Finnestad Ancestry

Clara was the first of Ole and Caroline's children to branch out on her own. The 1910 US census indicates Clara and husband Christopher were living in Willow Creek Township (just south of Alto township) in Lee County, Illinois.

The family tree has been updated and downloaded for viewing on the right margin. This spreadsheet includes the furthest I have traced the family roots up until the individual branches begin to branch off onto new tabs. Contact me if you have yet to receive the more complete spreadsheet.

The 3rd son of Ole and Mari Finnestad, Rasmus, died September 5, 1945 in Everett Washington. He and wife Carrie have a headstone at the Saskatchewan River Church Cemetery. After speaking with Rasmus' granddaughter, Carmen Hurd, I was told that Rasmus' wife, Carrie, wanted to be buried in Saskatoon, Canada so her body was shipped via train to Saskatchewan for burial. According to Carmen, Rasmus did not want to be buried in Canada so he is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Everett, Washington. Carmen also stated she believes Rasmus' sister, Mary was also buried at Evergreen Cemetery. She will check on that and let me know. If she is, I would then have the "final resting" information of all 11 of Ole and Mari's children.

I have been trying to track down the children of Elizabeth (eldest daughter of Ole and Mari Finnestad) and came across a 1895 Rochelle Public School record which lists 4 of Elizabeth and Ole Knutson's children: Otto, in 6th room "A" class Alfred in 6th room "B" class Annie in 5th room "B" class Edith in 3rd room "A" class The original document can be viewed here .

Here is the 1910 US Federal Census I have for the remaining child of Ole and Mari, Rachel (Rakkel) Vallem. Rachel was widowed by 1910 and living in Alto Township, Lee County, Illinois with her son, Ole and Elmer & daughters Linnie Rebecca, and Iverdena (listed as D Anna). Rachel's brother, Ole Finnestad Jr and family were living in the same township. Living next door was Rachel's eldest son Peter, his wife Lena and their children, Lawrence, Perry, Lucille and Lena. As I stated in an earlier post, I was unable to locate Ole and Mari's daughter, Mary and her 1910 census record. If I come across it, I'll post it.

As the Finnestad family grew, so did the census records. Previously, I posed the 1910 US Federal Census records for three of Ole and Mari's children, Elizabeth Knutson , Ole Jr , and Rasmus . Their daughter Sarah was living with her sister, Elizabeth and family. Their son Bert was already living in Canada. Their twin daughter, Iverdine had already passed away. Here is the census record for their daughter, (Iverdine's twin sister), Bertha and her husband Andreas Haaland. They lived in Dement Township, Ogle County, Illinois. Bertha and Andrew are listed first on the form. Bertha and Andreas had no children so their branch of the family tree ends with them.

Rasmus Finnestad, wife Carrie and their children, Mabel, Goodwin, (Rose) Clara and Olaf lived in Iowa during the 1905 Census. Rasmus and family were living in Flagg Township, Ogle County, Illinois during the 1900 census , so they moved sometime between 1900 and 1905 to Iowa, before eventually moving to Canada where Rasmus' brother Bert and family were living in Saskatchewan. Rasmus was the youngest living son of Ole and Mari Finnestad

As far as I know, Clara Lettie Risetter was the only Finnestad buried at the First Lutheran Cemetery in Lee County, Illinois. Lettie married Christopher Risetter in 1909. She was the daughter of Ole and Caroline Finnestad, granddaughter of Ole and Mari Finnestad. Of all the cemeteries I've been to of the Finnestad family, this appears to be the largest grave marker I've come across.

The First Lutheran Cemetery is located at Lee and Woodlawn Road in Lee County, Illinois.

Elizabeth, Ole and Mari's eldest daughter was listed on the 1900 census with husband Ole Andreas, son Ole Alfred, daughter, Anna (or Annie), daughter Ella (Edith) and a grandson, Elmer, (last name undecipherable). This record was difficult to find because the handwriting was not clear, so I had to individually scan the Flagg township, city of Rochelle census records until I found it. I also have not yet been able to find out which of Elizabeth and Ole's daughters had the child, Elmer. It does state that Elizabeth had 10 children and 5 were living in 1900, so I'm guessing that Elmer's mother had died. I presently have tracked down 7 of Elizabeth and Ole's children, though one I am not 100% positive is their child. The missing 3 others may have been born in Norway and I'm presently reviewing Norwegian records in an attempt to locate them.

I had previously posted the 1900 US Federal Census which listed Ole Sr & Mari living between daughter Rachel and her children and Ole Jr & Caroline and family. On the page (above) where Ole and Caroline's daughters, (Carrie) Evelyn and Lillian were listed as "boarders" in the Oftedal household, you will see at the top of the census document, Rachel and Lewis' eldest son Peter, wife Lena and son Lawrence living next to Rachel and Lewis' daughter, Isabel Josephine, husband Ole Hall along with their son Oral and Ole's father, Peter. This is the Alto township, Lee County, Illinois census record

I had previously posted about the Finnestad family and the purchase of the Finnestad farm. Here is a copy of the 1863 parish immigration records for Ole, wife Mari and children when they moved from Fister to the Hetland parish, just north of Stavanger. They are listed as entry #17. Sometimes the document blurs when you enlarge it so here is a link to the website if you want to see a better copy.

Here is the confirmation ledger from the Calvary Lutheran Church in Lee County, Illinois for Rachel and Lewis Vallem's daughter, Ellen Marie. Ellen was 15 when she was confirmed on March 25, 1894. Again, no photos for the confirmation classes were provided until 1897.

Another previous post , I did not know at the time, but both Peter and brother Ole Vallem were listed on the same Calvary Lutheran church confirmation ledger as 3 of their cousins, Elizabeth Andreas Knutson, Rasmus and Bert Finnestad. Peter Vallem was 14 when he was confirmed May 19, 1889. Ole Vallem was 15 when he was confirmed June 1, 1890. Unfortunately, there were no photos provided by the church until 1897.

I didn't realize it when I originally posted it, but the daughter of Rachel and Lewis Vallem, Ella Bertina Vallem was in the same confirmation class (at Calvary Lutheran Church in Lee County Illinois) as Dina Josephine Finnestad. The spelling is incorrect in the photo "Wallem", but the ledger seems to be Vallem, and also lists Rachel underneath "Mr and Mrs Ole Finnestad" the parents of Dina. Here is the photo again: "Dina" Josephine Finnestad is wearing a ribbon in her hair, middle row, 3rd from the right. Ella Vallem is in the first row on the right hand side.

Oliver and Mary's eldest son, Burdette Louis Finnestad is buried at the Belvidere Cemetery, located at 1121 N Main St , Belvidere , Boone County, Illinois. Oliver and Mary's 4th son, Oliver Kurth Finnestad is buried at the Trinity Memorial Gardens, located at 14712 E. Twombly Road, Hillcrest, Ogle County, Illinois. This is a newer cemetery located on the northeast side of Rochelle. I have not been to either cemetery, so I do not have photos of their headstones.

Several of the children of my great grandparents, Oliver and Mary Finnestad are buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Creston, Illinois. Of their 9 children, 4 are presently buried there. Oliver and Mary, and their 2nd eldest son Kenneth (my grandfather) and wife Lillian I posted previously . Oliver and Mary's 3rd oldest, Harland Finnestad: Oliver and Mary's 5th child Verlis Finnestad: Oliver and Mary's 7th child, Shirley and husband Norman:

Here is a map of southwestern Norway that shows the locations where the earliest Finnestad family resided throughout the ages: Click on the map to enlarge it. As I mentioned the previous post, the earliest known ancestor (Torgeir, last name unknown) was born around 1390. While I have been unable to confirm where he lived, his grandson was born around 1434 and died in Vikedal. It's probably likely that Torgeir (Gen #1), his son Ingemund Torgeirsen (Gen #2), grandson Torgeir Ingemundsen (Gen #3), and great grandson Torkell Torgeirsen (Gen #4) also lived in the same area, Vikedal. Vikedal is depicted as point "A" on the above map. In 1521, Torgeir Ingemundsen's son Torkell Torgeirsen was born in Vikedal but died in Sauda. Sauda is depicted as point "B" on the above map. Vikedal to Sauda is 50 kilometers. (31 miles). It wasn't until the 13th generation when my great great great grandparents, Ole and Mari Olson moved to Fister, Norway. Fister is depicted ...

About a month ago, with the assistance of a real live Norwegian who was able to decipher some of the Norwegian gothic script from the parish wedding document of my great great great grandparents, Ole and Mari Finnestad, I learned where Ole was born. Once I was able to confirm that Ole Olson (Finnestad) was born at the Søndenå farm, in Sauda, Rogaland County I was able to track back the Finnestad family as far back as 1390. Considering the Black Plague was in 1350 AND documents in the middle ages are rather rare, I am not sure whether I'll be able to go much further. I have yet to list these "pre-Ole Olson Finnestad" ancestors on my spreadsheet but will try to do so in the next few weeks. Also, with the recent help of Rose Kolberg, the great great granddaughter of Ole and Mari Finnestad, I was able to add additional Vallem names and their descendants to the family tree. Rose also had provided me with the married name of Bertha, one of my great great grandfather's ...

Here is a photo of the gravesite for Kenneth's father and mother, Oliver and Mary Finnestad, my great grandparents, located at Woodlawn Cemetery in Creston, Illinois. Here is a photo of the grave marker of my grandparents, Kenneth and Lillian Finnestad, which is also located at Woodlawn Cemetery in Creston, Illinois.

Many of the Finnestad family members can be found at the Woodlawn cemetery, aka Brodies Grove cemetery in Creston, IL. Woodlawn cemetery is located on the westside of Woodlawn Road north of Highway 38 and north of the village of Creston, Dement Township in Ogle County, Illinois.

I have had previously posted the obituary for my great great grandfather Ole Finnestad several posts back. I have not yet been able to locate an obituary for my great grandparents Oliver and Mary Finnestad, though here are the obituaries for my grandparents, Kenneth and Lillian Finnestad.