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 2nd Generation

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Otto (Slim)

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by Ida Hansen Eschenbaum

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Christ's Heirlooms

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Faulkton
 

                                         Christ Hansen Heirlooms

        
  This organ is referenced elsewhere.  If you missed it, this is an organ purchased by Christ in the 1920's

The story is, when the school classes were held at the Hansen home, he asked or the teacher told him she could play an organ.  So, for the school, he purchased this organ.  However the teacher could NOT play,  therefore it sat.  He later sold it, and by chance it came up for sale again and he purchased it, why I do not recall.  Other then perhaps one of his children could now play.  In fact, Ted was an accomplished musician of various sorts, perhaps it was him.  It now is owned by Judy Hansen, daughter of Leslie, grand-daughter of John.  She, herself is a musician and teaches music in a school.  She also owns Ted's accordion.  So, they remain in the family and have a good home.

                        
This hutch stood in the dining room as I recall when I saw it in the Hansen boy's house in 1982. When the farm auction was held, I wanted it.  I told my Uncle Kenny Eschenbaum to bid on it at whatever cost.  I suspect he was pleased as punch to know he had unlimited funds to purchase this.  He became alarmed when Rev. Grams was looking at the dining room set, as he purchased "antiques" for sale.  However, a smile came upon Ken when he heard that Rev. Grams was petitioning the auctioneer to separate the dining room table from the hutch bids.  When it was agreed, we figured our battle was won.  I ended up paying $100 in auction for this.  It remains in my possession now held by my niece, Janelle Burdick Davis, great-great grand-daughter to Christ and Ingeborg.  It is my hope it remains in the family and have told all in earshot that it is NOT to be sold. 

                     
These are photos of Christ Hansen's chest.  As was told to me by Ida, this chest was hand made by Christ Hansen while in Norway in about 1882.  He was an apprentice shoemaker and this trunk held his tools.  When he and Ingeborg decided to immigrate to the United States, he dumped the tools out and they packed their food in this trunk.  The ship did not provide provisions for the steerage passengers.  Later, while on his farm, he stored his important papers and perhaps money in this chest.  The key is gone.  If you click on the photos they will enlarge.  You will see the workmanship of this chest. 

Grandma Ida often spoke of this chest and wondered what happened with it.  I was with her one afternoon and I asked if she thought it was still on the farm.  She said probably.  I asked if she wanted to see it.  She said she would like to have it, as only Slim was left on the farm.  I offered to take her out to the farm and she readily agreed.  When in the house, we visited with Slim and she brought it up.  She asked him for it and he readily stood up and went upstairs and retrieved it.  We heard a clash of things falling on the floor and down  he came with the chest.  I carried it to the car while she and her brother visited as she walked to the car.  I think, that was the last time she saw Slim before his death.  I had not heard otherwise. Grandma once asked me one time about painting it.  I said.."Oh no Grandma" that the way it is now is the way it should always remain.  I told her if she wanted to cover it, crochet a cover for it as she did that frequently.  So, that she did.  The next time I saw here, there was a crochet cover for the chest.  After Ida died, Kenny had possession and now Dale Eschenbaum, son of Kenny possesses it. 

Ida also had a small "jewelry box" that was made by Christ for Ingeborg in Norway.  It was a plain wooden box that was similar to balsa wood.  They used that box for their butter while on the voyage across the Atlantic.  I saw the box as Grandma Ida had it in her possession. She writes in her autobiography that she had it and prized it so.  However, I have not been able to locate that box since.  I suspect one of the granddaughters have it now.  My only hope is that they realize it's significance.

                                                     ( Click for larger view )
  This is the actual trunk made and used by Christ & Ingeborg when they traveled across the Atlantic Ocean in 1885.  It is in bad, but salvageable shape housed in a machinery shed on Leslie Hansen's farm north of Orient, S.D.  I suspect that the chest was stored through the years in a machine shops even on Christ's farm.  This is unlike the smaller chest above which was used by Christ for his important papers and kept inside the house. 

                                             From Ida (Hansen) Eschenbaum memoirs
"He made a trunk to store their belongings for their trip to U.S. which is still upstairs at home, which was also used as a table on their boat trip."
     This discrepancy between the two trunks is a small matter.  The smaller trunk has a curved top which would be unusual for a table top. As I understand it, the smaller trunk held the food supplies.   The larger trunk has a flat top more realistic for a table top and large enough for their belongings.  I suppose that Christ and Ingeborg kept it in their house until their deaths and their sons moved it later to a shed. 
       

      
                                Hansen Family Bible

This bible is in he possession of Lester Hansen, son of John Hansen.  The copyright of this
bible is 1890, so it doesn't appear that Christ brought it over from Norway.  It has only his family (children) and not his own parents or brothers and sisters.  Though, Lester says he was told his father was a burly red-headed Norwegian lumberjack and Christ was a younger child of 8-9 children. 

The book is in poor condition with the binding very loose and the cover almost ripped away.  It is totally in the Norwegian language.  The third photo is of the front page.  The last two photos are of the two page entries that Christ himself wrote as his children were born.  As deaths occurred except for Eda's, I presume one of the Hansen boys wrote in the dates.  I personally wrote in the death of Ida at 1988 as she was the last Hansen child. 

                                              Christ Hansen's Farm Machinery

                                                                                       
                       Winter Witte Engine                     Case Tractor 'SC'                   Case 'SC'
                           Received the information about the tractors from a visitor to the site.   He says these were  produced during the war years ......1940-1945. 

      The above pocket watch was Christ's given to his daughter Ida.  She then passed it onto her son Melvin and he to his son Jeff.  It is now in the  possession of Jeff's daughter, Cassandra Minihan, Christ's great-great grand-daughter. 

These are photos of some Norwegian trunks I saw in the Duluth, Minnesota Train Depot Museum and at the Mpls. Institute of the Arts.   Christ's is not painted as these, but these are trunks for a dowry.  Christ built his strictly for utilitarian use for his immigration to the United States.