Travland Family history website

A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of the Finnestad family from 1870 that was provided by Trish Hodgens.

Trish's website documents the Travland family that descended from Iverdine Olson Finnestad's husband, Lewis Travland.

The website includes a few photos of Iverdine and Lewis' children, Ole, Peter and Thomas. (Their daughter Anne died 2 months after birth).

After Iverdine passed away in 1879, her husband Lewis remarried.

Bertha Haaland - immigration to the US

I came across this document that may pertain to Ole and Mari Finnestad's daughter, Bertha Haaland.

This is an passenger list for arrivals to Quebec. (Bertha is listed as #8007).

Unfortunately, I can't read the destination to verify whether it is actually Ole and Mari's daughter.

The ship was the Ontario from the Dominion Line and arrived June 17, 1883.




The 1920 US Census lists both Andreas and Bertha as having immigrated in 1882.

However, according to the 1910 US Census, Bertha came to the US in 1883; her husband Andreas arrived in 1882. So it is possible it's Bertha Olson Finnestad Haaland.

If I find another document to confirm this is actually Bertha, I will post it.

Gertrude Hazel Vallem

This photo* of Ole and Mari Finnestad's great granddaughter, Gertrude Hazel Vallem was taken approximately in 1933 or 1934 before she married Kenneth Simons.



Gertrude was the granddaughter of Rachel Vallem.

* Provided by Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great granddaughter, Rose Kolberg.

Ole Vallem family

Here is a photo* of Ole and Sofia Vallem and their children, Violet (in Sofia's lap), Gertrude (standing on the chair) and Rosabell. This photo was taken around 1916.



Ole Vallem was the grandson of Ole and Mari Finnestad.

* Provided by Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great granddaughter, Rose Kolberg.

Finnestad family, around 1870

Today I received some photos from a distant cousin, Trish Hodgens who descended from Iverdine Finnestad.

Here is a photo of the family, taken in Norway sometime around 1870.

Back row: Bert, Rachel, Rasmus, Ole Jr, Iverdine, Bertha (Iverdine's twin sister)

Sitting: Mary, Parents Ole Sr and Mari, Serina (Sarah)

I am 100% sure of Bert, Rasmus, Ole Jr since I compared to photos I had.

I’m guessing on Rachel, Bertha, Mary and Serina, but based on their birth dates:

Serina – 7/5/1846

Bertha and Iverdine – 12/2/1850

Rachel – 12/2/1853

Mary – 1/19/1859

I just had to figure out who I thought looked 4 years older, the same age as, 3 years younger and six years younger than Iverdine based upon the photo.

Since Trish knew which were Iverdine, Ole Sr and Mari, I just needed to fill in the blanks.

This is the first time I've seen a photo of my great great great grandparents, Ole and Mari and any of their daughters.

Elizabeth had already married Ole Andreas Knutson and had started a family when this photo was taken, and is not included. I am not sure whether I'll be able to find someone with a photo of her.

Thanks to Trish for providing the photo; I don't think anyone else in the family has ever seen what these Finnestad family members looked like.

Ole and Sofia Vallem

Here is a photo* of Ole and Mari Finnestad's grandson and his wife, Ole Vallem and Sofia Halverson, taken around 1910.




Ole was the son of Rachel and Lewis Vallem.

* Provided by Ole and Mari Finnestad's great great granddaughter, Rose Kolberg.

Lusitania Part III

I had posted about Rachel Vallem's trip on the Lusitania yesterday and came across the following article following the sinking of the ship in 1915.




While there were no Finnestad family members on the ship at the time it was sunk, I find it interesting that a couple of our ancestors had actually traveled on the Lusitania just a couple of years prior to the sinking.