Charley Christensen and Mary Delphine Housel
Husband Charley Christensen 1
AKA: Charly Christensen Born: 31 Dec 1901 - Rutland, Humboldt County, IA Baptized: Died: 6 Nov 1944 - Humboldt, Humboldt County, IA Buried: - Union Cemetery, Humboldt, Humboldt County, IAMarriage: 2 Sep 1931 - Humboldt, Humboldt County, IA
Wife Mary Delphine Housel 1
Born: 7 Nov 1903 - Nichols, Tioga County, NY Baptized: Died: 5 May 1984 - Fort Dodge, Webster County, IA Buried: - Union Cemetery, Humboldt, Humboldt County, IA
Father: Lorenzo William (Ren) Housel 1 Mother: Mina Harriet Finch 1
Other Spouse: Theodore R. (Ted) Brown - 10 Dec 1927 - Marshalltown, IA (Divorced on 4 Apr 1930)
Children
1 U Anonymous Christensen 1
Born: Baptized: Died: Buried:
2 M Charles William Christensen
Born: 9 Jul 1932 - Fort Dodge, Webster County, IA Baptized: Died: 28 Jun 2007 - Cedar Rapids, Linn County, IA Buried: - Union Cemetery, Humboldt, Humboldt County, IASpouse: ? ?
3 M Christian Christensen
Born: 28 Feb 1934 - Fort Dodge, Webster County, IA Baptized: Died: 17 Apr 1934 - Fort Dodge, Webster County, IA Buried: - Union Cemetery, Humboldt, Humboldt County, IA
4 M ? Christensen
Born: Baptized: Died: Buried:
5 F Mary Joan Christensen
Born: 4 Feb 1938 - Fort Dodge, Webster County, IA Baptized: Died: 1 Mar 1938 - Fort Dodge, Webster County, IA Buried: - Union Cemetery, Humboldt, Humboldt County, IA
6 M ? Christensen
Born: Baptized: Died: Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Charley Christensen
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52756565
Birth: Dec. 31, 1901
Rutland
Humboldt County
Iowa, USA
Death: Nov. 6, 1944
Humboldt
Humboldt County
Iowa, USA
Charley Christensen was born to Mads and Marie (JACOBSEN) CHRISTENSEN in Rutland Iowa. He was educated in the Humboldt city schools. At age 13 he won a trip to the Panama Exposition (aka The Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915) for his high yield on his plot of his father's farm land. He married M. Delphine HOUSEL of Humboldt in 1931. He farmed land north of Dakota City where he and Delphine became parents of five children (two died as infants).
Charley was gifted very young with a green thumb. He farmed his father's farm north of Dakota City from a young age until his death. It was his deep belief in the power of a proper education combined with hard work that brought him to the side of his wife. So strong was his belief in a good education, that even concern for his own health on that final morning could not stay him from making good on his normal morning task; delivering his sons to school. It was his doctor who found him in his car a few blocks from the school where he had made his final stop in the morning round of school deliveries. And it was in the doctor's care that Charley passed to the great beyond.
Family links:
Parents:
Mads Christensen (1858 - 1943)
Marie Margaretha Jacobsen Christensen (1867 - 1945)
Spouse:
M. Delphine Housel Christensen (1903 - 1984)*
Children:
Charles William Christensen (1932 - 2007)*
Christian Christensen (1934 - 1934)*
Mary Joan Christensen (1938 - 1938)*
Siblings:
Anna Magdalena Christensen Olson (1889 - 1951)*
Christian Christensen (1892 - 1928)*
Harry C. Christensen (1899 - 1962)*
Charley Christensen (1901 - 1944)
*Calculated relationship
Burial:
Union Cemetery
Humboldt
Humboldt County
Iowa, USA
Created by: CC-Genealogy
Record added: May 23, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial# 52756565
General Notes: Wife - Mary Delphine Housel
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52757086
Birth: Nov. 7, 1903
Nichols
Tioga County
New York, USA
Death: May 5, 1984
Fort Dodge
Webster County
Iowa, USA
Mary Delphine (known as Delphine to all) was born to Lorenzo William and Mina (FINCH) HOUSEL in Nichols, N.Y. She grew up in Humboldt, attending first the Humboldt City schools. She then attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and then Iowa State College in Ames. She worked on her father's political campaigns of the late 20s and early 30s. After a marriage that did not work out, she married a simple hard working son of an immigrant: A farmer who appreciated her love of education and politics. The union of Charley and Delphine produced five children (two who died as infants). Delphine was left to raise her three sons alone when Charley died suddenly. With the help of both her family, and that of her husband's family, she managed to maintain the farms, and send all three sons to college. This despite a hip that was destroyed by a childhood disease.
She remained active in local politics all of her life; She filed papers to run for State Representative from the Democratic party in 1952, but it seems that she did not actively campaign. In the 1970s she became a co-chair of the Humboldt county Democratic party and hosted the wife and also the mother of our 39th President to a "Tea" early in his campaign for President of the United States. Delphine also remained active in the Congregational Church and in its quilting club.
Her creative mind, beautiful singing voice, and knowledge of family history are missed even to this day.
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Housel-Brown
The marriage of Miss Delphine Housel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Housel of Humboldt, and Mr. Theodore Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Brown of Dakota City was solemnized in Marshalltown last week, Saturday. The bride has been attending school in Ames and the groom has been working in Indiana and the announcement comes as a surprise to most of their friends. Their future plans have not been made known to Humboldt friends. (Humboldt Independent, Humboldt, IA, December 15, 1927)
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Mrs. Delphine Housel Brown of Anderson, Indiana, was an Easter guest here in the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Housel. (Humboldt Republican, Humboldt, IA, April 11, 1928)
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Bryn Mawr Graduate Campaigns for Father
DES MOINES, Ia., Oct.11 -
IF L. W. Housel, of Humboldt, is successful this fall in his campaign for governor of Iowa, he can thank his daughter, Mrs. Delphine Brown, for a large share of his success. Mrs. Brown came to Des Moines when the Democratic headquarters were opened and took over the management of her father's campaign. Although not a practical politician, Mrs. Brown has been busy in her twenty-four years. A graduate of Bryn Mawr, she has taken post graduate work at Iowa State College and studied at the Des Moines College of Art.
(Brooklyn Standard Union, Thursday, October 11, 1928)
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Mary Delphine Brown vs. Ted R. Brown, divorce granted. (Humboldt Republican, Humboldt, IA, April 4, 1930)
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Housel-Christians’n Wedding Solemnized
The marriage of Miss Delphine Housel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Housel of this city, and Charles Christiansen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mads Christianson of Dakota City, was solemnized at the home of the bride’s parents Wednesday, September 2, at 4:30 in the afternoon. The Rev. H.O. Spellman of Clarion who was formerly pastor of the Congregational church here officiated.
The bride was charming in a white organdie gown. She carried a bouquet of pink roses and was attended by Miss Mabel Marsh who wore a blue crepe dress. William Housel, brother of the bride, was best man. The single ring ceremony was performed by the Rev. Spellman in the library of the Housel home, which was attractively decorated with golden rod and garden flowers. Only the immediate family were present.
A three course dinner at five o’clock followed the service. Mr. and Mrs. Christiansen left during the evening for various points in the southern part of the state.
Mrs. Christiansen is the only daughter of L.W. Housel, well-known Humboldt attorney, and Mrs. Housel. She attended Humboldt high school and completed a two years’ preparatory course at Bryn Mauer school in Pennsylvania where she later studied for three college years. The groom is a graduate of Humboldt high school and has been engaged in farming for a number of years. The couple will make their home on the groom’s farm north of Dakota City. (Humboldt Independent, Humboldt, IA, September 8, 1931)
Family links:
Parents:
Lorenzo W. Housel (1873 - 1935)
Mina Harriet Finch Housel (1874 - 1966)
Spouse:
Charley Christensen (1901 - 1944)
Children:
Charles William Christensen (1932 - 2007)*
Christian Christensen (1934 - 1934)*
Mary Joan Christensen (1938 - 1938)*
Sibling:
M. Delphine Housel Christensen (1903 - 1984)
William Parley Housel (1908 - 1978)*
*Calculated relationship
Burial:
Union Cemetery
Humboldt
Humboldt County
Iowa, USA
Created by: CC-Genealogy
Record added: May 23, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial# 52757086
Research Notes: Wife - Mary Delphine Housel
== Biography ==
Grandmother was born a very beautiful young child on November 7, 1903. All indications were that she was headed for a very happy life as the daughter of family very influential in turn of the century Iowa politics. Then, before she was ten, she was stricken by a disease commonto children of that era, and nearly died from it. The resultant aftermath was a youthful girl with a terrible limp a who had a slight deficit in school to make up, whose parents hid her away (because in early20th century politics, a handicapped child would certainly result in a political loss). After catching up in some of her schooling, she was 'sent away' to school in the east (Philadelphia) eventually startingprep and post secondary education at Bryn Mawr. Delphine finished her education at Bryn Mawr, only to find herself enrolled at The Des Moines College of Art (which she did not care for), and then graduate studies at the Home Economics College of Iowa State College in Ames. She quickly found that the living accommodations and campus at Iowa State were not conducive for a handicapped woman to be able to attend all ofher classes on time. Around this time, she became reacquainted with Ted Brown, the ne'er-do-well nephew of her father's gubernatorial running mate. It seems that they may have been encouraged by her father and his uncle to become close, and so on December 10, 1927 at Marshalltown Iowa, nearly a full year before her father was on the ballot in the 1928 Iowa Gubernatorial elections, the handicapped daughter was successfully married off to the problem nephew. The day of their marriage, Mary Delphine and Ted Brown left Marshalltown to drive to Indiana to'visit' his grandparents. It is here where grandmother relates that she was "unceremoniously dumped at 'The Convent'" with a passbook savings account showing $200 from a local bank. Ted then returned to his business in Iowa. Two weeks later, "Delphine" (we believe this is when she dropped her grandmother's first name and went with her middle name exclusively) returned to Humboldt, Iowa with DEMANDS of her parents. The first was an annulment of the marriage. The second was to be involved in a significant way in the political campaign of her father. We believe the third was to be treated by her parents as if she was a beloved child, not one with some horrible abnormality. The response to these demands made in late 1927? While paperwork was filed to annulthe marriage, Ted did not sign those papers until April 4, 1930 (wellafter her father's unsuccessful run for Governor). We also know thatDelphine was at least made to think that she was playing an importantrole in her father's campaign because of an article in the Brooklyn (NY) Standard Union Newspaper (Thursday, October 11, 1928) where it says,
: "Bryn Mawr Graduate Campaigns for Father
: DES MOINES, la., Oct.11 -: IF L. W. Housel, of Humboldt, is successful this fall in his campaign for governor of Iowa, he can thank his daughter, Mrs. Delphine Brown, for a large share of his success. Mrs. Brown came to Des Moines when the Democratic headquarters were opened and took over the management of her father's campaign. Although not a practical politician, Mrs. Brown has been busy in her twenty-four years. A graduate of Bryn Mawr, she has taken post graduate work at Iowa State College and studied at the Des Moines College of Art."
After Ted finally granted her the annulment, she set her cap on a wonderful little boy she had met long ago in the Humboldt (Springvale) Community Schools before she became ill, and before his eye was damaged in a farm incident. The now much older children (approaching 30) found in each other, acceptance and care which their lives had not seen before. On September 2, 1931 at a service held at her parents home, Delphine Housel married her long forgotten childhood crush Charley Christensen. Together, they brought five children into this world (though two of those only lived briefly). They lived on a farm just across thehighway from Dakota City (in the area where now Montana Avenue is located). It is here where Charley with his father Mads farmed several parcels of land that lined the railroad tracks that cut northwestward toward the small town of Rutland. Some of this land was purchased by Delphine's grandfather (a prominent Lawyer, Politician, Bank President and land speculator during his time), then passed to her parents, and then to her and Charley upon their marriage. She and Charley had 13 happy years together (even though W.W.II came along). Unfortunately Charley died in November 1944 as a result of his eye injuries as a youngman, and complications which lead to a heart attack. This left Delphine and her three sons (the eldest being 12) to manage the farm. Thissoon lead to leasing the land to surrounding farmers. She was unableto drive a car with a clutch, so for the final days before the end ofthe war, and until cars with automatic transmissions became available, her young sons would often sit to either side of her on the bench driver's seat, one operating the gas and clutch, the other operating theshift, she operating the steering wheel and the brake. Other trips into town may have been made via tractor (which she had no problems operating).
In the early 1950s, she submitted paperwork to run for state representative from Humboldt County. Despite this, her name was never presented on any ballot.
In the mid 1950s, her mother built a new smaller house in Humboldt, and asked her daughter and remaining grandson (the others had gone awayto school) to come live with her. Eventually, it was just Delphine and her mother. Then simply Delphine living there alone. She maintained her participation in the quilting club at church (now only a block away...so close that on a good day, even she could walk there). She also maintained a keep interest in politics, becoming the County Co Chair of the local Democratic Party. Her interest in politics came into full bloom around the campaign of Jimmy Carter.
Mary was born in 1903. She was the daughter of and . She passed away in 1984.
== Sources ==
<references />
* to be added in the future
Notes: Marriage
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52757086
Sources
1. WikiTree Wolverton Family.
1 WikiTree Wolverton Family.
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