Finnestad Ancestry

I had previously posted 12 years ago regarding the untimely death of Otto Bert Knutson.   Those posts can be found here and here .    I found another article about the incident that led to his death on page 1 of the August 3, 1895 edition of the Ogle County Press. This is the first time I'd encountered anything that included the name of the person that caused Otto's death.   A traveling man named 'Crall'.    Unfortunately the article did not include the first name or residence of Mr. Crall. While the July 31, 1895 edition of the Rochelle Herald reported that internment would take place at the Norwegian Cemetery near Lee, I later discovered his funeral took place at the First Lutheran Church in Lee county, Illinois.    Based upon the other listings in the church records, the burial appears to have taken place at Lawnridge Cemetery, Rochelle, Ogle county, Illinois.     Below is a copy of the parish funeral record. Otto's en...

Here is the death certificate for Orville Ilin Olson who passed away December 2, 1973 in Seattle, King County, Washington. Margaret J (Chapman) Carlson Olson, Orville's ex-wife provided information to the medical examiner.   Orville was buried at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Seattle, Washington.    His plot does not have a marker.     The photo above is a view looking north.    The blue flag designates the plot in section 1 PA. The photo below is a view looking west. The photo below is a view looking northeast. The photo below is a view looking south. Here is a map of the cemetery with the plot marked with a star indicating the burial location in the event you wish to visit Orville's gravesite. Orville was born March 24, 1889 in Steward, Lee county, Illinois.    He married Ida Julia Govig in Cylinder, Iowa on January 10, 1911.   Several years following Ida's death in 1923, Orville married Ruth Rosemary (Horner) Wilson in C...

Lawrence Vallem, great grandson of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole Finnestad Sr may have been the only individual in the family buried at a national cemetery. Lawrence had served in the US Army during World War I.   He was the eldest child born to Lena Josephine (Travland) and Peter John Vallem on October 26, 1898 in Alto township, Lee county, Illinois. Following his service in the military, Lawrence married Jennifer Cecelia Blanford on January 8, 1920 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois.     Jennifer was born in Illinois on September 20, 1900 and died in Downey, Los Angeles county, California on March 4, 1995.  I do not know where she was buried. Lawrence passed away August 8, 1991 in Long Beach, Los Angeles county, California and was buried at the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, Riverside county, California. Here is a photo of the sign and entrance to Riverside Memorial Cemetery. Here is...

Hamilton Ordean Risetter, great grandson of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole Finnestad Sr was born in May 1910 to Clara Olette "Lettie" (Finnestad) and Christopher H Risetter.   Hamilton married Kathryn King, most likely in September 1945 as the Dixon Telegraph newspaper had an announcement of an engagement or a marriage in their September 19, 1945 edition.    Hamilton passed away in May 1969.  Kathryn was born in 1914 and passed away in 1971 and was buried at the First Lutheran Cemetery in Lee county, Illinois next to her husband. Here is a photo of the Risetter plot. Here is a photo of Kathryn's marker. Here is a photo of Hamilton's marker. Hamilton was the grandson of Caroline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad Jr.

Mari and Ole Finnestad's grandson, Burdette Finnestad was buried at the Belvidere Cemetery in Belvidere, Boone county, Illinois. Here is a photo of the Finnestad plot. Here is a closeup of their monument. Here is a photo of the Belvidere Cemetery. Here is a map of the Belvidere Cemetery.   The Finnestad plot is located at 5th Edition, Block 9, Lot 6. Burdette, the eldest son of Mary (Kurth) and Oliver Finnestad was born July 11, 1912 in Lyneville township, Ogle county, Illinois.    Alice was born February 20, 1918 in Esmond, DeKalb county, Illinois to Helen (Gustafson) and George Barnes.    Alice and Burdette were married May 6, 1939 in Creston, Ogle county, Illinois. Burdette died May 27, 1984 in Belvidere and Alice died September 24 1970 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. Burdette was the grandson of Caroline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad Jr....

Here is a photo taken last month of the marker for my great great great grandparents, Mari and Ole Finnestad, their daughter, Sarah and their granddaughter, Josephine.   Josephine was the daughter of Caroline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad Jr. The recap posted last year of the burials of their children can be found here .     As I posted yesterday , Mari's year of birth was 1923, not 1924. Here is a photo of the Union Cemetery in Lee County, Illinois.    The marker above is located in the second row up from the left side of the Union Cemetery arch.

Here is a photo I took recently of the Vallem plot located at Union Cemetery in Lee county, Illinois. In the background is the Vallem monument, which I posted in August 2010.   In the foreground is the marker for Lena Josephine (Travland), the first wife of Peter John Vallem.    To the left of Lena is Peter's marker. To the left of Peter's marker is that of his second wife, Sarah (Anderson) and to the left of Sarah is the marker for Peter's daughter, Lena Verdelle (Vallem) Dover .   The marker says 'Doner' though I am not sure of the correct spelling.

Here is a photo taken last month at the Union cemetery in Lee county, Illinois, of the headstone for Ole and Mari Finnestad's daughter, Iverdine Travland.   Because it was made of either limestone or concrete it's difficult to read but may be slightly more legible than previous versions I've posted . Iverdine's daughter Ane Marie is listed at the lower section of the marker, having passed away after 2 months of age.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Ellen Jewell Sanderson, the last child of Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson was born on September 2, 1918 in Rochelle, Ogle county, Illinois. Ellen married William Lowell Rinehart on January 17, 1939 in Illinois. William was born January 17, 1918. Ellen passed away on January 4, 2004 in Winnebago county, Illinois and was buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Machesney Park, Illinois. Here is a photo of the Rinehart plot. Here is a photo of Ellen's marker. William died May 19, 1979 in Winnebago county, Illinois.   Here is a photo of his marker. Ellen's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Gordon Delbert Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on February 15, 1917 in Lee county, Illinois. Gordon married Genevieve Mabel Slade on September 7, 1940 in Winnebago county, Illinois.   Genevieve was born January 10, 1922 in Illinois. Gordon passed away on April 7, 1982 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois and was buried at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.   Here is a photo of Genevieve and Gordon's marker. Genevieve passed away on December 24, 2005 in Naperville, Du Page county, Illinois.   Here is a closeup of her inscription. Here is a closeup of Gordon's inscription. Gordon's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great grandson, Charles LeRoy Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on May 13, 1913 in Lee county, Illinois. Charles married Lucille Marion Mark in Alta, Buena Vista county, Iowa sometime in 1938.    Marion was born August 29, 1912 in Alta, Iowa. Charles passed away on May 24, 2003 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois and was buried at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Machesney Park, Illinois. Here is a photo of the Sanderson plot. Here is a photo of Lucille and Charles' marker. Lucille passed away March 6, 2006 in Rockford, Illinois.   Here is a closeup of her inscription. Here is a closeup of Charles' inscription. Here is a photo of the entrance to Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Here is a map of the cemetery. Lucille and Charles were buried in the Lutheran Eas...

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Marion Vallem Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on November 19, 1910 in Lee county, Illinois. Marion was married to Wesley Everett Mark on September 7, 1935 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois.    Marion passed away on October 18, 1997 in Rockford and was buried at the Scandinavian Cemetery in Rockford. Here is a photo of Marion and Wesley's marker. Here is a closeup of Marion's inscription. Here is a closeup of Wesley's inscription. Marion's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Anna Isabelle Sanderson was born to Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson on July 27, 1904 in Lee county, Illinois. Anna married Irving Benwith Ferrias in Chicago, Illinois on June 8, 1929.    Anna passed away on October 30, 1995 in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois and is buried at the Scandinavian Cemetery in Rockford. Here is a photo of her marker. Here is a photo of the entrance to the Scandinavian Cemetery. Here is a map of Section 29 where Anna and family are buried at the Scandinavian Cemetery in Rockford. Anna's grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great grandson, Robert Lawrence Sanderson was born to Nora Elma (Peterson) and Lawrence Alvin Sanderson on April 3, 1923, in DeKalb county, Illinois. Robert passed away on February 27, 2010 in DeKalb, Illinois and was buried next to his parents at Fairview Cemetery.    Here is his obituary from the DeKalb Daily Chronicle.   Here is a photo of his headstone. Robert's grandparents were Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson.  Her great grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.

Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great granddaughter, Lois Elaine (Sanderson) Johnson was born to Nora Elma (Peterson) and Lawrence Alvin Sanderson on November 9, 1920, in DeKalb county, Illinois. Lois married Wilfred C "Bud" Johnson on June 16, 1979 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lois passed away on November 3, 1999 just a few days before her 79th birthday and was buried next to her parents in Fairview Cemetery, DeKalb, Illinois.    Here is her grave marker. I'm not sure why her marker lists her maiden rather than her married name though here is an obituary for her husband, "Bud" Johnson from the DeKalb Daily Chronicle who was also buried at the Fairview Cemetery. Lois' grandparents were Ellen Marie (Vallem) and Seward Sanderson.  Her great grandparents were Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis P Vallem.