Finnestad Ancestry

I was watching a YouTube video recently regarding the Norwegian government's plan for a continuous coastal highway including floating bridges and tunnels on the western side of the country when this popped up: I previously posted about the area of Finnestad, located northwest of Stavanger, county of Rogaland, Norway in my three part series, The Finnestad farm.    You can find those posts: Part 1 , Part 2 and Part 3 .  When Ole Olson Søndenå and Mari Iversdatter Nordskår lived there from 1863 through the 1870's until they left for the United States the area was essentially farmland.      The video on the coastal highway can be viewed here .     

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 4 of their children, Walter Orlando, Anna Isabelle, Lillian

Ellen Marie (Mary) the 4th child of Rachel and Lewis Vallem lived with her husband, Seward Sanderson and two of their children, Lawrence and Elmer in Milan township, DeKalb County, Illinois during the 1900 US Federal Census. They also had a servant - the name is not very clear.      Ellen was one of many grandchildren of Ole and Mari Finnestad.

In 1910, Mary (Vallem) Sanderson, husband Seward and children Stanley (not sure why he wasn't listed as living with his parents on the 1900 census) Lawrence, Elmer, Walter, Anna, Lillian and Violet. Again, as you can see, the census records are not 100% accurate. They indicate Mary had 8 children, 6 were living as of the 1910 census, though 7 children resided with Mary and Seward. It's a guess where the error would be and makes tracing your genealogy very tedious and difficult. The Sanderson family was still living in Milan Township, DeKalb County, Illinois.  

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 Gazette, Leonard Arndt participated in a Sp

Arthur LeRoy Arndt took his own life on January 12, 1955 in Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan.  His suicide was reported on page 2 in the South Haven Daily Tribune on January 13, 1955.    His death occurred a year following that of his mother .     Arthur LeRoy Arndt 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 January 1, 1954 edition of the Hardin County Index mentioned the funeral of Linnie Rebecca (Vallem) Arndt which had taken place earlier that day. Linnie had passed away a few days earlier on December 28, 1953 in Eldora, Hardin County, Iowa.    There was no mention of her married name, Arndt, similar to the 1930 US Census .     Her memorial can be found here .    I was unable to locate a marker at the cemetery.   It's possible one was never placed at the burial site. Linnie was the daughter of Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis Vallem and granddaughter of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole (Olson) Finnestad Sr.

Here is the 1940 US Census for Arthur LeRoy Arndt living with his aunt and uncle,  Mary (Arndt) and Wallace L. Toole and their daughter Alfa and son Neil.    The census incorrectly lists Arthur's last name as Toole.    He is also listed as a ward on this census as opposed to the previous census in which he was listed as the Toole's nephew. Arthur LeRoy Arndt was living in South Haven township, Van Buren county, Michigan.  He was employed as a clerk for a grocery store.      Arthur 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.

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..

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 named her Ellen Marie Vallem.    Both she and her decea

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, 1916-1947' Russell was a patient.     This was the same facility where h