Christian J. Moen

As printed in 1916

CHRISTIAN J. MOEN.

Christian J. Moen, horn in Norway, February 29, [864, son of John and Martene (Korsgaard) Moen, was the first of his family to come to this country. Both parents were natives of Norway, born at Thrystad Smaalenene, about six miles from Christiania. They married in their native home and the father turned to farming as the means of livelihood for his growing family. Christian J. Moen emigrated to America in 1882, and in 1889 the father and mother followed and joined him. They lived on a small farm of forty acres in section 36, of Sverdrup township, this county, and there both parents finished their lives and are buried in Sverdrup cemetery. Both were strong adherents to the Lutheran faith and were devoted to their family of six children. Anne, the eldest of the family, is the wife of P. C. Renfjord, of Fergus Falls; Louise is the widow of Ole O. Sjordal and lives in Ada, this state, where her husband was for many years engaged in the hardware business, and at his death was succeeded by his three sons; Anton is a section foreman on the Northern Pacific railway and is located at Battle Lake, this state; Martin, who makes his home with Christian J., is a carpenter by trade and owns a farm in this vicinity; Hannah, wife of Carl Sundby, resides in Sverdrup township, where they are engaged in farming.

Christian J..Moen attended the public schools of his native land until the age of fourteen, when he took up part of the work of the family home under the direction of his father. Upon coming to this country in [882, he located at Battle Lake, this state, and found employment with a section gang of the Northern Pacific railroad. A year later he was made foreman of his section gang, which position he held for eighteen years. Upon the organization of the Farmers' Mercantile Corporation in 1892, he was made secretary, in recognition of the service he rendered as one of its organizers. He filled that position until 1900, when he became manager of the company, which position made such demands upon his time that he was forced to give up his railroad work. At that time the company rented the building which it occupied and since then has purchased the building in question and built an addition of equal size to the original portion. The business has increased to four times the volume handled in 1900, carrying a stock valued from eleven to fifteen thousand dollars. Mr. Moen is also a director of the Farmers' Elevator Company, is president of the Farmers' State Bank of Underwood and interested in the Co-operative Creamery at that place.

Mr. Moen owns a farm which lays at the outskirts of Underwood, a portion of it coming within the corporation limits. This farm he purchased in 1903 and it was formerly owned by his father-in-law, it having been their family homestead. This farm contains one hundred and sixty acres and is beautifully located on the shores of Bass lake. Mr. Moen rents the land for farming purposes, but keeps considerable stock himself on it.

In politics Mr. Moen is independent and has always been rather active in local affairs. For twelve years he acted as treasurer of Sverdrup township, prior to the incorporation of the village, and has been active in many ways since. His religious membership is held with the Lutheran church, and fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, acting as treasurer for that organization. Mr. Moen displays a commendable interest in all that makes for public welfare and the best advancement of the various phases of community life.

On October 25, 1885, Christian J. Moen was united in marriage with Christena Sjordal, who was born in Norway and brought to this country by her parents when a little girl of four or five years. Her parents are Ole T. and Guriana Sjordal. who were among the early settlers of Otter Tail county, where they homesteaded a farm. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoen have been born ten children, the eldest of whom is Hans Emil, living in Fergus Falls, where he sells insurance: May is the wife of Arthur Olson, of Big Lake, this state; Gilmar O. resides at Bellingham, Washington, and is a traveling salesman; Carl J. lives at Fargo, North Dakota, where he is connected with the J. I. Case Thresher Company, acting as cashier of the Fargo office; William is assistant cashier in the same office; Ella, Ruth, Roy, Thelma and Stanton remain at home.

Mr. Moen has proven himself worthy of the many responsibilities which have fallen upon him since he became a citizen of this county, and in view of the exemplary manner in which he has discharged his various obligations he is eminently worthy of respect.

As printed in History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.