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Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
GEORGE F. CHRISTENSEN, clerk
of Adams county, came to Ritzville without a dollar to his name, but his
prepossessing appearance and genialty soon won him friends and standing,
and soon he was given a responsible position in the store of I. W. Myers,
which he held for four years. Being an active worker in the ranks
of the Democratic party of Adams county, he was made secretary of the county
central committee in 1901, its president in 1902, and the same year was
elected to the office of county clerk. His popularity was demonstrated
by the fact that in his election he ran one hundred and seventy votes ahead
of his ticket.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, February,
26, 1876, Mr. Christensen is the son of William P. and Mary (Thorson) Christensen,
both natives of Denmark and now residents of Olivia, Minnesota. The
father came to the United States during the early sixties, settled at Olivia
and engaged in the merchandise business in the early days of that city.
He later was appointed postmaster of Olivia, and was the first state senator
from that district. He was in business there sixteen years when he
sold out and became register of the United States land office at Redwood
Falls, Minnesota, which position he held three years, when he returned
to Olivia, entered the real estate business and was again appointed postmaster.
He has also held the office of state commissioner of public parks of Minnesota
for two years. He is now devoting his entire attention to the real
estate business. Mrs. Christensen came to America a few years later
than her husband, whom she met and was married to in Minnesota.
The first three years of George F. Christensen's
life were spent in the city of his birth, when the family removed to Olivia.
He was given the advantage of a finished graded and high school education
at Olivia and Redwood Falls, and a business course at Wilderfarm College,
in Jackson county, Minnesota. He was assistant postmaster to his
father for three years, clerk in the Commercial hotel, Grand Forks, Minnesota,
then a clerk in an Olivia dry goods store for three years. In 1897
he went on a prospecting expedition to Alaska, which netted him nothing
but experience, returned to Seattle, and thence to his present home, as
is related earlier in this sketch.
Mr. Christensen has two brothers and one sister:
Henry, in Kansas City; Willie, aged twelve, with his parents; and Selma,
a high school girl living with her parents. Our subject has never
been married.
In fraternity circles, Mr. Christensen is
identified with the Masons, Red Men and the Eastern Star; he is also a
member of the Episcopal church. He is drum major of the Ritzville
cornet band, and was sergeant for three years of Company H, National Guards
of Minnesota.
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