Westerholm Family
As the story goes, one of our ancestors moved in the early 1700s from Lestijarvi in Finland to a farm near Rejpelt to work. He married the farmer's daughter and adopted the name of the farm, "West." It was customary at the time to adopt the name of your location. The West family lived on the West Farm for five generations. Around 1840, Hans West moved to Jakobstad and changed his name to "Westerholm." His grandson, Thor Westerholm, emigrated with his family in 1959 to White Plains, New York, in the United States.
The Westerholm family homestead was on a street called Hamngatan, in the house now painted in yellow. This street led to the harbour (Hamn = harbour) and is one of the oldest streets in Jakobstad. The house across the street, now painted in red, belonged to Matts Karlsson Jussila and Maria Sophia Hämäläinen in 1843. Their granddaughter, Johanna Mattsdotter Widman, married Karl Gustaf Westerholm in 1890. They were the parents of Thor Westerholm, who was my grandfather.
  Hans, Helena and family, 1869 |
Hans Eriksson Westerholm
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 Thor and Margit's home in Jakobstad |
Ferncliff Mausoleum, M08N, G3, A, 2
280 Secor Road, Hartsdale, NY 10530
Location in Mausoleum |
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Höglund Family
Jussila Family
Widman Family
Rudnäs Family
Wikar Family
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