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Christ and Marion Anhorn

Husband's Full Name: Christian E. Anhorn

Husband's Place of Birth: Manfred, ND

Husband's Father's Name: Johannes Anhorn

Husband's Mother's Name: Christina Statel Anhorn

Husband's Siblings' Names: John, Fred, Mathew, Gottlieb,

Christina (Mrs. Chris Wagner); Othelia (Mrs. John Dockter)

Wife's Full Name: Marion Johnson Anhorn

Wife's Place of Birth: Near Ashley, ND

Wife's Father's Name: John Johnson

Wife's Mother's Name: Regina Johnson

Wife's Siblings' Names: Louise, Herbert, Mabel (Bossart) Lillian (Nornstrom); Pearl (Musser), , Elsie (Holst);

Children's Names: Crystal, John (Judy Schaaf)

Anhorn, Chris and Marion 2.jpg
Anhorn, Chris and Marion 1.jpg

Christ was the first of the Johannes Anhorn’s children to be born in North Dakota.  Christ went into business in Ashley in 1923 and there met his future wife, Marion.  She was teaching a rural school in McIntosh County.  Her father was an area rancher, and had the first Angus herd in McIntosh County. 

 

Early notes from the Manfred News indicate that in 1924 Chris Anhorn established a lunch counter in connection with his pool hall in, and in November of 1924 he sold the Manfred Hotel to Josephine Breyer.  Property records indicate this is the building originally known as the Hotel Johnson, and later as the Sons of Norway Hall, on Main Street next to the café.  

 

Chris and Marion were married in 1930, moved to San Haven in 1937 where he was business administrator of the N D State Tuberculosis Sanitarium.  In 1938 purchased the home farm in St. Anna Township, from the Anhorn estate and moved back to the Manfred community in 1947.  Their son John has a Master’s degree in Architecture.  His wife Judy has a Master’s degree in English.  They live in Vermont.  Their daughter Crystal died as a young woman at the age of 38.

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The artwork to the right was painted by Marion Anhorn and donated to the Wells County Historical Society in memory of her husband Chris.  It hung in the reception room of Governor Guy’s office in the State Capitol in 1962.  In addition to this painting she also did a striking oil portrait of Lawrence Welk. 

 

Mrs. Anhorn’s only formal training in art was at Ellendale Normal School, which she attended prior to her five-year stint of teaching.   She and her husband moved to Fessenden following their retirement from farming.   Chris passed away in 1964, Marion passed away in 1976.

Anhorn, Chris and Marion 3.jpg

"Indians of the Prairie"

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