My Family in the Pacific Northwest: 1911 -- 1920

Table of Contents
1911 George Jacob Poysky Begins Professional Career
1912 Finnish Emigrant Works in Poysky Boarding House
1913 Polk Astoria Directory
1913 Daughter Born to John and Sophia Poysky
1916 John and Sophia Poysky File Wills
1917 Tyne Poysky's College Years
1917 World War I Draft Registration
1918 Jack Harris Begins Merchant Marine Career
1919 George Jacob Poysky Marries Eva Florence Keatley
1920 Federal Census
1920 Eva Sophia Poysky Begins College Career
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Website Index
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1911 George Jacob Poysky Begins Professional Career
George J. Poysky began his civil engineering career as the deputy county engineer in Tillamook, OR. He remained there until 1915, at which time George accepted the civil engineering position with Cowlitz Co., WA. His responsibility was to build the first dikes in that county. In 1920, he was supervising the construction of dikes at Rainer, OR.

1912 Finnish Emigrant Works in Poysky Boarding House
Hilma Michelson emigrated from Finland to Astoria, Oregon. Her brother assisted with the fare. Hilma was to sail on the Titanic, but fortunately for her, she missed its departure. The third class on the Titanic was made up primarily of Finns. Most of them drowned when the Titanic struck the ice burg and sank.

"In America it is so warm, the food is so good… and there is so much.” Hilma took a job at the Poysky Boarding House. “It would have been good there, but there were so many men. They would have all hugged me, so I told the Mrs. I was going to leave.” “I made 20 dollars a month and board and room. There were three of us girls working there and we slept in the same room.” Hilma met her husband at the boarding house. She recorded these remembrances for the Pacific Lutheran University Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection in 1979.

1913 Polk Astoria Directory
Polk Astoria Directory: Sophia and John Poysky were listed as residing at 1371 Franklin Ave. His assessment value was $1,775.00

Daughter Born to John and Sophia Poysky
Nov 16, 1913. June Else (Elizabeth), a daughter, was born to John and Sophia Poysky. In Astoria, at that time, babies were born at home. Once the baby had arrived, friends of the family would call on the mother to offer their congratulations and praise the new baby. Mothers remained in bed for several days following the birth, so the friends would walk upstairs to visit. The guests would then be invited to the parlor down stairs for cake and coffee. The traditional baby gift was a bakery cake, which was placed on the table for all guests to sample. June Else was a fourteen cake baby. Anything left over by the guests would have gladly been consumed by the Boarding House staff and the 20 hungry lodgers.

1916 John and Sophia Poysky File Their Wills
Oct 30, 1916. Johan and Sophia Poysky filed their wills in Clatsop County. The wills are identical, with each leaving all his/her property, after paying all just debts, to the surviving spouse. George Poysky is named the executor. No arrangements are made for the dispersal of property after the death of the second spouse. Children are listed as: George J. Poysky, Tyni Christina Poysky, Eva Sophia Poysky, Carl Primus Poysky, Martha Sussanna Poysky, Eno Edward Poysky, Wainor William Poysky and June Else Poysky. Authority is given to sell any property necessary to obtain funds to cover just debts. Both wills were witnessed by A. A. Anderson and J. O. Erickson.

1917 Tyne Poysky's College Years
Tyne Poysky graduated from Astoria High School in 1917, and began her college career as a freshman at the University of California, Berkeley. Tyne traveled to school by train, which was at least a two day trip. At dinner one evening, a man sitting at her table ordered an artichoke with his dinner. Tyne had never seen an artichoke and asked about it. Intrigued, the gentleman invited her to share the choke with him. Tyne did and found it to be delicious.

In Berkeley Tyne lived with family friends, a Lutheran Pastor and his wife. While at Berkeley, she met Jack Harris, her future husband. Upon completion of her freshman year, Tyne transferred to the University of Washington, Seattle, graduating with a BA in history in 1921. Joining in the Spring Sing, and participating in the YWCA were activities she enjoyed while there.

1917 World War I Draft Registration
June, 1917. George Jacob Poysky registered for the WWI draft at Monticello, Cowlitz Co. WA. Home: Mt. Solo, WA. Naturalized citizen. Born Uleaborg (Oulu) Finland. Civil Engineer, job Deputy Co Engineer, Kalama, WA. Single. Description: medium height, medium weight. Light blue eyes, dark hair. No previous military experience. No dependents.

1918 Jack Harris Begins Merchant Marine Career
In February, 1906, Jack Harris, future husband of Tyne Poysky, his two sisters Beryl and Cheryl and parents, moved from Denver to San Francisco. Jack had vivid memories of the shaking of his bed during the 1906 Great San Francisco Earthquake. This author does not remember him mentioning the fires and any family relocations after the quake.

Jack entered Lowell High school after completing grammar school, but had to leave prior to graduation. His family needed another wage earner. Jack obtained a job delivering meat for a local butcher by driving a horse and wagon up Van Ness Avenue. He finished high school through night classes.

1918. Jack Harris obtained a Delayed Birth Certificate in San Francisco. The application was signed by his father John W. Harris and his sister Beryl Harris Trimble. It enabled him to apply to the Merchant Marines for a sailor position. Jack had been born on December 13, 1899, in Denver, Colorado. It was probably a home birth, which had not been recorded by the County Recorder.

!919 - 1921. Jack Harris served on ocean going steam vessels as a Merchant Marines licensed sailor. He began as a sailor apprentice, progressed to an Ordinary seaman, Able seaman, and finally a Quartermaster. In 1921, at age 22. Jack had successfully passed the required test and was a Third Mate on Ocean Going Vessels. He left the Merchant Marines in 1922.

When Jack left the Merchant Marines he worked for several years as a San Francisco sales man, and ran his own business.

1919 George Jacob Poysky Marries Eva Florence Keatley
G.J. Poysky and Eva F. Keatley of Castle Rock, WA were married. Eva Keatley, daughter of Robert and Luella Keatley, was a home economics graduate of Oregon Agricultural College, and was teaching school in Cowlitz County. They probably were married at her family home in Castle Rock, Cowlitz, WA.

1920 Federal Census
1920 Census - Clatsop County, Oregon: John Posky husband, age 59, naturalized citizen, 1891. Born Finland. Sophia Posky wife, age 50, naturalized 1903. Born Finland. Children, all single, all listed at 1371 Franklin Street. Tyne, age 20, Eva age 18, Charles age 16, Martha age 14, Edward age 11, Wayne age 9 and June age 6. All born in Oregon.

1920 Census - Clatsop County. Oregon: Matti Poysky, age 47, birth place Finland, spouse Hanna, age 44, birthplace Finland, Own home. Able to read and write. Children: Saimi Poysky, age 17, daughter, born in Finland; Leonard Poysky, age 15, Yune W. Poysky, son, born in OR age 13. Also in home Peter Poysky age 56.

1920 Census - Cowlitz Co, WA George J. Poysky, age 32 years, married to Eva F Keatley Poysky. Own home, able to read and write. Home Kelso, WA.

1920 Eva Sophia Poysky Begins College Career
1920. Eva Poysky graduated from Astoria High School. Science courses were her major interest.

1920. In September, Eva Sophia Poysky entered the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. During her first year her classes included two home economics classes, music, and chemistry, English, and physical education class every quarter. She earned 33 credits plus 4 units for physical education. Her sister Tyne Harris was also a student at the University of Washington, having transferred from the University of California, Berkeley in 1918. At the end of her freshman year, 1920, Eva transferred to Oregon Agricultural College. Eva probably transferred because Tyne was not coming back to Seattle, and she preferred a smaller college.

This effort is an on-going project, subject to the errors and omissions of all human activities. I gladly receive inquiries, corrections, additions and comments.
Email Jane at poyskyfamily@aol.com

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My Family in the Pacific Northwest, 1896 -- 1910

My Family in the Pacific Northwest, 1921 -- 1930

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Music: Jean Sibelius' Finlandia from Sibelius: Works for a Mixed Choir a capella (BIS CD-825) with the Jubilate Choir, Astrid Riska, conductor

My Family in the Pacific Northwest: 1911 -- 1920

Table of Contents

1911 George Jacob Poysky Begins Professional Career

1912 Finnish Emigrant Works in Poysky Boarding House

1913 Polk Astoria Directory

1913 Daughter Born to John and Sophia Poysky

1916 John and Sophia Poysky File Wills

1917 Tyne Poysky's College Years

1917 World War I Draft Registration

1918 Jack Harris Begins Merchant Marine Career

1919 George Jacob Poysky Marries Eva Florence Keatley

1920 Federal Census

1920 Eva Sophia Poysky Begins College Career

Email Me

Website Index

Search this Site and Site Map

1911 George Jacob Poysky Begins Professional Career

1912 Finnish Emigrant Works in Poysky Boarding House

1913 Polk Astoria Directory

Daughter Born to John and Sophia Poysky

1916 John and Sophia Poysky File Their Wills

1917 Tyne Poysky's College Years

1917 World War I Draft Registration

1918 Jack Harris Begins Merchant Marine Career

1919 George Jacob Poysky Marries Eva Florence Keatley

1920 Federal Census

1920 Eva Sophia Poysky Begins College Career

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