Finnestad Ancestry

Here is the death certificate information for Ole and Mari Finnestad's granddaughter, Clara Risetter. Clara was the third child born to my great great grandparents, Caroline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad Jr. Clara was buried at the First Lutheran Cemetery in Lee County, Illinois, which I posted about a year earlier.

Here is the information available for the death of Ole and Mari Finnestad's grandson,  Ole Alfred Knutson.      Ole was the second son born to Elizabeth (Finnestad) and Ole Andreas Knutson, (unless the 10th child that I'm missing was a male). I don't know why Ole was sent to the the Watertown State Hospital, but he spent the majority of his life there until his death in 1934. Note the misspelling of Elizabeth Finnestad, which is listed as "Finnester".   Otto's father's first name, Ole Andreas is spelled incorrectly as "Oleander".

In July I had posted a newspaper article about the death of Mari and Ole Finnestad's grandson, Otto Bert Knutson who died at a very young age due to a bizarre accident when he was struck in the head by a baseball. This article appeared July 24, 1895 in the Rochelle Herald. The second article appeared July 31, 1895, also in the Rochelle Herald, after Otto succumbed to his injuries. The Norweigan cemetery near Lee that is mentioned is the Union Cemetery where many of our ancestors are buried, though I have not found any records to indicate that is where he was buried. The Flagg Rochelle Public Library provided me a couple of more articles; unfortunately neither mentioned his siblings so I'm still missing one of Elizabeth (Finnestad) and Ole Andreas Knutson's children.

Another post by Trish Hodgens about Iverdine Finnestad Travland and daughter Ane Maria who were buried at the Union Cemetery in Lee County, Illinois.

More on Iverdine Finnestad's husband, Lewis Travland from Trish Hodgens.

More history of the Travland family provided by Trish Hodgens. The top photo I posted earlier along with the names of those depicted in the photograph. The bottom photo is Iverdine Finnestad's husband, Lewis Travland.     Growing up, we often used the shortened version of Finnestad as "Finn" when referring to our grandparents, but unfortunately as the years go by, people may not understand the name was Finnestad.

Here are a couple of photos of Iverdine (Finnestad) Travland's in-laws, along with some history provided by Trish Hodgens.    Trish has an informative website about the Travland family that I posted about previously .

Here is the obituary for Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great grandson, Clayton Arno Travland. This obituary contains minimal information but he was the son of Mary Pearl (Hanchett) and Willard Winfield Travland.   Clayton was also the grandson of Hannah (Arno) and Peter Andrew Travland. His great grandparents were Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland.

Here is the death certificate for Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Gladys Travland. Gladys May Travland was the 7th and youngest child born to Stella Adline (Berkeland) and Thomas Tobias Travland and granddaughter of Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland. Gladys was born March 30, 1919 in Bee County, Texas and died June 14, 1971 in Corpus Christi, Texas.  She is buried at Seaside Memorial Park Cemetery in Corpus Christi.

Here is the death certificate for Louis Joseph Travland's younger brother, Clarence. Clarence Fulton Travland was born June 8, 1913 in Bee County Texas and died December 29, 1968 in Corpus Christi, Texas.   He is buried at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Corpus Christi.

Here is the death certificate for Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Louis Joseph Travland. Louis was born September 23, 1906 in Normanna, Texas and died November 26, 1969 in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He is buried at the Seaside Memorial Park Cemetery in Corpus Christi. Louis was the third child born to Stella Adline (Berkeland) and Thomas Tobias Travland, the son of Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland.

Here is the death certificate for Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Lawrence Wade Travland. Lawrence was the only son of Susan Eola (Sikes) and Ole John Travland.   (Ole John was the first born child of Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland). Lawrence was born April 20, 1908 in Bee County, Texas and died November 13, 1945 in Temple Texas.    Lawrence died due to a severed spinal cord as the result of an automobile accident.    He is buried at the Killeen City Cemetery in Texas.

Here is the death certificate for Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Willard Winfield Travland. As far as I know, Willard was the only child of Hannah (Arno) and Peter Andrew Travland.  (Peter Andrew was the third child born to Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland.) Willard was born January 18, 1901 in Colony, Texas and died March 25, 1966 in Port Arthur, Texas.

Here is the death certificate for Ole and Mari Finnestad's grandson, Thomas Tobias Travland. Thomas was the 4th and youngest child born to Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland. Thomas was born May 18, 1879 in Illinois.  The death certificate indicates "Decator" (Decatur), but I highly doubt he was born in Decatur.      Decatur is about 3 hours south of DeKalb county and considering travel was via train or horse back then, it's more likely he was born in DeKalb County since the family lived in Milan township in the 1870's and 1880's. Thomas died in Corpus Christi, Texas on December 5, 1964 and is buried at the Colony cemetery in Normanna, Texas. I haven't seen the death certificate for Iverdine and  Lewis'  second child, Anne Maria who died as an infant in 1873, but this certificate is the closest to getting Iverdine's name correct.    Growing up, we used "Finn" as shorthand whe...

Here is the death certificate for Ole and Mari Finnestad's grandson, Peter Travland who died at the Kerrville State Hospital in Texas. This death certificate has a little more information than yesterday's post about Peter's older brother, Ole John Travland.     The mother's name is listed simply as "Dinah", but her full name was Iverdine (Finnestad) Travland. The birth date lists May 28, 1878, but he was actually born a year earlier, May 28, 1877 in Illinois, probably in Milan township, DeKalb County, Illinois.   Peter died January 15, 1960.    The cemetery location is unknown, but it's possible he was buried at the Colony Cemetery in Normanna, Texas, the same cemetery as his brother, Ole John Travland. Peter was the third child born to Iverdine and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland.

Here is the death certificate for Ole and Mari Finnestad's grandson, Ole John Travland who died in Tuleta, Bee County, Texas. The death certificate indicates the mother's name was unknown, but it was Iverdine (Finnestad).   Ole's father was Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland. Ole John Travland was the eldest child of Iverdine and Lewis and was born August 6, 1872 in Illinois (possibly the city of Rochelle or Milan Township),  and died September 1, 1946. Ole was buried at the Colony Cemetery in Normanna, Texas

Continuing my previous post..... Another Travland buried at the Union Cemetery in Lee County, Illinois is Susanna, wife of Peder Peterson Travland.    Unfortunately, this marker has been worn down through the years and is difficult to read. Susanna was born in Norway in 1840 and died October 5, 1880, probably in Milan township, DeKalb County, Illinois. Susanna was Iverdine (Finnestad) Travland's sister-in-law; they apparently traveled together from Norway to North America in 1871.

Here are some photos of the tombstones for Iverdine (Finnestad) Travland's father-in-law, Peder Pederson Travland located at the Union Cemetery in Lee County, Illinois. Peder Travland's son, Peder Peterson Travland, was Iverdine's brother-in-law.    I believe he had traveled with Iverdine from Norway to North America in 1871, along with Peder (Jr)'s wife Susanna.    (The Nordens Dronning passenger list had an incorrect age for Peter, but the age of his wife Susanna  does match.    Iverdine's future husband, Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland may have also traveled on the same ship, but I'd have to go through the entire passenger list to verify.) Nord-Skaar was the name of the farm (and eventual family name before marriage to my great great great grandfather, Ole Oleson) where my great great great grandmother Mari Ivarsdatter had lived. From reviewing the Nordens Dronning passenger list along with Patricia Travland Hodgen's we...

Here is the 1930 US Census for Ole and Mari Finnestad's grandson, Thomas Tobias Travland.   Thomas was living in Bee County, Texas with wife Stella (Berkeland) and 5 of their 7 children:  Willie, Louis, Lillie, Clarence and Gladys. Yesterday, I posted the 1930  for their eldest son, Ernest.  The other missing child was Dina Marie Travland who died at birth or shortly thereafter in 1911. Thomas was the 4th and final child born to Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland.

Here is the 1930 US Census for Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Ernest Travland.   Ernest was living in Bee County, Texas with wife Cordelia and their two children, Ernest Jr and James. Ernest was employed as an automobile mechanic. Ernest was the eldest child of Stella (Berkeland) and Thomas Tobias Travland, the grandson of Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland.

Here is the 1930 US Census for Ole and Mari Finnestad's grandson, Peter Travland.    Peter was still living in Bee County, Texas with his wife Hannah. Living next door was Peter's step-brother, Benjamin, wife Louisa and their two children, Agnes and Delmar. Peter was the third child born to Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland.