Ferdinand Sweedorff Christianson was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, April 18, 1837; came to the United States in 1866, to Minnesota in 1868, and to Chisago county in 1870. He was married to Selma A. Willard, at Red Wing, Minnesota, Dec. 12, 1869. He represented Chisago county in the legislature of 1878. He was assistant secretary of state from 1880 to 1882. In 1882 he established the Rush City Bank. In 1883 he was appointed member of the state board of equalization, and in 1885 was one of the committee for selecting a location for the Third Hospital for the Insane.
SHAFER
Comprises all of the territory of township 34, range 19, excepting the plat of Taylor's Falls, and fractional sections in the northeast corner of the township. It was at first heavily timbered with hardwood, interspersed with marshes and meadows. The soil is good. Lawrence and Dry creeks drain the greater part of the township. It is now well settled, and has many fine farms. A Swedish colony settled here in 1853, consisting of Peter Wyckland, Andros Anderson, Eric Byland, Tuver Walmarson, and others. The town organized first as Taylor's Falls, but the name was changed to Shafer in 1873. John G. Peterson, John Nelson and John Carlson were the first supervisors. The first school was taught by Ella Wyckoff, in the Marshall district, in 1859. The first marriage was that of Peter Abear to Kittie Wickland. The branch St. Paul & Duluth railroad passes through the southern part of this township. The township contributed to this road $3,000 in bonds. A railroad station in the southwest quarter of section 32 bears the name of Shafer, derived, together with the name of the township, from
Jacob Shafer, who, as early as 1847, cut hay in sections 4 and 5. He seems to have been in no sense worthy of the honor conferred upon him, as he was but a transient inhabitant, and disappeared in 1849. No one knows of his subsequent career. The honor ought to have been given to some of the hardy Swedes, who were the first real pioneers, and the first to make substantial improvements.
Peter Wickland came from Sweden in 1853, and settled in the northeast quarter of section 26. He moved to Anoka in 1860, and was drowned in Rum river in 1880. His son Peter is a prominent merchant in Anoka.
Tuver Walmarson was born in Sweden in 1812. He was a member of the Swedish colony of 1853, settled in the northwest quarter of section 26. Mr. and Mrs. Walmarson reared a fine family of children. Nelson Tuver Walmarson, the eldest son, inherits the industry and frugality of both parents. By hard work and close attention to business the family has prospered abundantly.
Andros Anderson came also from Sweden in 1853 and settled in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 34. Mr. Anderson moved to Taylor's Falls in 1859 and died there in 1873. He left but one child, the wife of Daniel Fredine, of Shafer. Mr. Anderson was a born humorist and fond of practical jokes. On one occasion his ready wit was exercised at the expense of a man to whom he had mortgaged his farm. Deeming the house in which he lived his own, in the absence of the mortgagee he removed it to Taylor's Falls. The mortgagee, E. W. Holman, told him that he had stolen the house and must replace it. Anderson told Holman to take the house and replace it himself, but if he took his (Anderson's) family along with it he would have him sent to the penitentiary. Mr. Holman did not see his way clear and the house was not disturbed.
Eric Byland, another of the Swedish colony, settled in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 23. In 1860 he sold out and moved further west. The farm he left is now owned by John Nelson and is one of the finest farms in Chisago county.
Jacob Peterson was born in 1847 and came with his parents to Chisago county in 1854. They located on a beautiful spot in Franconia, on the shore of a small lake, where they made a farm and where Jacob passed his boyhood and youth. In 1881 he commenced business at Shafer station as a merchant and dealer in wood. He was the first postmaster at Shafer. He was married in 1881 to Mary Heline.
Ambrose C. Seavey was born in Machias, Maine, in 1824; was married to Elizabeth Ayers, in Crawford, Maine, in 1846, and came to St. Croix Falls in 1848. In 1852 he removed to Taylor's Falls, and opened the first blacksmith shop. He was absent two years in Colorado, and when he returned settled on a farm in the town of Shafer. He has a family of four sons and six daughters.