From the introduction to Documenting the Legacy of the Alaska Finns from the Russian Period, Enckell, Maria (1996). Ed. Gene A. Knapp. Published by, The Finnish-American Historical Society of the West:

Finland was under Swedish rule for six hundred years, until 1809. The Crown Colony of New Sweden was established in Delaware in the mid 1600s. A good portion of those colonists were Finns, but they were misrepresented as Swedes. Through rigorous research by historians, such as K. G. Olin, that record has been set right…From 1809 until 1917 Finland was under Russian rule…They were misrepresented as Russians in listings outside Finland. The historic record denies the Finnish presence there in the same manner as was done in the New Sweden Colony…My research led me to the very foundations of Sitka Lutheran Church.

From: Enckell, Maria J. (2001). “Scandinavian Immigration to Russian Alaska, 1800-1867.” FEEFHS Journal Volume 9: 107:

In 1812 Tsar Alexandr created the Grand Duchy of Finland. Everyone in Finland now turned their heads southeast towards St. Petersburg. A large number of Finland’s highly educated, skilled, and experienced military men, initially idle, found welcoming employment in Imperial Russia’s infant navy and military establishments. By the end of 1917 more than 300 Finns had risen to the ranks of General and Admiral in Imperial Russia. With their Baltic German counterparts, many of these men served both as officials and military governors, overseeing vast districts throughout Imperial Russia. Their districts were often larger than their own homelands. This was most certainly true for Russian Alaska. Of Alaska’s fourteen Chief Managers/Governors between 799 and 1867 five were non-Russian Evangelical Lutherans. Of the fourteen, three were Baltic Germans: Carl Ludwig August von Hagemeister, who relieved Baronov of his reign of eighteen years.