was a carpenter in Nashwauk to begin with, then worked in the mines, later was a smith and a lumberjack. John Koski came from Sparta with his wife, and they owned the first farm in Nashwauk and sold milk from door to door. Their home was also a boarding house. In later years, Koski became a policeman.

Charles W, Latvala also came to Nashwauk in 1902. He built himself a house that same year and in it opened the first grocery store in the community, which prospered as Nashwauk grew. He married, in 1904, Lydia Aho. He later served on the board of directors of the First National Bank, served in the local. government in various positions, including 19 years as a member of the school board.

The year 1903 saw Tuomas and Hilma Hedman and Fred Törmä arrive. The Hedmans settled down to farming, while Törmä and his wife (he married Hilda Lempeä in 1909) are well-known for their participation in various local Finnish activities. Also to be counted among the early Finns in Nashwauk are A. J. Riipinen, who bought a homestead here in 1907 (later farmed by his son, John) and David Koski, who came from Michigan. He worked first in the mine, then built himself a house and started operating a boarding house in it. In 1907, he married Katri Pirttimaa.

Finnish Organizations : The first and the biggest Finnish organizations in Nashwauk were in terms of the labor movement. A local workers' society was started in 1905, with Ade Wilson becoming chairman, Frank Selin secretary, Alex Vatanen treasurer and August Kokko `organizer.' Two years later the society was able to purchase itself a hall, to house the varied activities so typical of these Finnish societies.

There was a band, with John Colander as the first bandmaster, to be followed by August Miettinen, later still by Victor Taipale. This band formed the core of the municipal band, which came later. There was a chorus, for several years, directed by A. Siiteri, Mayme Nukala, J. Vainionpää. There was, above all, a dramatics group and the important money earner for the society, with the 60 or so plays produced over the years being directed by N. Terho, H. Päätalo, J. Stark, H. Smith, K. Kautto and J. and Liina Vainionpää. There was a gymnastics team, with 25 members, coached by John Härkönen and Armas Sahlman, and a women's team for a time, coached by Lillian Ruuska.

Within the framework of the society the women started a sewing circle in 1908. Continuing its existence through several changes of name and focus, it ended up as a cooperative guild

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