Hansen, Hans L.

HANSEN, CASPERSEN, WEIM, KOELSO, LUCKSTEDT, STUEBJE, HOLTZ, FRY, SPECHT, STORM, SCHRADER, GREVE, MANGLER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 1/25/2003 at 09:17:38

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

HANS L. HANSEN.

One of the most thrifty and enterprising farmers and stock-raisers of Waterford township is Hans L. Hansen, whose home is on section 16. He was born in the province of Schleswig, Germany, January 19, 1852, and was fourteen years of age when he crossed the ocean with his parents, Lorenz and Anna Margaretta (Caspersen) Hansen, who were also natives of Schleswig. They took passage on the steamship Bavaria and after a voyage of nineteen days landed in New York. They immediately came to Iowa, crossing the Mississippi at Lyons, and in this county the father work as a laborer for two years. He then rented a farm of two hundred and forty acres at Bryan from Henry Ingerson, and after residing there for three years bought one hundred and twenty acres on section 16, Waterford township. To the improvement and cultivation of that place he devoted his energies until 1877, when he sold out to our subject, but continued to live with him until his death, which occurred March 2, 1895. His wife had previously died, in June, 1882, and both were buried in McClure cemetery, Waterford township. They were the parents of four children, namely: Augusta, now the widow of Peter Weim and a resident of Boone, Iowa; Carl Thomas, who married Rica Koelso and lives near Early, Sac county, Iowa; Hans L., our subject; and Martin, who lives with our subject.

Hans L. Hansen attended school in his native land until the emigration of the family to America in 1866. During his early residence in Iowa he worked as a farm hand, but after his father bought property he assisted in the operation of the home farm, which was only partially improved when it came into the possession of the father, but with the aid of our subject it was soon placed under a high state of cultivation. The year before his marriage he purchased the farm, and in connection with its operation he also carried on a rented farm of one hundred and twenty acres, three miles from his homestead, for one year. He has added to his property from time to time until he now has three hundred and ninety acres in one body, constituting one of the best farms in the county. On the 18th of May, 1898, his place lay in the path of the tornado and cyclone which swept over the county and much of his property was destroyed, including twenty-one buildings, five head of cattle and two hundred and sixty-six hogs. The roof was torn from his house and carried seven miles away, together with the contents of all the rooms on the second floor, with the exception of one stand with a lamp on it. Dressers, beds, carpets, pictures and everything were swept away. Mr. Hansen received a slight wound in the right hand, but the other members of the family escaped uninjured. He has since rebuilt his residence, erected good barns, granaries, etc., and now has one of the best improved farms in that locality.

Mr. Hansen was married, January 19, 1877, in the Masonic Temple, at Lyons, to Miss Maria Christina Henrietta Luckstedt, ‘Squire Henningsen performing the ceremony. Mrs. Hansen was born in Jackson county, Iowa, April 9, 1860, and is a daughter of John and Sophia (Stuebie) Luckstedt, both natives of Mecklenburg, Germany. They came to America about 1858 on a sailing vessel, and were seven weeks and three days in crossing the Atlantic to New York. After spending six months in Lyons, Iowa, they moved to the country and Mr. Luckstedt worked as a day laborer one year. The following year he operated a rented farm, and subsequently rented Captain Smith’s farm in Jackson county one year, and Henry Swan’s farm in Clinton county for about two years. At the end of that time he purchased one hundred and forty acres of land on sections 9 and 16, Waterford township, and made his home thereon until his death, which occurred March 15, 1897. His wife died December 19, 1888, and both were laid to rest in the McClure cemetery. They had a family of six children, three sons and three daughters: Fred, who married Minnie Holtz and lives in Jones county, Iowa; George, who married Katie Fry and resides on the Luckstedt homestead; Maria, wife of our subject; August, who married Minnie Specht and resides on a farm in Jones county; Annie, wife of Fred Storm, of the same county; and Ida, who was married in the spring of 1901 to John Schrader, of Jones county.

Mr. and Mrs. Hansen are the parents of eleven children, all born in Clinton county, namely: Lawrence J., born April 14, 1878, was married June 6, 1900, to Martha Greve and is now secretary and treasurer for Greve, Hansen & Company, at Clinton; Agnes, born October 12, 1880, died at the age of nine months and was buried in McClure’s cemetery; Johanna L., born November 7, 1881, was married October 10, 1900 to Fred C. Mangler and resides in Green Island, Jackson county, Iowa; August M., born September 9, 1883, assists his father in the operation of the farm; and Josephine Christina, born January 13, 1886, Laura S., born February 21, 1888, Annie M., born April 3, 1890, Frederick C., born May 27, 1892, George H., born October 3, 1894, and W. Bryan, born April 3, 1897, and Marcella Grace, born November 26, 1900, are all at home.

Socially Mr. Hansen is a member of the Mystic Workers and Camp No. 2486, M. W. A., of Charlotte, and politically he affiliates with the Democracy. He has served as road supervisor and treasurer of the school board for a number of years, but has never cared for office only to see that the affairs of the county are conducted for the best interests of all. He is a pleasant, agreeable gentleman, and is highly esteemed by all who know him.