Henrietta was born in Norway and migrated to America about 1905. Born Henrikki, she is the daughter of Soren Kristofferson and Maren Christianson and married Henry Christofferson whom she had known all of her life. The couple had 9 children together, but lost their beloved Marget while living in Seattle, Washington in Jan. 1920.
After immigrating, initially to San Francisco, California with their eldest daughter, Christine (Crystal), pregnant with their third child, Henrietta returned to Norway from 1911-1912 with her two eldest children to care for her ailing step-mother who was infirmed for an extended period of time. Their daughter, Ruth was born overseas as a result.
Henrietta was a devoted wife, mother and Christian woman who appears to have embarked on all activities as a perfectionist. By the early 1920's the family had moved from Seattle to South Bend, Washington where they lived among other Norwegian families in a neighborhood called Ekland Park. While humble throughout her life, the ladies would silently compete in various ways for recognition among themselves. :)
For example - Monday was wash day - Each woman would aspire to hang the whitest laundry before anyone else. They would showcase the most well manicured gardens each growing season and compare who could preserve the whitest applesauce in the neighborhood...
Henrietta was an accomplished seamstress and her embroidery/handwork was/is outstanding. She was considered a good cook and her children raved about the fact she would provide wonderful meals when money was tight during the depression era. Her preserves kept the root cellar full and the family worked hard to fill it. The Christofferson family were fans of radio show, "Little Orphan Annie."
I never had the opportunity to know my grandmother well as she died while I was a child, but I remember specific things. She had very long pretty gray hair that she braided each morning and wound into a bun pinned just so on her head. She had a pretty smile and laughed in a quiet fashion. Henrietta had fine manners, and came across as strict and stern. She was a slight woman when I knew her weighing no more than 90 pounds. She spoke Norwegian much of the time, so as kids we had no idea what she was talking about for the most part. She made and ate Cream of Wheat every morning referring to it as "mush." She liked birds and animals in general.
And finally she favored boys and men. It was explained to me that while she had 5 daughters and 3 sons, her boys were her crowning achievement. She believed that the plight of women in a "man's world" was somewhat of a curse. That by having daughter's their lives were one of hardship. Insignificant - not to her, but in society.
As Henrietta grew older she had more difficulty with balance walking and ultimately broke her hip. This lead to surgery. During her recovery she developed pneumonia which she did not survive. She died age 90.
After immigrating, initially to San Francisco, California with their eldest daughter, Christine (Crystal), pregnant with their third child, Henrietta returned to Norway from 1911-1912 with her two eldest children to care for her ailing step-mother who was infirmed for an extended period of time. Their daughter, Ruth was born overseas as a result.
Henrietta was a devoted wife, mother and Christian woman who appears to have embarked on all activities as a perfectionist. By the early 1920's the family had moved from Seattle to South Bend, Washington where they lived among other Norwegian families in a neighborhood called Ekland Park. While humble throughout her life, the ladies would silently compete in various ways for recognition among themselves. :)
For example - Monday was wash day - Each woman would aspire to hang the whitest laundry before anyone else. They would showcase the most well manicured gardens each growing season and compare who could preserve the whitest applesauce in the neighborhood...
Henrietta was an accomplished seamstress and her embroidery/handwork was/is outstanding. She was considered a good cook and her children raved about the fact she would provide wonderful meals when money was tight during the depression era. Her preserves kept the root cellar full and the family worked hard to fill it. The Christofferson family were fans of radio show, "Little Orphan Annie."
I never had the opportunity to know my grandmother well as she died while I was a child, but I remember specific things. She had very long pretty gray hair that she braided each morning and wound into a bun pinned just so on her head. She had a pretty smile and laughed in a quiet fashion. Henrietta had fine manners, and came across as strict and stern. She was a slight woman when I knew her weighing no more than 90 pounds. She spoke Norwegian much of the time, so as kids we had no idea what she was talking about for the most part. She made and ate Cream of Wheat every morning referring to it as "mush." She liked birds and animals in general.
And finally she favored boys and men. It was explained to me that while she had 5 daughters and 3 sons, her boys were her crowning achievement. She believed that the plight of women in a "man's world" was somewhat of a curse. That by having daughter's their lives were one of hardship. Insignificant - not to her, but in society.
As Henrietta grew older she had more difficulty with balance walking and ultimately broke her hip. This lead to surgery. During her recovery she developed pneumonia which she did not survive. She died age 90.
Henrietta was born in Norway and migrated to America about 1905. Born Henrikki, she is the daughter of Soren Kristofferson and Maren Christianson and married Henry Christofferson whom she had known all of her life. The couple had 9 children together, but lost their beloved Marget while living in Seattle, Washington in Jan. 1920.
After immigrating, initially to San Francisco, California with their eldest daughter, Christine (Crystal), pregnant with their third child, Henrietta returned to Norway from 1911-1912 with her two eldest children to care for her ailing step-mother who was infirmed for an extended period of time. Their daughter, Ruth was born overseas as a result.
Henrietta was a devoted wife, mother and Christian woman who appears to have embarked on all activities as a perfectionist. By the early 1920's the family had moved from Seattle to South Bend, Washington where they lived among other Norwegian families in a neighborhood called Ekland Park. While humble throughout her life, the ladies would silently compete in various ways for recognition among themselves. :)
For example - Monday was wash day - Each woman would aspire to hang the whitest laundry before anyone else. They would showcase the most well manicured gardens each growing season and compare who could preserve the whitest applesauce in the neighborhood...
Henrietta was an accomplished seamstress and her embroidery/handwork was/is outstanding. She was considered a good cook and her children raved about the fact she would provide wonderful meals when money was tight during the depression era. Her preserves kept the root cellar full and the family worked hard to fill it. The Christofferson family were fans of radio show, "Little Orphan Annie."
I never had the opportunity to know my grandmother well as she died while I was a child, but I remember specific things. She had very long pretty gray hair that she braided each morning and wound into a bun pinned just so on her head. She had a pretty smile and laughed in a quiet fashion. Henrietta had fine manners, and came across as strict and stern. She was a slight woman when I knew her weighing no more than 90 pounds. She spoke Norwegian much of the time, so as kids we had no idea what she was talking about for the most part. She made and ate Cream of Wheat every morning referring to it as "mush." She liked birds and animals in general.
And finally she favored boys and men. It was explained to me that while she had 5 daughters and 3 sons, her boys were her crowning achievement. She believed that the plight of women in a "man's world" was somewhat of a curse. That by having daughter's their lives were one of hardship. Insignificant - not to her, but in society.
As Henrietta grew older she had more difficulty with balance walking and ultimately broke her hip. This lead to surgery. During her recovery she developed pneumonia which she did not survive. She died age 90.
After immigrating, initially to San Francisco, California with their eldest daughter, Christine (Crystal), pregnant with their third child, Henrietta returned to Norway from 1911-1912 with her two eldest children to care for her ailing step-mother who was infirmed for an extended period of time. Their daughter, Ruth was born overseas as a result.
Henrietta was a devoted wife, mother and Christian woman who appears to have embarked on all activities as a perfectionist. By the early 1920's the family had moved from Seattle to South Bend, Washington where they lived among other Norwegian families in a neighborhood called Ekland Park. While humble throughout her life, the ladies would silently compete in various ways for recognition among themselves. :)
For example - Monday was wash day - Each woman would aspire to hang the whitest laundry before anyone else. They would showcase the most well manicured gardens each growing season and compare who could preserve the whitest applesauce in the neighborhood...
Henrietta was an accomplished seamstress and her embroidery/handwork was/is outstanding. She was considered a good cook and her children raved about the fact she would provide wonderful meals when money was tight during the depression era. Her preserves kept the root cellar full and the family worked hard to fill it. The Christofferson family were fans of radio show, "Little Orphan Annie."
I never had the opportunity to know my grandmother well as she died while I was a child, but I remember specific things. She had very long pretty gray hair that she braided each morning and wound into a bun pinned just so on her head. She had a pretty smile and laughed in a quiet fashion. Henrietta had fine manners, and came across as strict and stern. She was a slight woman when I knew her weighing no more than 90 pounds. She spoke Norwegian much of the time, so as kids we had no idea what she was talking about for the most part. She made and ate Cream of Wheat every morning referring to it as "mush." She liked birds and animals in general.
And finally she favored boys and men. It was explained to me that while she had 5 daughters and 3 sons, her boys were her crowning achievement. She believed that the plight of women in a "man's world" was somewhat of a curse. That by having daughter's their lives were one of hardship. Insignificant - not to her, but in society.
As Henrietta grew older she had more difficulty with balance walking and ultimately broke her hip. This lead to surgery. During her recovery she developed pneumonia which she did not survive. She died age 90.
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