My Genealogy Hound

Christian Mikkelsen, Prominent among the leading citizens of Webster County, Mo., stands the name of the above mentioned gentleman, who was born in Denmark, September 23, 1835, and is the son of Hans and Christine Mikkelsen, natives of Denmark, where they both died, he when the subject of this sketch was about one year old, and she in 1862 or 1863. They were members of the Lutheran Church, and he was a trader and farmer by occupation. To their marriage were born two sons and four daughters, Christian Mikkelsen being the youngest of this family. He remained with his mother until eighteen years of age, when he went to Copenhagen, and entered the king’s stable as a driver, remaining there for seven years. He then went home for a short time, and in 1860 came to the United States, locating in Gasconade County, Mo., and afterward in Maries County, of the same State. In August, of the following year, he married Miss Ann M. Petersen, who was born in Denmark in 1839, and who came to the United States one year after Mr. Mikkelsen. The same year after his marriage Mr. Mikkelsen enlisted in Company D, of the Sixth Missouri Cavalry, Federal army, and was in the service nearly one year, when he was discharged on account of disability. He then came to Webster County, Mo., and for several years was engaged in working on the ‘Frisco Railroad, running a boarding-house and keeping teams. In 1869 he bought the farm where he now resides, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. Although when coming to the United States his means were limited, he has since been very successful, and has one of the best farms in the county. March 10, 1878, Mrs. Mikkelsen died. To their marriage were born seven children, four now living: Christian P., Hans, Jacob P. and Charles Louis. Those deceased were named Christiana and Anna (twins), who died when ten months old. In 1879 Mr. Mikkelsen married Miss Mary Virginia Owens, a native of Tennessee, born in 1839; she died one year after her marriage. In 1880 he married Mette Marie Gammelgaard, a native of Denmark, born in 1844. Mr. Mikkelsen is a Republican in politics, and he and family are members of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.