The "Original" Findahl Family

c. 1903 - 1134 N. Henderson St., Galesburg, IL

This is about the oldest family photograph we have from my mother's side.  This is her father's family and I think it's cool that we also happen to have a photo of her mother with some of her siblings from about the same time period which I will show elsewhere.  Unfortunately I do not have as much information on my father's side of the family, but will provide what I have in the near future.

This photo is a copy that my Aunt Betty Johnson made, which was advantageous because I believe it was easier to reproduce here than the original.  On the back of the photograph she most graciously provided the birth and death dates of all shown:  Mom and Dad Findahl, with all of their six children.

From left to right (information courtesy my Aunt Betty Johnson):

Frank Gilbert Findahl, b. Sept. 21, 1886 -- d. Sept. 7, 1962

Jessie Thornberg Findahl*, b. May 26, 1860 -- d. March 27, 1953  -This is my mother's grandmother and the baby she is holding is --

Virgil Leroy Findahl, b. Nov. 17, 1902 --  d. June 27, 1933

Harry Edwin Findahl, b. March 6, 1891-- d. June 4, 1965  In front of Harry is -- 

Helen Bernice Findahl (Windom), b. July 23, 1899 -- d. June 21, 1977

Myrtle Lillian Findahl**, b. Nov. 7, 1888 -- d. April 11, 1912  

Nels Olaf Findahl***, b. April 5, 1862 -- d. Feb, 14, 1950 -This is my mother's grandfather

Gordon Ralph Findahl, b. Nov. 1, 1896 -- d. May 30, 1958  -This is my mother's father.

Velkommen!

Välkommen!

Willkommen!

Laskavo prosimo!

Welcome!

Jessie Thornberg Findahl

(ca. mid 1940s)

The "Original" Thornberg Family
Update:  June 1, 2011
Since first posting this beginning of our story I have learned more about Great-Grandmother Jessie's history, The "Original" Thornberg Family, if you will!  Relative Linda Corbett has a wonderful website devoted to the story of the Thornberg family which can be found here:
www.thornberg.co.uk


*Jessie Thornberg was born in Sweden.  My cousin Joanne Martinez first alerted me about Linda's website and thankfully we finally got in touch with each other via another relative, Annie Oakes. 


There is a lot of information and via Linda's research I learned that Jessie's father's name was Sven and that her grandfather's name was Faijer.  Jessie was born with the name Kjersti.
Link for Sven Thornberg (son of Faijer)  http://tinyurl.com/3fcy2kp
Link for Faijer Nilsson Thorn  http://tinyurl.com/3rbcpck


I now understand Jessie was the oldest surviving child of Sven Thornberg & Ellen Pearson (aka Elna Nilsdotter).  Siblings Sigrid & Kerstin died in infancy. 


Jessie's brother Frank Benjamin Thornburg (note spelling) was born September 12, 1862 and you can read more about him here:  http://tinyurl.com/44qr674


Although that link to Linda's site has his photograph, I asked granddaughter Annie Oakes if I could post it here as well. 

Frank "Papa Ang-ies" Thornburg

The sibling born after Frank was Nels (Swedish name Nils) and we don't have much info on Nels, but we do remember the youngest child Sadie (Swedish name Sigrid) and have several photographs of her.  This is a link to a photo of Jessie [left] and sister Sadie [right]:  http://tinyurl.com/2c5jv2e


Please check out the Thornberg Family Website (linked above) for much more on the Thornbergs.


**Myrtle died of tuberculosis.  Of some memories my mother has about Myrtle she believes there was a story that Uncle Harry took it especially hard when Myrtle died and that she possibly passed while in his arms.  The family had her outside in something like a little screened canopy so she could get fresh air.   From the internet I learned that in the early 1900s, more than 80% of the U.S. population was infected with TB, and tuberculosis was the single most common cause of death.


***Nels Findahl I believe came from Farstorp, Skåne, Sweden (Skåne being a county of Sweden) and married Jessie Thornberg around 1885.