History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Jaaska, John superintendent of the cordwood department of the Hackley-Phelps-Bonnell Co.'s plant at Phelps, Vilas County, was born in Finland, Sept. 29, 1874, son of John and Mary (MILLMAKI) JAASKA, the former of whom is now deceased but the latter living in Finland. He was educated in the schools of his native land and in 1893 came to America, locating first at Pequama, Mich., where he was engaged for about five years in sawmill work. After that he spent three years in the copper mines and then went to Kaleva, Manistee County, Mich., where he bought some land and started farming. After a short time, however, he gave up that occupation and opened a general mercantile store in Kaleva, which he conducted for six years. In June, 1908 Mr. JAASKA came to Phelps, Vilas County and engaged in the real estate business with K. P. NYBERG, in which they were quite active, colonizing about 100 families in Phelps Township, the greater part of whom were Finlanders. Of these over 80 percent have developed their land and are today prosperous farmers doing a large dairy business. After two years in that business Mr. JAASKA engaged in road building, chiefly on contract, building logging railroads for the Hackley-Phelps-Bonnell Co., but also township and county roads. In 1920 he was made superintendent of the cordwood department of the company above mentioned, having full charge of all the cordwood and its handling, from the hiring and keeping time of the men to the delivery of the wood. The company at Phelps consumers over 50 cords a day in their plant. Mr. JAASKA is a man of industry who has wisely invested his savings, being the owner of a farm of 100 acres on Smoky Lake. He has taken a strong and practical interest in the progress of the town of Phelps, which he served at one time as superintendent of highways and is now serving as supervisor. He is a member and chairman of the board of trustees of the Lutheran Church. On July 3, 1895, Mr. JAASKA was united in marriage with Mary WICKMAN, and he and wife are the parents of nine children: Hilda, now Mrs. Albert PREY of Phelps; John T., residing at home with his parents; Lillian, who is a stenographer in Duluth; and Waino, Pearl, Leon, Paul, Thomas and Francis, at home. The two last mentioned are twins.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 531-532, History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

You are our [an error occurred while processing this directive] Visitor --Thanks for Stopping By.

© Copyright: All files on this website are protected by the US Copyright Law, Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, they are not to be copied or altered in any way for commercial use. Individuals may copy the information for their personal use. WIGenWeb Oneida and Vilas County Coordinator Judy Groh.