Captain Christian Erickson was born May 7, 1839 in Bergen, Norway and was the son of Erick and Bertha Christensen. He received only a limited education but learned bookkeeping in Norway. At the age of twenty he came to the United States, and anxious to acquire a better education he attended the Lake Forest College. After two years' study he came to Chicago and obtained a position in the dry goods store of I. B. Shay. In March, 1869, he enlisted in Company 1, of the 82nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry as a private and soon after was promoted to orderly sergeant. Shortly after entering the field in Virginia he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant; after the battle of Chancellorsville he was made a first lieutenant and as such took command of the company until after the battle of Gettysburg. The next year he took part in the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, under the command of General Hooker. Later he went to Knoxville, but arrived too late for that battle. He was with Shermans Army in the campaign to Atlanta and the glorious "March to the Sea". On the march he was on the regimental 2staff as a quarter master and after being honorably discharged was given a captain's commission signed by President Johnson for gallant and meritorious services during the war. This company was nearly all from Chicago and composed of Scandinavians. The regiment was known in the army as the Hecker Boys, who could always be depended unpon in a fight. He took part in not less than fourteen battles and many minor engagements. Captain Erickson was a temperate man in all things, and during the war saved enough money to enable him to start in business in Chicago. He engaged in the dry goods business on Milwaukee Avenue, and later he started a branch store on Division Street, which later was destroyed by the great fire. In 1882 he built a four story brick building at 1190-92 Milwaukee Avenue where he continued the dry goods business until 1896, when ill health compelled him to retire. He died January 20, 1900.