Juha Gustaf (known as "Gust" or "John") was born at Alajärvi, Finland. He was the eldest of Maija (Koukkari) and Matti Anttila Syrjälä/Koskela's 7 children.

Gust arrived in America 1883 according to his obituary. He and possibly his father Matti may have first traveled to the upper Michigan peninsula to become miners, according to family lore. Gust then went to the coal mines of Carbon, Wyoming, where he filed his initial immigration papers on October 31, 1886.

In 1887 Gust's mother, Maija, then age 44, and Gust's 6 younger siblings emigrated from Finland, arriving in New York on the ship "Werra" on October 4, 1887. Gust's siblings and ages at the time were: Hilda Wilhelmiina (14), Anna Maria (11), Matti William (9), Elias (Eli) Edward (7), Sanna/Susanna Mathilda "Tillie" (5), and Helmi Emeliia (4). The reunited family spent about one year at the Carbon, Wyoming mines, then went to the Pendleton, Oregon area where they farmed from about 1889-1895.

In October 1895 they left the Pendleton area following a collapse of the U.S. economy and loss of their homestead land grant. They traveled by wagon train and horses with several other Finnish families from the Pendleton area to Long Valley, Idaho, arriving at Long Valley about 3 weeks later. Gust, still a bachelor, was then about 27 years old. The family homesteaded southeast of Donnelly, Idaho.

In 1903, Gust married Hanna Hautamäki/Paalijärvi, also of Finland, at Roseberry, Idaho. They raised 14 children. Gust received his Homestead Patent April 17, 1914. He and his family farmed and ranched there until 1937 when he, Hanna and their minor children moved to Clatskanie, Oregon due to Hanna's health. They then moved to Portland, Oregon in about 1941, where Gust worked in the shipyards during the War as a watchman.

On a visit to Idaho in July 1945, just days after retiring from the Portland shipyards, he passed away suddenly at the home of his daughter Helen Koskella Chacartegui at New Meadows. He was 76 years old. He was survived by his wife, all 9 of his sons and 5 daughters, a sister, Mathilda "Tillie" Kantola of Donnelly, and a brother, Matt Costella, of Fairfield, Idaho.

[Thank you to Charlotte Grace (Lake) Oglevie and Heikki Tapani Salmela of Oulu, Finland for providing research and birth records from Alajärvi Lutheran Church, Alajärvi, Finland]

Note: His children spelled their surnames Koskela or Koskella.