Born: 25 May 1832, Trysil, Østerdalen, Norway
Married: 1) 8 Oct 1875, Holmes City twp, to Mary Jacobsdtr Mitmoen
2) 30 Nov 1877, Holmes City twp, to Dorthea Larson
Died: 14 Jun 1912, Ben Wade twp, Pope Co, MN
Buried: St. Pauli cemetery, Lowry, Pope co, MN
Parents: Morten Eriksen Blix Skjærberget
Kari Mattisdtr Skjærberget
Glenwood Herald, June 21, 1912
Ben Wade Resident Passes
Christoffer Mortenson of Ben Wade, residing north of Lowry passed away last Friday night. Deceased was at the time of his death a little more than 80 years old. Funeral services were held last Tuesday in the St. Pauli church and the remains were laid to rest in the St. Pauli cemetery.
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~ Copied from “The Illustrated Album of Biographys” by Alden Ogle and Company, 1888
Christopher Mortenson, the subject of this sketch, is a prosperous and highly esteemed citizen of Pope county, residing on section 1, Ben Wade township. He was born in Hamar Stift, Norway, May 25, 1832, and is a son of Morton and Carri (Matson ) Erickson, who are also natives of that kingdom. At the early age of ten years he commenced life for himself by herding cattle for farmers, and when about fifteen he learned the tailor’s trade, and worked at that until he was nineteen years old. He then served in the army for five years, and when not on duty he followed the occupation of farming. After his militaary service he was engaged as foreman for a widow who owned a store and a farm. He took charge of her farm and bought the goods for the store for a period of five years. He then went into the employ of another party in the same business, at which he was employed for one year. The lumber business then took his attention, and he worked in the woods, cutting logs for one year. Our subject then went back to his old occupation of farming, which he followed for another year, and during this time he learned to read English.
The spring of 1866 saw him starting for America, and on reaching this country, he settled in Racine, Wisconsin. There he stayed two months, working on a farm one month, the other in the woolen mills at Racine. Mr. Mortenson went to Minneapolis, Minnesota and remained there during the summer, working on the dam and in a lumberyard. In the fall he went into the pineries and worked until spring. Going to St. Paul, Minnesota, he worked in a saw mill, and in a couple of months returned to Minneapolis. There he stayed, hauling wood for the railroad company until spring, and then, after working in a sawmill for one month, came to Pope county, Minnesota, and took a homestead in Ben Wade township.
After filing on his claim he went to St. Paul, and was engaged in a sawmill, about two miles from that place. He was engaged in that occupation until fall, when he went with a raft to Dubuque, Iowa, where he stayed fourteen days. On November 1, 1869, he came to his claim, and has since made that his home.
The subject of this biography was married, in September, 1874*, to Miss Mary Jacobson, a daughter of Jacob and Martha Meetmer**, and they have been blessed with the following (2) children — Charles Johan and Martin. Mrs. Mary Mortenson died in the spring of 1877, and four months later our subject was united in marriage to Miss Dorthea Larson, and they have two children — David and Kliv.
The subject of this memoir is a representative man of his township, and has been chairman of supervisors three years, assessor four years, and school director. Mr. Mortenson and his family are exemplary members of the Norwegian Lutheran Church, and in political matters, our subject affiliates with the republican party.
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Note:
* Trysil church records, Holmes City twp, Douglas co, MN record marriage of Christopher Mortenson and Mary Jacobsdtr as 8 Oct 1875.
Mary’s death is recorded as 14 Aug 1877.
Marriage of Christopher Mortenson and Dorthea Larson recorded as 30 Nov 1877.
** Other source states name as Mary Jacobsdtr Mitmoen