Gambägåsgubbi

Translated by Ulla Karlsen
Edited by Joelle Steele (04/19/1951- )

My grandfathers name was Anders Jonasson Furu (10/20/1839-12/20/1923), but he was usually called Gambägåsgubbi, "the old man from Gambägås." I do not have any personal memories of Grandfather Anders; he passed away when I was one and a half years old. However, I feel a certain pride and humility in the fact that Gambägåsgubbi was precisely my Grandfather! It is something in the blood and in the past that cannot be explained. It feels like a close kinship, as if we agreed on most things in life.

Grandfather Anders was special in many ways. He was a farmer, craftsman, businessman, and inventor, a combination that produced hustle and bustle in Gambägås in those days. Something was always happening, eyes open for the winds of progress. Grandfather Anders was stern and gruff when it was called for, hot-headed at times, but not mean. His thunderous voice was respected. When the children were playing on precarious fall-ice, they had to get away from there. If his stern voice did not do it, he then walked down to the river and physically chased them away, no matter whose children they were. This was done out of concern for the playing children, although his thought may have also returned to the sad incident in the spring of 1780 during the time of the spring flood, when the master of Gambägås, "Furu-Oll," was going to open the dam above the Furu rapids, but fell in the whirling rapids and found his grave in the river. His body was never recovered.

Grandfather Anders’ father was Jonas Henriksson Storbacka-Alperi (09/15/1803-07/15/1866). He was born in Alperi in Röringe Vetil and died at Storbacka in Småbönders. Jonas came to the village as a son-in-law, married to Anna Johansdotter Storbacka (04/08/1810-01/14/1890). The two of them had 14 children, and that same rich fertility has continued through many later generations. The children were: Johan Henrik (02/15/1828-09/14/1830), Brita Cajsa (04/05/1829-07/18/1829), Anna (10/24/1831-1834), Maria (06/09/1833-09/16/1834), Jonas (12/19/1835-12/12/1882), Lena Cajsa (05/23/1846-01/13/1888), Maria (05/12/1850-10/25/1881), Anna Lovisa (04/06/1836-03/31/1920), Johannes (07/07/1837-03/23/1838), Matthias (Matts)(09/25/1843-07/01/1872), Johannes (06/25/1847-04/26/1901, twins Nils (04/27/1854-?) and Henrik Gustav (04/27/1854-12/19/1855), and Anders (10/20/1839-12/20/1903)

Grandfather Anders was born at Storbacka in Småbönders. He married to Maria "Big Maj" Mattsdotter Furu (01/01/1847-11/12/1922) on July 11,1865. Maria was sought after by some of the other farm-boys in the village also. At a wedding at Storbacka, Grandfather Anders got into a fight with "Jakopas-Kalle," who was also interested in Maj. Grandfather Anders turned out to be the winner, and after the marriage to his 18-year old bride he said: "There is no other, except Gräni-Lovisa, who is better looking than Maj, who has walked up the aisle to the altar." Their marriage lasted 57 years and produced 11 children to feed.

Grandmother Maria was later called "Big-Maj," not because she was especially tall or heavy. She was more of the softly rounded type of woman. The term "big" pointed more to the fact that she stood firmly with both feet on the ground. Grandfather Anders traveled often, and the farm needed a firm and guiding hand in his absence. After they married, they moved into Anders’ home-farm at Storbacka, where they were going to face the future together. One step in this direction was that Maria, with her husband’s permission and according to the customs of the time, on November 2, 1865, sold her share in her home-farm, 11/1296^th of a "mantal" (a unit of land used to assess taxes on the common people) of Furu taxable homestead, to her brother Matts Mattsson Furu (1843-12/07/1871) at Gambägås, since he was the one who was going to continue on the old family homestead.

But destiny turned the future in a different direction. On December 7, 1871, only 4 months after his marriage to Anna Lovisa Carlsdotter Widjeskog (02/12/1852-01/28/1912), Matts passed away, leaving the homestead without a master and in danger of being split up or falling into unknown hands. On May 10, 1872, 17/216 "mantal" of the taxable Furu homestead was offered for sale at a public auction. The seller of this part of the homestead that had earlier been portioned out of the original Gambägsås property, was a minor, Maria Mattsdotter Furu (12/25/1852-08/10/1885), daughter of Maria Johansdotter Döfnäs Lillrank (07/06/1814-11/02/1876) and her first husband, Matts Johansson Furu (09/27/1784-05/08/1860). We will let a part of the text of the purchase agreement speak:

"When the bidding was started and several bids had been made, the farmer Anders Jonasson Furu ended up with the highest bid of five thousand-six hundred mark (5,600), Finnish money, of which one hundred mark of the previously mentioned currency is paid now and receipt given. The rest shall be paid within six months, with an interest of 6 percent, starting from this day."

Through the purchase of this homestead Grandfather Anders got a foothold at Furu. The rest followed, on October 19, 1874, when Grandfather Anders bought from his wife's sister Anna Lovisa Mattsdotter Furu (02/28/1854-02/05/1875), 17/486 mantal of taxable Furu homestead. The price was 2000 mark. Later, he acquired the 85/3888 mantal parts of Furu homestead that had been owned by his mother-in-law, Maria Jakobsdotter Furu (05/07/1818-10/11/1890). By making these land purchases, Grandfather Anders became the owner-farmer at Furu taxable homestead #13 in Kortjärvi village, Terjärv parish. In 1878, he sold his 1/16 mantal homestead at Storbacka to his brother Jonas Jonasson Storbacka (12/19/1835-12/12/1882). Grandfather Anders and Grandmother Maj did not move to Gambägås right away. In the church records it states that they lived at Storbacka until the fall of 1875. Their first child, Anders Alfred (05/26/1867-06/19/1937) was born at Storbacka. Even so, Grandfather used the last name Furu in a purchase agreement dated in 1872. However, it is possible that the purchase agreement was written at a later time than the date shows, and it is also possible the family resided both at Furu and Storbacka during those years since they owned both places.

When Anders and Maj were newly married the famine years of 1867-1868 approached. Crowds of roaming people who had been forced out on paths and roads due to hunger, came from the central parts of the country. Many came to our village, and some of them found work clearing land. The pay was the necessities in clothing and food for the day. To Gambägås came two weak men who begged to work for food. The loft in the horse-barn was made into housing for them. Grandfather Anders followed their doings and noticed that they did not accomplish a great deal in the beginning. But slowly their strength grew and the men were very thankful when they continued on. Anders had, as they expressed it, saved their lives. These men worked on the foundation for a new barn and two rooms for manure below it. The two rooms for manure were each about 4 x 8 meters with a height of over 3 meters, and with doors facing the road. There was also other hired help, among others "Papas-Smeden" Matt Furu, who for his work received 37 silver rubles.

The repercussions of the famine years of 1867-1868 lasted for several years. For some reason there seems to have been food available in Småbönders during those years. The church records from 1869-1878 indicate that during this period of time there were at the Furu homestead up to 45 maids and farm-hands, most between 17 and 25 years of age. Of those, 12 had their work and food at Gambägås with Grandfather Anders. There were as many at "Fossas," ten at "Stråkas," three at Johan Hansson’s in Heimbacka, and one at crofter Anders Andersson's. During some years, some farms had three to four maids and farm-hands.

Grandfather Anders walk through life was varied and rich in experiences. The homestead and the farming, however, were closest to his heart. Rocky, hilly fields, stump-filled, burn-beaten lands, and a variety of grass-covered fields provided more than enough work, and also the daily bread. Gambägåsgubbi took charge with a firm hand and the able help of his wife. His life as a farmer came during a time when many advances were made in the way that farming was done. Burn-beating was begun, plows, harrows, mowers, and threshing-machines took up the struggle with stony hills and ditches, with the scythe, the sickle and the steady pounding of the flail in the barn.

At the end of the 1800s, Grandfather Anders also bought a homestead in Evijärvi, Ina. The homestead, however, was sold after a while; the distance and the poor road for the horse-drawn carts made it too difficult. In 1910, he sold his homestead at Furu to his sons Viktor Andersson Furu (07/03/1876-06/11/1919) and (Frans) Oskar Andersson Furu (01/09/1889-04/03/1967), for a purchase-price of 22,000 mark. As of 1999, the largest part of this homestead was owned by my brother, Leo Gustav Oskarsson Furu (06/09/1933- ), and his wife Hilkka Marjatta Mäntylä (08/12/1941-07/25/2000). Their son, Daniel Johannes Furu (10/02/1979- ), will most likely stay on at the homestead.

Grandfather Anders could read and write and was eager to get a primary school to the village. In 1891, the question of building a primary school in Småbönders was taken under consideration at a county hearing in Terjärv. It was voted down. But the people in the village did not give up. At a village hearing on January 7, 1893, the population in the village took the matter into their own hands and decided that a "simple higher primary school" was to be built at Furu. The people in the village brought logs that Grandfather Anders cut for free at his sawmill by the Furu rapids. In the fall of that same year, the first year of operation was begun at the school. Grandfather was in charge of materials and labor in this building project. A worn "Contra-book" has been kept for posterity, and in it there are notes regarding workdays, materials, paid out salaries, and other things that had to do with the building project.

The sawmill by the Furu-rapids.

On the east side of Furu-rapids there has been, from time immemorial, a sawmill for household use. In 1786 it was equipped with a blade and assessed for tax purposes to cut 140 fir logs. This household saw has gone through many adventures, changed owners, fallen into disrepair, and been built up again. In the 1870s, the saw most likely was in disrepair; in the year 1874, a number of farmers in the village, led by Gambägåsgubbi, applied for permission to build a saw at Furu-rapids.

The writ regarding this, reads as follows:

From Mister Baron and The Governor the undersigned most humbly ask for permission to build a sawmill with two frames, at Furu rapids in Kronoby river, on the property of Furu homestead, in Kortjärvi village of Terijarvi Kapell (Terjärv Church).

Kronoby June 9, 1874, signed: Anders Andersson, Gustaf Jakobsson , Matts Johansson sr., Matts Johansson, Jr., Anders Johansson Furu, Gustaf Andersson, Elias Abrahamsson, Jonas Jonasson, Karl Andersson, and Anders Abrahamsson Storbacka. Anders Johansson and Anders Nilsson Widjeskog. Matts Andersson and Matts Mattson Manderbacka. Gustaf Johansson Larikbacka.

Farmers from Terijärvi Kapell of Kronoby county.

The first response from the office of the governor read as follows:

It is the duty of the applicant, Anders Furu, and others to come here and show proof of ownership or right of possession, to the site, for the before-mentioned establishment, at which time the negotiations will resume.

The land-office of Wasa province, July 20, 1874.

This turned into a tangled skein. Before the year 1875 was over, 29 pieces of paper had been written on the matter. There were problems with the documents regarding ownership, and the sawmill builders wanted the right to dam year around, while the landowners above the rapids, mainly the people in Evijärvi, were against damming during the time of hay-harvesting.

The question was solved when Grandfather Anders bought the tumble down mill from the villagers. Included in the purchase was the so-called sawmill plan. Of the purchase price of 1,000 mark, half was paid right away. Among the terms of the purchase contract was that the sawmill was to be restored to a working condition or else be returned to the ownership of the villagers. The purchase agreement was signed by 19 landowners from Småbönders and by Johan Hansson and Anders Mattsson Nybacka (Nykänen).

In 1886, the people of the village again came together, and the earlier purchase agreement was changed. The 500 mark Grandfather Anders had paid was now enough. In exchange for that, the previous owners had priority rights to the saw if there were larger lots waiting to be processed. The agreement ended with the statement that the buyer "can own the before-mentioned sawmill for the future as his legal property." This took place "in the presence of witnesses," at Furu homestead, September 20, 1886. The contract was written by Grandfather's rival suitor, Karl Storbacka.

The right to build the dam was missing, but the saw was repaired. Presumably there was a verbal agreement with the landowners above the rapids. A new waterwheel was built, and Grandfather Anders himself made a shake-cutter with two blades. Among others, the new primary school got its first roof from Grandfather’s shake-machine. His own house, 9.5m x 17m, got a roof made from those shakes. It was replaced by another shake roof in the beginning of the 1930s.

The chains that pulled the logs to the saw were very heavy, and some of them are still in existence. Fridolf Furu told me about the deafening clatter that was heard when the iron-sheathed "bear drum" was running and pulling the logs into the sawmill.

Once Grandfather Anders bought a ship's mast from a boat that was being dismantled. The mast was made of mahogany and was over half a meter in diameter at the base. This was turned into very beautiful and durable planks, and a few pieces are still preserved. Mahogany is a very hard wood and it is a mystery how grandfather got the thick mast cut. At another time, he got the idea that the waterwheel from the saw could also be used as a source of power for the thresher. With the help of a carpenter and his son from Alajärvi, a threshing machine was built on the west-side of Furu rapids, about 50 meters from the sawmill. With a heavy belt, the power was transferred from the saw to the thresher. Along the belt were several steering wheels that kept it from being tossed this way and that. This was in the 1890s, when threshing machines were quite primitive, as was this one which did not have a blower for cleaning the threshed grain. But Grandfather Anders built one of these on his threshing machine, and since the threshing-house was located on a steep hillside, a four- meter deep chaff-house was built at the lower end of the hillside. Through a hole in the floor, the chaff went directly into the chaff-house during threshing.

The grain from machine-threshing was, of course, not as dry as people were used to from hand threshing. Because of this Grandfather Anders constructed a large dryer for the grain at the south-end of the "home threshing-house." The compartments in the dryer were about three meters high, and because of the need for ventilation, made of diagonally placed boards; the grain was filled into it from above. A large oven of natural stone gave both heat and smoke; the smoke was in those days considered both necessary and healthy. The dryer was still there in the 1930s.

The saw mill by Furu rapids itself was severely damaged during the unusually high spring flood of 1905 and was not in use after that. The building was still standing during the 1920s. At a meeting on October 2, 1916, Grandfather Anders gave up "all future rights of ownership to Furu rapids saw-mill," and returned it, including the "saw-plan," to the former owners, that is, the people in the village. Furu rapids was dredged at the end of the 1950s, and in the place where the saw had been standing, slightly higher up on the shore, Småbönders Co-operative dairy was built in 1927. The processing of milk ended there in 1949, when they began transporting the milk to Terjärv Co-op dairy in the church village. In the 1950s a grain-dryer and a sorter were placed in the old dairy building, which burned to the ground in 1964. On the same foundation as the dairy had been standing, Småbönders Co-op store built a café in 1967.

Husbandry and farming at Gambägås during Grandfathers time.

In the olden days, the meadowlands were of vital importance to farmers; they provided hay for the animals. Some of the trees and bushes were cleared away, and the biggest of the mounds were leveled so that it was easier to cut the meadow with the scythe. At the end of the 1800s, new winds began to blow, burn-beating began on a larger scale. Even here, Grandfather Anders was out early: On June 15, 1897, an inspection was made and plans prepared for cultivation of Wammossa and Svedjemosshagen, a combined area of 6.20 hectares (1 hectare . 2½ acres). The plans for the land reclamation were very detailed, and all the papers – 45 pages of text – are still preserved. The combined length of the drainage ditches was 1,040 meters; they were to be 110 centimeters deep with a width of 60 cm at the bottom and 130 cm at the top. The length of the regular ditches between the strips of tilled land was 6,412 meters and were to be dug 85 cm deep. The bottom and the top measurement were also 85 cm. The ditches evidently were square with vertical sides. According to the proposal, the strips of tilled land were 10 meters wide and 1,741 loads of clay were to be brought to the reclaimed acreage. The proposed cost for the project was 3,000 mark. The largest items were excavation, 1,066 mark, and digging of ditches 1,114.20 mark. Also to be spread over the new acreage were 620 kilos of "kainnit" and 300 kilos of tomas-slagg. A loan was requested for the land reclamation and was approved in the amount of 3,000 mark by the official Finnish government offices. According to Arne Storbacka, this was the first time a mortgage was taken out for land reclamation in Småbönders.

An interesting fact in connection with the loan is, that an appraisal of the farm was done. The appraisal gives us a good pictuere of the living conditions around the turn of the century. The appraisal was done by district agronomist Gideon Montin, assisted by former farmer Johan Abrahamsson Furu (01/17/1838-03/04/1907) and farmhand Matts Adolf Mattsson Storbacka (07/20/1886-10/12/1906). The appraisal shows that the farm’s cultivated acreage was 17.75 acres of real estate divided into 5 parcels. There was forestland for household use and 50 acres of arable land of medium quality.

When three barrels of rye were seeded, the harvest was 24 barrels. Four barrels of barley gave a harvest of 32 barrels, and five barrels of oats gave a harvest of 35 barrels. Fifteen kilos of hay seed were seeded during a year, and hay from the natural fields was harvested in an amount given in units with the number 900. The farm had 15 cows, 2 oxen, 2 horses, 4 heifers, 20 sheep, and 2 pigs. The dairy business was done according to the "ice method" and the yearly proceeds were 1,500 mark. The current price of the farm was estimated at 16,000 mark and the collateral value of the farm was set at 10,370.84 mark.

Grandfather was an eager supporter of mechanizing the farm work; the heavy manual labor was time-consuming and wore out the farmers too soon. The first mower was brought to the village during the first year of the 1900s. At this time, it was Gambägåsgubbi who was busy. The machine was a one-horse, chain-driven, American-made Mayflower. A mower was something of a miracle in those days, and the rumor that it had arrived in the village caused a large number of farmers to gather to look at the wonder. There were comments and arguments as they looked at the scythe and the chain and driving gear, trying to see similarities to the scythe, that up to now had been the universal equipment when the hay was to be mowed. There was no horse available and the men got impatient. They wanted to see how the miracle worked. Some of the most eager grabbed hold of the machine and started to pull it. It was of course heavy and one of the men said: "This is going to be a pain for the horse." That was not far from the truth. The place where the men were pulling the mower was the field at Heimbacka, where Torolf Johannes Furu (05/23/1925- ) lives as of 1999. Timothy grass had in those days started to be popular, and part of the field was seeded with this.

Grandfather was also interested in breeding cattle. There are about ten old genealogical charts of Ayshire animals preserved, among them one of the bull "Kalif," which was bought from Sippola farm and entered into the Ay-genealogy book of Finland. The bull was born in 1900. Proof of origin is present for two cow-calves of Ay-race, born in 1898 and 1899. Whether these cow-calves were kept in the barn at Gambägås, is not clear. What is clear is that two of Grandfather’s Ay-heifers were present at the Terjärv Farmers Association exhibit in 1905. The heifers were less than two years old, and "Vallmo" received first prize of 7 mark. The second heifer, "Guldros," received second prize. A third Ay-heifer was also present at the exhibition and received first prize, its owner being Anders Sandvik.

The blacksmith, the inventor, and the businessman at Gambägås.

Grandfather Anders also had a forge. It was located a few meters from the bridge over the river. Here, in the smitty, Grandfather was really in his element. He made several different types of harrows and even a two-sided plow, intended to be used for cultivating the potato rows. Also a mill that tore apart the peat was constructed by him, plus an untold number of household articles and tools that were needed on a farm in those days.

Three ironbeds were also made; Grandfather Anders himself slept in one of them. The beds were riveted together from strips of iron and pipes and were richly embellished with castiron dome-shaped cupolas on the corners. They were partly painted white and part of it was bronzed. Grandfather originally meant for all of his children to have this kind of bed. But, he was getting older, and there was not enough time for everything he had planned.

In the attic of the house Grandfather Anders had his lathe. When he was seventy, he got the idea to fabricate hoes for weeding of turnips and household gardens. The handle was made with the lathe and a punch was made; this was attached to the wall of the "lillbodan" [little workshop]. Triangular plates were stamped out of ironplate, and in the smitty next door, one edge was hammered thin and a hole was made in the middle; the whole thing was fastened to the handle with a forged spike.

The horse was hitched to the travel-buggy. Loaded with several sackfulls of hoes, Grandfather Anders was ready to go on a trip and do business. However, his sons managed to end this whole thing. They felt that the man was too old to travel by himself to strange communities. In reality, they did not believe in the profitabilty of his undertaking, which is something Grandfather did; he wanted to take out a patent on the hoes. A couple of sacks of hoes were still around when I was young, and as of 1999, there are still a few hoes left, kept as dear memories of Grandfather’s hearty enterprise. It can be mentioned, that when his grandson, Verner Mikael Viktorsson Furu (08/15/1905-04/13/1981) came to America in 1920, he found in the stores hoes that were almost identical to the ones that Grandfather had made. There in the land of the dollar, the spirit of the age was different, the winds blew favorably for those who were inventive.

Grandfather Anders travelled a lot, and almost always by horse. Twice he went to St. Peterburg, 16 times to Jyväskylä, and several times he went along to Tammerfors when the farmers in the village went there to sell butter and do business. When the "butter trips" were made, it was often several wagonloads that took off. During late winter to early spring, wagon wheels were tied on to the sleds and were put into use if a thaw melted the snow. During a trip to Viborg, Grandfather bought a couple sacks of unfinished sconces and ornaments made out of brass. He filed, hammered, and polished the different parts, forged pieces that were missing himself, and made a very beautiful light fixture that found a place in the ceiling of the big room.

The small light fixture in front of the organ loft in Terjärv church was also made by Grandfather Anders. It was given to the church by the self-taught physician, Johan Varg from Hästbacka village. The light fixture in question was at one time twice as big, but something unusual happened. In the year 1916, the highly esteemed and excellent speaker, A.R. Hedberg, was delivering a sermon to a full church. In the middle of the preaching a whine was heard and then a clattering crash. A dog had jumped out onto the light fixture from the organ loft, causing the light fixture to come loose from the ceiling and fall to the floor. The preacher continued, unconcerned with the interpretation of the text, while the light fixture lay on the floor, broken and deformed. It was repaired and hung up in its former place, half the size as before.

In addition to the delicate forging of items such as lamps and larger light fixtures, Grandfather Anders also liked to do all kinds of puttering about; nothing was impossible for his nimble-fingered hands. Among other things, he made beautiful trays and containers of copper, some of which are still around as of 1999.

Versatility and being good with your hands were inherited traits. Grandfather Anders’ brother Matts (Mathias) Jonasson Storbacka (09/25/1843-07/01/1872), who was stabbed to death at a wedding, was an acknowledged carpenter and painter. Grandfather Anders’ father, Jonas Henriksson Storbacka-Alperi (09/15/1803-07/15/1866), made the gracefully shaped, 14-armed candleabra that is in Terjärv church. It was donated to the church by the church caretaker, Anders Gustav Carlsson Öberg (11/18/1803-1850) and it is taken out and placed on the altar for big celebrations. Grandfather Anders' uncle, Johan Henrik Henriksson (04/24/1794-04/05/1864) at Alperi in Räyrinki was also a very versatile man. He became known as the "master of Alperi," and not without reason. It was said that he could temper steel so well, that it was good enough for a shaving knife. He also made light fixtures, one of which can be found in Vetil church, and one which was sold to Evijärvi. He was also in demand as a carpenter and for working with timber. When the church in Vetil was built, he was there as foreman under master-builder Heikki Kuorikoski. The third of Grandfather Anders' uncles, Anders Henriksson Aho-Alperi (11/27/1800-09/26/1861), is the great-great-grandfather of the former secretary of state, Esko Tapani Kalevanpoika Aho (05/20/1954- ).

The stately, three-storied farmhouse that Grandfather Anders' father, Jonas Henrksson Storbacka-Alperi, grew up in at Alperi in Räyrinki was moved to Kerttuankylä in Evijärvi. The house is called "Väinöntalo," and is part of a group of peasant buildings that, along with their contents, make up one of the largest museums of local history in our country.

The researcher and alchemist.

Dragån river, especially the part of it that flows through "Skogskvarnbacka," has for a long time had a magical attraction: precious metals have been looked for there. When the river was dredged in the 1930s and the furrow was blasted through the primary rock, shiny rocks came out into the daylight. Claims were put on large areas, test drilling was done, and the analysis showed that gold and other metals were present, but not in such amounts that mining was begun.

Grandfather Anders also went to the place several times to look for his lucky stone. Once he had been gone all day without any food and the people at home became worried. They went out looking for him, but did not have to go far, as he was by the Vammosback barns. There he sat, contentedly resting in the twilight. When he was reproached for not having come home, he said with a triumphant glint in his eye, "Quiet boys," and opened his closed fists with the words, "Here I have something that is better than gold. Here is platinum."

The matter about the stones in the Dragån river gave Grandfather Anders no peace in his older days. He could often be found at Forsnacka above Furu rapids. Here he had his kettles and dishes that he kept over a hot fire in order to get melted metal out of the stones. But this was not all, he also mixed in different materials and chemicals in order to produce some kind of alloy that would compare to real gold. In a couple of graphite dishes, made of stone and still preserved, are traces of some unidentifiable masses. Graphite is easy to carve, but has a very high melting point. Whether Grandfather Anders himself made the graphite dishes is hard to say, but it is possible. In Esse, there are graphite blocks that are large enough, and Grandfather often took the road in that direction. His oldest daughter, Alma, was married there. It should also be mentioned that Grandfather worked hard to get a connecting road to Esse by way of Vuojärvi. The present road came a long time later.

Grandfather Anders was also knowledgeable in the art of staunching blood, that is, to be able to staunch the flow of blood in persons who had been seriously injured, by sorcery and spells. My father, Frans Oskar Andersson Furu (01/09/1889-04/03/1967), often told about two cases, one at Wistbacka and the other one in Kortjärvi, where the injured were about to bleed to death. The families came to Gambägåsgubbi and asked for help. The old man was "in his own world" for a while, and after that said: "You can go home now, they are not bleeding any more." This was verified by the help-seekers after they got home. When Grandfather got older and his strength waned, his sons wanted to know how this was done and asked him about it. Grandfather Anders replied: "It is written about in the Bible, but it is such a big sin, that I don't want to teach anybody how to carry on with this skill."

As of 1999, Grandfather Anders' house at Gambägås is the same as before, slightly remodeled and modernized. It was built in Vetil in the beginning of the 1850s and was later moved to Furu. The big room with the side chamber is now occupied by me, while (Agnes) Berit Nygård (10/25/1933- ), the widow of my brother Bror Karl Oskar Furu (01/05/1929-04/01/1985), and their son (Karl) Johan Andreas Furu (06/27/1974- ), own and occupy the second half. The two also own about 4 hectares of cultivated land and 17 hectares of forest land that once belonged to Grandfather Anders.

Gambägåsgubbi’s end came in a way that was perhaps different than expected. He always had something going. One fall day, he was out on the ice of Dragån river on his kick-sledge. He began to follow the tracks of an otter and went through the ice at the out-flow of the river. His cries for help were heard by the brothers (Johan) Edvin Andersson Svartsjö (06/19/1898-05/04/1923) and Matts Leander Andersson Svartsjö (09/15/1892-04/23/1961), who were cutting creepers at "Larikmossklubbi" a few hundred meters away. When they came to the place of the accident, they saw Grandfather Anders swimming around on his back. With the help of a tree trunk from which they removed the branches, they managed to get him out. At that time, he was exhausted and frozen stiff from the cold water. With the help of his two rescuers, Grandfather was taken on the kick-sledge to "Messäsback-Nissa's" cottage. Because of the lack of snow, they put him into an old wheelbarrow and brought him home. There he was met by his better half, Maj, with the words: "You should have a whipping," a remark that alluded to the foolhardiness of an 80-year-old going out on the treacherous ice of the Dragån river, especially since the place of the accident was known to be uncertain and risky.

By a warming fire in the front-room, Grandfather was warmed up and dried out, after which he was properly put into his bed. As a thank-you for saving him from a certain death by drowning, Grandfather gave each of his rescuers a medal. They were made of copper and curved in the middle and bore an inscription " For shown bravery." Unfortunately the medals have since disappeared. After the accident, Grandfather Anders never recovered completely. He got pneumonia, his strength waned, and he slowly became bed-ridden. When Grandmother Maj died in November of 1922, Grandfather was so weak that he had to be helped to sit up in bed when she was "sung out." When the summer was gone and the ground was again frozen, Christmas was at hand. It was the year 1923, and that was when Grandfather went to sleep. An eventful life, an 84-year long journey on earth was ended.