1-16 SUBJECT: First SOURCE: Wa1erus Kero, Apostolic Lutheran December~, History 1975 COlt'MENTS: INTERVIEWER: Michael M. Loukinen I: This is Mike Loukinen interviewing Walerus Kero, now living in Pelkie but toward the Alston area of Pelkie. It's December 4th, 1975, and we're going to be talking a bit about Walerus' own backgrouad and then we're going to focus as much as we can on Apostolic Church history in Pelkie as much as Walerus says he can remember. Where were you born? R: In Sweden. I: In Sweden? R: Yeah. I: Where in R: Kolaolonbol, Sweden. I: And when did you come to R: 1914 I: Why did R: Well, I: Un hum, and where you arrive? R: Hancock I: Can you tell me as much as you know about the history of the Apostolic movement in America~..as you know. Just take it from whereTer you want to start and gradually then move to Pelkie. We'll let you take the ball and go. Sweden? America? you come to America? I just happened to and then did you I worked like to go, go when you for the that's rirst Quincy all. came here? Mine for Where did a few years 1-17 R: They was over and they there in 1914 to side. thatcnurch...our took 1930-31-32, they And in Pelkie they got side and Heideman's But ~hey don't care to go voting, they let for church. They let that go...they don't took that church. I: R: Just the before building. that time, I understand that...I Yeah, they might be building no it's not...it's that old school. I: In the Pelkie R: Yeah, I: I R: In I: In R: Yeah I: Would people R: No, not at see. not. I the came 1919 separate... more side voting after we had more. that go. They don't go to vote. So, church don't was built in remember that. and they kept the care 1915, I'm... services in School? little school When again that did by the railroad crossing there now. you come to Pelkie? come from all Alston...~rom is arouad to go to down at Pelkie. In Pelkie, Alston from Alston... had another con- gregatioft. I: Ah, when did that congregation start? R: I don't I: When was the R: Well, I: OhI R: No, they been renting some town halls and some old church, another language speaking people they have church in Alston. They rented that too. And I guess they own that now. I: I R: Yeah I: When did R: I don't know. they see. church never build been Okay, the First they buy it? know that. in Alston? built It's church Apostolic here. Church many years ago. owns the town hall now? I: R: Can you tell me a little bit about the building of the church Pelkie, I mean who worked on it, what it was like building it. you remember any of that? Yeah, they build one. I waan't there...there I: This is the R: Yeah, yeah! I: It R: Well, here. I: Okay. R: Oh, I: Andrew (?) R: Yeah, and Ira church one on the says 1918, it's It that there building was (?) peoples. on the corner There not right. came after. Do you recall there north end of wasn't town. any church people who built that? and might be there of them old peoples...I can't remember and Jacob Koivonea. I can't remember That's to. R: And Jacob Pelkola I: Now this R: Yeah I: When would you say that ing the ~irst services? R: I don't I: Can you make a guess and say around what time? R: I can't...it's 1: Oh, R: Yes. I: Okay. that when I came Isaac Verkonen, I: is talking building Heinonen.. something too. There was lot all of them...Herman Neimisto them all. good. Do stone. was someone...Toivo pretty ' in Pelkie...oh, I mentioned that rirst too, I was living here. They built any of the Putkala, in That's better was in Pelkie than that anyone else time...no, he came after, about the church at the north church was completed As you remember. has been able yeah. end of town and they started hold- can remember that. about '20 aad after I guess. late. Before then there were some lay preachers speaking around the area, as I understand it. Can you remember any of the names of any of the men who used to speak around Pelkie and around here? 1-19 R, Oft, was Heideman mostly...old there of I: What kind eyes... R: He was minister, right kind of minister. Goes to minister school in Finland...Old Heideman. And then there was old Jacob Koivola was there and Andrew MartiB8aki. I: Andrew Martimnaki? R: Yeah. I: Where R: From Boston, Boston there. I: Ah, R: Yeah. I!t In around Hancock? R: Yeah, behind did speaker Heideman. Jacob Boston Koivola of He would R. Yeah, I: Was that R! Yeah, yeah railroad Boston, travel out here he was traveling when the Sometime...not Massachusettes. every Mary, right there, close to But he was from Finland now and then? Mineral Range Railroad came to Pelkie, much Nisula; Oh, I can't say much. farmer, he had a litt16 time. 1:. Did you hear him speak? R!: Yeah. I l1eard. was here? pass around here to Alston. and Nisula? but sometime What kind o£ a man was he? A tall him? Tell me a little about him. some St. here. Would he also go to Alston R: your right? I: . shut the Hancock there. Yeah. I. of Location? R: R! As you kind come from? close to St. Mary...or He was living there. I was thinking also, and man was he? Alston. man, short man...do you remember I remember him all right, but was just like farm in Atlantic Mine and then he prayed 1-20 I: Wa. he a good speaker? R: Oh sometimes was all right; not anymore free Christian. I: Okay, can you tell me where he used to in what home, in what building... speak when he came here R: Oh, he'd house...and I: In the R: Yeah, I guess 80. It's too much. I~ Okay, I know I'm stretching Andrew Martinmaki? R: Henry, I: Mitta? R: Henry Martinmak1, I: How do you spell R: You can spell I: H-e~n-d-r-u? R: Yeah. I: I've R: speak in Pelkie school not last That R: Dh, I: Close R: Who? I: Was his R: Yeah, place. I: Okay. R: About I: When did school ? it was in Alston. school building...I the limits can't of your remember them all. memory. What about not Andrew. that? that. that name before. in Hancock part. Where was his farm? Ch! at the (?)...(?)...!or to building? heard He was living I: he went He went to Andrew. never Alston, but was in country first "/here was he .from? and then Here around he was farming the here in area? there about two and a half miles from here. to Waisanen's? is farm south a mile olose from to where the Waisanen Waisanen. Brothers You can see that south. he come to Clay Country? Around? are? place from Waisanen 1-21 R: Oh J I can't. I: Okay. R: Might I: All R: He stayed wi tn Heideman. I: Would he speak in the R: Dh yeah, I: In people's R: All over...people's homes too allover there and Pelkie. I: w~. he a trained R: Lay yeah I: Did he have a dairy R: Yeah. I: After the church was built in Pelkie in, and they started to hold serTices there, besides Arthur Heideman? R . '20. be about right, Oh, remember that. and where would all he speak? larger over...all church after it was built? over. homes? sometime speaker church, Hancock, Calumet here? we'll say, around who used to speak 1920, there sometime Martinmaki I: Ohho! ». Yeah. I: Did you ever R! There was some spiritual Anybody who was traveling I: Could R: No... I: Try hard! R: It's too I: Evert Maatila? R: Yeah, Maatila hear... ~rom Minnesota too who preached there around here they preach at there. you remember some names? much to start and or a lay? farm over Koivola, and in to sometime,Isreal remember them Hakal £rom New York Mills 1-22 r o~ How is R: H-a-k-a-l, Hakal. I: Okay, R: Isreal. I: Isreal? R: Yeah. I: He came all R: Yeah. R: There I: Maybe you can help me, when did Old Man Heideman...Arthur Leopold Heideman kind of stop speaking? I know that toward the latter years of his life his health started to go and his son Paul Heideman would take on the speaking. Can you tell me when he started to let Paul takeover the speaking? R: I I: Can you R: It's about...I Finland for I: Paul R: Yeah. I: But even before father, huh? R; Yeah, I: Do you remember the All I know was that R: Yeah, he was on a fishing trip and the boat capsized, I guess. How it went, I don't know; but it started holding him up so he don't drown there. Then he got washed ashore someplace...I don't know where. I: It R: Yeah, and then and died. his name spelled? his first were can't name? the way from New York Mills. some others remember give that year me just I don't remember the names now right. a guess? guess started already '14, but then he was in awhile in '15 and '16 he started to speak. Heideman they but too, did. that time was together he would so long his kind of father go around with his died. circumstances ot Old Man Heideman's he was on a fishing trip. death? was around Portage Entry. he got that part all right, but he got pneumonia 1-23 I: Do you remember his funeral? R: Yeah, I: Who spoke at his R: Oh, I don't Ve8sasrlanen remember I guess I: How is spelledJ R: It's self. I: I know, them. R: That's V-e-s-s-a-s-r-l-a-n-e-n, I: Robert R: Yeah, I: Do you recall R: Yeah, I: Was it R: I don't I: Was Paul Heideman any di£~erent the same way? R: Yeah, living; hardly I: For the R: Yeah. I: Do you R: No, I can't. I: Well, would R: That...Walter I: 1'/here was he from? Did you go to it? I went to his funeral. that hard for funeral? me to much about that. Some Finland was there then that time. spell but you try them. and if You'll have to you make mistakes Vessasrlanen. minister... spell I'll try them yourto correct Robert Vessasrlanen? I don't know then who else what was said he was there in his at was there his .funeral. funeral...as I remember. very sad...did... know that. I guess it was pretty than his sad. £ather? Did he speak in he speak the same way and keep it right there so long he was but he was about ten years the last part he don't remember anything. last recall ten years of his life? when Old Man Heideman I can't died? remember. who would Paul Heideman helping him speak during Paul Heideman's time? Toro1q 'l.~ila- speak? You know, who 1-24 R: I .. He came from there yet. Finland And he would come and speak every he's to there and from Canada up to Yeah, I: me tn kind or detail how the split Ahm, can you tell with and Heideman, as you understand it? R: I know, but that's I: It's R: Yeah, yeah is I: Well, can you do a little R: Well, too Calumet. He's now and then? R: too speaking Canada now, now yet. much to start, finally came see. complicated? too complicated. bit or that? went to sel~-rightness and that's there. They started to...well their that's all. They figured it out for Jew. did in Jesus Christ's time. that they just kind o~ did good works, good, like I: They felt enough? R: Yeah, that's I: Well, R: 0. yeah, ok yeah! That self-rightness don't like to speak this. My English I: But I confes8 be able to. R: Yeah, I: Would you like to explain it in Finnish father or someone could translate. R: No, I I: But the problem is, if it's ever to has to do it and you are one of the R: No...no, I'm not good enough for that now. That's to remember what's bygone, I can't do that now. I: Okay, well without going into the parts o~ the Bible where areas o~ disagreement, could you tell me what happened in Pelkie? You said there was, ror awhile, two groups meeting in this church...as I understand it. did they if why they went heavenly part for doing that way, self-rightness that that was more like. think that it was not my own inadequacy...I necessary to repent. was more tor their...! is too short for that. do not know enough Finnish to I don't... don't. That's too much. That's and I have a friend or my too much. be recorded few people ift history, that... too someone much...have R: Now? I No, - just be~ore the split Heideman group meeting at meeting R: I: at another Yeah, that, another one, Okay, did that larger started to what year? ')1 since maybe 1926 or '27...there one time and then a Michaelson was the group time. and they '32, you know about took that in Pelkie. church when there and then we built were two groups meeting that in church when both the Heideman and Michaelson church meet as two separate groups theft in that church? About R: I guess they I: Un huh. R: Yeah, there. I: But ing R: I I: Okay. R: I don't I: A~l right~ who helped build that ')0 and ')1 was it iB the tall? R: It I: Do you R: There was, lot I: Can you name some of the families R: There was Andy Wanttaja, P~rhonen, Kuivinen'8...Bill Herman Niemisto and Isaac Paakola; Isaac Kuivinen was working there too and split because our ')1 church weren't, for several at separate times in don't was built in years earlier that church? '31 and than '32...have that, they to were be close meet- know that. know that. was fall What time of the year in somewhere I guess. remember who worked on that? of them Christian Wahoo Kuivinen; ~ I: \~at was his first R: That'. I: Okay. R: And Jacob Takalo Isaac church? Who went to the who worked name? Seppanen. was there. there. who worked and Seppanen was working Heideman side? there? there. L-26 I: Were you there? R: I was there I: Was Heinonen R: Yeah, I: What was his first R: What was that...! I: There R: Yeah, Heinonen was carpenter I: And also R: Sandel in was not there. sometime helping too. I belongs to Alston-~that time. there? yeah! name? can't were quite remember. a few carpenters there, right? Sandel1n? I: all died...all I: or R: Yeah. I: That's R: Yeah. I: Can you tell me stories about building that? ~bout the spirit ot the people while they were building that; about what the women did to help out and things like that. Where you got the lumber... where you got the land...tor the history? R: Oh, I: Were the women there? R: Oh yeah, women was in I: Were they R: No...no women, only made coffee and like I: Is there anything original why I'm after. They's No, that time...he joifted died out. Only I'm living. those that church R: ones here talking to you they got...Emil Kemppainen and Andrew Kemppainen got some ttmber land in outside there and they going to cut that logs down and then Bill Kuivinen started to sawing them for the lumber and other peoples hauled them logs to that sawmill. Then they hauled them lumbers to that certain place. helping church...not in tme woods. (Chuckle) build? else that you can remember about that that you'd care 1-27 to say? R: Oh, there was Pelto helped, Art Marttila Emil's father. was He was not help. I've I: heard that that was such a painful would even kind or split R: I .. R: Yeah, That that time he helped Edward Pelto went to time and that August some ramilies up. sure.. some families Sure, it was like -~ he wa. with (?), . Heideman and (?) went with I: Who helped Heideman speak after was that also TorOla? R: Yeah, Tor~a came to help new church was dead before I: Aftd anyone R: No, there was all them there and speak there. I: Can you mention a £ew names? R: Ch, it's too much. It's too much to start to remember There was Nelson ~rom Big Lake, (???), and some Finland they was coming here...they were here. I: A. you understand after di.ff'erences Well, Yeah, I: You could R: Yeah, it I: When did R: Ok about '35. I: Well, see that stay been R: ... call. I: That's R: Yeah (chuckle) longer Heideman say in don't 1932. speak, speaker today, was just what do you think here are and Heideman First -- happening from this open, is straight. and come over the them all. minister basic Apostolic, today. same way now even. way back then. there. you start you've Let's Tor'la? same way when they started to they went self-rightness ri~ht they split? Aim and Old that. between R: the than speaking? speaking I've about ~orty even been alive. years yoursel~ then. 1-28 I: I'm o 1. t only thirty years old. How did you come to speak? Where was ? ° R: Down to Pelkie; I: Anymore? R: No, not much...not I: Who called R: Congregation.. I: Can you R: No, no I can't...no I can't. speak there is congregation I: Yeah, I know that; but I just thought you might be able to remember how you felt that day when they called you. Did you know they were going to call you that day? R: No, they was telling that long time, to go and speak; but I keep against. haTe to start. I: Do you remember who the Elders you remember their names? R: Well, Isaac I: What was this R: I I: J~cob...and so Pelkie was the you feel that first day? R: Dh, I: Okay. R: Don't I: Okay. R: I don't I: Okay. R: Yeah. I: I understand. but you to tell I'm don't church ask much. speak? me about that speaking much. there was Pulki, Paakola...there gues8 not Pulki's that day? In don't Jokipii, was all first God's call nobody all the time. I don't like were who wanted Isaac them... name? Kingdom that. Pirhonen, gotRg to They wanted me it...but then I you to speak? Herman Niemisto Can you remember? was Jacob them first time you ever spoke. How did kind. ask them kind. like in the Do to speak for So, that...for how often beginning in did 1931 mynself. you hold and '32. services in the new 1-29 I R: Ch, I: Was it R: No...no, I: Would they Sunday. R: YeaA, that way it later part. I: When did R: I I: How do you spell R: Tulki, I: T-u-l-k-i? R: Yeah. I: Okay, R: He's I: Can you remember about R: NO...RO, I don't. can't remember I that. can't remember that. every Sunday at rirst? ciR't sometime alternate, like Heideman and Torola Heideman was and Tulki one from Sunday and Ishpeming and like Torala came there that. the next then he come? remember you that. his can I just ift I was helping spell name? that yourself. want to be sure. Detroit now. I what year? don't Even if remember not exactly... them. Stop in tape Yeah, about I: 19721 R: Yeah, two or three I: Can you tell R: Well, don't lenient. three Was it years I guess...yes, Yeah. I: What were these things years ago? in three. came to much to things certain care very R: a couple ago I guess me how that to I: occur? that pass? say what is sin. He went too soft... like R: regard When did this Wit. I: he was lenient on as you remember? 1-30 R: Anything...anything what is this world is coming and taking Christiaftity with them so they won't stay and study there. He let go some place and in Finland they took him and told him... "BUt where you are going now," and asked, "It you'd like to contes8 them and ask torgiveness." But no, he don't...so he went ott. I: Db, he went to Finland? R: Yeah, he went there. I: Where did R: In I: In Clu, R: Yeah, there is I: Oh, they're not R: No. I: Can you name some of tAe Elders R! No, I do.'t I: Okay R: No I: Okay...so out that R: Yeah, that's right. I: Was another minister R: Bietiestu o~ thiags giveness. I: He is older R! No, is not I: Well R~ Yeah I: During this was lenient AroUJtd this time? he go in Finland? is that where the some. Elders There's in anyone like are? allover spot in them Elders there. Finland. today? to remember them. he came back from Finland and the congregation he refused to confess for these things. That's right involved? only we don't go with found him anymore B1etiestu? came back. He asked ~orgiveness after he was in lots too like Torola is now; but he came back and asked forBut he is not preaching anymore. mannow or...? older, about fifty he was from Ishpeming, time like before this Torola? little over. right? more recent split ift t 7l and '72, he L-31 R: Yeah, he was...he was...he started to gq with Torola first then he speak out there in I: And now he is R: Yeah, I: What's the name of your church now? American...or he is Laestad1ans the Laestadian R: Yeah I: But there R: Yeah, there is Christian I: Dh, R: Yeah, I: Did R: Yeah, it follower I: Ah, R: No. . .110, they I: So the Torola go to L'Anse R: L'Anae I: Hancock? R: Yeah I: Is there R: No, I: Do you feel R: Yeah. Stop in the are more than so this all it but he don't just this tArough happen in the United Finland speak...preach I think one here the United States, yeah. too; but there's have a split don't Emil anymore, told in Pelkie, the too. me it split was right? country where States? that no...but there's no there. there. followers is it? Only used to here! go to the Pelkie Church, and Handock. anything there's nothing else you can add about else. we covered it There's fairly this? nothin~ else. well? tape R: They don't I: There's still remember back that; but took, that's all down. a no too? happened there in Finland. didn't Laestadian? the country. Allover Laestadian Congregatioa happened throughout so they the Congregation... is allover there is but and asked forgiveness. now that Pel~ie Church that There's no one anymore. in Tapiola thoug., right. now 1-32 R: Yeah, I: And... R: ...and Alston, even sold that I: So that's Tapiola but not church. That in Pel~ie. is out altogether. They what happened finally. R: I: What do you think the future of Laestadian Congregation is in the world that we live now; as you seem to see it after being for forty years and bein~ roughly eighty years old. a speaker R: That's only place where peoples get to heaven. All them that is going o~~ from life Christianity they's dead one. No matter where they is and no matter who they is, they's dead one. So pick they pull themselt out ~rom life Christianity, they's dead one. I: What about the R: Yeah, bornin~ They call _in Calumet? I know that place. They started and I know them peoples namely I: Takkinen? R: Huh? I: Takk11\en? R: l'V. I: 0., R: Yeah old country. I: Yeah, way? I ~! Yeah, sure! themselves there in north where I been who started that. you mean in the old country? rightness know that too. Sure they Do you feel is going there wrong are In...going way. the wrong That was same way selt- where they landed like_- I: When you say self-rightness, R: Yeah. I: Sort of think? R: No T! I don't thinking that they you mean self-rightousness? can judge others? Is that what you .no, they. understand the way you use that word. I'm sorry. 1-33 R: They believe when we do this and do taat, we ~et to altogether wrong. I can't explain this like I like, that I shut my mouth. I: Okay, R: Yeah I; Okay. you could do better in Finnish...no doubt. heaven. so it's That's better
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