Ole Travland Part I

The search for what happened to Ole Travland, the youngest son of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland has been a difficult journey.    Between inaccuracies in vital data and the variation in the use of Ole, Olie, Olaf, Otto as well as the last name of Travland I thought all trails had come to a dead end.   I have finally reached the end of the search.   The next several posts will cover his history from Norway to the United States.

According to his baptism record Ole was born near the Finnøy parish, Rogaland county, Norway on January 3, 1856.    In 1868 at the age of 12, Ole and his family traveled to the United States.   In 1870, Ole and family appeared on a United States census for the first time living in the town of Milan (which does not exist today) in DeKalb county, Illinois.    The census was taken August 30, 1870 and correctly lists Ole's age as 14.    Living two homes away lives Ole's future, wife, Mary Ann Olson.     

In 1880, the US Census lists Ole is now married and living with his wife, Mary Ann (Olson) and their first child Lena Josephine Travland, still living in Milan township, DeKalb, Illinois.      Living next door are his parents and brother Lewis along with Lewis' children following the death of his wife, Iverdine Olsdatter (Finnestad) the previous year.    Living on the other side of Ole's parents are his in-laws, Ole Olson family.  

The 1880 US census was taken June 12, 1880 and Ole's age is correctly listed as 24.  The accuracy goes down hill from here.

The 1890 US Census was destroyed by fire so we do not have a record of the Travland family for that year.     The 1900 US Census for Ole's wife, Mary Ann and two of their children, Wesley and Martin does not list Ole.    It appeared he may have died prior to the 1900 census until I stumbled upon an announcement of an Ole Travland obtaining a wedding license with Daisy Bagley of DeKalb, Illinois.

This notice appeared on page 4 of the April 28, 1900 issue of The True Republican.        Ole was 44 at the time of this marriage so I initially dismissed it as possibly another Ole Travland.    However, further research indicated there was no one else with a history in the United States that matched a possible 34 year old Ole Travland.    This was the first inaccurate document I'd encountered regarding Ole's age.

I found the 1900 US Census for Ole Travland and Daisy (Bagley) living with her mother, one of her sons and a grandchild.   The family was living in DeKalb, DeKalb county, Illinois.    They can be found on lines 21 - 25.    

This census was taken June 11, 1900.    Ole Travland is listed as having been born in Illinois of April 1865, age 35 and states both parents were from Germany.  This would eventually become the second inaccurate document I'd encountered which included the inaccuracy of his parent's heritage.     Ole's parents were born in Norway as was Ole, and he was 44, not 35 at the time this census was taken.

To be continued....

1900 US Census - Mary Ann (Olson) Travland, Martin Travland and Wesley Travland

Here is the 1900 US Census for Mary Ann (Olson) Travland and her two youngest sons, Martin and Wesley living in Flagg township, Ogle County, Illinois.    Their names are listed on lines 22 - 24.

The census indicates Mary was married for 5 years at the time of the census and had 5 children, 5 were surviving.     The 1910 US Census for Mary (by that time had married for a 2nd time to Adolph Sheveland) had 7 children and 4 were surviving.   Her obituary in 1947 indicated she had 3 daughters and 4 sons.    I'm unsure which of the three documents are accurate.    If she had 3 daughters, one must have died as an infant or at birth.

I am not sure where Mary's first husband, Ole Travland was living at the time of this census.   In a December 19th or 20th, 1905 application for marriage, it stated both Adolph Sheveland and Mary Travland had been divorced.    The application for marriage was denied, but Mary and Adolph eventually filed another application and were married on March 26, 1906.   This application stated Mary divorced 10 or 11 years prior due to Ole Travland's 'drunkenness*'.

I've been unable to find any information on Ole Travland after the 1880 US Census.

Martin and Wesley Travland were the children of Mary Ann (Olson) and Ole Kristian Travland and the grandchildren of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.

*It's a good thing Carrie Nation solved that problem.

1900 US Census - Peter Travland

Here is the 1900 US Census for Peter Travland, grandson of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.


Peter, son of Mary Ann (Olson) and Ole Kristian Travland, was living in DeKalb, Illinois with his wife, Carrie (Larson) and her parents, Fred and Josephine Larson.    The rest of the household residents were Carrie's siblings, Frida, Frygva, Sam, Freddie, Emma, Tygo, Delia and Curtis.

1900 US Census - Miley Travland and Alice Travland

Here is the 1900 US Census for Miley Travland and Alice Travland, great grandchildren of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.


Miley and Alice were living with their father, Arthur Berg in Alto township, Lee county, Illinois.   Their mother, Clara (Travland) Berg had passed away in December 1898.

Miley and Alice's grandparents were Mary Ann (Olson) and Ole Kristian Travland.

1900 US Census - Mary, Martin and Wesley Travland

Here is the 1900 US Census for Mary Ann (Olson) Travland, daughter-in-law of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.












































Mary Ann was living in Rochelle, Ogle county, Illinois with her sons Martin and Wesley.    The census seems to indicate Mary was married and not widowed, though the handwriting isn't very clear.   I haven't been able to locate a death record or census for Mary's husband, Ole Kristian Travland and do not know what happened to him.

1900 US Census - Otto John Travland

Here is the 1900 US Census for Otto John Travland, grandson of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.


Otto, son of Susanne (Iversdatter Skaar) and Peter Peterson (Jr) was living in Bee county, Texas with wife Annie (Helling).

Living a few houses away was Stella Berkeland, future wife of Otto's cousin, Thomas Tobias Travland.

1900 US Census - Sadie Celia (Travland) Mannes

Here is the 1900 US Census for Sadie Mannes, granddaughter of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.


By 1900, Celia had returned to Illinois after having lived a few years in Bee county, Texas.   Celia was living in Malta township, DeKalb county, Illinois with husband John and their daughter Amelia.

Celia was the daughter of Susanne (Iversdatter Skaar) and Peter Peterson Travland.

1900 US Census - Petra Tale Bertha (Travland) Johnson

The majority of the 1890 US Census was destroyed by fire leaving a huge hole in genealogy research.

The lack of a 1900 US Census for the two remaining children of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland, Andrew and Ole Kristian Travland seems to indicate they both passed away prior to 1900.    If I eventually stumble upon those census records, I will post them.

Here is the 1900 US Census for Petra Tale Bertha Johnson, daughter of Susanne (Iversdatter Skaar) and Peter Pederson Travland Jr.


Petra was living in Alto township, Lee county, Illinois with husband Elias and their children, Henry, Joseph, Simon and Andrew.    The Johnson family also had a servant residing at the household, Caroline Halverson and two boarders, Mortie Smith and John Richolson.

1900 US Census - Lewis Travland

Here is the 1900 US Census for Lewis Travland, son of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.


Lewis, twice widowed (1st - Iverdine Finnestad, 2nd - Matilda Ogel) was living in Beeville, Bee
county, Texas with his children, Thomas (from first wife Iverdine) and Inga, Martin, Lena, Ida and Benjamin (from second wife, Matilda).

Like his brother, Peter, Lewis was also still working as a farmer.

1900 US Census - Peter Travland and nephew Peter Travland

Here is the 1900 US Census for Peter Travland, eldest son of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland as well as Peter Travland, the grandson of Taletta and Peder.


Peter was living in Bee county, Texas with his second wife*, Anna (Johnson).    Peter was still working, employed as a farmer.

Two houses away was Peter's nephew, Peter Travland, son of Iverdine (Finnestad)* and Lewis Travland, living with his wife Hannah (Arno) and brother-in-law, Henry.   Peter was also employed as a farmer.


*Peter's first wife, Susanne (Iversdatter Skaar) had passed away October 5, 1880.   Susanne was the youngest sister of my great great great grandmother, Mari (Iversdatter Skaar) Finnestad.  Iverdine (Finnestad) Travland was the daughter of Mari.