Finnestad Ancestry

In 1950, Oliver Finnestad, wife Mary (Kurth) and daughter Alice Leota Finnestad were living in Creston, Ogle county, Illinois. The family is listed on lines 28 - 30.    Oliver was employed as a carpenter, Mary worked for a coat factory 'running a sewing machine' and Leota was a stenographer for a locomotive company. The other 8 children of Oliver and Mary had married and were living elsewhere.    Oliver was the son of Carline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad and the grandson of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole Finnestad Sr.

The 1940 US Census was released last week.       Here is the census for my great grandparents, Mary (Kurth) and Oliver Finnestad (starting at line 53). In 1940, three of their six sons, Oliver Jr, Verlis and Robert and two of their three daughters, Lois and (Alice) Leota were living with their parents.    Mary and Oliver Finnestad were living in Creston, Ogle county, Illinois. Oliver and was still employed as a farm laborer.     Oliver Jr was working as a meat cutter at a retail establishment and Verlis was employed with a grain company. Some of the questions on the census are difficult to read.   Below is a legible blank census form as an explanation of symbols. Oliver was the son of Carline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad Sr.    His grandparents were Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole Finnestad Sr.

Here is the obituary for Ole and Mari Finnestad's grandson, Oliver Finnestad, my great grandfather. Oliver was born October 28, 1887 in Lee County to Caroline (Quitno) and Ole Finnestad Jr.    He died September 29, 1952 in Creston, Illinois. Last year I posted photographs of his grave marker.

On June 5, 1917, my great grandfather Oliver registered for the draft. He claimed an exemption because he was married and had 4 children (Burdette, Kenneth, Harland and Oliver Jr) at the time of his registration. The United States had entered the war just two months prior to this document.

The grandson of Ole and Mari, and the son of Ole Jr and Caroline Finnestad, Oliver was married to Mary Kurth on December 18, 1911. I do not have a photo of from their wedding, but here is a picture of Mary, I am guessing was taken sometime in the 1950's. Oliver and Mary were my great grandparents, though Oliver had long passed away before I was born and I do not know if I ever had met Mary who had passed away when I was about 3 years old. If anyone has a photo of Oliver and Mary on their wedding day, please let me know.