Madsen, Christ and Alma
Christ and Alma Madsen were both born in Denmark. They came to North Dakota in the early 1900s. Christ left Denmark at an early age and sailed as a ships cook. As a young man he sailed to Argentina. He lived there for several years working on wheat farms. He then immigrated to North Dakota. He homesteaded in the Williston area. He later moved to Karnak, North Dakota, where he operated a pool hall and cafe. That was also the time that he began farming. He farmed east of Walum and Hannaford.
The depression took its toll and he quit farming in 1932. He then worked on WPA for a short time. This was when the old Hannaford Auditorium was being built. He worked on the Mark Curtis farm until ill Health caused him to retire. He was living with his laughter in Valley City at the time of his death in 1945, at age 78.
Alma came from Denmark with her family in 1910. She lived in Chicago where her father was a photographer. She continued her education there. She came to North Dakota and married Christ Vladsen. They had four sons and one daughter. They all attended the Hannaford area schools. Christ and Alma were members of the Danish Brotherhood and Sisterhood Lodges in Luverne and St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Walum. All five of the Madsen children were baptized at St. Olaf. Alma passed away at Central Dakota Nursing Home in Jamestown in 1980, at age 87.
Alfred (Lincoln) Madsen attended Hannaford High School and spent four years in the service during WW II. He then settled in Winnebago, Nebraska. There he married Nadine Krause. They raised three sons and have two grandchildren. He was appointed U. S. Postmaster at Winnebago, and served in that office until his retirement in 1976. He and Nadine still live in Winnebago, but they spend their summers at the lake in Minnesota.
Leo Madsen attended Hannaford High School and NDSU in Fargo (formerly the Agriculture College). He joined a Texas Cavalry National Guard Unit, which was called to active duty in WW II in 1941. He was with the 82nd Airborne Div., and served both in Europe, and as a supply officer to the Chinese Surgeon General in Taiwan. He retired after 20 years as a Major in 1961. He now lives in Tacoma, Washington, where he was in the real estate business for many years. He and his wife, the former Jeannette Johnson of Fargo, have three daughters and three grandchildren. Since his retirement, Leo has been traveling. Having been in all of the United States, he has been visiting many of the foreign countries of the world.
Earl Madsen served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War, where he was awarded both the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. He then spent several years in both Germany and Japan during U. S. occupation of those countries. He retired in 1966, as a Sergeant after serving more than 20 years. He moved to Jamestown where he married Myrtle Rode. He was manager of the VFW Post there until his death of cancer in 1977.
Millard Madsen left Valley City State College in 1950, to join the Air Force. There he earned the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He didn’t follow in the footsteps of his two older brothers and make the service his career. When his enlistment was up, he enrolled at San Jose College in California. After his graduation, he taught high school for several years in Fortuna, California. He then returned to college and earned his Ph.D., at the University of Oregon in 1964.
He then was on the Administrative Staff of UCLA for more than 18 years until his death of cancer in 1982. His wife, Sheila, and two sons reside in Los Angeles.
Jewell (Madsen) Colville graduated from Hannaford High School and attended Valley City State College where she studied accounting. She and Ray Colville were married in 1942. She worked as bookkeeper at the S & L Department Store during the year that Ray spent in the service. They raised two daughters and have five grandsons.
Together they owned and operated furniture stores in both Jamestown and Valley City for many years. They sold their business in 1976. Jewell then went into County Government where she retired in 1987, as Barnes County Treasurer.
Their retirement years are being spent in their home in Valley City and at their Lake Ashtabula cottage.
Source: Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 – 1989 Page 201