Starting with my grandmother, Ruth Arlene Pollar/Neimi, these ancestors immigrated from Finland (FamilySearch.org) Grandma was born in the United States, but both of her parents came from Finaland.
Grandma’s mother, Emma Marie Johansdotter, was married once before to a man named John Oscar Pollar (photos privately held by Gail Hutchings (Spanish fork, Utah), 2025).
This is a picture of Emma and John. They had four children. John Oscar Pollar worked on the railroad and one day he was pinned between two uncoupled train cars. He died from his injuries.
Marianeimi, Emma and Henrick, photo privately held by Gail Hutchings (Spanish Fork, Utah) 2025.
Emma next married Henry Marianeimi (also spelled Marjaneimi). They had one child, my grandmother, Ruth.
Ruth Arlene Pollar/Neimi, photo privately held by Gail Hutchings (Spanish Fork, Utah), 2025.
You may have noticed that I write my grandmother’s last name as Pollar/Neimi. There is a story behind that. Every family has a skeleton or two in their closet and this is one of mine.
Henry did not like it here in America and wanted to go back to Finland. He took off and eventually made it back to Finland. He eventually passed away there. Emma was so angry with him that she took back her pervious married name, Pollar, and also gave that name to Ruth. This is why I write Ruth’s last name the way that I do. When Ruth was 12 Henry reached out to them to tell them he was established again in Finland and invited them to join him. Of course, they didn’t, for which I am glad because Ruth later met and married Alfred Walter Peters, my grandfather. I will share with you the marriage record of Henry and Emma below.
Certificate of Marriage, Iron Mountain, Dickinson County, Michigan, United States, record for Henry Marianeimi and Emma Pollar, privately held by Gail Hutchings.