Laura Christiansen
Dickson
1879-1955
Description
Life and Work
Laura was born in Blair, Nebraska in 1879. Her interests were centred on her family and church. She was affectionate, kind and did so much and gave so much to the people in the small settlement of Dickson. Hardly a Sunday went by when she wasn't entertaining 20 or more people for dinner after church. As there were no restaurants in the area, whenever a traveller or a salesman was at the store around mealtime, Laura would always invite them to dine.
The night she met her future husband, Carl, Laura and her friends were visiting the college and saw Carl sitting all by himself and looking lonely. Her friends remarked about it and Laura, kind-hearted and considerate of others as she always was, went to speak to him. They married in 1901 and had one child, Homo, when they moved to Dickson.
In 1903, they arrived by train to Innisfail and travelled to Dickson the next day with other settlers in three lumber wagons loaded with kitchen utensils, children and the women. The journey took two days while they travelled over rough trails and mud holes. At Dickson, A tent was pitched on their homestead and provided living quarters until a log house was built. Her daughter, Esther, was the first child born in the Danish settlement at Dickson. In 1909, they moved off the farm and into a building which is now the Dickson Store Museum.
Laura vehemently opposed smoking, which the men would often do after a hard day's work. She urged Carl to quit without success. When they moved, Carl's pipe was misplaced but Laura's relief was short-lived. Miserable as she was with Carl's smoking she searched the tall grass until she succeeded in finding his pipe. Tenderhearted Laura was unable to deprive Carl of his "vice."
"Laura was a very humble woman. When Carl wanted to buy her a refrigerator, Laura said "no" as she didn't want to show off because no one else had one. A number of years after Carl's death in 1945, Laura wasn't feeling well and didn't have the resilience to make a comeback. She died in 1955 ending an era of pioneering spirit that helped to open the Dickson area."
Memoirs
Memories of Laura Christiansen by Lorna Clement
Laura was a very humble woman. When Carl wanted to buy her a refrigerator, Laura said no as she didn't want to show off because no one else had one. A number of years after Carl's death in 1945, Laura wasn't feeling well and didn't have the resilience to make a comeback. She died in 1955 ending an era of pioneering spirit that helped to open the Dickson area.
- Lorna Clement, Grandaughter
Sources
Associated Member Museum: Dickson Store