I happen to have Niilo (or Niiles, the local name version) Orhainen among my maternal ancestors. The first name was Dionysius in the church books, but I think he never knew it. His wife Beata (local name Peeta) was born in 1620 and died in 1694 in Kurikka.
Niilo died during the great famine on 13 June 1697 in Ilmajoki.
Niilo´s father was probably Yrjänä Orhainen or Göran Orhag,
who maybe came from Sweden.
March is National Women’s Month in the United States. It has been observed annually since 1987 to honor women’s contributions to society, history and culture.
American women have achieved many firsts; here are a few:
- The first convention held to advocate women’s rights was at Seneca Falls, New York in 1848.
- In 1869, Wyoming Territory was the first US territory to grant women the right to vote.
- The first woman elected to an American political office was Susanna Salter, mayor of Argonia, Kansas in April 1887.
- Elizabeth Blackwell was the first accredited American female doctor and founded the first medical school for women.
- Edith Wharton became the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for her novel – The Age of Innocence – in 1921.
- In 1928, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to successfully fly more than 20 hours across the Atlantic.
"We Can Do It" poster, J. Howard Miller. Image credit: Wikipedia
This year’s theme is “Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination,” which recognizes the contributions and achievements of women in the fields of science, mathematics, technology and engineering.
In honor of International Women’s Day next week, we will publish some of our favorite inspirational stories of women in your family tree.
Do you have women in your family who were pioneer inventors? Do you have any stories of women ancestors’ contribution to society, culture and innovation? We’d like to hear your stories. Share them in the comments below, or email them to stories@myheritage.com.
sylvia lanier
March 3, 2013
My mother was on the First Mass Jewish Transport to Auschwitz – March 26, 1942. What most people don’t know is that the transport was 999 young women!
My Aunt Dina arrived 2 days later and together they faced over 3 years in Auschwitz. When we honor women’s history we have to remember the women who no one remembers. The women who disappeared or the women like my mother, who simply wanted to raise a family after her ordeal. She did not want to become an icon or a leader–she wanted to become a mother.
She was in her 70s when she finally wrote her memoir, which has been a best seller for 17 years. Rena’s Promise is a real promise to all women–not just her sister. It is the promise to never forget that women are backbone of our heritage, our culture, and our families. Women are also the ones who can forgive and create a better future. My mother once said “I do not hate. To hate is to let Hitler win.” What better legacy is there?