Gaston, Joseph. "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912." Vol. 3. Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 174. C. JOHN HILLSTROM is one of the enterprising and successful agriculturists of Coos county. He was born in Finland, January 5, 1868, and is a son of Matts and Marie L. Hillstrom. Both of his parents were natives of Finland and in that country they were united in marriage and their children were born and reared to maturity. The father, who is deceased, followed farming and carpentering for a livelihood. The mother is still living in the land of her nativity. They were the parents of eight children: Matts, now of Marion county, Oregon;Louisa, now Mrs. Anderson, of North Bend this state; Anton, deceased; C. John of this review; Matts, who died in infancy; Mary who passed away at the age of fourteen years; and two who died in infancy C. John Hillstrom emigrated to America in the year 1887 and first settled in the Coos bay country at Marshfield, this state. At once upon establishing his residence in that place he accepted a position in a sawmill in which employment he continued for a brief time and then established himself in the business of rafting timber down the river to the mills. In that business he continued to be occupied for a period of five years, after which he engaged, in farming, conducting his operations in agriculture at a point eleven miles from the city of Marshfield, and later, in 1900, he purchased the farm upon which he now lives, ten acres of which property is now included within the city limits of Marshfield. He is the owner of a very fine home and conducts small dairy business. He is also one of the principal stockholders in ft cooperative grocery company of Marshfield. Mr. Hillstrom was united in marriage in the year 1899 to Miss Alina Kankkanen. Mrs. Hillstrom is a native of Finland and is a daughter of John and Louisa Kankkanen, both of whom are natives of Finland and are still living in that country. To Mr. and Mrs. Kankkanen ten children were born, eight of whom are now living: Alina, who is the wife of C. John Hillstrom; Mary, who resides in Africa; Otto, Selma, Willie, Lydia, Verner and Edla, all of whom are living in Finland, and Alfred and Hildur, both of whom are deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Hillstrom five children have been born: Rudolph J., born in 1900; Elsie A.,1902; Arthur C., 1903; Ruth R., 1906; and Alphons M., 1910, all of whom are still at home with their parents. Mr. Hillstrom is politically affiliated with the democratic party. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Marshfield and also a member of the Finnish Beneficial Order, in which he has filled all of the chairs. Both himself and wife received in their native land a liberal education in the public schools and are members of the Lutheran church of Marshfield. Mr. Hillstrom is one of the reliable and highly respected citizens of the county in which he lives and has always given the benefit of his influence to every public measure designed to improve the educational and reiigious citizenship of the people among whom he has established his home. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2009 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.