Charles F. Christian (born 1869)

CHRISTIAN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 3/2/2023 at 23:04:19

Charles F. Christian

From HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, Pages 633 & 634
Charles F. Christian, postmaster, merchant and a leading businessman of Grafton, was born in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, December 11, 1869, a son of Charles and Mary (Schlesser) Christian, natives of Germany. They came to the United States in childhood with their respective parents, who settled in Wisconsin, where Charles Christian and Mary Schlesser were reared and married. About I872 they removed to Worth county, Iowa, settling in Union township, where Mr. Christian acquired a half section of valuable land. He won a substantial measure of success as a farmer and continued to engage in the tilling of the soil until about 1902, when he retired from active business and removed to Mason City, where he resided for ten or twelve years. He then became identified with the banking interests of St. Paul, Minnesota, and removed to that city, where he is now president of the Security State Bank and a prominent figure in financial circles.
Charles F. Christian was educated in the district schools, in the Plymouth public schools and in the Cedar Valley Seminary at Osage, Iowa. After the completion of his studies he remained upon the home farm until his father embarked in merchandising in Grafton, when Charles F. Christian became associated with him in the business. This he subsequently purchased and eventually be sold his eldest son, Roy F., an interest and the partnership has since been maintained under the firm style of Charles F. Christian & Son. They have a well appointed store, carry a large stock and are conducting a business which in volume and importance is very gratifying.
Mr. Christian is also the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of valuable farm land, of which two hundred and twenty acres is in Barton township, Worth county, and sixty acres across the line in Mitchell county. In all business affairs he displays sound judgment and enterprise and never stops short of the successful accomplishment of his purpose. In 1916 he erected the modern business block which the firm of Charles F. Christian & Son now utilizes in the conduct of their mercantile interests.
Mr. Christian was married about 1891 to Miss Augusta Nack, of Rock township, Mitchell county, and they have become parents of three children, two of whom survive, Roy and Harry. Mr. Christian votes with the democratic party and he and his family are members of the German Lutheran church. In 1912 Mr. Christian was made postmaster of Grafton, which position he is still filling, discharging the duties of the office in addition to conducting his business affairs. He possesses in large measure that quality which for want of a better term has been called commercial sense and the enterprise which characterizes him in his commercial interests is manifest in the fact that he and his son are today owners of a store which carries a stock of goods valued at thirty thousand dollars. He is alert and energetic, ever watchful of opportunities pointing to advancement and these opportunities he uses wisely and well.