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Author: stvbrbchristensen Surnames: Christensen Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.nebraska.counties.douglas/4847/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Christian Christensen's mother --Ida Christensen--In 1883 in Obslag 160, (1859-1887) she was a unmarried woman age 20, living with her father Christen Simonsen, in Skorping Station --and the named father of her daughter Marie Kirstine Christine Christensen is bachelor Henrick Andreasen of Store Brondum. --her daughter was born 14 Nov 1883 ---Index p. 51-35 reported, according to regulation of 24 January 1844, sent to Gjerding-Blenstrup parish, and agreement for entry into Blenstrup church register received, dated 17 December 1882 --and stilled yet a unmarried woman on 23 July 1885 the date of her son, Christian Martin Johan Christensen --Ida is age 22 --named for father of child --Martin Johan Andersen of Stor-Arden --this record was entered into church registers of Fraeer Parish --so sometime later after her second child was born she met and married her husband Christian Nielsen Christiansen. 1910 United States Federal Census about Chris M Christenson Name: Chris M Christenson [Chris M Christensen] Age in 1910: 26 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884 Birthplace: Denmark Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birth Place: Denmark Mother's Birth Place: Denmark Spouse's name: Mayme E Home in 1910: Fremont Ward 3, Dodge, Nebraska Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Year of Immigration: 1889 Household Members: Name Age Chris M Christenson 26 Mayme E Christenson 24 Ethel M Christenson 3 Lillian M Christenson 1 Martha V Lake 19 John B Haskins 33 Lura M Haskins 21 The mystery began on 21 Apr 1915, or before when he sent despondent letter to his parents --the day of his supposed death. Christian M. Christensen was married to Mayme (Mary E. Lake) for twelve years at time of these newspaper articles --but he was stilling living, when it was reported that he was dead After the newspaper articles of Christian's Death you will find information like he was still living in family newspaper articles, but of course his address unknown. The fact question is did anyone in the family hear from Christian, Jr. again? In the Blair Newspaper in May 1915, it was in the gossip section of the paper that said Chris and his wife went and visited his Aunt Nelsena Buchardt. The decomposition of the body in the water even for one week would even make they body hard to identify. Christian was indeed a big man and so was the mans body and after a week in water things like the way they look have already decomposed to a horrible state to even look at; I can see that it would be the taylor mark that could only identify him. How could this dead man be mistaken for Christian Christensen, Jr? I believe Christian, Jr was in trouble and I think he was hiding and the fact that no one went to look to see if it was his body, I think family knew he was in trouble. Article in Fremont Evening Tribune-- April 26, 1915 CHRISTENSEN'S BODY FOUND Omaha, April 26. -- What is thought to be the remains of Chris Christensen of Shenandoah, Ia., was recovered yesterday morning 10:30 o'clock while floating in the Missouri river at a point quarter mile north of the Bellevue Burlington railroad station by two fishermen, Jack Hike and Alfred Gillen of Bellevue. The body appeared to be in the water for two weeks and no actual identification exited other than the label of the John Flynn Clothing Co., of South Omaha, stamped on the inner lining of the coat. Hike and Gillen were fishing at the time and discovered the body floating some 150 feet from shore. Hastley securing a rope they lassoad the corpse and haled it in to the bank. Coroner Armstrong of Sarpy county and Undertaker E. Grothe of Papillon were called in and the latter took charge of the body. ______________ (Shenandoah, Page County, Iowa) Article on the Sentinel Post Paper of Shenandoah, Iowa April 27, 1915 FIND CHRISTENSEN'S BODY? Relatives think Drowned Man Found At Omaha May be Shenandoah Man Who Disappeared A body had been found in the river near Omaha that relatives of Chris Christensen thought might be his body. Mr. Christensen left several suicide notes before his disappearance stating that he would end his life in the Missouri. Mrs. Christensen and her three small boys went to Omaha yesterday morning. The Reo car which he used in delivering sewing machines was left in a garage at Clarinda where it awaits an owner. At the under takers parlors, where then body was left temporarily, Ernie Blessie, a car inspector assent that he thought the body to be that of a brother-in-law Chris Christensen who disappeared while visiting him. Although Blessie was not positive in his identification he and his relatives will view the body and verify his identity if possible. The following description of the man was given out of the man was given out by Dr. Armstrong. Were a blue coat and vest and a light blue or gray pair of trousers; a red necktie; height, 5 feet 8 inches; weight 185 pounds; age about 40 years; dark hair. No inquest will be held unless further particulars materialize. The weight does not compare to that of Christensen as he is much heavier. The description of the clothing does not tally with what he wore and W. B. Collins of the local Singer office says that the body can not be Christensen's, if it answers the description given. The person found had been dead two weeks, it was believed. The Shenandoah man has been missing less than a week. _________________________________ THE TRIBUNE, Blair, Washington County, Nebraska, 28 Apr 1915-------------------- BODY FOUND IN RIVER ------------------------- Chris Christiansen, who wrote some time ago a despondent letter to his wife in Shenandoah, IA., was found dead in the Missouri river yesterday morning at a point a quarter of mile north of the Bellevue station. While Identification was not positive, George Blessie, a car inspector at the Union stock Yards and a brother-in-law of Christiansen, was inclined to believe that the dead man was his relative. Partial identification was made through the tailer mark of John Flinn on the coat worn by the dead man. The body had been in the water since April 21, when Christiansen mailed the letters from Omaha to his family. Blessie will bring a number of Christiansen's relatives here to identify the body, which will be held at Papillon awaiting possible identification. The dead man appeared to be about 40 years or over. He wore a blue coat and vest and light blue or gray trousers. besides his tie, which was red, he wore a string of beads attached to a cross. -- Omaha Bee The Christiansen referred to in the above clipping, is supposed to be a son-in-law of Elliott Lake, well known in this neighborhood. He has been married about twelve years. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Christian M. Christensen wore a string of beads also and he wore them in a family photo in his fancy suit.) __________________________________________ Article in the Sentinel Post Paper of Shenandoah, Iowa April 30, 1915--- No Word From Christensen No further word has been heard concerning Chris Christensen. His relatives did not identify the body found at Omaha as his. Mrs. Christensen and children have moved to Florence, Neb., which is a suburb of Omaha. ________________________ May 14, 1915-- "CHRIS" IN SOUTH OMAHA Foundation for Report Missing Man Working in Packing House. C.M. Christensen, the Shenandoah man disappeared after writing suicide notes, is working in a packing house in South Omaha according to information received here. A traveling salesman stated to Frank Baner that he had talked with the missing man. The report has been current here several days that Christensen was there and several people have heard indirect news of him. The bonding company will doubtless begin a search next week before they put up the money he was short. His bond was $500. _______________________ In the Blair Newspaper states that Christian and Mayme visited Nelsena Buchardt and that was after he was labled dead., because it was in May 1915 and he supposed to of died on Apr 21, 1915. And was this the Father-in-law and Mayme that visited Nelsena or was it really Christian M. Christensen, no one knows for sure and no one really knows where he is buried yet. the question is did he fake his death? After talking to his granddaughter, Karla Martin; Christian & (Mayme) Mary Ellen Lake had 7 children born them & 5 children living. Buddy their first son was born in 1903 & he died in infancy. Then they had a baby girl born in 1904 and she died in infancy. Their 3rd child was Ethel, she was born in 1905. Their 4th child was Lillian, born in 1908. Their fifth child was Della, born in 1912. Their 6th child was Martha, she was born in 1915. Their Seventh child was Robert, he was born in 1919. After Looking at the ages of the children, he would have to have been alive long after the newspaper articles pointing to a possible suicide in the Missouri River. His granddaughter Karla said, that it was told to her by her grandmother Mayme, that her husband Christian M. Christensen ran off with another woman and that he went to Boone, Iowa to be with that woman. She also said that in 1919 there was another suicide in the Elkhorn River and Mayme had to travel by wagon to go and identify the body, but she had said that it was not her husband Christian M. Christensen. In the obituaries of his parents it stated Chris Christensen address unknown. Does this mean that relatives really believed that he was still living? When Mayme's (Mary Ellen Lake) father, Charles Elliott Lake died there was article in the Pilot Tribune --Feb 20 1930--obituary -- in that article it said "Mrs. Mary Christensen of Omaha --- Note: In the United States Federal Census taken in 1930 --Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska --Mayme (Mary Ellen Lake) was living with some of her children and grandchildren & son-in-law , and a boarder, Allen A. Allenbeck. In the Pilot Tribune--16 Apr 1942--Obituary of Chris Christensen --this was Chris, Jr father --in that article it said, "Chris, address unknown". In Nov 1941 --Ida Christensen --Chris M. Christensen's mother --it mentions his name as on of the surviving people, "Chris Christensen, Jr.". Kristina Marie Christensen --Christian M. Christensen sister --died on Apr 30 1951 --no mention of him as surviving -- When Niels Peter Christensen died --03 Nov 1957 --there was no mention of his brother Chris. It only mentioned Tillie Lynn & Mrs. Axel Sanders. There is some questions on Christian M. Christensen when newspaper articles this leave a kind of mysterious thought that he didn't really die, but we know now that he didn't die at that time. His wife: (Mayme) Mary E. Lake --moved to Florence with their 3 children; Ethel M. Christensen, Lillian M. Christensen, and Della Christensen, after Mayme's husband Christinan abandoned his wife, later after 1930, she remarried to a Mr. Allen A. Allenbeck and later she moved to California. This relative has left us with unanswered questions on his supposed death. What a mess of details, but what I really think is he wanted to disappear. _World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 about Chris Christensen Name: Chris Christensen City: Not Stated (Vansoda ??) County: Rosebud State: Montana Birth Date: 23 Jul 1885 Race: White Roll: 1711441 DraftBoard: 0 Age: 33 (Occupation almost unreadable , but he is a owner) Nearest Relative: (thereis clues that he is from Iowa) Height/Build: Medium/ Medium Color of Eyes/Hair: Blue eyes, Dark brown hair Signature: Chris Christensen Source Citation: Registration Location: Rosebud County, Montana; Roll: 1711441; Draft Board: 0. ____________________________________ Barbara Christensen email: stvbrbchristensen@peoplepc.com Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. 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