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counties, there were never more than one or two Finns there. In 1900, when its total population was 8,880, and again in 1910, there was but one Finn among them, while in 1920 there were two, and in 1930 only one once again.

Clay County

North of Wilkin County lies Clay County. In 1900, when the population was 17,942, that figure included but one Finn, while in 1910 and 1920 there were six, in 1930 there were ten, and then five in 1940 and but four in 1950. During Finland's Winter War there was a Finnish relief committee in Moorhead, with J. M. Deems as chairman.

Norman County

On the eve of World War II, Finnish bankers learned that in the small community of Halstad the local bank was for sale, due to the grave illness of the owner. Having evaluated the property, these Finns bought the bank and changed the name to Red River State Bank. The board of directors was made up of George A. Johnson, president; John J. Asiala and Walter Johnson, vice-presidents; Norman N. Aamont, treasurer; and A. W. Havela, Jacob L. Pete and Oscar Schaenkey, directors.

In the community of Twin Valley the same group of Finns also took over the local bank, changing its name to the First National Bank.

In the communities of Ada and Lockhart, Finnish relief com


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The total population of Norman County was 15,045 in 1900, with only three Finns. The Finnish figure rose to six in 1920, but later statistics show none at all.

Mahnomen County

This county in its entirety belonged to the original White Earth Indian Reservation. There was area enough there for 32 townships, and it was estimated that it could be divided into 9,216 farms, each of 80 acres extent. During World War I the government gave the Indians permission to sell land to non-Indians, and a group of big realtors immediately began extensive sales campaigns, including large, enticing advertisements in the Finnishlanguage newspapers during November 1917, in which the Aura

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