Finnestad Ancestry

Here is a copy of Rachel (Finnestad) Vallem's last will and testament: The will was dated by the executor June 27, 1932, two months following her death . Her youngest son, Elmer Vallem was listed first as a recipient of $3000 which today would be $60,864.53 reflecting the rate of inflation over the past 90 years.    Elmer was born over 4 years following the death of Rachel's husband, Lars Vallem.    Elmer's father was Jacob Johnson . The balance of the estate was to be divided amongst her 7 surviving children:  Peter, Ole, Mary Sanderson, Josephine Hall, Ella Olson, Dena Thompson and Linnie Arndt.   The only child that preceded her in death was Ellen Mary Vallem  as well as her husband, Lars 'Lewis" Vallem . Rachel was the daughter of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole (Olson) Finnestad Sr. 

In my initial research into the Finnestad family tree, I was provided information from one of Rachel Vallem's descendants that her eldest child, Marie Vallem had died as an infant.     I recently stumbled upon the death information for Ellen Mary Vallem in the database,  'Illinois Deaths and Burials, 1749-1999'.  Her name was misspelled as Vallim which is one reason why it was difficult to track down this record. The listing states Ellen was born and died in Dement township, Ogle county, Illinois.   The database indicates she was buried in Alta township, Lee county, Illinois.   Dement township is on the northern border of Alta township, Lee county. Ellen Mary Vallem was the eldest daughter born to Rachel (Finnestad) and Lars 'Lewis' Vallem.    She was the granddaughter of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole (Olson) Finnestad Sr.      Following her death, one year later Rachel and Lars had another daughter and n...

A decade ago I posted  a 1900 US census record for the widower, Lambert Johnson following the death of his wife, Andrea Elizabeth Knutson.      Andrea 'Lizzie' had passed away two years prior to the census; her husband had moved in with his older brother Jacob.    At the time I was not aware that Jacob Johnson was the father of Rachel (Finnestad) Vallem's youngest child, Elmer James Vallem . I also posted the census records to confirm where Andrea and Lambert's children went to live following the death of their mother.   I did not know at the time that two of the children, Lillian and Truman were living with their aunt, Ellen* Josephine (Johnson) Govig and uncle Benjamin Govig.    Ellen was Lambert's older sister.    Their brother, Jacob, father of Elmer James Vallem was the oldest of the Johnson siblings. Andrea 'Lizzie' Elizabeth (Knutson) Johnson was the daughter of Elizabeth (Finnestad) Knutson and Ole Andreas (Andrew...

Genevieve Fern (Olson) Berg was born to Elebata (Ella) Bertina Vallem and George Olson on August 21, 1923 in Milan township, DeKalb county, Illinois.     Genevieve married Dale Theodore Berg on January 3, 1948 at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Lee county, Illinois.     She passed away 9 years after her husband on April 24, 2019 in Aurora, Kane county, Illinois. Genevieve's husband was the grandson of Oscar Theodore Deidric Berg mentioned in this post .   I was fortunate to have met Genevieve in 2011 who provided me with the original photo of the Finnestad family as well as the Rachel (Finnestad) Vallem family . Genevieve was the granddaughter of Rachel (Olsdatter Finnestad) and Lars "Lewis" Pederson Vallem and the great granddaughter of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole (Olson) Finnestad Sr.

The Årdal gamle kirke  (Årdal old church) is located east of the Nordskår farm.   The son-in-law of Ole Olson Søndenå and Mari Iversdatter Nordskår,  Lars Pederson Valheim (Americanized to Vallem) was laid to rest at this wooden church which dates back to 1619, one year before the Pilgrims landed at Provincetown, Massachusetts. This map provides perspective where Lars was born, the church location and the residence of Rachel Olsdatter (Finnestad) Vallem.    Nordskår, Årdal and Valheim Very few grave markers exist today as shown by the exterior photos. Entrance Side yard and rear of the church View from rear of church View from rear of church Side view Interior shots of the church. View from the entrance Ceiling and wall panels Rear portion of the church The stained glass window depicts the Danish flag and a sailor holding a stein of beer.   Unusual religious s...

Here is a photo* of Rachel (Finnestad) Vallem and family. Back row:  Ole and Peter Middle row:  Linnie, Lewis, Josephine, Mary, Rachel Front row:  Ella, Iverdena   This photo would have been taken probably in late 1888 or early 1889 based upon Iverdena's birth of April 16, 1888. Rachel's son with Jacob Jacobson, (after the death of her husband, Lewis Vallem) had not yet been born (1893) at the time of this photo. *Photo provided by Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Genevieve Berg.

Here is the death certificate information for Ole and Mari Finnestad's 6th child, Rachel (Finnestad) Vallem.  Rachel's name was Americanized from "Rakkel" after leaving Norway.    Another interesting fact is that Rachel was born on December 2, the same month and day as her twin sisters, Iverdine and Bertha. Note the misspelling of and Mari Skaar as "Mary Scorr."

On the August 23 and 24, 2010 entries, I provided documentation that the Finnestad family had used the name Oleson (Olson/Olsen) after arriving in America and had not yet adopted the last name Finnestad, based upon the farm Ole had owned in Norway. Below is another example.    Ole and Mari Finnestad's daughter, Rachel had used the last name "Olsen" when she was married in 1872 to Lewis Vallem in Ogle County, Illinois. After moving to the United States from Norway, it was some time during the 1880's  that the family had started to use the name "Finnestad".

Rachel was the 6th child born to Ole and Mari Finnestad. Rachel is buried at the Lawnridge Cemetery in Rochelle, Illinois. Rachel was born December 2, 1853 and died April 8, 1932. Coincidentally, her older twin sisters, Bertha and Iverdine were also born on December 2nd. Rachel's husband, Lewis is buried in Norway; I do not have a photo or exact location but believe it is a cemetery in the village of Valheim. Rachel's last name was spelled as 'Vallum' rather than the correct spelling of "Vallem" on the marker.

In 1930, Ole and Mari Finnestad's daughter Rachel was living in Dement Township, Ogle County, Illinois with her son Elmer and daughter Linnie. Ole and Mari's grandson, Oliver (my great grandfather) was living just a few houses away with wife Mary, sons Burdette, Kenneth (my grandfather), Harlan, Oliver Jr, Verlis, Lois, Shirley and Robert. It would be another year before the birth of Oliver and Mary's final child, Alice.

Several of the Finnestad family members were laid to rest at the Lawnridge Cemetery in Rochelle, Illinois. Two of Ole and Mari Finnestad's daughters are located there: Rachel Vallem and Elizabeth Knutson. Rachel's daughter Isabel Josephine, husband Ole Hall and Rachel's son, Elmer in Section B #21. There is also a "Hall" though I do not yet know who is buried there. Elizabeth's daughter Edith, husband Charles Ludwig and their son Robert, in Section B #22. I will post photos once I obtain them. Lawnridge is located in Ogle County, on 8th Avenue in Rochelle.