Chris Christensen

Chris Christensen

Chris Christensen was born in Horsens (Nim herred, Skanderborg amt) Denmark, on 22 July 1879. (In Denmark, most records show his name as "Christ," but he was later known as "Chris" Christensen.) He was baptized in the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Our Savior's Church) in Horsens. He came to America as an infant with his mother Sophie. He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, among the large Danish immigrant population there.

After living in several locations, his father Lauritz purchased a home at 1469 Phelps Street. This picture of Chris was taken in front of that house. It is the only known photograph of Chris as a child or young man.

(The entire photograph can be seen here;
a detail of the family can be seen here.)

After schooling in Omaha, Chris attended Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska, for four years (1897-1901). In addition to his academic work, he was active in sports (football and track) and served as secretary of the Hastings College Athletic Association. He also worked on the student newspaper, The Hastings Collegian, serving for a short time as Editor-in-chief and Business Manager. He graduated in 1901 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

At the time of the 1900 census (summer of 1900), 20-year-old Chris (listed as “Christ”) was living at home. His occupation was listed as a clerk in a store.

After college, Chris made his way to Sheridan, Wyoming, where he was employed as a surveyor in the engineering department of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. The 1907 Sheridan city directory lists Chris Christensen as a clerk for the C B & Q Ry Co. He later worked as a “solicitor” (advertising agent) for the Sheridan Post newspaper.

In Sheridan, he met and married Vinnie Foster, an adopted daughter of Thomas and Alice Foster, an early and prominent Sheridan family who operated the Foster House, later known as the Rangerider Hotel. Chris and Vinnie were said to be married in 1904 in Sheridan, but an official record of their marriage has not yet been found.

A larger image of this photo can be seen here.

At the time of the 1910 census, Chris was working as a bookkeeper for a printing business. The 1915-1919 city directories show him working for the New York Store, also known as Stevens Fryberger, as a bookkeeper, and by 1919, as a manager.

In 1918, when Chris was required to register for the military draft associated with what was later known as World War I, he identified himself as a “manager” for the New York Store, Stevens Fryberger & Co.

While in Sheridan, Chris was a Mason, with membership in the Sheridan Lodge #8 AF & M. He and his wife were associated with the Christian Science Church.

Chris and Vinnie owned a cabin in Little Horn Canyon in the Big Horn mountains west of Sheridan. The cabin may be the one used by Chris’s sister, Carrie Christensen O’Brien and her family.

In 1919, Chris became manager of the Wyola Merchantile Store, a general store located on the Crow Indian Reservation in Wyola, Montana, located about 40 miles north of Sheridan. He and his wife Vinnie owned and operated the Merchantile until his death.

A larger image of this photo can be seen here.

In early 1927, Chris apparently inquired with his family about his status as an American citizen. Lauritz sent a letter to his son Chris explaining the situation; the letter can be seen here.

In the early 1940s, Chris was apparently ill. He prepared a will dated 10 June 1941, and sought medical care at Meridian Sanitarium in Crofton (Knox County) Nebraska. He died there on 4 January 1942 at the age of 62 years.

An obituary in the Hardin Tribune Herald, published in Hardin, Montana, said the following:

Masonic funeral services were held Monday afternoon in Sheridan for Chris Christensen, 62, prominent Wyola merchant who died last week in the Meridan [Meridian] sanitarium at Crawford [actually Crofton], Nebr.
     He had been in ill health for some time, but continued to operate the Wyola Mercantile company, his business there since 1919. He had been a patient at the Nebraska sanitarum [sic] only several weeks.
     Mr. Christensen was born in Denmark and was brought to the United States at the age of one year. After graduating from Hastings college, he came to Sheridan, Wyo., and was employed in the engineering department of the Burlington railroad. While a resident of Sheridan he was also credit manager of a department store and was associated with a newspaper there.
     Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Vinnie Christensen; a sister, Mrs. Carrie O'Brien, and two nephews, Harold O'Brien of Flint, Mich., and Herbert Reed, and a half-sister, Mrs. Howard DeWitt of Council Bluffs, Ia.
     Mr. Christensen was deeply concerned with every project that wuold [sic] improve conditions in his community and was well known throughout southern Montana and northern Wyoming.

Chris and Vinnie Christensen Burial Site

The remains of Chris Christensen were brought to Sheridan, Wyoming, and were buried in the “Masonic Circle” in the Sheridan Municipal Cemetery.

A larger image of this photo can be seen here.

Chris’s widow Vinnie Foster Christensen lived out her life in Sheridan, eventually living at the Reimelt Nursing Home, where she passed away on 15 February 1961. She was laid to rest next to her husband of 38 years in the Sheridan Municipal Cemetery.

Chris and Vinnie Foster Christensen had no children.

Return to Children of Lauritz Christensen

Last updated August 2007.
Patricia O'Brien Hellmers

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pat_hellmers
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