Juhannusjuusto - See also I-878.
81, side 1
878: FINNISH
CELEBRATIONS
Juhannus (Midsummer). People
stay up all the night. Custom to make Juhannusjuusto - a kind of cheese. Made
out of milk. Cook it in a pan all night. It cooks down. Yellow and crisp.
Christmas - Go to church at 6:00 am. After church, eat breakfast: rice pudding
and baked mashed potatoes. Put cardamom in the potatoes. Pannuikku - pancake
but different than American. Baked in oven. Serve meat with the meal too.
81, side 1
939: TWO TRIPS BACK TO
FINLAND
First in 1950. Father was gone.
Sister still living. Oldest sisters' dons almost like a brother. Friends in
Pyhajoki.
81, side 1
954:
Not much different on the first trip. Second trip in 1963
many changes. Roads were different. People she knew were gone. Didn't want to
go back after that. Has only a niece and a nephew left in Finland. Still writes
to the Harrilla's (?) girl. She's been to the U.S. to visit in 1972. See also
I-225.
81, side 1
985:
No special feeling about being Finnish. Has a lot of English
speaking friends.
81, side 1
1008:
Speaks Finnish with her husband and Mrs. Leppinen (?), a
neighbor who doesn't speak English.
81, side 1
1031:
Esther likes it in America. Astoria has changed a lot. Likes
Seaside better. Only 20 minutes to drive there.
Subjects
This collection is indexed under
the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials
about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these
headings.
