Name: Christine Knudsen   Age in 1910: 35  Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875  Birthplace: Denmark  Relation to Head of House: Wife  Father's Birth Place: Denmark  Mother's Birth Place: Denmark  Spouse's Name: Andrew  Home in 1910: Turkey Valley, Yankton, South Dakota  Marital Status: Married  Race: White Gender: Female  Year of Immigration: 1884  Household Members: Name Age Andrew Knudsen 35  Christine Knudsen 35  Mary Knudsen 12  Julia Knudsen 10 George Knudsen 7  John Knudsen 5  Walter Knudsen 3  Raymond Knudsen 1  Nels A Rasmussen 16

Name: Christine Knudsen Home in 1930: Turkey Valley, Yankton, South Dakota Age: 55 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875 Relation to Head of House: Wife Spouse's Name: Andrew Race: White  Occupation: Education: Military service: Rent/home value: Age at first marriage: Parents' birthplace:  Household Members:  Name Age  Andrew Knudsen 55  Christine Knudsen 55 Inez Knudsen 13

Christine Knudsen SSN: 504-60-3663 Last Residence: 57037 Irene, Clay, South Dakota, United States of America Born: 21 Mar 1875 Died: Mar 1967 State (Year) SSN issued: South Dakota (1965)

The following information was provided by Cleo Knudsen Benson from things her father, John, had told her over the years.

Christina descended from Madsen, Pedersen and Christensen family names. It is told that there were so many Thomsens, Pedersens and Christensens in the Dakota area that people started changing their last names so that mail would get delivered to the right family, but the original names were recorded on marriage and death records.

Christina only had a second grade education. she worked as a hired girl for her sister, Minnie Petersen, and several other places in Hurley and Centerville. She and Andrew were married by a Justice of the Peace in Yankton. they started farming five miles west of Centerpoint. Marie was born on that farm. They moved to Turkey Valley in 1898 and bought 80 acres. Holly was the first child born there, and all of the rest were born there also. Later Andrew bought the southeast 40 acres and in 1920 bought the north 80 acres, then in 1929 be bought south 40. All of the children went to Turkey Valley School, which was located at the end of the driveway into the Knudsen farm.

In 1937 Andrew and his son John exchanged farms. Andrew and Christina moved to the north place just across the ravine. (Grandpa had lost the farm in the thirties and it went to the Federal Land Bank, so my dad rented if from them until he was able to buy it back sometime in the 1940's). In 1939 they moved to the little acreage just south of Irene.

In 1960 Andrew suffered a slight stroke, and Christina cared for him until she fell and broke her arm. So in 1961 they had to go into a nursing home in Vermillion. In December of 1961 they moved into the nursing home in Centerville, where they lived quite happily.

( After grandma and grandpa got in the nursing home and grandpa's health failed, grandma became the leader, and took care of him. I still remember their 67th wedding anniversary in the Centerville Home. The family and church members had gathered for a short program and social time. My mother played the wedding march and they came walking hand in hand into the dining room. )

Andrew passed away at the Centerville nursing home on May 1, 1964. when Sunset Manor opened in Irene in 1965 Christina was the first one to move in. She lived there until March of 1967 when her heart began to give her problems. Her condition became critical and we moved her by ambulance to the Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Viborg. She did rally again, but because she had to stay in bed she wanted to die. If she couldn't be up and on the go, she didn't want to live anymore. She had her 92nd birthday in the hospital and passed away two days later of arterial sclerosis.

My grandma was a remarkable lady. My brothers and I always called her "Little Grandma". She never fussed much over us, and yet she was my favorite grandmother. She didn't worry much, perhaps after having nine children and five of them boys, she had weathered a lot of storms. Grandpa Andrew was definitely the boss and a rather harsh father at times. Grandma was very frugal, never wasted anything and could make leftovers last a whole week. She could patch any clothing and fix about anything around the house with adhesive tape and thumbtacks.

( Grandma remained very interested in everything right up to the time of her death. she was young in sprit. We buried her in her favorite dress, it was bright red. I sat with her all of the last day that she lived. she was a great inspiration to me. )