CHRISTIAN KNUTSON (KING) ENGEN
By his granddaughter Mrs. Myrtle Bodie
; "Mail day, Sundial, Alberta")
Born in Ness, Norway, in 1862, Mr. Engen came to Elbow Lake, Minnesota in 1863 with his parents, four brothers and one sister. He married Joend (Gina) Syverson of Elbow Lake. In 1906 he came to Canada and homesteaded on the S.W.1/4 of section 18, township 13, range 19 west of the fourth meridian. In 1908 he started a store and post office - which they called sundial after a cairn of rocks on the John William's homestead, and after which the district was named. He operated the store and post office to August 18, 1913 with the help of his wife and two daughters Amanda and Sophia. He freighted the groceries out from Lethbridge with horses and forded the Little Bow River as there was no bridge at that time. In 1912 Amanda married Dr. Dick Woodcock and in 1913 Sophia married Herbert Clarence Dunn. From 1915 to 1919 Mr. Engen and Dr. Woodcock had controlling interest in a store at Enchant. He was a member of the Lutheran Church and attended church at Enchant and Ibbasted. He served on the school board at the Sundial Consolidated School for several years. He owned land in both the Sundial and Enchant areas, and farmed in Sundial until he retired in 1941. Sophia, Mrs. Dunn, passed away in 1920 leaving three girls; Merlene and twins Myrle and Myrtle who were raised by their grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Engen. Mrs. Engen passed away in 1937, and Mr. Engen lived on the farm till 1941, when he retired to Lethbridge. He lived at 419 - 11th Street South till his passing in January, 1946 at the age of 84 years.
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