The Family of Lillian Jarvi Exel: The Isojarvi’s, tenant farmers of Finland
Lillian, today in her 90s, has lived in Fitzwilliam nearly her entire life. As a child in this country she knew about the sauna, traditional Finnish cooking, and hearing her elders speak in a tongue used in the mother country. It was a matter of fact that after leaving the sauna you either rolled in the snow or jumped in the local pond, thereafter repeating the process or going on about the day’s business. She remembers the dances at the Finnish halls in town and how much fun and excitement it generated for others of Finnish descent. Lillian’s husband was a member of the Exel family who once owned the Half Way House on Mount Monadnock.
Lillian’s step-father Arvid Hendrickson of Fitzwilliam, a Finn, started None Such Hall along with several other men. She remembers a quick dance, similar to a polka, called the raticom. This was the old fashioned way for young people to meet and socialize in a safe, chaperoned environment. A family tale mentions the consumption of 6 hot dogs in one sitting for Arvid!
Their food contained a lot of fish. And they “creamed everything.” Lapa, or bread, was a part of every meal and at Christmas time they would enjoy the lola, or cake. Niisu bread was always popular. This sweet, cardamom flavored bread remains a basic today.
Lillian’s father was David Isojarvi, who lived in this country but whose parents were born in Finland. His mother Elizabeth received a small bible upon her arrival to this country, on display. She and her sister Susanna shared the postcards and Finnish books you see here. As with many other immigrant families, their first sight on land was the Statue of Liberty. They did not all arrive together but joined up at a later time in Fitzwilliam.
Her mother Kristiina, daughter of Matti Matinpoika Maliniemi, arrived in America in 1900 at the age of 16. Matti was born in 1827 Kauhava, and married about 1852. His bride’s name was Greta Karlintr. Both came from traditional, hard-working tenant farming families.
This family has been researched by various relatives. Known surnames include Simonpoika, Storpassi, Lammi, Maenpaa, Vehkalahti, Eenokintr, Aatentr, Hietala, Aukustintr, Kaarela, Tanelintr, Parkkonen and Kiiskila.