Finnestad Ancestry

I have long attempted to locate information on the husband and daughter of Mary (Finnestad) Bell.    Both Mary's husband and daughter had passed away prior to the 1900 US Census and little information was known about them other than her husband was a clergyman and their daughter died as a child. This summer I digitized the Finnestad family photo and on the back was written the names of those in the photo as well as a single line "married a preacher - one daughter - May Belle who died of pn" (pneumonia).     I recently located a death record for a May Bell from the First Lutheran Church* ledger in Lee County, Illinois. May Bell passed away February 21, 1900.    Based upon the church records, May was 10 1/2 at the time of her death, indicating her birth was approximately August 1899.   The last column seems to indicate the location where the decedent had lived; in this case it states "N...

I had posted this photo of the Finnestad family taken about 1870 in Norway and recently* located the original, which is slightly clearer than the one I posted in March 2010.  The correct positions are, based upon what was written on the back of the photo: Back row: Bert, Mary, Rasmus, Ole Jr, Bertha, Serina (Sarah) Front row: Rachel, Ole Sr, Mari and Elizabeth My original guess that the photo was taken just before Iverdine and Rachel left Stavanger in May 1871 and moved to the United States was based upon the copy I'd received from Trish Hodgens.      This photo was probably taken prior to the 1900 US Census, the last census before Rasmus appeared in the 1905 Iowa Census and Bert had moved to Saskatchewan in 1903.    This makes more sense than my original post as Bert would have been 10 and Rasmus would have been 8 in a photo taken in 1871.     Iverdine passed away November 3, 1879 prior to this photo.  Narr...

Yesterday I posted photographs of Mari and Ole Finnestad's great grandson, Burdette Finnestad and wife Alice (Barnes) who were buried at the Belvidere Cemetery in Boone county, Illinois.    Just a few yards to the east of their burial plot is a chapel, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright called the Pettit Chapel. Here is a photo of the signage for the chapel. Here are photos of each side of the chapel. The chapel was built in 1906 as a memorial to Dr. William Pettit by his wife, Emma.    The Pettit Chapel was just one of a couple of chapels designed by Frank Lloyd Wright during his career.

Mari and Ole Finnestad's grandson, Burdette Finnestad was buried at the Belvidere Cemetery in Belvidere, Boone county, Illinois. Here is a photo of the Finnestad plot. Here is a closeup of their monument. Here is a photo of the Belvidere Cemetery. Here is a map of the Belvidere Cemetery.   The Finnestad plot is located at 5th Edition, Block 9, Lot 6. Burdette, the eldest son of Mary (Kurth) and Oliver Finnestad was born July 11, 1912 in Lyneville township, Ogle county, Illinois.    Alice was born February 20, 1918 in Esmond, DeKalb county, Illinois to Helen (Gustafson) and George Barnes.    Alice and Burdette were married May 6, 1939 in Creston, Ogle county, Illinois. Burdette died May 27, 1984 in Belvidere and Alice died September 24 1970 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. Burdette was the grandson of Caroline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad Jr....

Here is a photo taken last month of the marker for my great great great grandparents, Mari and Ole Finnestad, their daughter, Sarah and their granddaughter, Josephine.   Josephine was the daughter of Caroline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad Jr. The recap posted last year of the burials of their children can be found here .     As I posted yesterday , Mari's year of birth was 1923, not 1924. Here is a photo of the Union Cemetery in Lee County, Illinois.    The marker above is located in the second row up from the left side of the Union Cemetery arch.

With the information available in the lawsuit I mentioned earlier this week, I was able to locate the original parish record for my great great great grandmother, Mari (Iversdatter Skaar) Finnestad. Here is the official Hjelmeland Årdal parish record for her baptism.   Mari is listed as the last entry on the right side. Mari was born July 5, 1823 on the Nord-Skaar farm in Fister and baptized August 3, 1823.   Mari's parents were Iver Reiersen and Siri Rasmusdatter.   The baptism record states she was born on the Nord-Skaar farm but the family was actually living on Kaltvedt søndre (southern) farm, which is where she was baptized. Here is the Hjelmeland Årdal copy of the parish record, which may or may not be more legible than the official record.   Mari is listed on the right side as number 14. Had I known this information when I had Ole and Mari's marker placed at their burial site, I would have listed the c...

Here is a photo I took recently of the Vallem plot located at Union Cemetery in Lee county, Illinois. In the background is the Vallem monument, which I posted in August 2010.   In the foreground is the marker for Lena Josephine (Travland), the first wife of Peter John Vallem.    To the left of Lena is Peter's marker. To the left of Peter's marker is that of his second wife, Sarah (Anderson) and to the left of Sarah is the marker for Peter's daughter, Lena Verdelle (Vallem) Dover .   The marker says 'Doner' though I am not sure of the correct spelling.

Here is a photo taken last month at the Union cemetery in Lee county, Illinois, of the headstone for Ole and Mari Finnestad's daughter, Iverdine Travland.   Because it was made of either limestone or concrete it's difficult to read but may be slightly more legible than previous versions I've posted . Iverdine's daughter Ane Marie is listed at the lower section of the marker, having passed away after 2 months of age.

About a year ago I had posted a photo of the headstone for Susanna Travland and the monument for her father-in-law, Peder Peterson Travland.    I wasn't aware at the time how close I was to determining the multiple ties of the Travland family to the Finnestad family. I recently located a lawsuit filed by my great great great grandmother, Mary (Iversdatter Skaar) Finnestad against her brother, Rasmus Skaar.  From the Sycamore True Republican, November 7, 1900 edition. From the Sycamore True Republican February 6, 1901 edition. From the Sycamore True Republican April 17, 1901 edition. After obtaining a copy of the lawsuit, I learned that Martha G Peterson, had passed away November 20, 1899 and left 50 acres southwest of Malta, Illinois.    Due to this lawsuit I learned that Martha was Mary Finnestad's sister.    Another sister mentioned in the lawsuit was Susanna...

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Ellen Jewell Sanderson, the last child of Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson was born on September 2, 1918 in Rochelle, Ogle county, Illinois. Ellen married William Lowell Rinehart on January 17, 1939 in Illinois. William was born January 17, 1918. Ellen passed away on January 4, 2004 in Winnebago county, Illinois and was buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Machesney Park, Illinois. Here is a photo of the Rinehart plot. Here is a photo of Ellen's marker. William died May 19, 1979 in Winnebago county, Illinois.   Here is a photo of his marker. Ellen's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Gordon Delbert Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on February 15, 1917 in Lee county, Illinois. Gordon married Genevieve Mabel Slade on September 7, 1940 in Winnebago county, Illinois.   Genevieve was born January 10, 1922 in Illinois. Gordon passed away on April 7, 1982 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois and was buried at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.   Here is a photo of Genevieve and Gordon's marker. Genevieve passed away on December 24, 2005 in Naperville, Du Page county, Illinois.   Here is a closeup of her inscription. Here is a closeup of Gordon's inscription. Gordon's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Charles LeRoy Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on May 13, 1913 in Lee county, Illinois. Charles married Lucille Marion Mark in Alta, Buena Vista county, Iowa sometime in 1938.    Marion was born August 29, 1912 in Alta, Iowa. Charles passed away on May 24, 2003 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois and was buried at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Machesney Park, Illinois. Here is a photo of the Sanderson plot. Here is a photo of Lucille and Charles' marker. Lucille passed away March 6, 2006 in Rockford, Illinois.   Here is a closeup of her inscription. Here is a closeup of Charles' inscription. Here is a photo of the entrance to Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Here is a map of the cemetery. Lucille and Charles were buried in the Lutheran Eas...

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Marion Vallem Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on November 19, 1910 in Lee county, Illinois. Marion was married to Wesley Everett Mark on September 7, 1935 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois.    Marion passed away on October 18, 1997 in Rockford and was buried at the Scandinavian Cemetery in Rockford. Here is a photo of Marion and Wesley's marker. Here is a closeup of Marion's inscription. Here is a closeup of Wesley's inscription. Marion's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Anna Isabelle Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on July 27, 1904 in Lee county, Illinois. Anna married Irving Benwith Ferrias in Chicago, Illinois on June 8, 1929.    Anna passed away on October 30, 1995 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois and is buried at the Scandinavian Cemetery in Rockford. Here is a photo of her marker. Here is a photo of the entrance to the Scandinavian Cemetery. Here is a map of Section 29 where Anna and family are buried at the Scandinavian Cemetery in Rockford. Anna's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Here is the obituary for Herbert Strausberger, the husband of Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great granddaughter, Dorothy Strausberger. Dorothy Strausberger was born to Nora Elma (Peterson) and Lawrence Alvin Sanderson on August 7, 1917, in DeKalb county, Illinois.    Dorothy passed away on March 4, 1991 and was buried at the Fairview Cemetery in DeKalb, Illinois. Dorothy's grandparents were Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson.  Her great grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great grandson, Robert Lawrence Sanderson was born to Nora Elma (Peterson) and Lawrence Alvin Sanderson on April 3, 1923, in DeKalb county, Illinois. Robert passed away on February 27, 2010 in DeKalb, Illinois and was buried next to his parents at Fairview Cemetery.    Here is his obituary from the DeKalb Daily Chronicle.   Here is a photo of his headstone. Robert's grandparents were Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson.  Her great grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great granddaughter, Lois Elaine (Sanderson) Johnson was born to Nora Elma (Peterson) and Lawrence Alvin Sanderson on November 9, 1920, in DeKalb county, Illinois. Lois married Wilfred C "Bud" Johnson on June 16, 1979 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lois passed away on November 3, 1999 just a few days before her 79th birthday and was buried next to her parents in Fairview Cemetery, DeKalb, Illinois.    Here is her grave marker. I'm not sure why her marker lists her maiden rather than her married name though here is an obituary for her husband, "Bud" Johnson from the DeKalb Daily Chronicle who was also buried at the Fairview Cemetery. Lois' grandparents were Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson.  Her great grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Walter Orlando Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on July 19, 1902 in DeKalb county, Illinois (most likely Milan township). Walter married Mildred Jean Lindaas on February 21, 1925.    Mildred was born September 23, 1906 and died January 25, 1995. Walter died January 1, 1988 in DeKalb, Illinois and is buried at the Fairview cemetery.   Here is their headstone. Here is a closeup of Mildred's inscription. Here is a closeup of Walter's inscription. Walter's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.