Finnestad Ancestry

Leonard A Arndt spent most of his life, from sometime in the 1920's until around 1973 at the Lincoln State School, previously known as "Institute for Feeble Minded Children", where his younger brother, Russell Burdett Arndt had died in 1926 .  Sometime around 1973 due to a Supreme Court decision, those residents living at the facility were to be paid at the same rate as regular employees.   As a result, many residents were moved to other facilities.    Leonard was sent to Rock Falls Manor in Rock Falls, Whiteside County, Illinois.      A notice of birthdays by the facility was published in the Sterling Daily Gazette in their September 6, 1975 edition.    Leonard was listed for his birthday on September 8th of that year. The following year, the Sterling Daily Gazette published a list of birthdays coming up in their September 1, 1976 edition and Leonard was listed once again. In the November 17, 1975 edition of the Sterling Daily Gaz...

According to the 1940 US Census, Leonard A Arndt was living at the same facility as he was during the 1930 US Census. Leonard can be found on line #30.   According to an obituary of his uncle, Ole Vallem which appeared in the August 22, 1940 edition of the Harvard Herald Newspaper, Leonard's mother, Linnie (Vallem) Arndt was living in Iowa.    I have not found the 1940 census for his father, Daniel Andrew Arndt though I know he was living in New York City by 1942 according to his WW II draft registration. Leonard was the son of Linnie (Vallem) and David Andrew Arndt, the grandson of Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis Vallem and great-grandson of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole (Olson) Finnestad Sr..

The 1930 US Census lists David Andrew Arndt on a 'Crew of Vessels'.     The ship named S.S. Tulsagas was based in San Francisco and owned by Associated Oil Company .    Andrew can be found at line #26.  Error:   David Andrew Arndt.   Census lists Arndt, Andrew C.    The last column states "Address of wife or next of kin": Rochille (sic), Illinois.     Wife Linnie (Vallem) Arndt was living in Dement township adjoining Rochelle located in Flagg township, Ogle county, Illinois in 1930 with her mother Rachel and brother Elmer so this is the correct Andrew Arndt. Here is the 1930 US census for Leonard A Arndt, the eldest son of Linnie (Vallem) and David Andrew Arndt. Here is the 1930 US census for their second eldest son, Arthur LeRoy Arndt. Their  youngest son, Russell Burdett Arndt died a few years earlier on May 30, 1926.        According to 'Illinois, U.S., Deaths and Stillbirths Index,...

The 1930 US Census for Leonard A Arndt lists him living in Lincoln City, Logan county, Illinois at the "Institute for Feeble Minded Children".     Leonard was 12 years old when the census was taken April 1, 1930.      Leonard's mother, Linnie was living in Dement township, Ogle county, Illinois at the time of the 1930 census.      This census incorrectly states Linnie was single. The "Institute" opened in 1877 in Lincoln, Illinois, at the time, as an 'appendage' for the deaf and dumb.  More can be found here , here , here and here . This photo of the "Institute" was taken between 1890 and 1901: Leonard was the son of Linnie (Vallem) and David Andrew Arndt, the grandson of Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis Vallem and great-grandson of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole (Olson) Finnestad Sr..