The Gary Heide Family of St. Helens, OR

I am researching all lines of our family. My husband's last name is Heide changed from the original Von Der Heide. His grandfather came to the US as a young boy to meet his brother Wilhelm. Family verbal history is that he went to the Midwest to farm with his brother in "a state that starts with 'I'". His mother was adopted to the family Von Dohren. Only her last name is known "Huess" possibly from Pennsylvania.
My family is all Midwest, Missouri and Michigan. The Missouri side is WEHMUELLER and have been able to trace a great many of them through family. The Michigan side has been more difficult as the ones who could tell are almost all gone. The SIMMONS branch came from Carradoc, Ontario,Canada. My Great Grandfather was Finnish. I have not been able to determine when he came to America. He last name as I know it is ERICKSON, but the Finnish name may be PURANEN. I do not know if he first went to Canada and then came to the US or not. I do remember once taking a trip with my grandmother to the upper pensinula to visit family, but I do not know where that would be. We went by ferry.
I am just new to this genealogy stuff and have little in the way of actual records, but a lot of "word of mouth". Any help will be greatly appreciated. I am also willing to share any thing that I have.