Bio: Madsen, Christian (Birthday – 1964)

Contact:  Pat Braun

Email:  braunp@tds.net

Surnames:  Madsen, Jessen, Grady, Madsen, Rsmussen, Thorson, Christopherson, Bush

----Source:  Owen Enterprise (Owen, Clark Co., Wis.) 4/9/1964)

Madsen, Christian (Birthday – 22 FEB 1964)

CHRISTIAN MADSEN HOST ON 97^th BIRTHDAY

Christian Madsen was born in Kolding, Denmark on February 22, 1869.  When he was 22 years old, he moved to the United States of America and settled in Chicago, Ill.  He was employed there by the Pullmen Company, building sleepers for the railroad.  He also worked on buildings used for the World’s Fair of 1893.  He moved to Minneapolis, Minn., in 1896 and spent five years there doing cabinet making work.

He moved to Withee in 1901 and worked as a carpenter.  Here he formed the Withee Construction Company with two other men.  Later they merged with a millwork factory at Chippewa Falls and formed the Consolidated Construction and Manufacturing Company.  This company built many homes, schools, public buildings such as libraries, court houses, stores, garages, etc., throughout the state.  They also built several depots for the Soo Line railroad including the present depot in Stevens Point.

The building business dropped off in 1927 and Mr. Madsen moved to Stevens Point where he found employment with the Vetter Manufacturing Company as a cabinet maker and architect until his retirement at the age of 80 years.  He did continue a small amount of architectural drawing until about 1955.

He married Caroline Jessen at Withee in 1904 on March 6^th.  This couple had five children:  Adeline Grady, St. Louis, Mo., Lenora Madsen, Chicago, Ill.; Ethel Rasmussen, Menomonie; Clarence Madsen, Stevens Point; and “Agnes Thorson, Fond du Lac.  He has nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren.  His wife passed away on December 15, 1952.  Since then he has been living with his son and family at 303 Prairie Street in Stevens Point.

He was active in civic affairs during his younger days.  He served as the president of the village of Withee for a time.  He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Withee for about 50 years.  He belonged to the Equitable Reserve Association for more than 50 years.  He was an Emeritus Member of the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Architects Institute.  He has been a member of the Danish Brotherhood of America at  Withee since 1906.  He held several offices in the lodge where he lived in Withee.  He received the check for his benefit certificate from that order on his 96^th birthday, February 22, 1964.

For the past three months he has been residing at the Worzalla Nursing Home in Amherst.  A few old time friends from Withee dropped in to surprise him on his 96^th birthday.  They were Mr. and Mrs. Albert Jensen and Mr. and Mrs. Christ Chrstopherson.  Mr. Madsen says he thinks he is going to make the century mark.