Ole Travland: Part V

The final chapter of Ole Travland's life following the death of his wife Daisy (Bagely) is probably more common than we would like to believe and an unfortunate commentary on how we treat each other.    The previous chapters of Ole's life can be viewed by clicking on the following links:

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Following the death of Daisy, at some point Ole Travland was sent to the Clinton County Home in Washington township, Clinton county, Iowa.    Here is the 1930 US Census for Ole.  His entry can be found on line 53.

The Clinton County Home was a 'poor house'.   I do not know who came up with the term 'inmate' for people that have fallen upon bad times.    Apparently they viewed poverty as a crime and an indication they did not believe in people's dignity.  More about the Clinton County Home can be found here.

This final census for Ole Travland is more accurate than all the documents I've encountered since 1900.  This census lists Ole's age as 76, indicating he was born in 1854.    While not quite accurate, it's much closer than the years shaved off in the previous census records.     Ole was 74 at the time this census was taken on April 11, 1900.    It still states he was born in Illinois even though he was born in Norway.   They do list his parents correctly as Norway being their place of birth.

Contrasting the 1930 US Census with Ole's first wife, Mary Ann (Olson) it is interesting that following the death (or divorce?) of her second husband, she reverted to her first married name, Travland.  

I do not know how long Ole lived at the Clinton County Home but the following year, Ole Travland passed away on June 30, 1931.    Note the spelling of Ole as 'Olie'.

According to the death certificate, it appears the medical examiner wrote the cause of death was due to old age and much of it is illegible but appears at the end of the statement, 'way he lived prior to entering County Home'.    One might get the impression the M.E. was attempting to avoid any culpability should the Clinton County Home be responsible for Ole's death.

Ole's age was unknown and they estimated his birth year on the death certificate as 1861 and age as 70.    They also listed his profession as "common laborer'.  Even until the very end they were unwilling to lend any dignity to his life.     

Ole Travland was born January 3, 1856 near the Finnøy parish, Rogaland county, Norway.   He was the youngest child born to Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.   The Travland family traveled from Norway on May 8, 1868 to Quebec, Canada arriving on June 22, 1868.   From Quebec the family traveled to America and settled in Milan, Milan township, DeKalb county, Illinois.

Around 1877, Ole married Mary Ann (Olson) possibly in DeKalb county.    Mary and Ole Travland had 6 children:  Lena Josephine, Clara Marie, Peter, Otto, Martin and Wesley.    By 1894 or 1895, Mary and Ole had divorced.    Ole remarried on April 19, 1900 to Daisy (Bagley) in Sycamore, DeKalb county, Illinois.   They moved to Clinton Iowa around 1903 where they remained for the rest of their lives.    

Ole Travland's memorial can be viewed here.    I have requested the memorial for his son Peter be linked.  It can be viewed here.

*I've not been able to confirm Adolph Sheveland's date of death or any documents pertaining to him after 1924.   He also inexplicably went by the name of Peter for a period of his life.

Ole Travland: Part IV

Part I

Part II

Part III

The state of Iowa reported census data in 1915.     This census is an index card listing the individual, occupation, residence and a few other key data points.      The census for Daisy (Bagely) Travland states she has lived in Iowa for 12 years which narrows down the date the Travland family moved to Iowa to around 1903.     

Ole Travland's 1915 Iowa census states his age as 48, continuing the pattern of census errors since 1900. The census lists his age as 48 and born in Illinois.    Ole was 59 and born in Norway.     This is the first census I've encountered that lists his parents birthplace correctly:  Norway.

I was unable to find Ole's son, Wesley and wife Mary (Miller) living in Clinton, Iowa.      I also have been unable to track down the 1920 US Census for Daisy and Ole Travland.    However, the last census the state of Iowa took was in 1925, which is an even more comprehensive census than the United States census.

By April 7, 1925, the date this census was taken, Daisy (Bagley) and Ole Travland had moved from 344 3rd Avenue, Clinton, Clinton county, Iowa to 447 11th Avenue, Clinton, Iowa.    The census lists Ole's age and birthplace incorrectly as 60 and Illinois.  

The additional data extracted from this census is interesting.   Ole's rent in 1925 was $5 per month equating to $79.72 in 2022.   For the Travland neighbors that owned their homes, the valuation was between $1000 and $4000 equating to values between $15,944.65 and $63,778.59 today.   

The next sheet of the census provided the details that helped confirm Ole Travland was the son of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.    This is the only census I've seen that includes the names of parents not living with the resident.    Ole's father is listed as Peter 'Traveland' and mother is listed as Tillie with no last name given. Fortunately this sole document links Ole to his parents and correctly states they were born in Norway in spite of the minor difference between the Norwegian 'Taletta' and Americanized 'Tillie'.   

The last sheet of the 1925 Iowa census indicates Daisy is 'engaged in domestic and personal services' and Ole is a 'laborer unclassified'. 

A few months following the 1925 Iowa census, Ole's wife, Daisy (Bagley) passed away on July 20, 1925 at home in Clinton, Iowa.

Daisy (Bagley) Travland was born to Elizabeth Ann (Stine) and Burton W Bagley in LaSalle county, Illinois.    Daisy and Ole Travland married in Sycamore, DeKalb county, Illinois at St. Peter's Episcopal church on April 19, 1900.

Ole Travland history....to be continued.....

Ole Travland: Part III

Following the early years of Ole Travland's life and his first wife's transition to a new life, Ole moved on.

Here is the 1910 US Census for Daisy (Bagley) and Ole Travland living in Clinton, Clinton county, Iowa.  Their entry on the census is located on lines 73 and 74.

This census would become the third document with inaccuracies I've encountered tracking down Ole Travland.    Aside from the minor misspelling of Travland with 'Travlend', the census states he is 48.    At the time the census was taken on April 16, 1910, Ole was 54.    It also indicates both he and his parents were born in 'Den Danish'.  While Denmark did rule Norway in the past, it did not at the time of his birth.  Sweden ruled Norway when both he and his parents were born.   

Unrelated to Ole Travland, but part of the history of Norway, the stained glass window in the Årdal old church is a reminder of Danish rule over Norway many generations before Ole Travland was born.

On the 1910 census Ole is listed as being a laborer 'on the street'.   Another error on the census is the year of immigration.   It is listed as 1885, but Ole and family immigrated to the United States prior to the 1870 US Census.

I eventually encountered another document that provided sufficient evidence to confirm this might be THE Ole Travland, the youngest son of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.   I will post that document on my next entry.

The evidence that really tied everything together was a newspaper article I stumbled upon a few days ago.  The news article reported Mary Miller, daughter-in-law of Ole and Mary Ann (Olson) Travland's youngest son, Wesley was being extradited from Clinton, Iowa back to Rochelle, Ogle county, Illinois for a $13 check forgery.   Wesley was included in the article as having been arrested for intoxication and sentenced to 10 days in jail.

This article appeared on page 3 of the September 22, 1914 edition of the Clinton Daily Advertiser.   Mary (Miller) and Wesley had married 3 months prior.

One unusual note about the newspaper article:  'Mrs. Mary Miller alias Mrs. Wesley Travlend' (also misspelled).  I do not know how common it was in the 1910's for someone to NOT adopt the name of their husband or use an 'aka'.  Wesley remarried in 1930 so this marriage either ended up in divorce or Mary passed away prior to Wesley's second marriage.

The move for Ole and Daisy Travland to Clinton, Iowa from DeKalb, Illinois is approximately 82 miles, not too far of a distance to visit or live with one's parents.    I do not know whether Wesley and his wife were visiting or living with his parents in Clinton.    Mary did state to the police she was only in Rochelle for 2 days, so it's unknown where they were actually living.  

Considering the rarity of the Travland name it appears clear this Ole Travland, father of Wesley Travland IS the son of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.

Ole Travland Part II: Mary Ann (Olson) Travland's New Path Forward

The first few decades of Ole Travland's life took him from western Norway to Illinois.    Following the 1900 US Census, while Ole's wife Mary Ann (Olson) was living in Rochelle, Ogle county, Illinois and Ole was living with his 2nd wife, Daisy (Bagley) in DeKalb, DeKalb county, Illinois, Mary had moved to Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois.

Mary Ann (Olson) Travland's residential listing is on the left side of the directory in the first column the third entry at the top.    It lists Mary as a widow which is interesting considering according to her application for her second marriage she had divorced in either 1894 or 1895.   If one is divorced was it common to declare oneself a widow if the ex-husband died AFTER the divorce took place?   Probably due to societal pressures, Mary opted for the less damning choice of 'widow'.

Here is the marriage application from Ogle county, Illinois dated June 17, 1905 for Mary and Adolph Sheveland.     In the middle of the application above the date it states both applicants have been divorced. This application for marriage was denied.

The next year, Mary Ann (Olson) Travland and Adolph Sheveland again applied for a marriage license on March 28, 1906 in Ogle county, Illinois.    

Regarding their respective divorces, Adolph's divorce was granted on June 17, 1905 the same day as their previous marriage application.   This may be the reason their marriage request was denied.   The reason for the divorce given was 'desertion'.    While no date was provided for Mary's divorce, it does state "10 or 11 years ago" and the reason for the divorce was "drunkeness".    As we all know, the future would permanently fix that issue through Prohibition.   

Here is the Ogle county, Illinois marriage register.   Mary Ann (Olson) Travland and Adolph Sheveland are the fifth entry.   Note the misspelling of Mary's last name as 'Oleson' while her father's name is spelled 'Olson'.    It also states Mary's residence is Rochelle, Illinois.   So Mary lived in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois for only a short time.

In 1910, Mary Ann (Olson) Travland and Adolph Sheveland were living in Rochelle, Flagg township, Ogle county, Illinois.   Their entry can be found on lines 9 and 10.

It is interesting to note that the census indicates Mary had 7 children, 4 of which were surviving as of April 15, 1910.    Comparing to the 1900 US Census, it stated Mary had 5 children, all of which were surviving as of the date of the census.    Mary and Ole Travland's children were:  Lena Josephine, Clara Marie, Peter, Otto, Martin and Wesley.     The 1900 US Census was incorrect as they had 6 children, not 5 and Clara Marie had passed away in 1898.   

The 1910 census is also incorrect or an indicator that Mary and Adolph had one child that died prior to the census of 1910.    Mary's surviving children as of 1910 were:  Lena Josephine, Otto, Martin and Wesley. The key to remember:  Census records are only as accurate as the census taker and the information provided by the resident.   Expect errors and rely upon corroborating documentation to verify the information provided.

In 1920, Mary and Adolph Sheveland were still living in Rochelle, Ogle county, Illinois.

Mary and Adolph's entry can be found on lines 87 and 88 of the census.    They were living next to what I believe* to be Adolph's brother, Lewis.

Ole Travland's history to be continued....

*The 1890 Census doesn't exist and I've not been able to locate a 1900 US Census for Lewis Sheveland.

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....

1940 US Census - Ole Travland, Peter Travland, Otto Travland, Ben Travland

The 1940 census for Ole Travland, Peter Travland, Otto Travland, Ben Travland can be found by clicking here.

Ole John Travland - death certificate

Here is the death certificate for Ole John Travland, grandson of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.



Ole was born August 6, 1872 in Rochelle, Ogle county, Illinois to Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Travland.   He passed away September 1, 1946 in Tuleta, Bee county, Texas

1930 US Census - Ole John Travland, Lena Travland, Ida (Travland) Mortimer

Here is the 1930 US Census for Ole John Travland, grandson of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.


Ole (line #67) having divorced wife Susan (Sikes) was living in Justice Precinct, Bee county, Texas with son Laurence, half sister Lena and 4 boarders.

Ole was the son of Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Travland.   Lena was the daughter of wife Matilda (Ogel) and Lewis Travland.

Living a few houses away was half sister, Ida (Travland) Mortimer (line #60) and children William, Virginia, Helen Yeats and son-in-law James Yeats.

1920 US Census - Ole Travland & Peter Travland

Here is the 1920 US Census for Ole Travland and brother Peter Travland, grandsons of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.

































Ole (line 78), divorced from Susan (Sikes), was living in Bee county, Texas with younger brother Peter (line 79) and wife Hannah (Arno). 

Also living at the residence was Ole and Susan's son Laurence and Peter and Hannah's son, Williard,

Ole and Peter were the sons of Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Travland.

1910 US Census - Ole Travland

Here is the 1910 US Census for Ole Travland, grandson of Taletta Larsdatter and Peder Pederson Travland.

































Ole (line 32) was living in Justice Precinct, Bee county, Texas with wife Susan Eola (Sikes) and their son Lawrence.

Ole was the eldest son born to Iverdine (Finnestad) and Lewis Joseph Peterson Travland.

1880 US Census - Travland family

Here is the 1880 US Census for the Travland family, living in Milan township, DeKalb county, Illinois.

Following the death of his first wife, Iverdine (Finnestad) Lewis was living with his parents, Peter Peterson Travland and wife Taletta (Larsdatter).   Iverdine and Lewis' three surviving children, Peter, Tobias and Ole were also residents of the household.

Living next door was Taletta and Peter's son, Ole with wife Mary Ann (Olson) and their daughter, Lena.

1870 US Census - Travland family

Here is the 1870 US Census for the Travland Family - Peter Pederson Travland, wife Taletta (Larsdatter) and their 4 sons, Peter, Lewis, Andrew and Ole.

The Travland's were living in Milan township, DeKalb county, Illinois.   Their Norwegian names had also been Americanized from Peder to Peter, Lauritz to Lewis and Andreas to Andrew.

Peter (Jr) was living in the United States even though his wife, Susanne (Iversdatter Skaar) and two children were still living in Norway.

Ole Pederson Travland - baptism

The last child born to Taletta Laradatter and Peder Pederson Travland, Ole Pederson Travland was born January 3, 1856.    Here is his baptism record from the Finnøy parish*, Rogaland county, Norway.

Ole (entry #2, left side of the page) was baptized January 13, 1856.    

*From the copy of the Finnøy parish.   The official record is not available online which makes it difficult to decipher the middle name given to Ole which looks like it could have been 'Tristian', however the name was 'Kristian'.