Finnestad Ancestry

On July 26, 1913 Mary (Vallem) Sanderson, her husband Seward, 6 of their children and a nurse were on their way home when the vehicle died while crossing a railroad track near Sugar Grove, Kane County, Illinois.    Seward, the driver, attempted to crank the vehicle in order to start the engine while a train was approaching.   As he saw the Burlington Express #57 lights he yelled for the family to flee the vehicle.    Unfortunately Mary and Seward's daughter, Lillian was thrown forty feet from the vehicle and died.    Her sister Violet was found nearby but fortunately only received injuries as did their mother.    Everyone else survived with apparently no injuries. The Ashton Gazette reported the accident on the front page of their July 31, 1913 edition. Seward Sanderson was the driver, his wife Mary (Vallem) was in the front passenger seat with daughter Violet Myrle and son Charles LeRoy.     Sitting in the back seat were ...

Here is a photo of the grave marker of Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Lillian Rachel Sanderson. Lillian was born September 12, 1906 and died July 26, 1912.  She is buried at the Union Cemetery in Lee County, Illinois. Lillian was the 8th child born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson, (though the 9th child born to Seward Sanderson who had previously been married to Martha Cody). Lillian's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis Vallem.