EGNER CHRISTENSEN

From Montrose History Books located at the Montrose Library

Compiled in January 1986:

Egner Christensen was one of eight children, three boys and five girls, born to Andrew and Helvig (Christensen) Christensen, Danish immigrants.  The family home was located near Horton Creek, not far from the present home of Owen and Kay Christensen.  His father was a carpenter and finisher of wood products.

Egner was born in 1886 and was educated in the Montrose schools, completing two years of high school.  He later continued his education with correspondence courses, including many engineering courses.  At an early age Egner became interested in blacksmithing and learned a great deal from Willard Hancock, co-owner of the Standard Garden Tool Company.  He was also interested in woodworking, a talent inherited from his father.

Egner and a Mr. Singer had a blacksmith shop on the alley north of the hardware store and wagon making and horseshoeing were their specialties.

On March 1, 1911, Egner married Carrie Sprott, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Sprott, Sr., of Montrose.  She was a 1903 graduate of Montrose High School, and a talented whistler who added greatly to the musical entertainments of Montrose and the surrounding area for many years, including soloing with the Keokuk Municipal Band at their concerts in Rand Park.  Egner and Carrie were the parents of one son, Owen, who was educated in the Montrose Public School.  Owen married Kay Houghton of Hamilton, Missouri, and they have three children.
(To the left is a picture of Egner and Carrie Christensen - please click on the picture to see an enlarged version)

After working with Mr. Springer for several years, Egner was employed for a time in blacksmith work with Willard Hancock at the Standard Garden Tool Company.  He then became a regular employee of the company and, in a short time, his abilities as a genius became apparent.  In 1914 Egner was awarded a patent on the Midget Drill Seeder which he had designed.  He was a pattern maker, tool maker, shop foreman, and, finally shop superintendent at the Montrose factory.  Eventually, Egner became shop superintendent of one division at the Ft. Madison plant where he had been transferred when the Montrose factory closed. He designed a seeder and hand cultivator and developed the first endless belt assembly line ever used in the Ft. Madison plant.  He was also the Research and Development Engineer at the Ft. Madison plant.
 (Click on the picture to see an enlarged version of  the Midget Drill Seeder).

Following the closing  of the Montrose Works, in 1933, Egner was employed at the Ft. Madison plant for 17 years.  In 1950 he retired, only to be kept busy working with his hobbies, caring for his lawn, hedge, shade trees, etc.

In the spring of 1922 the family went by train to Los Angeles, California where Egner took care of company business.  Carrie and Owen remained there until late August while Egner returned to finish building their house.  One would have to see the interior of the house to appreciate the beautiful woodwork and furniture he has made.  Bowls, plates, lamp bases, step table, chairs, china closet and walnut silverware chest are just some of the many things that he designed and made from wood.  He also designed a hutch, starting with a chest that was an old family heirloom.

Carrie passed away in 1965.  Egner passed away in 1974 and burial services for him were held at the Iliot Funeral Home, once the first Catholic Church in Montrose, near Horton Creek and the Christensen home.  Carrie and Egner are buried in the Montrose Cemetery.

The following is taken from the Montrose Journal, perhaps 1925-30:

WHO'S WHO IN MONTROSE

Egner Christensen, once a member of the Board of Education of Montrose, was born September 14, 1886, in Montrose, where he was spent so much of his life till now. He attended the Montrose schools and when about 15 years of age he entered the shop with Willard Hancock where he learned the blacksmith trade.  This shop began making garden tools and a little at a time the blacksmith work was dropped and the larger work of making garden tools was taken up.  Mr. Christensen grew with this growing plant and became a skilled workman, understanding the manipulation of the various machines.

Then he began studying the ways of improving the machines being turned out, and working under Mr. Hancock has added improvements to several of the machines and has at least one of the tools which is his own invention and one of the very choice seed drills on the market today.  It is called the Midget Seed Drill and is made in quite large quantities and shipped out with the Standard Garden tools.

Mr. Christensen has acquired property, built a very pretty home and is making himself both a good citizen and an honor the  institution in which he holds an important position.

On November 10, 2004, I visited with Egner Christensen's son, Owen about his father. To view his memories please click here.