August Erickson

History of August Erickson Nyrhilä

August's parents were Aukusti (August) Heikinpoika Nyrhilä of Lapua, Finland and Anna Tuomaantytär Jouppi from nearby Seinäjoki, Finland. The parents married on 24 February 1871 in Seinäjoki but settled in Lapua and raised their family - Heikki 1871 - 1888, Anna 1872 - 1873, Sanna Matilda 1872 - 1874, Maria 1874 - 1959, Sanna Liisa 1875 - 1875, August 1876 - 1935, Tuomas 1878 - 1879, Amanda 1880 - 1968, Jaakko 1885 - 1938 and Heikki 1888 - 1890

After his first wife Anna died on 6 May 1893, Aukusti Nyrhilä had a second marriage to Maria Iisakintytär Ala-Marttala on 22 Dec 1893 and that second marriage had another 10 children - Juho 1894 - 1894, Viljo 1895 - 1962, Heikki 1897 - 1909, Sanna 1900 - 1985, Iisaak 1902 - 1986, Eino 1905 - 1969, Saima 1908 - 1991, Helge Johannes 1910 - 1912, Helmi 1913 - 2004, and Aino 1916 - 1917.

Hiski - Lapua - Lappo - christened Born Christened Village Farm Father Mother Child 7.12.1876 10.12.1876 Bond. August Henriksson Nyrhinen h. Anna August

As shown in the Hiski computer birth record above, August Nyrhilä was born in Lapua, Finland on 7 Dec 1876 and emigrated to America in 1896. August lived briefly in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA then moved to Butte, Montana, USA. It was in Butte where he met Ida Aukustintytär Sipilä from Ylivieska, Finland. August and Ida then moved to British Columbia and on 18 Dec 1901 were married at a Methodist parsonage in Fernie, British Columia. They had 3 children in the Village of Morrisay near Fernie, B.C. - August Albin 1902 - 1980: Annie Elviira 1904 - 1971; Henry Elmer 1905 - 1975.

Around 1906 August and Ida had decided to return to Finland. On their way back to Finland, they stopped to visit August's sister Amanda Oja in Nolalu, Ontario. After getting to Nolalu they changed their minds and settled in Nolalu and had 4 more children - Uuno Leonard 1907 - 1975; Toivo Benhard 1910 - 1986; Helmi 1913 - 1973; Allan Raymond 1921 - 1977.

It was after settling in Nolalu that August decided to changed his family's surname from Nyrhilä to Erickson and thus the homesteads for August and Ida and their children in Nolalu can be found under the Erickson name.

August Erickson passed away on the 20 March 1935 and his obituary read:

The death occurred this morning in a Port Arthur hospital of August Erickson, Nolalu, aged 58. Mr. Erickson came to this district from Finland, and had been a farmer at Nolalu 28 years. He was a member of the Finnish Lutheran Church. He leaves five sons, August, Henry, Urho, Toivo and Allan, at Nolalu. Also surviving are two sisters, Annie, Mrs. Francis Merritt, Port Arthur and Helma, Mrs. C. Maki, Nolalu; also eleven grandchildren. The funeral will be held at 1:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon with service at the Nolalu school house, conducted by Rev. J.E. Nopola, of the Finnish Lutheran Church, Port Arthur. Interment will be in Nolalu Cemetery.