Jens North & Doris Hokins

**Jens Christiansen North**

* Born on March 24, 1884 or 1885 in Thisted, Denmark
* Immigrated to the US in 1901 or 1902
* Died on April 17, 1988
* Lived to be 103 or 104 years old

**Doris Ruth Hokins**

* Born in 1907 in Minnesota
* Died in Pipestone County, MN in 1964

**Jens & Doris**

* Married on April 7, 1927
* Jens was more than 20 years older than Doris, but she died more than 20 years before he did
* Buried in Ruthton Cemetery in Ruthton, MN

## Parents, Siblings, & Ancestry

Jens's parents were **Christian Christiansen** and **Johanne Thomasen** who were both born in Denmark.

This 1911 Denmark Census might be Jens's family:

* FamilySearch.org

 Jens's siblings were mentioned in his obituary:

* Dagmar Anundson, Volga, SD
* Elvina Norton, Santa Barbara, CA
* an additional "3 brothers and 6 sisters" that preceded him in death

Both of Doris's parents were born in Sweden.

### **Elvina Norton**

* Mentioned in Jens North's obituary as one of his two living sisters and living in Santa Barbara, CA
* The following information and sources are either unreliable or cannot be tied to her for sure. Some of them conflict with each other so most likely some are correct and some are not:
	+ Born on November 28, 1899 in Denmark
	+ Immigrated in 1912 or 1913
	+ Married **Gerald Place Norton**
		- Parents: Frank M. Norton & Alice May Gage
		- Born on April 18, 1899 in Juneau, Wisconsin
		- Died on December 5, 1981 in Santa Barbara, CA
		- Wisconsin Birth Index
		- Wisconsin Births & Christenings
		- WWI Draft Registration Card
		- 1910 US Federal Census
		- 1920 US Federal Census - probably conflicts with another possible source, see below
		- California Death Index
		- Social Security Death Index
	+ Died on January 18, 1998
	+ Son **Paul Riley Norton**
		- Born on March 4, 1924 and died the next day
	+ Daughter **Betty Jean Norton [Kevorkian]**
		- Born on October 27, 1925
		- Died on August 22, 2011
		- California County Marriages
	+ 1920 US Federal Census - if this is them, "Elvina Christianson" and Gerald P. Norton are not yet married, but are both lodgers in a house with about 60 other people. See above, a Gerald Norton was also found living with his parents for this census. He may have registered in both places particularly if his parents and landlord both reported on his behalf.
	+ 1930 US Federal Census
	+ 1940 US Federal Census
	+ Find-a-Grave - Santa Barbara Cemetery
	+ Ancestry.com profile
	+ Geni.com profile

## Children

### **William North**

* Born in 1928 in Minnesota
* Died in 1981 in Pipestone County, MN
* Buried in Ruthton Cemetery in Ruthton, MN
* Headstone: PVT US ARMY
* Middle name/initial may have been "Christ" (Find-a-Grave), "C." (headstone), or "F." (1930 Census)
* Find-a-Grave

### **Eunice Mae North [Anderson]**

* Born on May 7, 1930 in Lincoln County, MN
* Married **Theodore G. "Ted" Anderson** on January 11, 1953
* Died on December 5, 1999 in Murray County, MN
* Buried in Skandia Free Church Cemetery in Murray County, MN
* Links:
	+ Minnesota Obituaries
	+ Find-a-Grave

### **Iola North [Broin]**

* Born c. 1935 in Minnesota
* Married **Stan Broin**

### **David Harold North**

* Born on December 3, 1936 in Murray, MN
* Married **Janice Tragesser**
	+ Born c. 1939
	+ 1940 Census at Ancestry.com
* Died on March 15, 2012
* Links:
	+ Minnesota Birth Index
	+ Find-a-Grave

### **LeRoy J. North**

* Born on May 4, 1938
* Died on May 7, 2002 in Pipestone County, MN
* Buried in Ruthton Cemetery in Ruthton, MN
* His name in the Minnesota Birth Index is recorded as "Lee Roy Junior North"
* Headstone: "AMH3 US NAVY"
* Links:
	+ Minnesota Birth Index
	+ Find-a-Grave

### **Mary Ann North [Ertz]**

* Born on July 11, 1939 in Pipestone County, MN
* Married **Clarence Wilfred Ertz** on June 24, 1961 at St. Genevieve's Catholic Church in Lake Benton
	+ Born on April 6, 1917 in Lincoln County, MN
	+ Died on October 14, 2006 in Sioux Falls, SD
	+ Find-a-Grave
* Died on March 20, 2013 in Sioux Falls, SD
* Buried in Saint Genevieve Catholic Cemetery in Lake Benton, MN
* Find-a-Grave

## Documents & Articles

### **Find-a-Grave**

* Private Jens C. North
* Doris Ruth *Hokins* North

### **Ancestry.com Profile**

* Jens Christiansen North was born in Thisted, Thisted Amt, Denmark on 23 Mar 1885 to Christian Christiansen and Johanne Thomasen. Jens Christiansen married Doris Ruth Hokins and had 7 children. He passed away on 17 Apr 1988 in Veterans Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA.
* Doris Ruth Hokins was born in Ellsborough Township, Murray, Minnesota, USA on 16 Aug 1907 to Pehr Otto Hokins and Anna Olivia Jonason. Doris Ruth married Jens Christiansen North and had 7 children. She passed away on 15 Jan 1965 in Tyler, Lincoln, Minnesota, USA.

* Jens Christiansen North

### **US Federal Census**

#### **1930 US Federal Census**

* Location: Cameron, Murray County, MN
* Other information: Jens immigrated in 1901
* FamilySearch.org

#### **1940 US Federal Census**

* Location: Fountain Prairie Township, Pipestone County, MN
* Other information: Jens is a farm
* FamilySearch.org

### **Minnesota Birth Index**

#### **David North**

* "David Harold North"
* December 3, 1936 in Murray, MN
* Parents: Jens North and Doris Hokins
* FamilySearch.org

#### **LeRoy North**

* "Lee Roy Junior North"
* May 4, 1938 in Pipestone, MN
* Parents: Jens North and Doris Hokins
* FamilySearch.org

### **Social Security Death Index**

#### **Jens North**

* Born on March 24, 1884
* Died on April 17, 1988
* Last place of residence was Minneapolis, MN
* FamilySearch.org

### **Obituaries**

#### **Jens North**

Jens C. North, 104, Ruthton, died Sunday, April 17 at the Veteran's Administration Hospital, Minneapolis.

Funeral services were Wednesday, April 20 at the Peace Lutheran Church, Ruthton with Rev. David Fretham, officiating. Music was provided by Carolyn Hoick, organist. Soloist was Glenn Lindahl.

Pallbearers were Archie Blanchette, John Anstett, Gordon Wendorp, Arlen Thomas, Bob Irke and Henry Have.

Interment was in the Ruthton Cemetery.

Jens Christ North was born on March 24, 1984 in Thisted, Denmark to Christian and Johanne (Thomasen) Christiansen. He was baptized, confirmed and attended school in Denmark. In 1902 Jens Immigrated to Erwin, S.D. He worked in Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Canada before going to Alaska in 1906. He entered the U.S. Army in 1919 and was a World War I veteran. After his discharge in 1919 he returned to Alaska and then came to Ruthton.

On April 7, 1927 he married Doris Hokins in Pipestone. They farmed near Ruthton until 1941 and then Jens operated the Ruthton Dray Line, then did carpentry work, and later managed the Ruthton Municipal Liquor Store until his retirement in 1964. He has been in the Minnesota Veteran's Home for the past two years. He was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, Ruthton, a lifetime member of the Tracy VFW Post 871 and a charter member of the Woodrow Wilson American Legion Post 506, Ruthton.

Survivors include three sons, Melvin, Edgerton, Wis., David, Bloomington and LeRoy, Minneapolis; three daughters, Mrs. Eunice (Ted) Anderson, Lake Wilson, Mrs. Iola (Stan) Broin, Willmar and Mrs. Mary Ann (Clarence) Ertz, Bingham Lake; 17 grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Dagmar Anundson, Volga, S.D. and Elvina Norton, Santa Barbara, Calif. and numerous nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, son, three brothers and six sisters.

(Utoft-Johansen)

* FamilySearch.org

#### **Eunice Anderson**

Eunice M. Anderson, 69

Services were held on Friday, December 10, 1999 for Eunice M. Anderson at the Skandia Evangelical Free Church in Balaton, Minnesota. Pastor Ken Culbertson officiated with Rachel Culbertson as organist and Will Lundy as soloist.

Casket bearers were Todd Miller, David Ertz, Fran Lawson, Daniel Ertz, Lewis Miller, Jr. and Robert Ertz.

Eunice Mae Anderson was born May 7, 1930 to Jens and Doris (Hokins) North in the rural Ruthton area, Lincoln County. She attended country school and also the Ruthton public school. As a young woman, Eunice worked in a cafe in Ruthton as a waitress.

On January 11, 1953 she married Theodore G. Anderson at Hope Lutheran Church in Ruthton. They made their home on the Anderson family farm in Skandia township. Eunice remained on this farm after Ted's death in 1993 until she died on Sunday, December 5, 1999 at the age of 69.

Eunice was a member of the Skandia Evangelical Free Church and was also a member of the Women's Missionary Society at Skandia. She enjoyed embroidery and gardening, but will be remembered for her hard work along with her husband on the farm.

Eunice is survived by two daughters, Linda and her husband, Danny Archibald of Colorado Springs, CO and Julie and her husband, Lew Roberts of Sioux City, IA; four grandchildren, Brett, Justin, Melissa and Tyler; three brothers, David of Fairmont, MN, Melvin of Janesville, WI and LeRoy of Minneapolis, MN; two sisters, Iola Broin of Willmar, MN and Mary Ann Ertz of Ruthton, MN; nieces, nephews and cousins.

Her parents, husband, Ted, one infant daughter and one brother, William preceded her in death.

Interment was at Skandia Cemetery with Almlie Funeral Home of Balaton handling arrangements.

* FamilySearch.org 1, FamilySearch.org 2

#### **David North**

David North, age 75 of North Mankato, formerly of Ruthton, died Thursday, March 15 at his home.

Funeral services were at 11 a.m. Monday, March 19 at NORTHVIEW-North Mankato Mortuary. Private burial was in Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota.Visi­tation was held one hour prior to the service at the mortuary.

David was born Dec. 3, 1936 to Jens and Doris (Hokins) North in Mur­ray County. He graduated from Ruthton High School in 1954. David served with the Minnesota National Guard from 1954 until 1957. On Aug. 2, 1957 he was united in marriage to Janice Trageser in Minne­apolis. They were blessed with three children. David was employed by Nelson Knitting Works in Minne­apolis, Electronic Distrib­uting, as an executive vice-president for First Bank System/US Bank in St. Paul and Minneapolis and he retired from National City Bank in Minneapolis in 1996. He enjoyed car­pentry, crossword puzzles, golf and 15 years of win­tering in Texas. Most of all, David loved spending time with his family. When asked how he would like to be remembered, David said, "That I cared for ev­eryone I knew."

David is survived by his wife Janice of North Mankato; two children, Brian (Vicky) North of Coon Rapids and Erin (David) Bissonnette of Mankato; eight grandchil­dren: Carissa, Mary Kate and Carter Sanford, Aidan, Zane and Caleb North, Christine, Maria and Paul Bissonnette; brother Melvin (Mollie) North of Janesville, Wis.; two sis­ters, Iola Broin of Willmar and Mary Ann Ertz of Her­on Lake, and many nieces and nephews.

David was preceded in death by his daughter Brenda North, his parents, brothers William and Le­roy North and sister Eu­nice Anderson.

#### **Mary Ann Ertz**

MARY ANN ERTZ was born July 11, 1939 to Jens and Doris (Hokins) North on a farm four miles west of Ruthton, Minnesota. She was the youngest in a family of four brothers and two sisters. She lived her first two and a half years on a farm, then the family moved to Ruthton, Minnesota. Mary Ann enjoyed Girl Scouts as a child, earning all her badges. She frequently used her brother's bicycle to get around town. Her family bought their first car after her oldest brother went off to World War II. She graduated from Ruthton High School in 1957. On June 4, 1961 she was united in marriage to Clarence Ertz at St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Lake Benton. Their union was blessed with six children, David, Robert, Daniel, Anna, James, and Russell. The couple made their home in Lake Benton. Besides raising her children, Mary Ann worked at the nursing home in Balaton for 4 years as a dietary aide. The couple moved to Bingham Lake for 17 years and in 1990 when Clarence retired, they moved to a farm near Ruthton, Minnesota. Clarence died in 2006. Mary Ann then moved to Lakeview Assisted Living in Heron Lake, Minnesota. On February 21, 2013 she was transferred to Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where she died a month later on March 20, 2013 at the age of 73.

Mary Ann enjoyed word find puzzles, stitchery, reading the newspaper, watching John Wayne western movies, bingo, pinochle, canasta, waltz and polka music. Royal blue was her favorite color. Her favorite was a three course meal of Kentucky Fried Chicken and pumpkin pie to finish.

She will be lovingly remembered by her children, David (Karla) Ertz of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, Robert Ertz of Ruthton, Minnesota, Daniel (Theresa) Ertz of North Mankato, Minnesota, Anna (Kenneth) Heern of Jackson, Minnesota, James Ertz of Ruthton, Minnesota, and Russell Ertz of Ruthton, Minnesota; 15 grandchildren, Leslie Watts, Jennifer Morton, Dallas Murray, Dillon, Dakota, Shawn, Karen, Andrew, Abby, and Adam Ertz, Alisha, Kayla, Jennifer, and Chelsea Wallert, and Michelle Perez; three great grandchildren, Olivia Gorny, Emma and Kylee Wallert; a sister, Iola Broin of Willmar, Minnesota; a brother, Mel (Molly) North of Janesville, Wisconsin; sisters-in-law, Adelaide Donaldson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Janice North of North Mankato, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; parents, Jens and Doris; siblings, Bill, LeRoy, and David North, and Eunice Anderson.

#### **Clarence Ertz**

Clarence Ertz, 79, Ruthton, died Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006 at the Veteran's Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 19 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lake Wilson. Interment will be in St. Genevieve's Cemetery in Lake Benton. Visitation will be held Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 4-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. at Hartquist Funeral Home, Utoft-Johansen Chapel in Tyler.

Clarence Wilfred Ertz was born to John and Anna (Brune) Ertz on April 6, 1927 in rural Ivanhoe. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John Cantius Catholic Church in Wilno. He grew up on the family farm. He attended country school and then attended school in Lake Benton until he quit to work on the family farm.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army on July 14, 1954 and served in Korea, working in munitions and artillery supply. He was discharged on July 6, 1956 and returned to the farm near Lake Benton. In 1959 he started work in the Lake Benton Post Office.

He married Mary Ann North on June 24, 1961 at St. Genevieve's Catholic Church in Lake Benton.

In 1974 he transferred to the Windom Post Office where he worked until retiring on Nov. 30, 1990. The following year the couple moved to a farm near Ruthton.

Due to complications from lung cancer, Clarence entered the Veteran's Hospital in Sioux Falls three weeks before he died.

He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lake Wilson and of the American Legion Post in Lake Wilson.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mary Ann; his children: David Ertz and Misty Hiebert, Lakefield; Robert Ertz, Ruthton; Daniel (Theresa) Ertz, North Mankato; Anna (Kenneth) Heern, Jackson; James Ertz, Jeffers and Russell Ertz and Christina Bailey, Windom; ten grandchildren; and a sister, Adelaide Donaldson, Sioux Falls.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Elmer, Leonard and Donald and a sister, Flavia Smith.