-------- Original Message -------- Subject: COLLEEN'S JUNE CHALLENGE-Long story Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 22:28:11 -0500 From: "Judith J. Boguski" <bamaj@netnet.net> To: MIMENOMI-L@rootsweb.com Menominee, Mi surname: Christophersen My great grandfather Nils Christophersen came to the United States at age 19 , leaving out of Oslo, Norway on 7/27/ 1869 aboard the Excelsion Toll. In Copenhagen he changed ships to the St. Jago de Cuba he arrived in New York on 8/19/1869. From there on to Chicago, then to Big Suamico, WI where he found employment in a sawmill. In 1870 he and his older brother Bernt brought their father, stepmother and half siblings over from Norway. They stayed in WI for 3 years at that point Nils went to Elgin IL to apprentice at the watch factory. His father, stepmother and young brother are buried in the Suamico, WI cemetery about 10 miles from where I live. Finally, in 1887 after marrying a young Swedish girl he and his family of twin sons relocated in Menominee, MI probably due to the prompting of his sister, Gina Christophersen Vickery, who resided in Menominee at that time. Nils opened a jewelry store and after a while took on a partner, O.E. Amundson. His store was located in the Menominee Hotel Building on Main St. In 1904 his wife, Clara died and in 1913 he married a much younger Swedish woman. In 1922 he passed away, age 71, leaving his wife and 6 months old child. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery During his years at Menominee he served as deputy collector of United States Customs. He was a member of the county board and also served in the office of supervisor. He was identified with the Masonic fraternity, with his affiliation with the Menominee Lodge. He was a highly respected businessman. Both he and his wife were devout members of Norwegian Church. One of his twin sons(my grandfather) married, worked on the Green Bay Railroad had four children, the other married his first cousin and moved to Spokane, WA had no children. The daughter who was a baby when he died lived in CA, didn't marry till late in life and had no children As a side note....to make a long story short..I remember, as a child, seeing photos of Great grandpa Nils but don't know what ever became of those photos. About 4 yrs after the death of his daughter in CA I became the proud recipient of not only photos but a portrait of him, pictures of his parents and siblings and his Masonic Lodge sword. I have tracked all his siblings, found them all in various parts of the U.S. and found their children and their grandchildren. About 6 months ago I found living cousins in Norway and now have records back to 1622. Along the way I have had help from White Pines Genealogy Society, help from Norway and made a wonder email friend, Alice, whose grandmother worked for my great grand father at his jewelry store. I have supplied a copy of my genealogy work to the Society Respectfully submitted, Judy Christophersen Boguski