Christopher Camp: CHRISTOPHER TWINS -100TH BIRTHDAY

On August 5, 1914, twin boys were born to Carl and Inga Christopher at their home. Lauren Ivan was born first, then Lester Carl. Their grandmother, Bessie Christopher and neighbor, Mrs. Peterson, served as midwives who came to the home in Peterson Township just north of Medina North Dakota. As the twins were the 5th and 6th children, everyone else had to leave the house until they were born. Siblings Glenn, Clifford, Roy and Ruth helped take care of the boys as they grew. As more siblings joined the family
( Kenneth, Vernon, Bob, Doris, and Don, ) they learned to adjust to surviving during the depression by growing all their own food and hunting wildlife. All the children shared the one upstairs bedroom and they also shared the work on the farm. In addition to raising normal farm animals, the twins remember raising skunks for their fur which they sold in nearby towns. The twins both attended Medina schools and joined the Conservation Corps in Medina. For fun they enjoyed boxing, hunting and fishing. Lester worked on the Charley Peterson family as a ranch hand for a while.

As young men, the twins often would hop a frieght train and travel out west to get odd jobs. They would pick apples in Washington and be ranch hands for ranchers all over North Dakota and Montana. When they came to the Jocko Valley in Montana, they liked it so much they decided to stay. Lauren married Lillian Sanders from Arlee in 1939 and they farmed for a while, then worked in the shipyards of Portland. They moved back to Arlee, when Lauren got a job at the Burea of Land Management. They also and harvested hay, and raised cattle on their ranch, the old Sander's place, but sold it in 1957 and purchased the Jocko Store. They operated that business together for 28 years, while raising their family of seven: Faye, Alice, George, Donna, Roy, Roger, Rick. They sold everything in that little store- from food, gas, dry goods, and nickel ice cream cones. The store kept everyone busy seven days a week.

Lauren continued his Reclamation job until he retired from 30 years service in 1978 and started a new farm. He and Lillian enjoyed 54 years of marriage.

Lester served in the Army stationed in Texas and California.
Lester married Blondie Billington in 1941. They had two children; .Goldie and Lana.

Goldie and Lester

Lauren's family

When the children from both families were together they had some difficulty telling which of the twins was their dad. Some children laughed, some cried, but always they had good fun together.

Lester, usually called Chris, moved to Anaconda in 1949 and worked as a carpenter for the Anaconda Company. He maried Ethel Simonson there and worked until he had Parkinson's disease.

The Christopher siblings manage to get together at times and enjoyed many Family Reunions.