Finnestad Ancestry

In 1920, Ole and Mari's granddaughter, Evelyn was living as a "helper" in the Havenhill (?) residence at East South Street, in the city of DeKalb, DeKalb township, DeKalb County, Illinois. Evelyn was 22 at the time of the census. It would be two more years before Evelyn married and had a family of her own.

Ole and Mari's grandchild, Oliver Finnestad, wife Mary and their children, Burdette, Kenneth, Harland, Oliver, Verlis and Lois were living in Alto Township, Lee County, Illinois during the 1920 census. It looks like the census taker wrote that they were living on County Road, though I'm guessing it was County Line Road.

Iverdine (Ole and Mari's daughter) had passed away in 1879, one year before the 1880 Census. Today I found the census record for the family, husband Lewis, their children, Ole, Peter and Thomas Tobias. They lived in Milan township (where I grew up), DeKalb County, Illinois. I am not sure whether the family moved in with Peter's parents after Iverdine died or whether they were living with them prior to her death in 1879.

Sometimes I document information on the family tree spreadsheet and later forget how I came up with it - later I'll stumble upon the document and realize I should post it. A couple of months ago I was able to verify the family branch for Ole and Mari's daughter Iverdine. Iverdine was the twin sister of Bertha that had come to America in 1870 with her sister Rachel. I also had stumbled upon a few family trees on ancestry.com that were posted by members, though they all had indicated Iverdine's last name was "Finn". Close enough to Finnestad. I then did an internet search and was able to find, based upon the family trees that were posted, the marriage date for Iverdine. The state of Illinois has a marriage database that is quite helpful, though it doesn't have every marriage, you occasionally will run across something of value. Because the ancestry.com family tree information provided the name of Iverdine's husband, I was able to verify the date Iv...

In 1920, Bertha Haaland and husband Andreas were living in the city of Rochelle, Flagg township, Ogle County, Illinois. (Bertha was the twin sister of Iverdine, both were daughters of Ole and Mari Finnestad)

In 1920, Ole and Mari's daughter Rachel was living in Dement township, Ogle County, Illinois. Rachel was widowed by that time and was living with her son Elmer and granddaughter Lena Verdell (census record seems to be a misspelling - Berdell), daughter of Peter Vallem.

In 1920, two of Ole and Mari's daughters, Sarah Finnestad and Elizabeth Knutson were living next to each other in Flagg township, Rochelle, Illinois. Elizabeth's daughter, Edith was living with her mother, Elizabeth.

In 1920, Mary (daughter of Ole and Mari Finnestad) Bell was living in Willow Township, Lee County Illinois. She is listed as "servant" residing with James Kennedy. Note the census record lists Mary's maiden name, Finnestad, rather than her married name of Bell.

I have not had any updates lately so thought I would start a new decade by catching up to the 1920's. In 1920, Ole Finnestad, wife Caroline and daughter Frances had moved one township south of Alto and had moved to Willow Township, Lee County, Illinois. They moved in with daughter Lettie, son-in-law Christopher Risetter and their two children, Hamilton and Verdell. Living next door was Ole and Caroline's daughter, Lillian, husband George Risetter and their daughter Betty Lou.