Article: DENNIS MCCANN; Death's Door, a bad dad and even more

Sturgeon Bay So you think your kids find you demanding? Want them to think you are a pussycat by historical measures?

This summer when the family is driving to Door County maybe you should share with them the story of the old schooner captain Ole Christiansen, a "tough Norwegian taskmaster," as he has been described, who once employed "maybe a better word is enslaved," as one account put it his own two sons as crew on his ship, the Madonna.

In the late 1800s the Madonna carried lumber and cord wood from Rock and Washington islands to places like Chicago, Racine and Milwaukee, where Capt. Ole was said to enjoy shore leave, though he ordered his sons to remain on board.

Sometimes they would ...

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