Anton Marius Andersen
Encyclopedia
Anton Marius Andersen was an American Lutheran minister and the founding President of Trinity Seminary at Dana College
.
, the son of Anders Jorgensen. He was one of seven children of a pious farm couple. After fulfilling his required military service, he decided to become a pastor, a decision his father opposed so strongly that he disinherited his son. Andersen entered a folk high school in Denmark and took lessons from his home pastor. He arrived in Wisconsin
in the spring of 1872 and that fall went to Minneapolis to attend Augsburg College & Theological Seminary, which at that time was supported by Norwegian and Danish Lutheran congregations in this country.
during October, 1874. After about one and one-half years in the Nebraska mission field, he was called by a congregation in Racine, Wisconsin
. He stayed there for three and one-half years, and then accepted a call back to Washington County
and Burt County in Nebraska. Rev. A.M. Andersen regularly preached in Orum when some of the residents of nearby Blair invited him to preach there. First Lutheran Church was organized on January 22, 1884 as the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Blair.
In September 1884, the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church Association in America was organized. That led to the beginning of Trinity Seminary at Blair, Nebraska which was dedicated on October 21, 1886. Danish Lutheran established Trinity Seminary for the purpose of training men for the parish ministry. Trinity Seminary was a school without a name that first year of 1884-85 when Pastor A. M. Andersen held classes for four students in his Blair home, a simple white frame house. One of the first 12 students was C. X. Hansen, who later taught at Trinity and Dana from 1894 to 1941. He also served as Dana's president during three intervals. In 1889 Andersen accepted a call to another Nebraska congregation; he returned to Trinity as professor of theology for two years in the 1890's.
In 1902 when he was named editor of the church publication, Danskeren. From that year to 1909 he was a board member of the school he founded. The Andersens remained in Blair until 1922, when they moved to Beresford, South Dakota
. He served a congregation there, and then in 1935 moved to Glendale, California
. In his later years his pioneering work among Danish-Americans was recognized by the King of Denmark with the Golden Cross of the Knights of the Royal Order of the Dannebrog
. In 1938 Trinity Seminary, the school he had founded 54 years earlier, presented him with an honorary doctorate. A. M. Andersen died in Fresno, California at 94 years of age.
President Dr. N. C. Carlsen, Pioneer Memorial at Dana College was dedicated to the founders of Dana College. Outside the office of the President of Dana College, is a plaque that reads: “This building is named Pioneer Memorial in memory of A. M. Andersen, Kr. Anker, C. X. Hansen, P. S. Vig
, G. B. Christiansen, and many other faithful men and women who contributed to the development and influence of Dana College and Trinity Seminary.”
Dana College
Dana College is a now defunct baccalaureate college located in Blair, Nebraska. Its rural 150-acre campus is approximately 25 miles northwest of Omaha, and overlooks a portion of the Missouri River Valley....
.
Background
A. M. Andersen was born in DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the son of Anders Jorgensen. He was one of seven children of a pious farm couple. After fulfilling his required military service, he decided to become a pastor, a decision his father opposed so strongly that he disinherited his son. Andersen entered a folk high school in Denmark and took lessons from his home pastor. He arrived in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in the spring of 1872 and that fall went to Minneapolis to attend Augsburg College & Theological Seminary, which at that time was supported by Norwegian and Danish Lutheran congregations in this country.
Career
Andersen moved to NebraskaNebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
during October, 1874. After about one and one-half years in the Nebraska mission field, he was called by a congregation in Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
. He stayed there for three and one-half years, and then accepted a call back to Washington County
Washington County, Nebraska
-National protected areas:*Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge*DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 18,780 people, 6,940 households, and 5,149 families residing in the county. The population density was 48 people per square mile . There were 7,408...
and Burt County in Nebraska. Rev. A.M. Andersen regularly preached in Orum when some of the residents of nearby Blair invited him to preach there. First Lutheran Church was organized on January 22, 1884 as the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Blair.
In September 1884, the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church Association in America was organized. That led to the beginning of Trinity Seminary at Blair, Nebraska which was dedicated on October 21, 1886. Danish Lutheran established Trinity Seminary for the purpose of training men for the parish ministry. Trinity Seminary was a school without a name that first year of 1884-85 when Pastor A. M. Andersen held classes for four students in his Blair home, a simple white frame house. One of the first 12 students was C. X. Hansen, who later taught at Trinity and Dana from 1894 to 1941. He also served as Dana's president during three intervals. In 1889 Andersen accepted a call to another Nebraska congregation; he returned to Trinity as professor of theology for two years in the 1890's.
In 1902 when he was named editor of the church publication, Danskeren. From that year to 1909 he was a board member of the school he founded. The Andersens remained in Blair until 1922, when they moved to Beresford, South Dakota
Beresford, South Dakota
Beresford is a city in Lincoln and Union counties in the U.S. state of South Dakota. The population was 2,005 as of the 2010 census. The southern two-thirds is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the northern one-third is part of the Sioux Falls...
. He served a congregation there, and then in 1935 moved to Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
. In his later years his pioneering work among Danish-Americans was recognized by the King of Denmark with the Golden Cross of the Knights of the Royal Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
. In 1938 Trinity Seminary, the school he had founded 54 years earlier, presented him with an honorary doctorate. A. M. Andersen died in Fresno, California at 94 years of age.
Memorial
At the suggestion of United Evangelical Lutheran ChurchUnited Evangelical Lutheran Church
The United Evangelical Lutheran Church was one of the many denominations formed when Lutherans came to the United States from Europe...
President Dr. N. C. Carlsen, Pioneer Memorial at Dana College was dedicated to the founders of Dana College. Outside the office of the President of Dana College, is a plaque that reads: “This building is named Pioneer Memorial in memory of A. M. Andersen, Kr. Anker, C. X. Hansen, P. S. Vig
Peter Sørensen Vig
Peter Sørensen Vig , commonly known as P. S. Vig, was a Danish American pastor, educator, and historian in the Lutheran church...
, G. B. Christiansen, and many other faithful men and women who contributed to the development and influence of Dana College and Trinity Seminary.”
Additional Sources
- Christensen, William E. Saga of the Tower: A History of Dana College and Trinity Seminary (Blair, Nebraska: Lutheran Publishing House, 1959)
- Petersen, Peter L. A Place Called Dana: The Centennial History of Trinity Seminary and Dana College (Blair, Nebraska: Dana College, 1984)
- Jensen, John M. The United Evangelical Lutheran Church: An Interpretation (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1964)
- Nyholm, Paul C. The Americanization of the Danish Lutheran Churches in America: A Study in Immigrant History (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1963)