Ervin Christensen
Family
Ervin Pernell Christensen
b. 17 Apr 1903 Live Oak, Hamilton Co., TX [SS death records]
d. 5 Nov 1964 Gregg County, TX
buried: Texas
m. Bonnie Mae Williams of Tyler, TX*
b. 22 Nov. 1908
d. Nov. 1985 Tyler, Smith Co., TX [SS death records]
her father: Williams
her mother: unknown
his father: Christian Anders
Christensen of Denmark
his mother: Minnie Rohne of
Texas
| Child with Bonnie Williams |
| Evalyn Minnette Christensen |
b. 4 Oct 1947 Gregg County, Texas [Texas Birth Index,
1903-1997, Ancestry.com]
|
d. living |
m. Rick Shipley |
*
12 Dec 1874- "Chris Andrew" Christensen is born in Nissum, Denmark into
a baker's family. He was one of the oldest in the family and thus the
first to immigrate to the United States by 1891.
until 1907 - "Chris Andrew" and his family lived in Hamilton County,
where several of his children were born. About this time he sells his
share of the farm to his brother, Pete, and his wife. It is probably at
this time he moves his family to Cranfils Gap. He buys the house and
farm of Dr. Monroe Coston sets up a machine shop and flour mill.
1912- Chris dies at the age of 37. His plot in the Rock Church
Cemetary is marked for "Chris" Christensen. The couple had four
children. His mother remarries to Chris Hanson who already had
three children.
1920 - US Census, Precenct #8, Bosque Co., Texas.
Hanson,
Chris
head m
w 46
mar.
Texas Denmark
Denmar farming gen. farming
"
, Minnie
wife
f w 37
mar.
Texas
Norway Norway
".
, Millie Mae
dau f w
17
s
Texas
Texas Texas
"
,
Walter
son
m w 11
s
Texas
Texas Texas
"
, Dagmer
dau
f w 9
s
Texas
Texas Texas
Christianson, Irving
step child m w 17
s
Texas Denmark
Texas
" ,
Jennie step child f w
15
s
Texas Denmark
Texas
" ,
Paul step child m
w 11
s
Texas Denmark
Texas
" ,
Marian step child f
w 9
s
Texas Denmark
Texas
Ervin Pernell Christenson graduated from Cranfills Gap High
School then went on to Lincoln University in Nebraska. He majored in
Latin minored in Hebrew and Greek and spoke nine different languages.
1937, Aug 2 , arriving Aug.11- New York Passenger lists Ervin
Pernell Christensen as age 34,
listed as born 17 April 1903 in Cranfills Gap, Texas, takes a trip from
Gothenburg, Sweden on the ship Kungsholm for New York City, USA.
This is apparently the last leg of a round trip to Denmark. [New
York Passenger List, 1820-1957]
He taught at the Allen Military Academy and later received a
position with the newly formed Kilgore Junior College. He headed the
Liberal Art Department. During WWII he made several trips to Denmark
and worked in some capacity as a spy according to my father. Ervin was
a strong supporter of the college and education in general. He retired
from that that position after a long and successful career.
"As for the stories of my father being a spy, this is what he told me.
When he was in the army in WWII, he was first stationed in Washington,
DC where he basically carried papers from one desk to the next. He
asked for more active duty. So the army in its wisdom, sent him to
Greenland where his Scandinavian languages could be helpful in
interrogating any spies who might try that sea route to sabotage
shipping from the United States. He was part of a unit for the CIC,
which was the precursor to the CIA. When I asked him if he did
interrogate any spies, he just laughed and said that he did interrogate
one fisherman, who was just that--a fisherman.
Your dad is correct that he did go to Europe before the war began.
On one of those trips, he was to meet relatives in Denmark. Because the
language is different enough from Norwegian there was some confusion.
He was met by a large group of friendly folks, with whom he went home.
Over the course of a day or two, as they began to get caught up on
various relatives, it became apparent that he had gone home with the
wrong family. They took him back to the dock and got word that his
family had arrived late to pick him up. He finally got together with
his own relatives. He had a ball the whole time. And maintained contact
with both families for a while. " [Shipley 2004]
Ervin and Minnie had a daughter shortly before the war and that they
raised in Kilgore Texas where Ervin taught English and became Head of
the Liberal Arts Department.
1942, July 16 - Ervin Pernell Christensen enlists in the
Army. He enlists as a private but has had 4 years of college, a
teacher in civil occupation, he is single, height 69 inches, and 158
pounds. He is born in 1903 a native of Bosque Co., Texas.
He is single and without dependents.
[WWII enlistment records, 1938-1946]
1947- Evalyn Minnette is born to Ervin Pernell Christensen and Bonnie
Mae Williams in Gregg County, Texas. [Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics,
Births 1947_0003]
1961, July 11 - typed on letterhead stationary from Kilgore College.
Dear Chris Monroe and Violet,
We have received the invitation of your children to attend the Silver
Anniversary of your wedding. We are sorry that we cannot attend,
but we surely would like to very much.
I donot believe that i have ever known a couple who have seemed to get
along as well as you. If you have ever had any troubles, you
surely have ever had any troubles, you surely have not let others in on
them.
We wish to congratulate you on the occasion, and wish you a lot of
happiness throughout the rest of your life, and hope that ou are still
going stroung on your Golden Wedding Anniversary.
Yours very sincerely,
Ervin P. Christensen
The Ervin P. Christensen Family [letter in the collection of Elroy
Christenson]
1964, April 17 - "Kilgoreround" by Gary Scott
Pop Christensen, veteran Kilgore
College instructor and a favorite with the students, observed his
birthday today and was honored with a round of parties by his students
and fellow teachers. Pop, the standard bearer of KC school
spirit, has been ill and out of the classroom the past month, but
returned to the campus this morning to be with his beloved young
people. A round of classroom parties were given by his language
classes, and this afternoon, the faculty of the Liberal Arts Division,
of which he is chairman, will honor him with fiestivities at the Leon
Winton home.
["Kilgoreround" by Gary Scott, Kilgore News Herald, April 17, 1964]
1964, April 22 - Ervin writes a letter to Marie and Herman
Reesing (his cousin), a hand written letter.
Dear
Marie and Herman,
I have been hospitaized for about 8
weeks and until yesterday it had been supposed that I mightbe required
to go to the M. B. Anderson Hospital for a cobault treatment. (Of
course I dreaded that very much)
Last night my doctor came by and said
that he had consulted with doctors at M. B. Anderson and Baylor
Hospital at Dallas and they think that I can get by at least for the
time being without the cobault treatment, and that I might begin
teaching next Monday. And to be truthful, that was about the
happiest day in my life time.
Everybody has treated me so
wonderfully that it would take a gook to tell all about it. We
were sorry taht we could not make Lelddon's Smorgas Bard.
I appreciated the cards from all of
you. my mail has been so great that I can't possibly answer fit
all.
I'm going to ask you to thank all of
the uncle Pete's children from me.
I'm feeling fine and am most eager to
get back on the job next week.
I called Emroy last night.
Thanks a lot. Ervin. [letter in the collection
of Elroy Christenson}
1964 - Ervin Christensen dies in Gregg County, Texas. [Texas
Death Index, 1903-2000]
Minnette went on the higher education and married Rick Shipley. She
taught at Brazosport Independent School District until her retirement.
Source:
Land Records of Bosque Co., TX
Cemetary markers , Rock Church, Bosque Co., TX
Kilgore News Herald, clippings from April 17 and 19th, 1964
Shipley, Minnette. coorespondence 17 Aug 2004 email -
mshipley@brazosport.cc.tx.us
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