Riley Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Nels Christensen
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
NELS CHRISTENSEN, Postmaster of Clarkson, Riley County, is one of the most prominent and public-spirited men of Swede Creek Township and likewise is one of its leading citizens. In addition to the duties of his office he conducts a store of general merchandise, also a fine farm located on section 32. He has an attractive home, furnished with all modern conveniences and which forms one of the landmarks of this region.
The subject of this sketch was born near Mariboe, on the island Laaland, June 21, 1830, and is of Danish ancestry. His parents were in limited circumstances and he only attended school a few years, beginning to work out when a lad of nine and thereafter made his own living. He was adopted by one Henry Mincke, who was a proprietor of a large estate called the "Soholt Farm", and and who became a very prominent man in Denmark. With him young Christensen remained until past fifteen years old, when he was apprenticed to the weaver's trade. After four years thus spent he returned to Mariboe, where he served longer as an apprentice and finally developed into a journeyman. After working in this capacity one year, he repaired to the city of Copenhagen and began work in the first steam weaving factory in Denmark, where by his fidelity and attention to his duties he was promoted to the position of Division Superintendent. In the meantime he studied German and English, and the first book which he read in the German tongue was that well-known story "Uncle Tom's Cabin," which has been translated into most all of the living languages. His first book in English was "Rip Van Winkle," equally well known.
In August, 1854, when a young man of twenty-four years, Mr. Christensen set out for America, going first to Liverpool. England, where he embarked on the sailing vessel "Constantine" for New York City. The only redeeming feature of this craft was its cleanliness, as otherwise the passengers suffered nearly everything which could be imagined. After a voyage of four and one-half weeks Mr. Christensen landed in Nt;w York City, nearly starved, not having tasted a bite of meat on the way. In addition to this, his trunk was broken open and his belongings stolen. He arrived among strangers in a strange land during the financial crisis of that year, with only fifty cents in his pocket and finding almost everyone out of employment.
After vainly seeking employment, people supposing that because he was a weaver by trade he could do nothing else, Mr. Christensen went to an intelligence office, paying his last fifty cents to get a situation which was not found him. He then went to a free office where he sat all day and thought of the slaves in Uncle Tom's Cabin. The next day about four o'clock he secured a position with a baker at Port Chester and was to receive $5 per month. After his arrival there and having breakfast, the baker gave him fifty cents to return to the city as he had succeeded in retaining his former employee. Mr. Christensen then walked half way back to the metropolis looking for work and finally found it in an oil factory on Grand street, where he was employed as a rough cooper until June, 1865. Then going to Delaware he worked on the New Castle and Chesapeake Railroad, wintering in Blackbird. The following spring, in partnership with one of his own countrymen, he commenced operating a little farm, but after harvest set out for the West, going through Chicago and on to Wood-stock, Ill.
In the meantime Mr. Christensen called on the foreman of his former employer, a Mr. Hansen,
and told him he was going to Illinois. Hansen gave him his card and directed him to Woodstock, where he had a brother-in-law whom he thought would assist him in getting work. He wrote on the back of the card "use this man as you would me" and with it handed our subject $5. Years afterward when Mr. Christensen had placed himself on a solid footing, financially, learning that his friend was in Chicago in straightened circumstances he sent him a check for $10.
Upon arriving at Woodstock, Ill., Mr. Christensen was well treated and worked on a farm until the fall of the year. He then returned to Chicago with the intention of going to New Orleans, but upon obtaining work there, changed his mind and remained in the city working on the streets and later on learned engineering at which he was engaged until the river went dry. He was paid off with a $100 note and $60 in cash and afterward spent $50 trying to collect the note. He put $50 of his money in a bank which broke and thus again we find him without means. He was thereafter variously employed until the spring of 1858 and then set out for Kansas, going by boat from Peoria to St. Louis, taking deck passage for $1 and sawed wood for his board. He worked his way in this manner to Leavenworth, and thence made his way on foot to Junction City, not being able to procure work, and thence came to Manhattan.
In the above-mentioned place Mr. Christensen worked for a time in a sawmill, then footed it to Randolph, stopping with C. J. Dahlberg. Soon afterward he took up a claim of 100 acres in partnership with a Mr. Pearson, and later was employed as a cook in the Agricultural College to pay for his first sixty acres of land. He located upon this in 1860, but on account of the drouth did not raise anything that year beyond a bushel of corn to the acre, and had to eat corn bread and drink corn coffee. He only made $5 that year, and he gave $2 of this toward buying the forty acres including the present site of the Lutheran Church at Mariadahl.
In 1861 Mr. Christensen started out as a freighter, driving a team for $10 per month across the plains. Arriving in Denver he obtained employment in a feed store, mines and general work, and stayed there until the spring of 1862. He then purchased an ox team and hauled goods until the following August, then returned to Riley County, Kan., the possessor of three yoke of oxen, a wagon, two cows and a pony. In the meantime he had mined near Central City a few weeks. He now commenced teaming again to Ft. Lamed. Hitherto he had had no trouble with the Indians, but on the return trip while encamped on Kaw Creek and while his partners were out hunting, eight Indians came up and wanted him to give them some of his goods. The white man naturally objected to this, when one of them drew his knife and the others leveled their guns at him. Mr. Christensen says he thought the "game was up," but he jumped off his wagon and patted the Indian who held the knife on the shoulder, saying "good Cheyenne" and they finally left, taking with them his best kettle.
In the evening the partners returned to the camp accompanied by another man and during the night they all fired their guns many times, which had the desired effect of keeping the Indians away. The next day they all started homeward and came across the Indian who had appropriated the kettle and who was skinning a buffalo. Mr. Christensen induced the fellow to give him a large piece of meat for the kettle he had taken, and they parted friends. We will now pass over his subsequent adventures until the fall of 1862, when Mr. Christensen came to Swede Creek Township, and the following year homesteaded liis present farm. He lived for a time in a log cabin and the following year joined Capt. Winkler's company to go out after the Indians. He was also made a delegate to Marysville to arrange for equipments. These troubles soon ended and he was then at liberty to proceed with the improvement and cultivation of his land.
On the 2d of June, 1864, occurred the marriage of Nels Christensen with Miss Christina Johnson, the wedding taking place at N. P. Johnson's. Of this union there have been born seven children� Mary E., Amelia C., George L., John C., Frederick W., Florence C. and Esther E. George has officiated considerably as clerk in his father's store, but is now attending the Agricultural College at Manhattan. The two eldest daughters completed their
studies in the above-mentioned institution and are teaching. John C. learned the art of printing himself and has a fine job press upon which he does considerable work for himself and others. He is also the assistant of his father in the store.
Mr. Christensen has been a member of the School Board since his district was organized until two years since. He served as Township Trustee two years, was Justice of the Peace two terms and Township Clerk one year. He is an active member of the Lutheran Church at Mariadahl, in which he has served as Trustee and assisted in putting up the building.
Politically, he is a sound Republican, prominent in his party, and frequently officiates as a delegate to the county and State conventions. Mr. Christensen is the owner of 493 acres of good land on the Big Blue. His improvements are first-class, including a stone residence located on section 32 and one of the finest structures of the kind in the northern part of Riley County. He has a good barn, a geared windmill, grinder, water works and all the other appurtenances of the first class country estate. There are natural groves on the place and a goodly assortment of fruit trees. In Randolph, Mr. Christensen owns a block of building lots, and two lots, besides a store building in Mariadahl. In 1886 he put up a building and opened a shoe store in Randolph, but the following year removed it to Mariadahl, where he engaged in general merchandising and was Postmaster until the spring of 1889. He then moved his stock to his present store on his farm, at the flag station called Clarkson, and was subsequently appointed Postmaster there. He carries a full stock of general merchandise and farming implements, and enjoys a lucrative trade.