Otto & Lydia's history
Otto came to the United States in 1900 at age 22, and received his naturalization papers in 1905 in Houghton County, Michigan. He married Lydia Alina Koski on December 26, 1901, in Michigan. She was born December 20, 1886, in Atlantic Mine, Michigan, a daughter of Matt and Helena Koski. Lydia had just turned 15 years old, six days prior getting married to Otto. To this union were born 11 living and two stillborn children.
Otto and Lydia moved to Perth, North Dakota in 1908. First they lived on a farm north and east of Perth called the “Adams place”, and later referred to as “Bengston farm.” Then they moved to a farm six miles north and one mile west of Perth called the “Taylor place”, then to the “Wilson place”, which was one-half mile north of the Finnish Apostolic Cemetery. The next move was to a farm one mile east of the Taylor farm which was Matt Koski’s farm. Eventually Otto was able to buy the Taylor place. There they spent the remainder of their farming years. The Taylor place was eventually bought by Bill and Edna Hoyhtya and is now known as the Hoyhtya farm.