Gorham Township (Kivikoski, Lappe, Tarmola and North Branch) was settled from the west in the early 20th century, lastly the easternmost region of North Branch at the time of the 1910s economic downturn and World War. The boundaries of the villages were vague and the residents’ own opinion may have differed from the defined school districts, for example. Every village had a Finn Hall of its own, usually managed by local socialist activists, and Lappe also had an active congregation and a church. Kivikoski Post Office served the entire area for a long time.

Although settlers from Southern Ostrobothnia were generally the majority at the time, a significant number of notable Savonian families also settled in Gorham. In the towns where immigrants first arrived, word spread within their own circles, and it was easier to follow acquaintances than to join a completely unfamiliar group. The residents of Tarmola appear to have been very cooperative. Two different river driving crews working on the two rivers joined forces downstream. Early on, a water-powered shingle mill was built along the river, and its products were used in the construction of cabins throughout the area. Later, in the 1920s, a dairy cooperative was established, and many families took turns transporting its products to the city.

Lukkarinen family

Iivari Lukkarinen (1874–1949) was the first settler in Tarmola, Concession III, Lot 11. He arrived at his lot on foot from the direction of Kivikoski in 1910. At that time, no roads had been built yet, and those who came after him had to build a raft to get across the river to the far end of Tarmola. Iivari was originally from Lukkarila in Nilsiä, but his family later moved to Lapinlahti, from where Iivari emigrated in 1909.

The farm mainly produced potatoes, which Iivari sold to restaurants and hotels in the city, but his main source of income was forestry and log driving work. It wasn’t until 1922, when Iivari married Helena Savolainen, who had just arrived from Finland, that they acquired cows and started operating a dairy farm.

Helena’s grown-up daughter Betty used the Lukkarinen surname when she got married, but otherwise the Lukkarinen name seems to have disappeared from Thunder Bay.

Pursiainen family

Abo Pursiainen (1883–1947) was also one of the pioneers of Tarmola.
He and his older brother, John Pursiainen (1877–1941), came from Keyritty in Nilsiä. They arrived a few months apart in 1911 and began their lives as settlers on neighboring farms at Concession IV, both unmarried at the time. Later, their sisters followed: Miina, who died soon after arriving in 1912—likely from an illness contracted on the ship—and in 1922, Helena, who had divorced her husband in Finland.

Abo married Meeri Huhtala, who had come from Siikajoki, in 1917. They had three sons, though none are known to have had descendants. John’s wife was Ulla Föhr, who had come from Nilsiä. They had two children: a son, Ate, who remained unmarried, and a daughter, Martha, who married Reino Kauppi. Martha and Reino had descendants in Kivikoski.

Helena Pursiainen and her husband, Santeri Polso, who had come from Veteli, lived in Port Arthur town, but spent a lot of time in Tarmola with their relatives.

Taskinen family

Kalle Taskinen (1872–1934) and his wife, Helena Rissanen (1870–1940), both from Nilsiä, established a homestead next to the Pursiainen lots in Tarmola. Helena was well known in the area as a midwife.

Their son, Kalle Juho, married the previously mentioned Betty Lukkarinen. Their daughter, Aini Loviisa, married Jeremias Jäntti, who had come from Suonenjoki.
Their daughter, Eva Helena, further married Niilo Nurmi, who had a homestead in North Branch. All of them lived with their children for a long time in Gorham.

Korkola family

Paavo Korkola (1859–1934) and Eric Korkola (1870–1947), originally from Rautavaara with surname Korkalainen, came to Canada at the beginning of the century and established homesteads in Kivikoski. Paavo and his wife, Malviina Korhonen, had a farm on the McIntyre side, while Eric and his wife, Anna Hietala, operated a dairy farm in Gorham.

Following Paavo and Malviina to Canada, at different times, came their six children, who together had at least 17 descendants. Eric had married Anna in Helsinki, and in Canada they had nine children, who in turn had four known descendants—likely more.

Sons of Paavo and Eric’s brother Heikki also came to Canada: Henry Korkola, Moses Korkola, John Korkola, and August Korkola, all of whom spent most of their lives in Fort William. The Korkola clan also included their nephew, Elmer Korkola, who was a lumber and motel entrepreneur in Fort William and Kakabeka Falls.

Karhunen (Peterson) family

Of the sons of Pekka Karhunen and Anna Maria Vesterinen from Karttula, Moses Peterson (1879–1918) came to Canada in 1910 with his wife, Aino Kurttila, and their three children. They settled in Tarmola. His older brother, Kalle Peterson (1874–1953), arrived as a widower in 1912 with his son Lauri, setttling on two lots in Kivikoski.

After Moses died of the Spanish flu in 1918, Aino and Kalle were married and continued running both homesteads, until Lauri took over his father’s lots .

Anna Maria, the mother of Kalle and Moses, also came to Canada, as did her son Peter Peterson, whom she had after becoming a widow.

Other Savonians in Gorham

Even the following list is incomplete.

Kalle Kuusisto (Kauranen), spouse Ida Turakainen, both from Puumala, Lappe.

Otto Ville Kainulainen, spouse Aina Rissanen, both from Nilsiä, Tarmola.

Lauri Peter Miettinen from Nilsiä, spouse Elizabet Holappa from Siikajoki, Tarmola.

Heikki Lappalainen, spouse Elisa Korppi, both from Liperi, Tarmola.

Hjalmar Väänänen from Nilsiä, spouse Hilma Hellgren from Jalasjärvi, Tarmola.

Antti Pitkänen, spouse Kirsti Korhonen, both from Nilsiä, Kivikoski.