BIOGRAPHIES:  Christian J. HOGDEN, French Creek Valley, Trempealeau Co., WI

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Christian J. Hogden, who is engaged in farming in Ettrick Township, having 
two farms of 80 acres each, in sections 26, 27, 15, was born in French Creek 
Valley, this county, Oct. 8, 1862.  His parents were John Anderson and Oliva 
(Anderson) Hogden, born in Vardar, Norway, the father July 4, 1832, and the 
mother April 14, 1830.  They were married in Norway and came to the United 
States in 1854, residing for about a year near Holmen, Wis., whence they 
removed to Trempealeau Valley.  Three years later John A. Hogden and his 
family removed to the farm where he now lives in section 23, Ettrick 
Township, having resided here over 60 years.  As a pioneer settler of the 
county he had to endure many hardships in early days, among other things 
being obliged to carry flour on his back from La Crosse to his home near 
Blair.  The Indians were then numerous, and often came to his cabin begging.  
By humoring them and treating them in a friendly manner he got along with 
them without any trouble, and often traded with them for buckskins, 
blueberries or other wild products.  His farm contained 120 acres, to which 
he later added 100 acres more.  He engaged in general farming and stock 
raising and gradually became prosperous.  He was one of the founders of the 
Lutheran Congregation Church in this valley, and also assisted in organizing 
the Ettrick Creamery Company.  He was also a member of the township board in 
early days and assisted in organizing the schools and in building the first 
schoolhouse.  Bearing in mind his own early difficulties and trials, he was 
always glad to extend a helping hand to new settlers, giving them food and 
shelter and showing them how to build their cabins, break their land and do 
other work to which many of them had been unaccustomed.  During the Civil 
War he sent a substitute to serve for him, not being able to leave his 
family.  His wife died April 11, 1909, after many years of happy married 
life.  Their family included eight children, as follows:  Andrew, Carolina, 
John, Anna (deceased), Christian J., Peter, Julia and Ole.

Christian J. Hogden in his boyhood attended school in district No. 1, French 
Creek Valley, and resided at home until he was 21 years old.  After that he 
worked two winters in the pineries.  Being now ready to begin farming for 
himself, he rented his father's farm and operated it on that basis for three 
years.  At the end of that time he purchased his father-in-law's (Hans 
Madson) farm.  He has since continued to reside here and has prospered.  He 
has spent several thousand dollars in improving the place.  The two parts of 
the estate, each consisting of 80 acres, are separated about a mile and a 
half from each other.  They are provided with good buildings and are fully 
equipped for all purposes of modern farming.  Mr. Hogden is a stockholder in 
the Ettrick Creamery and also in the Farmers and Merchants' Bank at 
Galesville.  He was also formerly interested in the Western Wisconsin 
Telephone Company, in which, however, he has sold out his stock.  Mr. Hogden 
was first married, May 18, 1889, to Oleana Madson, who was born on this farm 
Oct. 30, 1864, daughter of Hans and Johanas (Olson) Madson. Her parents were 
natives of Norway and were early settlers in this township, coming here from 
Vernon County, where they had resided one summer.  Both are now deceased.  
Mrs. Oleana Hogden died Feb. 19, 1899, leaving three children:  Josephine, 
born April 5, 1890, wife of Gust Erickson (her issue, Kilmer, Oleana and 
Goodwin), a farmer residing one mile north of Ettrick; Hans, born Feb. 5, 
1895; Oscar, who is single and lives on the home farm; and Clara Otillie, 
born June 17, 1897, residing at home.  On Dec. 5, 1907, Mr. Hogden married 
for his second wife Miss Anna Larson, who was born at Hardie's Creek, Gale 
Township, this county, daughter of Matt and Agnes (Larson) Larson.  Her 
parents, both natives of Norway, came early to Trempealeau County, settling 
on Hardie's Creek, where the father died, after a career of many years 
engaged in farming and stock raising.  The widow still resides on the farm.  
They had ten children, of whom their daughter Anna was the third in order of 
birth.  Of Mr. Hodgen's second marriage there are no children.  The family 
church is the French Creek Lutheran. 

--From the "History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917," pages 370 - 371.