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Show The Ogden Valley news Volume XXV Issue XIV Page 9 August 15, 2019 Christian Wangsgard Note: This information is from the book “Wangsgaard/Wangsgard Roots and Branches: 1866 – 1989,” pp. 171-177, compiled by Stanley Ferrin Wangsgaard. Christian Wangsgard, son of Christen Christensen Wangsgaard and Kirstine Pedersen was born in a dug-out in Huntsville, Utah where the family lived. They had arrived from Denmark the year before. His parents had brought with them from Denmark, a complete record of their family, which had been written by their Parish Priest. After Christian was born, his name was entered in pencil as Christian Christensen, born 24 October 1867. He was a seven-month baby—so small that they could put him in a pint cup. The dug-out was on lot 1, block 22, plat A, Huntsville survey. Christian said, “Years later Old Shoemaker lived on that lot in a house which was right next to the street, but before that, there was a dugout, and that was where I was born. My folks never owned that property.” They moved a year or two later into a tworoom adobe house about a block farther west on Main Street, which his father had purchased. This house stood in the street because it was built before the survey. Prior to 1873 there were no public land records, but title was transferred by bill of sale or whatever. The house went with the land described as the west half of lot 1 and the west half of lot 8, block 23, plat A, Huntsville Survey, on the deed issued by Probate Judge F.D. Richards 27 Feb 1873, giving his father undisputed title to it. Christian remembered this house well, and especially the occasion when his older brother Peter lost his wife in childbirth. The baby survived and Christian’s mother took care of her. She was like a baby sister to four-year-old Christian, and she died four months later. Christian said, “I remember it as if it was the day it happened. She was in a little homemade cradle which they had. I was just a little fellow and they started to take her out of there. I’ll tell you, I fought like a beaver. Oh boy, they couldn’t take her. But of course they took her and she was buried out on the rock hill by where the McKay silos used to be. I can remember that. She was buried by her mother, so I am told. I don’t remember anything about her mother. I don’t think I was over 4 years old, but I will never forget when they took that baby away.” In 1874 his father sold the adobe house and they moved farther west, two blocks, where his father had built a nice brick house that has since been called the “old Home,” on lot 5, block 24. His father had receive title to lots 4 and 5 by Judges Deed the same date as the adobe house. As a youth, Christian chased around with Niels Knudsen. Niels was his nephew, and there were only a few months difference in their ... Because life is too short to hate your hair. age. They attended school in the Rock Meeting House, also called the Rock School House because it was rented by the school board for day school. It has been told that for the use of the meeting house, the larger boys had to split wood that was brought by different ones from the mountains to be used to fire up the stoves during cold weather, for church meetings, as well as day school. He was a sportsman, played baseball, and in his late teens was active at the dances. On one occasion he was at a dance in the Rock House and somehow got in a fight. It was a rule that if anyone caused trouble at the Rock House, they had to apologize p u b l i c l y. Christian said, “I stood up in church and said, “I had some trouble, it was accidental, I wasn’t brought up to be that way—I am sorry that it happened, and hope it won’t happen again.” He also told that in those days they didn’t preach religion, but talked about getting rid of people who didn’t believe. They would be happy if they could get them clear out of town. As years went by, it got better, and now everyone can live as normal humans. When Christian was 14 years old he helped his father haul brick for the construction of the new church when it was started in 1881. His father died the next spring, on June 12 and Christian had the responsibility of taking care of the farm and his mother. His sisters, Christine and Sena helped get the crops in during the summer and that winter moved to Ogden where they worked as waitresses in a restaurant. Also, his brother Skaarup had been married and divorced and moved back home to help. His father’s probate was filed 7 May 1883, but the Decree of Distribution was not filed until 12 Nov 1885, wherein his mother received “title to an undivided eightninths right, title and interest of, in and to all of the real and personal estate belonging to the estate of said deceased; and that the said Christian Wangsgaard (a minor) is entitled to an undivided one-ninth right, title and interest of, in and to all of the real and personal estate belonging to the estate of the deceased,” after having purchased the shares of the eight other children for Twenty-Two Hundred and SixtyFour Dollars…. 25 Dec 1891… (he) was married to Louisa Elizabeth Hall by Bishop David McKay…. He had known and courted Lizzie right there in his hometown where she also lived As young people, they were brought together by the activities and functions that took place in Huntsville, such as dances in the Rock House, Peterson’s Dance Hall (Eden) and his older brother Jim Wangsgaard’s Dance Hall. Also ballgames and other public functions…. (It was at about this time, too, that he legally dropped the second “a” in Wangsgaard; thereafter, spelling his last name Wangsgard.) Christian was one of the directors of the Huntsville Irrigation Company in 1895. When the Ogden Valley Creamery was incorporated 8 Jan 1898, the stockholders who helped organize it were Joseph Ririe, D. C. Walker, Christian Wangsgard, W. O. Shaw, W. J. Lindsay, and Peter M. Jensen. It is not known how much Christian was involved in this, other than being a stockholder. It changed hands from time to time and in 1915 the ones owning it went broke. When the Town of Huntsville was first incorporated in 1903, L. M. Nelson was the first Mayor. They called him Tinner Nelson because of his trade. He often made the statement, “I’s da Mayor.” The next election in 1905, Niels Lofgren was elected mayor and then in 1907, A. J. Anderson was elected with four councilmen: C. C. Wangsgaard, Alma L. Peterson, Christian Wangsgard and one other. Then the Charter was revoked by the vote of the people 2 Nov 1909. Chris (as he was called) was among the first to have the electric lights and telephone put in his house when the lines were first brought to Huntsville. He was progressive, and always looking for ways to make things better and for ways to become more successful. One of his ventures was with Jay Crandall on a slaughter house that they rented from Lars Hansen who owned it. Of course, he always continued his farming. His main crops were wheat, oats, alfalfa, potatoes and some other things. He had milk cows, pigs, and chickens as most farmers. He was always interested in cattle and had a small herd. This was how he got in with Lars Hansen who organized the Hansen Livestock and Feeding Company in Ogden. Chris was vice-president of the corporation. They had cattle on the range in Randolph and Woodruff, which were brought over Monte Cristo to market. They also operated in Logan, Utah and Lewiston, Idaho…. Christian died 6 Oct 1955 at age 87, only 18 days before his 88th birthday. He was buried in the Huntsville Cemetery. Lizzie died of an unknown lingering illness shortly after a surgery for thyroid, and never really recovering. She died 29 Apr 1934 in the Dee Hospital, Ogden, Utah. The doctor was never sure what was wrong or what caused her death. She was 64 years old. Their children were Mrs. Jerry Keleher, Mrs. I. E. Duffin (Edith and Stella), Edgar. C. Wangsgard, J. Irvin Wangsgard, and Harold Wangsgard. From The Past . . . Chris Wangsgard (standing) paid $500 for this engine during World War I, to pump water for the beets he grew up on the bench. This photo is from the book “Wangsgaard/Wangsgard Roots and Branches: 1866 – 1989,” pp. 175, compiled by Stanley Ferrin Wangsgaard. August Special FREE Brow Tint with any Hair Service Expires 8/31/2019 5522 East 2200 North in Eden Saturday Night 4:30 p.m. Sunday Morning 9:00 a.m. Fr. 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