Finnestad Ancestry

Here is the 1926 Canada census for Celia (Derdall) Finnestad, widow of Bert Finnestad. Celia (Sikke) was living with their children, Oscar, George, Selma as well as Celia's mother, Karen.  They are listed on lines 10 - 14. The Finnestad family was living in the municipality and village of Rudy, District 22 (Long Lake), sub-district 77 (Townships 30 and 31 in range 6 and 7, west of the third meridian, lying east of the South Saskatchewan River), Saskatchewan province, Canada.

Bert Finnestad, son of Mari (Iversdatter) and Ole Finnestad had passed away 2 years prior to the Canada census of 1916.    His wife, Celia (Derdall) Finnestad was living in District 20 (Last Mountain), sub-district 12 (Townships 29 and 30, ranges 5, 6 and 7, west of third meridian, including the villages of Glenside and Broderick), Saskatchewan province, Canada with their children, Oscar, George, Minnie, Charlotte and Selma. The Finnestad family is found at the bottom of page 16, lines 46 - 50 and continuing on page 17 line 1.    Celia continued to work the family farm with the help of Oscar and George.     

Berthel (Bert) Finnestad, son of Mari (Iversdatter) and Ole Finnestad moved to Canada in 1903 from Reynolds township, Lee county, Illinois. Here is the 1911 Canada census for Bert, wife Celia (Derdall) and their children Oscar, George, Minnie, Charlotte and Selma found on lines 40 - 46. The Finnestad family was living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan province, Canada.    Bert had become a Canadian citizen by 1906.     Bert and his sons were employed as farmers.      Oluf Finnestad, Bert's nephew would eventually marry Myrtle Myhre, Bert's neighbor located on line 29.  The Finnestad family was living next door to Bert's brother-in-law and his family, Bert Derdall. Here is a blank form of the 1911 Canada census.

When Bert and Rasmus Finnestad, the sons of Ole and Mari Finnestad completed the process of naturalization , the local paper, the Sycamore True Republican noted the event in their October 24, 1888 edition. My great great grandfather Ole Finnestad (Jr) had completed the process February 25, 1884 so he may have been mentioned a few years earlier.

Berthel Finnestad, the ninth child of Ole and Mari Finnestad died in Saskatchewan so I do not have the death certificate information. Bert was the last of their 11 children to be born prior to moving north of Stavanger  in Norway where Ole bought a plot of land on the Finnestad farm. Bert was born  July 18, 1861 and died May 22, 1914 in Outook, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Continuing to clean up my original spreadsheet, I added another tab on the family tree for Berthel (Bert), the 2nd son born to Ole and Mari Finnestad.

Here is a entry document into the United States. The port of entry is Portal, North Dakota. When I obtained the document, the year indicated was 1909, though I looked through the document and didn't see the actual date. Elizabeth (eldest daughter of Ole and Mari Finnestad) and husband Ole Andreas Knutson had come through Portal on their way back from Outlook, Saskatchewan. If you look closely, on the right side (line 25 and 26), the form indicates they were visiting Ole Knutson's brother-in-law, Berthel Finnestad (Elizabeth's younger brother). While I can't read the final columns due to a smudge, it most likely indicates Rochelle, where they were living at the time. I also am assuming they took the train to Canada and back to Illinois. (You get used to making assumptions when encountering documents that lack detailed information.) As I had stated in a previous post, Bert Finnestad and wife Celia had moved to Saskatchewan in 1904. While the document doesn...

Bert, the second to youngest son of Ole and Mari Finnestad died May 22, 1914. Bert is buried at the Saskatchewan River Church Cemetery. Bert was a young 52 when he passed away. The Cemetery is located near Outlook, Saskatchewan. Here are directions should you wish to visit: Drive south from Saskatoon 50.3 km on 219 and 11.8 km west on Sask River Church Road. The legal land description is NW-20-30-7-W3, at 51.5863 North Latitude and 106.9713 West Longitude. The cemetery is 17.9 kilometers (26 minutes) from Outlook, Saskatchewan, CA Depart Outlook on HWY-15 (North) and travel 70 m. Turn RIGHT to stay on HWY-15 for 3.3 km. Turn LEFT (North) onto Local road for 11.4 km. Bear RIGHT (East) onto Local road named Sask River Church road for 2.7 km

Of Ole and Mari's children I was able to track down, I have been unable to locate the whereabouts of Ole and Mari Finnestad's daughter, Mary for the 1910 US Federal Census. I imagine getting 100% accuracy of all US residents is quite a difficult task. She does pop up in 1920 which I will post at a later date. Bert and family were already living in Saskatchewan by 1910. Maria, as I had stated in a previous post, had died at the age of 3 in Norway. The twins, Iverdine and Bertha, along with Rakel I have been unable to trace and do not know whether they left Norway, following their siblings and parents.

The first photo above is Ole and Mari Finnestad's son Berthel (or Bert) and wife Sikke (or Celia). Bert was the first Finnestad to head out of Lee County, Illinois and moved to Saskatchewan, Canada in 1904, according to the history (see middle photo above). Younger brother Rasmus and family eventually followed via a short stint in Iowa. The bottom photo shows the home where Bert and family resided in Canada.

According to the Hjelmeland/Fister parish records, Berthel (or Bert) was born to Ole and Mari on July 18, 1861 and baptized September 22, 1861. This is the last known birth of Ole and Mari in the Hjelmeland/Fister parish, before moving to the Finnestad farm at Hetland/Frue Parish. Please note the confirmation records for Bert were previously posted on September 11, 2008.

Today I received in the mail a book from Carmen Hurd, the great-granddaughter of Ole Sr and Mari Finnestad, granddaughter of Rasmus and Kari Finnestad, and daughter of Olaf and Myrtle Finnestad. This book contains photos and helps complete the descendant information of Rasmus and brother Bert Finnestad. I will be updating the Finnestad family tree and adding information from the book in a sequential order. Again, to access the Finnestad family tree, click on the profile for this webpage (with the picture of my dog) which will provide a link to the worksheet.

These confirmation records of 3 Finnestad ancestors are located on this document from Calvary Lutheran Church in Lee, Illinois. Andrea Elizabeth Knutson, daughter of Ole Andreas and Elizabeth Finnestad and granddaughter of Ole and Mari Finnestad was confirmed May 19, 1889. She was 16 at the time of her confirmation. Rasmus Finnestad was confirmed March 4, 1890. He was 25 at the time of his confirmation. Bert Finnestad was confirmed December 25, 1891. He was 30 at the time of his confirmation. Both Rasmus and Bert were the sons of Ole and Mari Finnestad.

According to the 1900 United States Census, Ole Sr's son, Bert and family lived in Reynolds Township, Lee County, Illinois. Reynolds township adjoins and is east of Alto township where the Ole Sr and Ole Jr families resided in 1900. You will note the inaccuracies of census records by looking at the lower page, 1st entry on the top, which represents Bert's daughter, Selma Bertha Finnestad, who was born May 3, 1900. The census records list her as "no name" born in May of 1899, with an age of 0/12.