Bio: Dethlefsen, Christian Matthias (1887 - 1953)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Dethlefsen, Erickson

----Source: Federal Census Records, Janet Rogalski (local historian's notes), World War II Draft Card

Christian Dethlefsen, well known as "Christ", was a resident of Clark Co., Wisconsin.  He was born in Pellworm, Schles. Holst., Germany/Prussia, 12 Aug. 1887 to Detlef (b. 6 Feb 1850, d. 5 Jan 1936 in Germany) and Justine Caroline (nee Niemann) Detlefsen.  Christ immigrated 21 May 1911, at the age of twenty-four, to the United States of America.  When the 1930 Federal Census was taken, Julius and Goldie Erickson and their 2 yr. old son Donald, were living with him in Colby Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin and listed as "boarders" and not relatives.

When Louisa and Gerhard Neuhaus of Curtis, Wis. celebrated their 50th Anniversary, September 6, 1931, he was there among the guests.

At one time he operated a cheese factory 4 miles south of Curtis, Clark Co., Wisconsin where two or three varieties of were processed.  The factory burned in 1938 or '39 and was not rebuilt.

In early March of 1940, Christ served as a pall bearer along with Fred Machlett, Frank Kraut, Fred Laabs, John Miller and Herman Singstock for their friend, Henry Meyer, a prominent and well known Green Grove farmer whose funeral was held at the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran church.

Christ died 11 Sept 1953, in the county home at Wauwatosa, Wis. and was laid to rest in the St. Paul Cemetery in Colby Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin.

***Some family genealogists have indicated that Christian married Dorothea Schulze but we have not found any such record, nor did we find any evidence of children being born to them.

Given Name: Christian Surnames: Dethlefsen

Last Place of Residence: Pellworm, Germany

Date of Arrival: 21 May 1911

Age at Arrival: 23y

Ethnicity: Germany, German

Port of Departure: Hamburg

Port of Arrival: New York

Gender: Male

Marital Status: Single

US Citizen:

Ship of Travel: Kaiserin Augusta Victoria
 

1930 Federal Census, Colby, Clark, Wisconsin

Name: Christian Dethlefsen

Event: Census

Event Date: 1930

Event Place: Colby, Clark, Wisconsin

Gender: Male

Age: 42

Marital Status: Single

Race: White

Birthplace: Germany

Estimated Birth Year: 1888

Immigration Year: 1911

Relationship to Head of Household: Head

Father's Birthplace: Germany

Mother's Birthplace: Germany

Enumeration District Number: 5

Family Number: 113

Sheet Number and Letter: 6B

Household

Head: Christian Dethlefsen M 42

Boarder: Julius Erickson M 32 (b. 1898, Norway), parents b. Norway

Boarder/Spouse: Goldie Erickson F 23 (b. 1907, Wis.), parents b. Wis.

Boarder/Child: Donald Erickson M 2 (1928)

WWII Draft Registration

Name: Christian Matthias Dethlefson

Event: Military

Event Date: 1942

Event Place: Colby, Clark, Wisconsin

Residence: Colby, Clark, Wisconsin

Gender: Male

Birth Date: 12 Aug 1887  

Research

This could possibly be a relative:

•Name: Christian Matthias DETHLEFSEN
•Given Name: Christian Matthias
•Surnames: DETHLEFSEN
•Sex: M
•Birth: 2 Jun 1828 in Pellworm,Schles-Holstein,Preussen,Germany
•Death: 1915 in Pellworm
Father: Dethlef DETHLEFSEN b: 16 Nov 1795 in Pellworm,Schles Holstein,Preussen,Germany
Mother: Margaretha Friedericke JENSEN b: 6 Apr 1800 in Pellworm,Schles Holstein,Preussen,Germany