Toiset Aijat I

The 1978 book Toiset Aijat I has long been sold out. It is now available as an e-book.

Below is the author’s own preface from 1978, followed by the table of contents.

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Author’s Preface (1978)

My genealogical research of Virrat families has its roots in curiosity — in wondering about the origins and fate of my own family and the families of others in my home community. I began my work in an amateur way, before proper methods had been established for me. The first notes were written by hand on small slips of paper. Everything had to be organised somehow. Maps were drawn to show where the farms were. The work gradually took on a more professional character.

This book is a collection of writings on Virrat. The inspiration came from my mother, who had her own fund of local knowledge and stories that she was always ready to share. Many others in Virrat contributed with their own memories and knowledge.

The book’s structure moves from general to particular: settlement history, biographies, livelihoods and trades, and finally family histories.

Part I: Settlement history — how Virrat was settled, the different village communities and their origins.

Part II: Biographies — people of Virrat who left a mark.

Part III: Livelihoods — how people in Virrat earned their living across the centuries.

Part IV: Family histories — selected family lines traced through the generations.

The book was self-published in Virrat in 1978. ISBN 951-99177-0-5.