BIO: Bertel POULSEN, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  BERTEL POULSEN. Among the representative and prominent business men 
of Howard borough, Centre county, is numbered the gentleman whose name 
introduces this sketch - a member of the well-known firm of B. Poulsen 
& Co., who own and operate a sawmill and are engaged in the manufacture 
of handles, spokes, etc., at Centre Hall. A business man of known 
reliability, he has the confidence and respect of all with whom he 
comes in contact.
  Mr. Poulsen was born January 25, 1857, in Ravehede, near Aalborg, 
Denmark, a son of Poul Christian and Maren (Bertelsdatter) Neilsen, who 
were also natives of that country, where they still reside. During his 
active business career the father engaged in farming and speculating, 
but is now living a retired life. In religious belief he is a Lutheran. 
He is a son of Neils Poulsen and Maren Larsdatter, who spent their 
entire lives in Denmark. The maternal grandparents of our subject were 
Bertel Christensen and Anna Paulsdatter. Six children were born to Poul 
C. Neilsen and his estimable wife - three sons and three daughters, 
namely: Amalia, now the wife of Jen Peter Jensen, a stonemason and 
farmer of the northern part of Denmark; Neils, who owns and operates a 
planning, handle and spoke mill at Round Hill Va.; Christine, wife of 
Neils Peter Neilsen, a merchant of Denmark; Bertel, subject of this 
sketch; Marie, wife of Christian Jeppesen, a school teacher of western 
Denmark; and Lars, who is in partnership with his brother at Round 
Hill, Virginia.
  During the boyhood and youth of Bertel Poulsen he attended the 
schools of his native land until fourteen years old age, and assisted 
in the work of the home farm for two years longer, when he began 
learning the carpenter's trade. At the age of nineteen he emigrated to 
the New World, first locating at Irvine, Warren Co., Penn., where for 
three years he was engaged in the manufacture of handles and spokes, 
and then returned to the land of his nativity. During the eight months 
he remained there he attended high school, knowing how essential to a 
successful business career is a good education. On again coming to 
America, in the following spring, Mr. Poulsen took up his residence in 
Titusville, Penn., where, through the summer, he was employed in a 
cabinet factory, and the next year worked for K. G. Shutt at the 
carpenter's trade in Irvine. Subsequently he came to Howard, Centre 
county, where he erected a plant for the manufacture of handles and 
spokes, and successfully engaged in that business there until the fall 
of 1896, when he removed to Centre Hall and established a similar 
manufactory. He is an enterprising, wide-awake business man, thoroughly 
abreast with the times, and his straightforward course commends him to 
the confidence of all.
  In Howard, August 20, 1884, Mr. Poulsen married Miss Lena K. Reber, 
and they have three children: Victor H., born May 26, 1885; Clara K., 
born February 24, 1887; and Myra R., born July 27, 1890. Mrs. Poulsen 
was born in Howard township, Centre county, October 23, 1862, and is a 
daughter of Theodore L. and Rebecca E. (Kunes) Reber, also natives of 
Centre county, the former born in Howard in 1836, and the latter in 
Eagleville. She died in July, 1863; the father is now a resident of 
Santa Fe, N.M., where he is engaged in the manufacture of soda water. 
In 1867 he left Centre county, where he had followed the occupation of 
farming, carpentering and boating, and also engaged in the meat 
business in Milesburg. By his first marriage he had three children, one 
of whom died in infancy, the others being James O., who died when 
young; and Lena K., wife of our subject. After the 

416  COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  

death of their mother, Mr. Reber wedded Rebecca J. Rogers, a native of 
Bellefonte, Penn., and a daughter of William Rogers. His parents were 
Samuel and Mary A. (Askey) Reber, who spent their entire lives in 
Centre county, where the father followed tailoring and farming. The 
maternal grandparents of Mrs. Poulsen, John and Nancy (Garnder) Kunes, 
were also natives of Centre county, where they made their home upon a 
farm.
  Mr. Poulsen is a keen, practical man, well gifted with mental and 
physical vigor. In politics he casts his vote for the candidates of the 
Republican party, and, although he does not take an active part in 
public life, he conscientiously performs his duties as a good citizen.