Alli Ingeborg Lauren Forsstrom

Aili Katarina Launonen was born at No. 16 Launonen (farm name), Luohua, Paavola, Finland on December 6, 1887, the second child of Matti Andersson Launonen and Kaisa Greta Johansdotter Heitanitty.   The family moved to No. 8 Hietanitty (farm name), Merikylä, Siikajoki in 1888.  These locales are in the Oulu region. 

She arrived in Boston on 6 October 1906 on the S.S. Republic traveling from Liverpool. Her traveling companions were Sofia Petterson of Quincy, MA and Kaisa Haikura of Finland. All three young women were Finnish natives living in Siikajoki, Finland. She is listed as Aili Launonen, age 19, unmarried, occupation of servant, in possession of $12, 5’4” in height and fair. She was going to stay with her uncle in an unknown location. It is highly likely she was going to stay with her unmarried aunt, Mary Launonen, in Astoria.

At some point after her arrival, she changed her name to a less Finnish sounding name of Alli Ingeborg Lauren. The desire of immigrants to assimilate is often strong.

The next historical record is her marriage record in Astoria, Oregon. Dr. Forsstrom and Alli Lauren (Heitanen) were married in a civil ceremony on 8 March 1909 by Judge Thomas McBride. This is the only record located with the Heitanen (farm) surname. In a document on the marriage on file for the State of Oregon, she stated it was her second marriage! I have not located another marriage record in the U.S.

Dr. and Alli Forsstrom naturalized together as U.S. citizens in September 1912 in Clatsop County.

We have located many photos of Alli as 1914 Astoria Regatta Queen. It appears that Alli was the first Regatta Queen of Finnish descent. She was not in the “social register “ set in Astoria that was dominated by Clatsop Plain and Astoria pioneer families. Voting was described as “spirited”. However, she was a lovely Regatta Queen and celebrated in the local press.

Alli was an independent spirit and had her own motor car as early as 1916. In a memoir by Paul Fellman, it is mentioned she drove a Stutz Bearcat. That was a very stylish motor car! It is also mentioned that Dr. Forsstrom made a fortune practicing medicine in the Finnish population and Alli spent his money like it was water! In addition to the fancy motor car, she kept horses, had the house rebuilt and had the rooms plastered specific colors, probably with lime wash. She also put on recitals in the home. She was a soprano in voice.

The couple divorced in August 1926. Dr. Forsstrom filed for a divorce and she did not contest. The divorce documents stated she left him in January 1925 and would not come back! There were no children. Family members stated that Alli did not like Astoria and left for the East Coast. In 1927, she was living at 31 W. 16th St. in lower Manhattan, near Union Square. Later, she was living in swanky Tuxedo Park near NYC in the 1930 Census!

According to the family, Dr. Forsstrom paid her a monthly income until her death in Islip, New York on 26 October 1935. This was not required by the terms of the divorce. At the time of her death, she lived in Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan near Washington Square. Her cause of death was pericarditis. She is buried in the First Methodist Cemetery in Central Islip on Long Island in an unmarked grave. We hope to purchase a grave marker in the next few years. Funds from her small estate went to New York City treasury in 1937 since heirs could not be located.