3. Marriage

On September 8, 1888, Anna Sophia Lahdenpera was born in Siika Joki, Finland, near the city of Oulu. In Finnish, Lahdenpera means "Bay's end". Her parents were Juha Lahdenpera and Liisa (Hummasti). Juha was a drayman in the city of Oulu. A drayman uses a horse and wagon to make deliveries. There were six children in the family: Jussi (John, who never married), Maija (Mary Paakkari), Liisa (Sture), Anna, Hannah (Rissanen), and Hilda (Nelson), all born in Finland. Juha was a jolly, easy going man. His wife was strict, very religious and devoted to the Old Apostolic Lutheran faith. She never wore a hat, only a kerchief (a “huivi” in Finnish) on her head.

In 1903 Anna's father decided to move the family to America. His wife was reluctant to leave Finland, but Juha pointed out that a drayman earned twice as much in America, and she would have twice as much money in her purse. Finally, she was convinced and the entire family left Finland. They sailed from Finland to England, crossed England by train, crossed the Atlantic Ocean by steamship, and then traveled across Canada and settled near Port Arthur. Juha Lahdenpera bought a farm and lived there the rest of his life.

All of the children finished elementary school. Hanna attended a teacher's normal school and then taught school at Kivikoski on the road from Port Arthur to Trout Lake. Hilda attended a business school and then worked as a teller in a bank. Anna worked in a hotel and then went to school for one year in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Anna grew up to be a beauty. In 1909 she and William eloped to Ashland, Wisconsin, where William's aunt, Martha (Kyro) Maki resided, and were married. They were both 21 years old at the time. William constructed a fine brick house for his family at 371 Foley Street. (This house is still in use in 2006 and is still heated by the original furnace). Their first child, Laura , was born on March 23, 1911, in Port Arthur, Ontario. The second child, Helen Elizabeth, was born in Port Arthur on November 30, 1913. William's and Anna's third child, a son, Erick William, was born in Port Arthur on March 28,1916 (Erick is co-author of this book).

William and Anna had both grown up in Finland and spoke perfect Finnish. They learned English and spoke it well, but with a Finnish accent. The Kyro family normally spoke their native language at home. The children grew up speaking Finnish at home and learned English when they started playing outside with their English-speaking neighbor children and when they went to school. All three children grew up fluent in both Finnish and English without accent.

William and Anna were interested in music. William played a flute; Anna had a lovely singing voice. They fostered their children's religious and secular education. The children were confirmed in Finnish Lutheran churches. Laura received ballet and piano lessons. Helen was musically and academically brilliant. William and Anna invested in a grand piano for Helen. Both Laura and Helen had fine singing voices and frequently performed at social events singing duets in English and Finnish. Erick was mechanically inclined.

During the summer, the Kyro family would camp in a tent at Trout Lake, a few miles from Port Arthur. The Nelson family and the Obergh family had similar tents nearby. The women and children would live in the tents for several weeks. The men would commute from work in town. The children enjoyed swimming, boating and fishing in Trout Lake.