Christian Ketelsen

KETELSEN PETERSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/15/2010 at 20:23:06

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Christian ‘Chris’ Ketelsen
By Catherine Sands

Christian ‘Chris’ Ketelsen was born May 26, 1866, in Husum, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, to Jens and Margaret Ketelsen. Chris has one brother and two sisters. At an early age his mother died and his father remarried.

Germany was always at war, so his dad sent Chris and his brother, John, to America. If they had stayed in Germany, they would have had to fight in the war. Their step-mother took them to the boat, bought them some clothes and gave them some money out of her own pocket. Their father had given them ticket money and a little extra. They came to America in 1882. They settled first at Lyon, Iowa.

Chris corresponded with Germany and got word that a friend of his, whom he like very much had lost her husband and was left with two children to raise.

Chris went back to Germany and in 1909 brought Catharina Fredricke Petersen and her two children: Lorens John Knudsen born November 12, 1902, died April 6, 1983; Peter Knudsen born July 6, 1904, to America to live. When the ship reached New Jersey, Chris and Catharina had to get married before they got off the ship. They were married July 29, 1909.

They traveled to Battle Creek, Iowa, and from there went to Anthon, Iowa. They bought a farm two miles west of Anthon, Iowa, past the Oak Hill Cemetery, and there had seven children: Jens Ketelsen born June 25, 1910, died May 2, 1981 of cancer; Carl ‘Martin’ Martin Ketelsen born March 4, 1912, died June 19, 1968 in a boating accident; John Henry Ketelsen born October 28, 1913, died February 5, 1965 of a heart attack; Catherine Margarethe Ketelsen born February 4, 1916; Margarethe ‘Gretchen’ ‘Margaet’ Catherine Ketelsen born July 21, 1918; Baby Boy Ketelsen, born September 3, 1920, died September 3, 1920; Lawrence ‘Chris’ Chris Ketelsen born January 19, 1921.

Chris bought corn from all the farmers and fattened hogs and cattle. He made many train trips to Chicago, Illinois, with cattle to sell on the market. He usually brought home a gift for all the children.

Chris passed away January 26, 1936. Catharine lived on this farm until 1948, when she moved to a house in Anthon. It was here that she passed away, February 19, 1965. They are both buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Anthon, Iowa.