St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Boomer-Neola, Iowa Early Families Sources and Acknowledgments 2016 by Robert A. Christiansen, file St.Paul'sEarlySources.docx, revised 23 Mar '16. Contents page Family and Personal Histories 2 On-Line Resources 3 Print Resources 4 Acknowledgements 6 My St.Paul's Boomer-Neola Early Families project includes biographic sketches of 43 extended families that together comprise almost all of the known St. Paul's members prior to 1920. At the end of each of the 43 sketches is a source list specific to that family. This document contains more general source information, followed by a list of individuals who helped with this project. The immediate source for my writing projects is my Macintosh Reunion database named St.Paul s, which contains data for over 35,000 individuals with family connections to early rural northwestern Pottawattamie County, Iowa. When I can longer work on this database, it may be available at the Family History & Genealogy Center of the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, Iowa. You may desire more information than you find herein. I want to know of your suggestions and my errors, and I want to acquire any additional information that you can provide. Please contact me at rachristia@gmail.com or at 480-861-8404 or by filling out a CONTACT FORM on my website.
Family and Personal Histories I know of four family and personal histories written by or about Danish Americans who lived in the St. Paul s area. Chris Christoffersen s autobiography (manuscript written about 1945). (Chris Christoffersen was the son of St. Paul s charter member Jorgen Christoffersen.) The Busy Rural Life of our Danish American Grandparents Marie and Isaac Hansen and Their Children on the Farm in Hazel Dell Township, Pottawattamie County, R.F. D. 1, Weston, Iowa 1830 1941 1981 by Ruth (Hansen) Nielsen (151 pp. manuscript.) (Ruth (Hansen) Nielsen was the granddaughter of St. Paul s charter member Isaac Hansen.) Peter T. Petersen s story. (Peter T. Petersen was the father of Victor T. Petersen, long-time St. Paul s member who is interred in the St. Paul s Cemetery.) Book given me by Cleo. In recent years I have worked on a history of my extended family, entitled Robert Christiansen's Family History. Like St. Paul's Boomer-Neola Early Families, my family history is available on my website. Several families in St. Paul's Boomer-Neola Early Families are treated in more detail in my family history. The following families sketched in St. Paul's Boomer-Neola Early Families are treated more fully in my family history: Christian Christiansen; Jacob Jensen; Ole Jensen; Lars Christian Rasmussen Portions of the following families sketched in St. Paul's Boomer-Neola Early Families are treated more fully in my family history: Christian Bondo (Peter Bondo section); Mads Jensen (different sections) My family history is available at the Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society in Council Bluffs and at the Family History & Genealogy Center of the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, Iowa. St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 2
On-Line Resources I accessed the following on-line resources through ancestry.com, a subscription service available at no charge at many public libraries. United States census records through 1934 and Iowa census records for 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915 and 1925. (1890 United States census records were destroyed in a fire.) Many city directories, especially from around 1940. World War I draft registration forms. New York harbor ship manifests. Council Bluffs Nonpareil issues for selected periods from 1936 to 1956. Pottawattamie County township plats for the years 1885, 1902, 1913 and 1919. Family trees available through ancestry.com. I used the following resources which are available on-line at no charge. Google.com contains a large amount of useful information. I am now making heavy use of cemetery sites, especially findagrave.com. Danish census transcriptions (incomplete, ddd.dda.dk). Danish emigration records from 1868 to 1908 (incomplete, ddd.dda.dk). Social Security Death Index (ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com). Birth and marriage records gathered by Mormons (incomplete, familysearch.org). Family trees at World Connect project (wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi). Land patent database (blmrecords.blm.gov/patentsearch) 1929 Council Bluffs city directory (distantcousin.com/directories/ia/councilbluffs/1929) St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 3
Print Resources I used the following print sources specific to St. Paul s: The 1931 St. Paul s Church Jubilee 1881 1931 booklet contains church history information and the list of charter members that I used. The 1981 St. Paul s Lutheran Neola, Iowa 1881 1981 Centennial booklet contains, among other resources, baptism, confirmation, wedding and burial lists. The St. Paul s Lutheran Cemetery booklet, which was produced by reading the stones in the St. Paul s cemetery in 1984. St. Paul s Cemetery, photographs of stones by Chris Wilken, 2003. (977.771 C332h). Elaine (Bondo) Hoyer s St. Paul s cemetery database. Old St. Paul s church records held at St. Paul s. These records have been microfilmed, and some are now available through ancestry.com. I used the following Pottawattamie County plats and directories in my possession, many of which the Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society also holds: 1885 Pottawattamie County atlas by C. R. Allen & Co. (hardbound reprint). 1902 Pottawattamie County atlas by Geo. A. Ogle & Co. (hardbound reprint). 1913 Atlas of Douglas, Sarpy and Washington Counties Nebraska and Mills and Pottawattamie County, Iowa compiled by the Anderson Publishing Co. for the Bee Publishing Co., Omaha, Nebraska. 1915 Rand McNally Ideal Atlas, insert near the front consists of Pottawattamie County Business Patrons Directory, rural Landowners Directory and rural Mailing List (does not contain plats). 1919 Atlas of Pottawattamie County, Iowa by the Anderson Publishing Company (on loan from Joan (Miner) Eggerss). 1935 Plat Book of Pottawattamie County by the Great Western Map Co. of Sioux City for the Neola Gazette-Reporter (photocopy). 1939 atlas of Pottawattamie County by Booth Enterprises (photocopy of selected townships). 1950 atlas of Pottawattamie County by R. C. Booth (photocopy). 1964 Council Bluffs city directory by R. L. Polk. 1967 atlas of Pottawattamie County, Iowa by Midwest Atlas Co., Fremont, NE. 1971-1972 Pottawattamie County TAM Service (Township maps, Alphabetical locater, Mailing List) by R. C. Booth. 1977 Plat Book of Pottawattamie County by R. C. Booth. 1984 Plat Book of Pottawattamie County by R. C. Booth. 1997 Pottawattamie County Farm and Home Plat & Directory by Farm and Home Publishers. St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 4
The Pottawattamie County Genealogy Society in Council Bluffs has the following:! Marriage books, indices of Pottawattamie County marriages through 1935.! Cemetery books, indices of most burials in Pottawattamie County produced by reading the gravestones in Pottawattamie County cemeteries.! An index of Council Bluffs Nonpareil obituaries.! Many of the Pottawattamie County plats listed on the previous page. One can purchase the marriage books and burial books described above through the Iowa Genealogical Society in Des Moines. The Council Bluffs public library has the following:! Past issues of the Council Bluffs Nonpareil on microfilm.! Pottawattamie County biography books: 1883 (sic, cover may say 1882) History of Pottawattamie County by O. L. Baskin & Co., Chicago (Robert Christiansen has a reprint). 1891 Bibliographical History of Pottawattamie County by the Lewis Publishing Co. (Robert Christiansen has a 1997 reprint by Windmill Publishing Co., Mt. Vernon, IN which was a gift from Elaine (Bondo) Hoyer.) 1907 Field History of Pottawattamie County by S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. (two volumes; available on-line in March 2009 at usgennet.org/usa/topic/historical). 1978 Pottawattamie County Makers of Fire collection of historical sketches and family histories, published by Pottawattamie County History Book Committee, printed in Dallas, Texas by the Taylor Publishing Co. (RAC s copy was a gift from Elaine (Bondo) Hoyer.) The first three books are of limited usefulness since they contain very few sketches of Danish Americans. For land transactions, the Auditor s office in the Pottawattamie County Court House has the following:! A collection of books summarizing rural land transactions. Before accessing these books, know the township description, section and approximate year of the transaction. Boomer Township's description is "Township 77 North, Range 43 West". Hazel Dell is "Township 76 North, Range 43 West". These land books are much easier to use than those in the Recorder s office, but I have found some errors in them. St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 5
Acknowledgments Many descendants of early St. Paul s members provided me with information about the families sketched in this document. In particular, I m indebted to Elaine (Bondo) Hoyer for the substantial help and motivation she provided me over the years. During my trips to Council Bluffs I received much assistance from members of the Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society. Within the document body, individuals who have helped me with an individual family are listed at the end of that family s sketch. I have listed below, in alphabetical order, some of the individuals who helped me sort out multiple extended families in the St. Paul s area. My apologies to those I have accidentally omitted. the late Esther (Bondo) Magnussen and the late Lillie (Bondo) Larsen for preserving the early St. Paul s records the late Frances (Magnussen) Bracker and her brother, Vernon Magnussen the late Agnes Christiansen the late Alvin Christiansen Gerald Christiansen Cleo (Petersen) Christoffersen Paul Christoffersen Joan (Miner) Eggerss Alvina (Larsen) Hjorstsvang Elaine (Bondo) Hoyer the late Ellen (Hansen) Larson my older Larson aunts, all now deceased: Ethel (Larson) Torneten, Helen (Larson) Petersen Evelyn (Larsen) Sherbondy and Thelma (Schroder) Larson Jensen the late James Nielsen my cousin, the late Alvin Petersen my father's cousin, the late Marion Junior Rasmussen, and his dear wife, Mary (Hedegaard) Rasmussen Cal Petersen the late Olga (Clausen) Schroder Sandra (Olson) Sorlien the late Minnie (Johnson) Wohlers, her daughters, Arlene (Wohlers) Driver and Gladys (Wohlers) Blois, and her son-in-law, Derald Blois the late Lydia (Ericksen) Axelsen Young Reverend Neil Zeilinger for his work with the St. Paul s centennial book. St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 6
St. Paul's Boomer-Neola Early Families Major Connections Between St. Paul s Charter Families (Mar 2009) Relationships Prior to 1881 Among Charter Member Families: Christiansen and Jensen: Mrs. Christian Christiansen (Anna Jensen), Jacob Jensen, and Ole Jensen were siblings. Jensen, Olsen and Madsen: Mrs. Jacob Jensen (Anna Dorthea Madsen) and Mrs. Hans Olsen (Bodil Madsen) were siblings. A third sibling, an early member but not a charter member, was Jorgen Madsen, known in the United States as John Madison. Mrs. Ole Jensen (Karen Marie Olsen) was the daughter of Hans and Bodil Olsen. Christoffersen: Christoffer Christoffersen was the son of Jorgen Christoffersen. Christoffersen, Sorensen and Hansen: Mrs. Jorgen Christoffersen (Karen Jensen) and Mrs. Jorgen Sorensen (Inger Marie Jensen) were sisters. A third sibling, but not a charter member, was Mrs. Thomas Hansen (Christiane Jensen) a long-term resident of southeastern Boomer Township. Mrs. Rasmus Hansen (Marie Jorgensen) was the daughter of Jorgen and Inger Marie Sorensen. Hansen and Nielsen: Mrs. Peter Hansen (Inger Marie Nielsen) was a daughter of Niels and Ane Nielsen. A second daughter, whose children were later members, was Mrs. Peter Rasmussen (Anna Margrethe Nielsen). Marriages After 1881 Among Charter Member Families: I know of eight marriages between children of the 23 charter families: Martin Christoffersen and Minnie Bondo. Chris Christoffersen and Lena Nielsen. Viggo Hansen and Emma Bondo. P. W. I. Hansen and Anna Sofie Hansen. Jens Peter Hansen and Anna Jensen. Christian M. Chris Jensen and Christina Hansen. Alfred Nelson and Victoria Hansen. Christian Peter Thomas C. P.T Nelson and Jennie Nelson. St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 7
St. Paul's Boomer-Neola Early Families Charter Members (prepared by Robert A. Christiansen Aug 2008) The following list of charter members is copied from page 15 of the 1931 St. Paul s Church Jubilee Book 1881-1931. (1) Mr. and Mrs. Peter Nielsen, and their children, Jorgen Peter, and Christian (2) Mr. and Mrs. Jorgen Christoffersen and their children, Martin, Christian, and John. (3) Mr. and Mrs. Niels Hansen and their children, Hans and Maria. (4) Mr. and Mrs. Lars Nielsen (sic, Nelson) and their daughter, Jenny. (5) Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Hansen and their children, Victoria and Viggo. (6) Mr. and Mrs. Christian Andersen and their daughter, Jensine. (7) Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hansen and their daughter, Cecilia. (8) Mr. and Mrs. Rasmus Hansen and their sons, Hans and Marius (admitted during the summer of 1881). (9) Mr. and Mrs. Christian Christiansen and their sons, Jens and Nels. (10) Mr. and Mrs. Hans Olsen and their son, Ole (admitted sometime in 1881). (11) Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hansen and their children, Karen, Hans, Niels and William. (12) Mr. and Mrs. Jorgen Sorensen and their children, Jens and Sorine. (13) Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Jensen and their children, Karen, Johanna, Mary and Martin. (14) Mr. and Mrs. Niels Nielsen. (15) Mr. and Mrs. Christoffer Christoffersen. (16) Mr. and Mrs. Christian Bondo and their children, Peter, Minnie, Henry, Christine, Willie, and Marie. (17) Mr. and Mrs. Jens Christensen and their children, Peter and Frank. (18) Mr. and Mrs. Jeppe Nielsen. (19) Mr. and Mrs. Jens Jensen. (20) Carl Petersen. (RAC: not yet identified) (21) Thomas Petersen. (RAC: not yet identified) (22) Ole Jensen. (23) Jens Sandersen. St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 8
St. Paul's Boomer-Neola Early Families Family Roster begun in 1900 Covers families who were members in 1900 or joined before the early 1920s. Transcribed by Elaine Hoyer & Robert Christiansen, "*" denotes charter families. nbr page heads of family 1 Oluf Peter Bondo & Alvine Rasmussen 2 3 Niels Jorgen Christensen & Maren Kathrine Andersen *4 Christian Christiansen & Ane Kirstine Jensen 5 Jens Christiansen & Rasmine Rasmussen 6 Niels Christiansen & Mette Marie Rasmussen 7 Martin Jorgen Christoffersen & Aline Gomine Bondo 8 92 Jorgen Christoffersen & Karen Jensen 9 Isaac Hansen & Marie Jensen 10 Niels Hansen & Karen Sofie Henriksen 11 92 Hans Peter Hansen & Karen Sofie Olsen 12 92 Peter Hansen & Nielsine Jensen 13 93 Peter Hansen & Inger Marie Nielsen 14 93 Rasmus Hansen & Maria Jorgensdatter 15 93 Viggo Peter Isaac Hansen & Emma Louise Bondo 16 93 Carl Jensen & Maren Hanna Knudsen 17 Jacob Jensen & Ane Dorthea Madsen 18 Lars Jensen & Phoebe Christine Rief 19 94 Christian Peter Thomas Nielsen & Jennie Nielsen 20 Lars Nielsen & Karen Andersen 21 94 Niels Juul Nielsen & Mary Jensen 22 94 Peter Nielsen & Caroline Petersen 23 94 Svend Nielsen & Helene Sandstrom 24 94 Hans Olsen & Bodil Madsen 25 94 Paul Olsen & Anna Helvig Jensen 26 95 Thomas Christian Pedersen & Maria Elizabeth Bondo 27 95 Lars Christian Rasmussen & Karen Marie Andersen 28 95 Jorgen Madsen (John Madison) & Hilde Marie Moller 29 95 Peter Wilhelm Isak Hansen & Johanne Augusta Olsen/Anna Sofie Hansen 30 95 Jens Peter Hansen & Anna Jensen 31 95 Christian Jensen & Hansine M. K. Hansen 32 95 Erik Elias Eriksen & Johanne Thode 33 95 N. J. J. Nielsen & Anna Christine Bondo 34 95 Peter S. Petersen & Lydia Bondo 35 96 Sherman Christian Ferdinand Bondo & Magrete Hansen Christensen 36 96 Lars Petersen & Inger Marie Petersen 37 96 John Petersen & Bertha Cecilia Hansen 38 96 Christen Christoffersen & Anna Larsen 39 96 Larenz Clausen & Christine Jorgensen 40 96 Jens Jorgensen & Sofia Madsen 41 96 Alfred Nielsen & Victoria Marie Hansen 42 96 Mrs. Niels Olsen St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 9
43 97 Carl Albert Christian Bondo & Marie Iversen *44 Mrs. L. C. Bondo 45 97 Carl C. Carlsen & Alma Hulda Olsen 46 Niels Peter Nielsen & Henriette Nielsen 47 97 Simon Peter Erikson & Kristine A. (Anina) Christensen 48 97 Martin Hedegaard & Katie Iversen 49 97 Jakob Peter Christoffersen & Laura Christensen 50 97 Carl P. Jensen & Carrie Larsen 51 George Jensen & Dora Nelsen 52 97 William Driver & Mary Jensen 53 98 Hans R. Nielsen & Hilma M. Sandberg 54 98 Jens Nielsen Lauridsen & Mary Johnson 55 Andrew Jorgen Larsen & Maria? 56 98 Clarence Peter Christensen & Alice Elizabeth Lauridsen 57 Charles T. Christensen & Laura Nielsen 58? Otto Christoffersen & Anna Christensen 58? Alfred H. Christensen & Dagny Schmidt 59 Hans Petersen & Mary Petersen 60 Mrs. Niels C. Jensen 61 98 Martin Jensen & Agnes Kristine Junker 62 Chris J. Jorgensen & Esther Cecilia Sandberg 63 George William Parish & Emma Stortz 64 Carl Emil Magnussen & Esther Henriette Bondo 65 99 Viggo Bondo Petersen & Christina Petersen 66 James Willard Bensen & Lila Anna Petersen 67 Alfred Iverson & Asta Jorgensen 68 Bernhard Nielsen 69 Henry C. Peterson & Elsie B. Benson 70 99 Harry Norbert Lauridsen & Martha M. Christiansen 71 99 Peter Iverson 72 99 Harry Nelson & Olga E. Peterson? 91 Oluf Peter Simon Christian Bondo & Ida Marie Olsen? Albert Arthur Jensen &? Jensen? Carl Jaeger &? RAC Oct 2010: I have now drafted sketches for all families on the above list, with two exceptions: Paul Olsen & Anna Helvig Jensen, #25: This couple was childless and had no known relatives in the St. Paul s community. Carl Jaeger: This family is on the list erroneously, as they did not join St. Paul s until 1931, when they moved to Boomer Township from Council Bluffs. In 1944 they returned to Council Bluffs. St. Paul searlysources.docx 3/26/16 page 10