Mattson/Ackerman Diaries

Contains a series of diaries written by Lyle A. Mattson between the years 1947 and 1987 and compiled in 2004 by his son John L. Mattson. Also contains a series of diaries written by Lyle’s wife’s mother, Rhoda E. (Livingston) Ackerman between the years 1947 and 1987, which was also compiled in 2004 by her grandson John L. Mattson.

Biographical Note

Rhoda Esther Livingston married Wilfred Isaac Ackerman; their daughter, Waneta Ruth Ackerman, married Lyle Arley Mattson, and they had John L. Mattson, which compiled both diary collections. Lyle A. Mattson was born to Finnish immigrants John and Anna Sophia Mattson, who had left Wassa, Finland and migrated to the United States in 1905. They settled in Washington State, first living in Marysville before moving to Port Blakely where Lyle was born.

Lyle grew up speaking Finnish, and did not learn English until he began attending school. In 1921, he and his family moved to Everett, Washington when he was nine years old. When he was almost sixteen, he began work at Robinson’s Mill on October 1, 1928. That same year, his younger brother Leo fell into the Snohomish River and drowned. A few years later, the Depression hit and jobs grew scarce. His father lost his job at Eclipse Mill and he became the sole provider for his family.

In 1938 Lyle married Waneta Ackerman and they moved into the house where Lyle had spent his childhood. He lived in that house for sixty-five years. Over the course of their marriage, Lyle and Waneta had two sons, John and George. In the summer of 1974, Lyle and Waneta travelled to Finland to see his parent’s home town in Wassa and to meet their relatives.