Lauri Kovalainen

Lars Kovala (originally Lauri Kovalainen) (b. 25 May 1818 in Oulu, Finland - 12 November 1894) acquired his schooling in Suomussalmi, Finland was a Finnish-American business tycoon, merchant, fur trader, and investor coming from one of the most powerful families in Finland in the 19th century seeking Finnish Independence. He was the 3rd great grandfather of famous Finnish racing driver Heikki Kovalainen and father of Joonas Kovala, a founder of Onnela, Houghton County, Michigan, U.S.A.^[1] During the catastrophic Finnish famine of 1866–1868 he arrived in Alaska on board of one of the Russian American Co. ships. He entered the fur trade^[2] but seeing the decline of demand and in conjunction with the American takeover of Alaska, took advantage of the Russian American Co. equipment and properties being sold. Kovalainen invested in the Hansen, Nybom and Co. who managed to purchase one of the Russian American Co.'s brigs for $4,000.^[3] At the end of November the same year, Kovalainen and other shareholders sailed away in the brig. Their goal was the Pribilof Islands in the northern Pacific Ocean. That which lured them to the distant islands was the possibility of buying up valuable seal skins. Profiting from the seal skin trade he began investing in real estate in the Great Lakes region, Canada, and later expanded into the American West and Pacific coast.^[4] On the advice of corporate attorney Elbert Henry Gary, Kovala began investing in railroads.

Even as a powerful businessman, he was deeply interested in improving the quality of life of his employees; this led to him becoming a philanthropist, pursuing many charitable causes. Lars Kovala, John D. Rockefeller and three others donated money to help create the national American Red Cross headquarters near the White House in Washington, D.C.^[5]

Marriage and family

In 1845, Kovalainen married Elsa Juntunen. They had one daughter and five sons together.

• Antti Kovalainen (14 March 1847 — 1899)
• Heikki Kovalainen (1848 — )
• Joonas Laurinpoika Kovalainen (1850 — 1931)
• Jaakko Kovalainen
• Elsa Greta Kovalainen (18 June 1863 — 24 May 1933)

Illnesses and death

In his 70s Kovalainen suffered from moderate depression and digestive troubles and, during a stressful period in the 1890s, developed alopecia, a condition that causes the loss of some or all body hair. By 1891 he did not have a hair on his body, and he began wearing wigs. The hair never grew back, but his other health complaints subsided as he lightened his workload and moved back to Suomussalmi, Finland in 1892.

Kovalainen died of arteriosclerosis on 12 November 1894 in Suomussalmi, Finland, less than seven months shy of his 77th birthday. He was buried in Suomussalmi, Oulun Laani, Finland. Attending his funeral included the future president of Finland, Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg.^[6]

Fortune believed to have been passed to Kovala’s 2nd great grandson, an eccentric reclusive rumored to be living a frugal lifestyle, whereabouts unknown.^[7]

References