Henry & Liisa Jamsa
&
Jacob & Edla Ilkka
These families became linked with the marriage of their two children:
Waino LukeJamsa
&
Helmi Alena Illka
The sod house or "soddy" came before the log cabin during frontier settlement of the United States. The prairie lacked standard building materials such as wood or stone; however, sod from thickly-rooted prairie grass was abundant. Prairie grass had a much thicker, tougher root structure than modern landscaping grass. Construction of a sod house involved cutting patches of sod in rectangles, often 2's1'x6' long, and piling them into walls. Builders employed a variety of roofing methods.
&
Jacob & Edla Ilkka
These families became linked with the marriage of their two children:
Waino LukeJamsa
&
Helmi Alena Illka
These families were able to obtain land through a US Federal law - Homestead Act. It offered free farmland (160 acres or one-fourth section of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River) to settlers who built a dwelling (usually a Sod House - picture below) and cultivated the land for five years. The Homestead Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862. The applicants had to live on the land for five years and show evidence of having made improvements. Only about 40 percent of the applicants who started the process were able to complete it and obtain title to their homestead land.
The Jamsa & Ilkka families completed the process of Homesteading. We have a written history recorded by Anna Ilkka stating that Jacob and Edla Ilkka did indeed build a sod house on the Ilkka farm. We believe Henry Jamsa may have also built a sod house.
The Jamsa & Ilkka families completed the process of Homesteading. We have a written history recorded by Anna Ilkka stating that Jacob and Edla Ilkka did indeed build a sod house on the Ilkka farm. We believe Henry Jamsa may have also built a sod house. The sod house or "soddy" came before the log cabin during frontier settlement of the United States. The prairie lacked standard building materials such as wood or stone; however, sod from thickly-rooted prairie grass was abundant. Prairie grass had a much thicker, tougher root structure than modern landscaping grass. Construction of a sod house involved cutting patches of sod in rectangles, often 2's1'x6' long, and piling them into walls. Builders employed a variety of roofing methods.
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| 1909 - Brocket, ND (picture contributed by Christine Miller (granddaughter of Anna Ilkka) |
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| Autumn Days in Brocket, North Dakota picture contributed by Christine Miller (granddaughter of Anna Ilkka) |
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| Several Jamsa and Ilkka family members in front of the Finnish Lutheran Church in Enterprize Township, ND. First row third in Jack Ilkka, behind Jack is Amanda Jamsa, Lula Jamsa, Lempi Ilkka, Fanny Ilkka, Mary or Anna Ilkka. Second row from left Eva Kyllenon, Henrik Jamsa, ? Waino Jamsa, Helmi Ilkka,Teacher, Katherine Jamsa and ? |
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