Individual 12: Møller, Christian Hansen

Individual Record 12

Name} Møller, Christian Hansen

Family History} Olson

Title}

Race} White

Sex} Male

Birth: Date} Exa 26 Jan 1870

Place} Jordrup, Anst, Ribe, Denmark

Marr.: Date} Exa 17 Dec 1892 C

Place} Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey (Link)

Death: Date} Exa 14 May 1944 C

Place} General Hospital, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey

Burial: Date} Exa 17 May 1944

Place} Alpine Cemetery, Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey

Grave Marker} Yes

Source 1}	50 = Family hstry
Source 2}	52 = Interview
Source 3}	902 = Passenger ls
Source 4}	258 = Marriage rec
Source 5}	1001=Marriage rec
Source 6}	1337=Marriage rec
Source 7}	252 = Birth certif
Source 8}	54 = 1900 USA cen
Source 9}	232 = 1910 USA cen
Source 10}	222 = Photograph
Source 11}	251 = Marriage rec
Source 12}	748 = 1920 USA cen
Source 13}	991 = Passport appl
Source 14}	994 = Passenger ls
Source 15}	746 = 1930 USA cen
Source 16}	2053=City directory
Source 17}	1343=1940 USA cen
Source 18}	88 = Diary
Source 19}	556 = Newspaper
Source 10}	1266=Heirloom/mem
Source 21}	253 = Death certif
Source 22}	218 = Cemetery rec
Source 23}	1253=Photograph
Source 24}	1331=Letter
Source 25}	1517=Genealogy

Parents: } Hans Christian Møller and Nielsine Kristine Hansen
Relationship No.} 14

1st Household No.} 36 = Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey

Occupation 1} Train brakeman
Occupation 2} Laborer

Religion/Church} Lutheran

Spouses: Prime} Hansen, Dorthea
Total Number of} 1

Notes: Christian Hansen Møller was born 26 Jan 1870 in Jordrup, Anst, Ribe, Denmark. He was christened 24 May 1846 in Jordrup. His parents were Hans Christian Møller and Nielsine Kristine Hansen. He was the oldest of seven children, all boys until the youngest, Martha Marie, was born in 1885. Three of his brothers died in infancy, and only he, his brother Hans Nielsen, who was a year younger, his brother Rasmus Christian, and his sister Martha Marie, grew to adulthood.

In the 1880 Danish census, the family was living in Jordrup. His father was a daglejer, or day laborer. Christian was 10, Hans Nielsen, 7, and Peter Christian, 2 years.

Christian's mother, Kristine, died 25 Jan 1887. His father immigrated to the United States 6 months after her death, arriving 21 Jul 1887. His brother, Hans Nielsen immigrated a year later, arriving 7 Jul 1888. His younger brother Rasmus and sister Marie stayed in Denmark.

Christian immigrated to the United States on the Weiland, departing from Hamburg, and arriving in New York on 6 May 1889. He is listed in the passenger list as Christ. Hans Møller, age 19, a miller, from Kolding*. This was a Danish ship, and it sailed by way of Hamburg, Germany and Le Havre, France. Contrary to the evidence, all census records list his date of immigration as 1890. He became a naturalized citizen on 2 Nov 1894 in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

The Møllers settled in Perth Amboy, Middlesex, New Jersey. On 17 Dec 1892, Christian married Dorthea Hansen, also from Denmark. In the 1900 U.S. census, Christian and Dorthea were living at 237 Washington Street, Perth Amboy. They had four sons, Hans, Alfred, Christian, and Peter, ages 6, 5, 3, and 1 respectively. Christian was a brakeman for the Lehigh Valley Railroad. He could read, write, and speak English, and the home was owned with a mortgage. He had become a naturalized citizen.

By the 1910 U.S. census, Christian had moved his family a block to 315 Washington Street, Perth Amboy, pictured at right, which became their long time home. Harold, the youngest son had been added to the family. Alfred, age 15, was not listed, as he was living with his uncle, Hans Nielsen Miller. Christian was now a conductor for the railroad, and the house was owned with a mortgage.

In the 1920 U.S. census, Christian was listed as a freight conductor. Now only their sons Christian and Harold were living in the family home. Christian was a fireman for the copper works, and Harold, at age 16, was a clerk in a bank. Christian is pictured at left with his son Peter and grandsons Jack and Bob.

On 28 May 1924, Christian applied for a U.S. Passport, as a naturalized citizen, to visit relatives in Denmark. He was 54 years old, described as being 6 feet, 2 inches tall, with blue eyes, gray hair, fair complexion, with a high forehead, round face and chin, a medium mouth and nose. He sailed on the Frederik VIII on 8 July 1924 from the Port of New York. He returned to New York on 16 Sep 1924, sailing from Liverpool, England on the Scythia.

In the 1930 U.S. census, Christian was still a railway conductor. A couple, Tice and Mary Bowman, were boarding in the home. In the 1940 U.S. census, Antonio Lamberti, his wife Landi, and daughter Dorothy, were renting rooms from Christian and Dorothea for $35. a month. The family had been living there in 1935.

It is not known when Christian retired from the Lehigh Valley Railroad, but according to the census records, he was still a conductor in 1940. The family remembers that he was always afraid of the dangers of coupling. Christian and Dorthea celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 17 Dec 1942 with family and friends in their own home.

Christian died 14 May 1944 in the Perth Amboy General Hospital. Cause of death was hypertensive cardio renal disease, which he had had for four years. He was buried 17 May 1944 in the Alpine Cemetery, Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

*The marriage certificate of Christian gives his birth place, and that of his parents, as Jordrup, Kolding, Denmark. Kolding was a nearby town, and may have been the regional unit. Ribe is the county in which Jordrup is located.