History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Hansen, Hans P. one of that useful class of citizens who are building up the agricultural resources of Lincoln County by turning wild land into good farms, and whose place is located in Section 9 in the town of King, was born in Denmark, May 28, 1848, his parents, Hans Jensen and Marie HANSON, being natives of that country and the father a farmer by occupation. They came to the United States in 1870, settling in Michigan, where Hans JENSEN bought a farm, which he operated until he was killed in 1882 by a falling tree. His widow continued to reside on the place for a while but finally went to South Dakota with a son, where she died in 1920 at an advanced age. Mr. and Mrs. Hans JENSEN had seven sons, of whom four are living; Jens in Michigan, Nels in Ashland, Wis., Ole in Minneapolis and Hans P., the subject of this sketch. Those who died were Fred, George and Lars. Hans P. HANSEN, who after the Scandanavian custom, took his father's first name, with the addition of "sen" (or son), as a boy went to school in Denmark, where he later worked as a common laborer until reaching the age of 20 years. By that time his parents had decided to emigrate to America and he accompanied them, realizing that he had little chance for self advancement in his native land but that the United States offered abundant opportunities to the industrious and deserving. After his arrival in this country he worked on his parents' farm and also at times in the woods in the vicinity of Grand Rapids. In 1873 he married Hannah P. CLINKER, a native of Denmark like himself and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hans CLINKER, who had remained in their native land. In 1884, two years after his father's death, Mr. HANSEN came to Merrill, Wis., and was employed in railroad construction work under Tim O'CONNELL until Mr. O'CONNELL had completed his contract. He then took up his residence in Rhinelander, being joined by his family whom he had left behind in Michigan, and for six years he worked there as a common laborer, finding plenty to do, as it was in the early days of that city, when it was building up rapidly owing to the development of the lumber industry there. At the end of that period he came to Tomahawk, and began to advance a little in position, as he was a fireman and engineer in mills for three years and subsequently worked seven years as electrician in the employ of W. H. BRADLEY. By this time he had realized that if he remained a mere wage earner he could never do much more than make a bare living, and that in order to really prosper he must work for himself. The only way to do this was to get on the land, and so in 1898 he homesteaded 160 acres in the town of King, and set to work in an effort to wrest fortune from the soil. Those who have tried it know that this is no easy task, particularly when you have to begin at the beginning, as Mr. HANSEN had to do. There were no improvements on the place, the land being all covered with timber, and he began accordingly by making a small clearing and building a log but or house, in which he and his family took up their quarters. His subsequent experience was much like that of all pioneers who have to fight the battle with nature. Progress was slow but fairly steady and each year found him with a little more land cleared and in a better position than the one before, but the first years were hard ones and there was no luxury and none too much comfort in the Hansen home. But things have changed since then. When the right time came Mr. HANSEN bought 80 acres more, adjoining his original tract, and he has since cleared a part of that. He has now 95 acres cleared and under cultivation. When prosperity began to dawn upon him he replaced his original log house with a good frame one and built a substantial barn and other useful or necessary buildings, he and his family personally doing all the work. The farm is now operated by himself and his son Theodore under the firm name of Hansen & Son. They are engaged in general farming and dairying, have a herd of 25 registered and grade Holstein cattle and are milking on an average 15 cows. They made specialties of dairying and potato raising, and are well supplied with all necessary machinery, including a grain separator and a Fordson tractor. It has taken a good many years to develop this fine place into its present condition, but the labor has been well spent and the Hansen farm is now numbered among the best in the county for its size. Mr. and Mrs. HANSEN have three children, two sons and one daughter, namely: Clifford C., who is a farmer in the town of Lincoln; Dadmar Victoria, widow of John WOODCOCK and a resident of New York City, and Theordore H. The last mentioned was born in Michigan in 1883, was educated in the schools of Tomahawk, Wis., and has always remained at home helping his parents to improve the farm. The elder son, Clifford, in July, 1918, entered the United State service, becoming a member of the Engineer Corps of the "Cactus Division," and being stationed in Texas until after the armistice was signed.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 523-524; History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others; H.C. Cooper Jr. & Co, 1924

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