The journey continues to America, the new continent

In the 1700s, many of the families of the slash-and-burn farmers, including Marttinen’s, left Sweden and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to reach the new continent, America. Once in America, the Finns settled on the banks the Delaware River near present-day Philadelphia. Even today, many places in the region have Finnish names that serve as a reminder of the area’s history.

Martti Marttinen also moved to America, where he died at the astonishing age of 106. In America, the Marttinen family changed their name to Morton.

One of their descendants was John Morton, farmer and sheriff, who was also a respected politician and congressman in his state.