Chard Archer Christian, general agent for the Fraternal Alliance, with his office at No. 62 Monroe Street, was born in Brighton, Susses county, England, March 1, 1858, a son of Thomas William and Emma Augusta Christian, the former a native of Beadle, Yorkshire, and latter of Brighton, where she died during the childhood of her daughter Emma. The father was a merchant in Brighton, and there died at the age of sixty-eight years. Emma, the only other child born to these parents beside Richard A. , attained young womanhood and was then called away, leaving the subject of this sketch the sole survivor of the family. Richard A. Christian was educated in the public schools of Brighton, and was later employed for a short time in some minor capacity by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway company. At the age of nineteen years he enlisted in the British army, and for eight years served with the Twentieth hussars. While with this regiment the Zulu war in South Africa took place, and Mr. Christian volunteered for that service, was detached from his own regiment and assigned to the Seventeenth lancers, who were sent to the front and served all through the trouble with Zulus, the service being full of activity, thrilling adventure and great personal danger. In the charge of the Seventeenth at Ulundi Mr. Christian was wounded by a bullet at one time and at another with an assagi, or poisoned spear, from both of which wounds, however, he speedily recovered. After Zululand had been conquered, Mr. Christian returned to England and purchased his discharge from the hussars, whose service was rendered altogether in Ireland and England, and mostly in garrison duty, and thus, after ten continuous years of military life, he again became a civilian. After receiving his discharge, Mr. Christian returned to the employ of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway company. And for ten years was its time-keeper and pay clerk at Brighton. In April, 1892, he came to America, landed in New York. And for a year was employed by a firm of electrical engineers in a capacity similar to that which he held with the railroad company in England; he then went to Baltimore, Md., to take charge of the construction of an electric railway, and, on its completion, went to Fort Wayne, Ind., became solicitor for the Prudential Insurance company of Newark, N. J., and about twelve months later was promoted to be assistant superintendent, and was detailed to open up a new district at Auburn, Ind. After about a year thus spent, he resigned his position and made a visit to England, where he passed three months, then came to Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1895, and here he resumed work as agent of the Prudential Insurance company, continuing with it nearly two years as agent and assistant superintendent. For the past two years he has been the general agent of the Fraternal Alliance, of Milwaukee, Wis. Mr. Christian was untied in marriage, at Fort Wayne, with Miss Eva Hobbs, a native of that city, and a daughter of Reuben and Julia Hobbs, of English descent. Mr. and Mrs. Christian are attendants at the Episcopal church, fraternally, Mr. Christian is a member of the Grand Rapids lodge of the Independent Order of Foresters and of the Fraternal Alliance. In polities he takes no especial interest, but evinces some sympathy for the republican party. Socially he and wife hold a desirable position, and enjoy the esteem of many pleasant acquaintances.