Peter Nicolai Christensen (Marshfield, WI)
Peter Nicolai Christensen ( – )
Biography
- Name: Peter Nicolai Christensen
- Birth: October 1, 1847
- Death: August 10, 1925
Early life and family
Peter Nicola Christensen was born in Stokkemarke, Lolland, Denmark on October 1, 1847. His parents were Peter and Nickoline (Waldmann) Christensen. He remained in his native land until his nineteenth year. In Denmark, he acquired a good education, but knew no English when he landed in New York on May 4, 1866. Three days later he reached Racine, Wisconsin, where he found work and remained for a while. Then he worked in Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois, until June 1867. After that he worked for a while in Necedah and in the winter of 1867-1868, he was employed in the woods as a logger. The next summer was spent in a sawmill at Necedah. On November 22, 1869, Mr. Christensen came to Wood County and bought 80 acres of woodland in Lincoln Township. It was late in the year and he could do nothing then to improve his place. Needing ready moneys, he again went into the woods and was connected with lumber camps not only that winter but for a number of winters thereafter. Summers were spent clearing his farm. During the summer of 1870, he built a log house 16X24 feet in size, but on Christmas Eve that year, he had the misfortune to see it burn with all its contents. To replace it, he built a log shack 12 by 16 feet in which he lived until June 1, 1873, having in the meanwhile married. He erected a better house from hewed pine logs and shingled both sides and roof with shingles rove and shaved with his own hands and this house almost a long and happy home life still stood as a reminder of bygone days. It was superseded as a residence in 1892 when Mr. Christensen built the one where he lived and then died. He also added to his barns and other out buildings and from time to time increased the area of his farm by land purchases until it reaced an area of 260 acres of which 115 were under the plow, the rest being in pasture and timber.
Mr. Christensen was first married February 1, 1873 to Martha Thompson Ebbe of Lincoln Township who was born in Norway, February 28, 1858 and who died there March 1, 1882 from diphtheria which also carried off her four eldest children, the five deaths occurring within the space of a little more than a fortnight. On March 28, 1883, Mr. Christensen was married at Grand Rapids to Johanna Neilsen who was born in Lolland, Denmark and who came to America in April 1882. Of this union the children were: Carrie M, now Mrs. Albert Paulson of Marshfield; Lillian B., now Mrs. Frank Mauerman of Golden, British Columbia, Canada; Peter W., a farmer in Lincoln Township; William C., now operating the home farm; Louise, wife of Frank Koukalik of Wisconsin Rapids; Bernhardt, on the home farm; Gracia O., the wife of Irving J. Payne of Chippewa Falls; Leslie R. and Daphne, both on the home farm; and two sons who died in infancy. Other relatives included his daughter by his first marriage, Mrs. H.C. Rasmussen of Lincoln Township and his half brother Louis Christensen, also of Lincoln Township.
Political, Business and Banking career
Mr. Christensen was a clerk of Lincoln Township from 1871-1880; chairman of the township from 1894 to 1911; clerk of the School District No. 2 from 1873 to 1890 and director of the same district from 1890 to 1914. His service as a county officer was as follows: register of deeds, Jan. 1, 1881 to Jan. 1, 1885; deputy clerk of court for the same period; deputy county clerk and deputy county treasurer 1883 and 1884; poor commissioner 1885 to 1894; jury commissioner Jan. 7, 1897 to June 30, 1915 and president of the county board of education, 1915-1917. He also served the City of Grand Rapids (now Wisconsin Rapids) one year as city treasurer and was president of the Pittsville City school board from 1885-1887.
Mr. Christensen was interested in various other things besides farming and politics. Since 1881 he was a real estate dealer, notary, conveyancer and investigator of abstracts and titles. Since 1894 he was a director and auditor of the Lynn Mutual Fire Insurance Co. and its vice president since 1908; and also since the year 1904, he had been director and auditor of the Lynn Mutual Tornado Insurance Co. He was president of the Lindsey Telephone Co. from 1902-1914.
In 1892 when the German-American Bank of Marshfield was established, he was one of its charter members and had been its vice president since 1908. He was a charter member and for 3 years was vice president of the Chili State Bank of Chili, Clark County and since November 20, 1903, had been a charter member of the Granton State Bank of Granton, Clark County. Since April 24, 1911, he was a stockholder in the Auburndale State Bank of Auburndale, Wood County and was Secretary and Treasurer of the Wood County Society of Equity from its organization March 15, 1912 until April 1918.
He Belonged to the masonic lodge in Marshfield and was a charter member of the Pittsville Masonic Lodge, organized in 1885. Religiously, he was reared a Lutheran, though owing to the fact that there was no Lutheran Church in the vicinity, he and his family worshipped with the Presbyterian Church at Nasonville. This church he helped to build and was a liberal supporter of it.
Later life and death
The death of Peter N. Christensen, whose exemplary life came to a close Monday morning, August 10, 1925, at his farm home in the town of Lincoln, brought profound sorrow to the family circle and the deepest regrets from those in the community where he spent so many years of his useful life. Mr. Christensen was a real Wood County pioneer. He was honest at heart, lovable by nature and a helpful friend to all. He toiled not for fame, but rather for love of home and the betterment of mankind. No man could have left better deeds to his memory. Two years ago, Mr. Christensen’s health began failing him. Since that time he spent most of his time in his comfortable home where loving hands administered to his every want. At the time of his death, he was well past his 77th year.
The funeral was on Thursday, August 13, 1925, with prayer at the family home and services following at the Nasonville Presbyterian Church. The Masons had charge of the final ceremonies at the grave.
Bank Officer Summary
During his banking career, P. N. Christensen was involved with the following bank(s):
- German-American Bank, Marshfield, WI: Director 1892...1900
- Chili State Bank of Chili, Clark County, WI: Vice President 1912...1914
- American National Bank, Marshfield, WI (Charter 5437): Vice President 1908...1925
Sources
- Banks & Bankers Historical Database (1782-1935), https://spmc.org/bank-note-history-project
- Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, WI, Sun., July 28, 1912.
- Marshfield News-Herald, Marshfield, WI, Thu., Aug. 13, 1925.