Fortune – Charles Holm

Week 11’s theme is “Fortune.” Merriam-Webster gives several definitions for fortune: A large sum of money; prosperity attained partly through luck; or destiny, fate. Here’s my story.

Finland has a long and often confusing history.  It fell under Swedish realm in the 1300’s.  During the 1700’s Russia terrorized the people of Finland and was eventually ceded to Russia by the Swedes in 1809.  Finnish sailors knew about the American California Gold Rush of 1848 and some even abandoned their ships to seek their fortune in the Land of Opportunity.  1866 brought the Finnish Famine which spanned to 1868. It was caused by extensive flooding that resulted in potatoes and vegetables rotting in the fields of Finland.  About 15% or 270,000 people died in just three years.  It was called “the great hunger years” or the “suuret nälkävuodet”.  Over 146,000 people were forced to leave Finland and Sweden between 1866 and 1873.

The Finns fled their country, looking for opportunity and fortune in America.  Many were recruited by companies in the US who needed cheap labor – like in the mines.  This is where my ancestor, Charles Holm, enters the picture.  He emigrated about 1886 at the age of 20 from Finland to the US.  Johanna (Erickson), his soon to be wife, immigrated about the same time.  One family legend is that Johanna was well educated in private schools and Charles was a laborer who fell in love with Johanna.  Johanna was told by her family she could not marry Charles, and when the opportunity came to emigrate, they left Finland together.  Another family legend is that they met aboard ship.  I have yet to find immigration/passenger lists with either of their names so that will remain a mystery for now.

They did both ended up in Leadville, Colorado and according to Johanna’s obituary, they married in June of 1887.  However, I found a marriage certificate that records the date as May of 1888.  In December of 1888, they had their first son, Oscar. Hmmmm.  After that came Alfred and Eileen.  Mining in Leadville was slowing by that point so in 1892 they made their way across the divide into Aspen, again looking to make good there.

Seven more children were then born in Aspen, including my grandfather Ivan and a set of twin girls Ruth and Rose.  There was also Ellen, Carl, Richard and Viola.  Charles continued to mine and the family lived first on Main St in Aspen, then later in 1892 purchased two lots in an area known as Oklahoma Flats or the Swedish Section, for $500.  Back then there were only a few homes and some dairy farms in the area.  In 1893 Charles is listed in the Aspen City Directory.

I believe Charles must have been a valuable miner and was brought back to Leadville to help with the silver mines there as he shows up in the 1894 and 1895 Leadville City directories by himself living on Strayhorse Road above Robert Emmet Shaft and working for the Union Leasing and Mining Company.  

In August of 1896 Charles and Johanna became citizens of the United States at the age of 30.  My grandfather, Ivan Walter, was born in Mar of 1899, just before the turn of the new century. As a boy, Ivan had pneumonia, and remembered his mother continuously heating plates and placing them on his chest until he was better.

By 1910 they had saved enough to have a home built on their property in Oklahoma Flats, although in the census of that year, Charley, as it was listed, had been unemployed for 16 months.  The reason could have been water.  Water was a problem in the Aspen mines and work was stopped in 1910 at the Smuggler and other properties because of flooded shafts.  Many suggestions were made in an effort to solve the problem, but the lower pumps seemed to get hopelessly clogged and many people feared the mines were closed for good.

Things turned around and Charles and Johanna purchased two other lots in Aspen, one of which became their home at 135 W. Francis Street, for $300.

During WWI mining operations fell and in the 1920’s the population of Aspen dwindled. Many buildings in Aspen fell to ruin.  Charles and Johanna stayed in the home they loved in the city they called home.  Charles continued to mine, when the opportunity presented itself in the silver mines nearby.

Johanna was very personable and was even able to make a chipmunk her pet.  It followed her and Charles around everywhere they went.  Someone slipped and fell on the chipmunk at one point, which broke its leg.  Charles made a splint for the chipmunk until its leg healed.

Charles died at the age of 60.  His obituary stated that he was known as one of Aspen’s best miners and was widely known and highly esteemed. But the occupation took the best of him and he died of miners consumption in Aug of 1926.One of Johanna’s grandchildren remembers calling her “Bangy” and they would sit around the kitchen table at Christmas, wrapping candy and other gifts to be sent back to family in Helsinki.

Johanna died at the age of 72 in 1939.  She was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church in Aspen.  Both Charles and Johanna are buried in the Red Butte Cemetery, Aspen, CO.

Side note: with the declining population of Aspen after Johanna’s death, their children sold their home and extra land a year before WWII broke out.  It is well known that after the war, Aspen became a ski destination due to its climate and accessibility to a great mountain perfectly suitable for ski runs.  Charles never made his fortune mining and they never made it selling their property once Aspen became what it is today.  However, they were well loved and respected, devoted to each other and their family.  I am fortunate to come from such good people.