User:PNWPoika/Sandbox/Antti Witikko-huhta

Antti Witikko-huhta is believed to have been the first minister of the Laestadian faith in the United States. Witikko-huhta, (sometimes spelled Vittikkohuhta, Vitikko-huhta or Witikka), was born January 19, 1816 (sometimes incorrectly shown as November 30, 1816) in Alatornio, Sweden. Although born on the Swedish side of the Tornio River, Witikko-huhta’s ethnicity was Finnish. He married Maria Lönnbom in 1843. Church records show that Witikko-huhta resided in Norway beginning 1848 and returned to Alatornio in 1858 with his five children. In March of 1859, Maria died. In November of the same year, Witikko-huhta married Maria’s widowed sister, Fredriika. Together they had three children. In 1866 Witikko-huhta moved to Hammerfest, Norway. Around this time many of the copper miners of Lapland immigrated to the United States to the "copper country" of Michigan’s upper peninsula. On July 20, 1869, Witikko-huhta and his family departed Norway bound for the United States.

Witikko-huhta lived in Hancock, Michigan and soon after arrival became a popular speaker in the traditional Evangelical Lutheran church. About 1870 Witikko-huhta was holding meetings for the Laestadians outside of church. Because of this Witikko-huhta is believed to be the first minister of the Laestadian faith in America. Conflict arose because the Laestadian doctrine required simplicity and considered anything unnecessary to be sinful. This included church bells, paintings in the church and clothing adornments. The actions of the Laestadians became too much for Rev. H. Roernaes, the Lutheran pastor, and in 1872 he prohibited the Laestadians from receiving the Christian sacraments in his church. That same year Witikko-huhta moved to Cokato, Minnesota. Also in 1872, the Cokato Finnish Congregation (today known as the Cokato Apostolic Lutheran Church) was established with Isak Barberg as pastor, and with Witikko-huhta, Jacob Rovainen and Isak Alamaa acting as lay-preachers. In 1876, the three lay-preachers left the congregation to conduct their own meetings. Witikko-huhta died November 24, 1890, in Cokato.

Today a stone monument stands near the Cokato Apostolic Lutheran Church with an inscription, in Finnish, that says : ANTTI VITIKKO-HUHTA The first preacher of the Laestadian doctrine to have come to America, to Hancock, Michigan, in 1869