A Special Visitor for the Town of Hiles

In the beginning of February, a gentleman from Sweden emailed the Pittsville Community Library asking for help in locating information regarding his great-great grandma who immigrated from Finland to the Pittsville area in about 1902. He knew that the grandmother died in 1930 and was buried in Pittsville. He also knew that the grandmother’s son died at age 100 in 1970, and that his sister died in 1982 at age 96. They were all buried in Mound Cemetery in the City of Pittsville. The library emailed Charlene Orgel, Pittsville City Clerk, to see if she could locate the gravestones. She did and sent pictures to him. He then inquired if anybody knew about the farm they had in the Town of Hiles. Char then emailed me to see if I knew anybody who would have recollection about the family and the whereabouts of the farm, as he would like to visit with them when he came to the United States for a vacation in April. The farm in question was the Frank and Josefina (Fina) Johnson (brother and sister) farm, located on Cary-Hiles Road just west of Wolf Road on the south side of the road. I had heard stories about Frank and Fina from Grany and Marie Rosenquist so I emailed that information to the gentleman from Sweden, Ralf Lind. He was very exited to hear that the farm was still standing (now used as a hunting cabin) and looked forward to seeing it when he came. In the mean time, I had mentioned this to Paul Yetter, whose family (Allen and Mabel Yetter) lived next to the Johnsons. Paul was very interested in meeting him, as were his brothers and sisters.

The day to meet Ralf finally came on Tuesday, April 26th. Ralf came into Pittsville, stopped at Baum’s Mercantile and met JB, and together with Char and myself, went to the cemetery to see the gravesites of his relatives. From there we went to the Hiles Town Hall for lunch. Grany and Marie and the Yetter family came to meet Ralf and talk to him about his relatives and what they remember. Pam (Yetter) Pralle and Paul Yetter had found MANY mementos and photographs from Frank and Fina that their parents had saved and which they gave to Ralf. Some of the items were too large for Ralf to take so the Yetters are sending them to Ralf in Sweden once he returns.

It reminds us why we love living in a small town where neighbors come together to help a gentleman we never met and didn’t know to better understand his family’s history.

Paul Yetter with a box of mementoes of Frank and Fina Johnson From L to R – Paul Yetter, Sandy (Yetter) Carter, Ralf Lind, Grany Rosenquist

Looking at old photographs that the Yetter Family had of Frank and Fina Johnson L to R: Pam (Yetter) Pralle, Sandy (Yetter) Carter, and Ralf Lind

Reminiscing L to R: Charlene Orgel, Allen Yetter, Jr., and Paul Yetter

More good talk around the table Clockwise from bottom left: Charlene Orgel, Allen Yetter, Jr., Paul Yetter, Sandy (Yetter) Carter, Pam (Yetter) Pralle, Ralf Lind, Grany Rosenquist, & Marie Rosenquist

Ralf Lind and Charlene Orgel

From L to R: Sandy (Yetter) Carter, Allen Yetter, Jr., Pam (Yetter) Pralle, Paul Yetter, Grany Rosenquist, Charlene Orgel, Marie Rosenquist, and Ralf Lind

From L to R: Marie Rosenquist, Grany Rosenquist, Sandy (Yetter) Carter, Pam (Yetter) Pralle, Allen Yetter, Jr., Paul Yetter, Ralf Lind, & Trent Miner