Christian Jackson was a pioneer settler in Mable Township. He was born in Vestre Toten, Norway on December 13, 1849. In 1871 at the age of 22, he immigrated to the United States and made his home at Coon Valley, Wisconsin.
In 1880 Christian and his brother, Claus came to the Dakota Territory, working on the construction of the railroad. The Indians were a constant menace to the crew as the railroad was being built through their reservation.
In 1882, Christ filed a claim on Section 26-145-61, south of Sutton. The Homestead became a reality when on March 3, 1893 President Harrison officially deeded the land to Christ.
Christ married Ingeborg Vesta, who worked at the Palace Hotel in Cooperstown, in 1890. They built a home on their homestead. As the years passed and their children arrived they built on new rooms to their original two-room home. This home still stands on their homestead.
Ingeborg and Christ had four children: John (1892-1972) Ida (1893-1975) Melvin (1895-1969) and Charlotte (1899-) Cooperstown.
Ingeborg died August 12, 1916; Christ continued to live on his homestead for several years.
John married Eva Wild of Jessie, N.D., in 1917. John took over his father's farm in 1927. He and his wife had one son, Ellis, of Sutton.
Ida married Albert Starr and lived on a farm one mile north of Sutton. This farm was a homestead of his father, Robert Starr. They had two daughters, Dorothy Wagoner, Sutton, and Dolores Carpenter, Hunter, N.D. After retirement they moved to Cooperstown.
Melvin married Helga Pederson of Minneapolis, while he was in the Army during World War One, on June 26, 1918. Melvin farmed with his brother John until 1927. He and his wife then returned to Minneapolis where he worked as a mail carrier. They had two daughters, Doris Freeman and Marean Kralmer both of Minneapolis.
Charlotte married James Bailey of Sutton. They farmed east of Sutton, two miles from the farm Jim's father, Robert Bailey, homesteaded. They had one daughter, Janis Hagen, Cooperstown. After retiring they moved to Cooperstown.
Christ eventually made his home with his daughter Charlotte and her husband for some years before his death February 14, 1932 at the age of 8:3.
Christian was a charter member of the Mabel Lutheran Church in Sutton.
Great-grandchildren are: Dick and Don Wagoner, Candace Gill, Carter, Kevin and Kerry Carpenter, Greg Freeman, Lori Buzzell, Pamela Bluhm, Shirley Balvitsch, Nell, Alan and Linda Jackson, JoAnn Larson, Greg and Dean Hagen.
There are 17 great great grandchildren.
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial page 81