Johan Gabriel Ståhlberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johan Gabriel Ståhlberg
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| Born | 23 October 1832 Kuhmoniemi, Grand Principality of Finland
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| Died | 8 September 1873 (aged 40) Haapajärvi, Grand Principality of Finland
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Amanda Gustava Castrén
(m. 1861) |
| Children | 5, including Kaarlo Juho |
Johan Gabriel Ståhlberg (born October 23, 1832 – died September 8, 1873) was a Finnish priest. He worked in different church roles, like a chaplain and a deputy pastor. He is most famous for being the father of K. J. Ståhlberg, who became the first president of the Republic of Finland.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Johan Gabriel Ståhlberg, also called Janne, was born on October 23, 1832. His birthplace was Kuhmoniemi, Finland. His father, Fredrik August Ståhlberg, was a local official. His mother was Anna Margareta Snellman. Johan's father had been a soldier in the Finnish War.
Johan studied to become a pastor. He finished his studies on November 18, 1856. After graduating, he became an assistant pastor in Pielavesi.
Family Life and Career Beginnings
On April 22, 1857, Johan became an assistant pastor in Sotkamo. There, he met Amanda Gustafva Castrén. She was 16 years old and the daughter of the local church clerk. Johan and Amanda got married on January 3, 1861, in Kajaani.
After about a year in Sotkamo, Ståhlberg moved to Kajaani. He worked there as a chaplain's assistant. On September 1, 1858, he also started teaching singing. He taught at the Kajaani Music College for almost four years. For part of that time, from 1859 to 1860, he was the principal of the college.
Moving to Suomussalmi and Alavieska
After they got married, the Ståhlbergs moved to Suomussalmi on February 12, 1862. Johan worked there as an assistant pastor. Later, on September 1, 1863, he also took on the role of priest for Hyrynsalmi.
Their first two children were born in Suomussalmi. Their daughter, Alma, was born there. Their son, Carl Johan, who would later become president, was also born in Suomussalmi. In the year Carl was born, the family moved to Alavieska. Johan Gabriel Ståhlberg officially became the chaplain in Alavieska on November 1, 1865.
Challenges and Moving to Haapajärvi
While in Alavieska, Pastor Ståhlberg faced very difficult times. There were years of bad harvests and a terrible famine in Finland from 1866 to 1868. Being a pastor in a small community during such hardship was very tough.
Ståhlberg decided to seek a new position. He ran for the role of vicar in the Haapajärvi parish. On February 14, 1869, the election results showed Ståhlberg as the clear winner. He received many more votes than the other candidates. People thought his good sermons or his singing skills from his music teaching days might have helped him win. Also, Amanda's relative had become a judge in Haapajärvi, which might have influenced the move.
The Ståhlberg family moved from Alavieska to Haapajärvi in the spring of 1869. Their youngest child, Anna Elisabet, was born in Haapajärvi on July 23 of that year.
Life and Work in Haapajärvi
After the famine years, many people got married. This was because widows remarried, and life started to return to normal. For example, in 1866, only about 5 marriages happened for every thousand people. But in 1870, almost 18 marriages happened for every thousand people.
The main pastor, Pastor Holmström, became ill. This meant that Deputy Vicar Ståhlberg had to take care of the large church community almost by himself. When Pastor Holmström died on August 8, 1871, Ståhlberg was completely alone in his duties.
In 1868, the chapels of Pidisjärvi and Reisjärvi became independent parishes. On August 30, 1871, the Haapajärvi parish decided to ask to get rid of the second pastor position. They also wanted to sell the pastor's house. The new independent parishes would also help with this. However, their request was not approved. So, on May 21, 1872, they had to plan for a new pastor election.
Later Years and Legacy
Sadly, Deputy Vicar Ståhlberg became ill with diabetes. He passed away on September 8, 1873, due to his illness. Johan Gabriel Ståhlberg was buried in Haapajärvi.
His family was given extra time to manage their affairs. His wife, Amanda, worked hard to pay off all the family's debts. In 1879, the family moved to Oulu. The two oldest children had already been attending school there for two years.
Amanda found a job as a school janitor for girls. She got a small apartment, but it was so tiny that not everyone could sleep inside. Her oldest son, Carl, had to sleep in the school hallway for over two years. In 1882, Amanda got a better job at a hospital, which improved their living situation.
Johan Gabriel Ståhlberg's children did very well in their lives. His eldest son, Carl Johan, known as "Kaarlo Juho" Ståhlberg, became a very important person. He became a law professor, the Speaker of Parliament, the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, and finally, the first President of the Republic of Finland.
See also
- Henrik Heikel
- Antero Warelius
