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 Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Violet Myrle Sanderson along with her confirmation class of 1923 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Lee, Illinois. Violet is seated second from the right (next to the Reverend). Here is the church ledger for the 1923 confirmation class. Violet Myrle Sanderson was the daughter of Ellen Marie/Mary (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson.  Her  grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis Vallem.

Here is the 1930 US Census for Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Violet (Sanderson) McCabe. Violet was living with husband James and their son James Jr in DeKalb, Illinois. Violet was the daughter of Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson and the granddaughter of Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis Vallem.