John N. Hansen 1888-1922

HANSEN, HOCHSTATTER, ANTON, ROKENBRODT, ORIGER, OLINGER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 6/26/2011 at 00:01:26

John N. Hansen Killed By Fall
The Silo Which He Was Tightening the Bands on Was Hit With Severe Wind
Silo Fell Thirty Feet on Him
Was One of Emmet County’s Highly Respected Citizens and a Prosperous Farmer
John N. Hansen, a well-known and prosperous farmer residing on what was known as the Kirby farm or the Crawford dairy farm just north of the city limits, was instantly killed last Thursday [August 17, 1922] evening when the silo he was working on was tipped over by a severe wind storm.

The silo which they were just building is made like a barrel. The strips used are about two inches thick and thirty feet long. These strips or staves so to speak, are held together and tightened with bands. They had them all in place and were just tightening the bands. Mr. Hansen saw the storm coming, he went on the scaffolding at the top of the silo, and commenced to tighten the bands. The place where the tightening rods were located was on the North side of the silo. Men were working also on the bottom bands at the time. He was getting along well with the work when the wind struck the silo and tipped the silo over so that Mr. Hansen was under it. From the indications the back of his head was struck on the ground causing a crushing of the skull. Other portions of his body were badly injured by the falling timbers. The bands not being tightened as they would be, had the silo been completed, it collapsed and was simply a pile of lumber.

Mr. Hansen has lived in this county for several years and had only purchased this farm something over a year ago. He was married about a year ago and leaves a wife; and three children by a former wife who had passed away. Mr. Hansen was an industrious hard working farmer and was making good. He has many friends in this county who will be grieved to hear of this terrible accident. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, August 23, 1922)

J. N. Hansen Killed When Silo Falls
Died Shortly After Silo Collapsed in Wind
Funeral Held Monday
Was Young and Prosperous Famer Living Just North of This City
John N. Hansen, who owns the farm just north of Estherville, known as the Crawford dairy farm, was killed last Thursday when the silo on which he was working collapsed. He died within an hour after the accident.

He had recently purchased a wooden silo from a nearby farm and was erecting it just south of the concrete silo near his big barn. The frame was up and he had two of the hoops on, one at the bottom and one in the center and at the time of the accident was putting on the third hoop at the top of the silo. The stay wires were attached and everything seemed to be working fine. Mr. Hansen was on a staging on the north side of the silo and his two hired men were on the south side. This was about 6 o’clock in the evening just as the wind and rainstorm came up. The wind was too strong for the supports to the silo and it fell to the north and on top of Mr. Hansen. One of the large planks was found across his chest and when found he was unconscious and never rallied. He died at about 7 o’clock. The two men assisting him jumped to the ground and were uninjured.

Deceased was a very hard working young man, a splendid citizen and his untimely death will be deeply mourned. A wife and three children are left to mourn the taking of a faithful husband and indulgent father.

John N. Hansen was born in Jackson county, Iowa, on Nov. 8, 1888. In 1905 he moved with his parents to Emmet county and has resided here continuously ever since, being engaged in farming during that time. Jan. 8, 1913 he was united in marriage to Miss Katie Hochstatter of Estherville, and to this union three children were born: Agnes, aged eight; Donald aged six and Dorothy four years of age. On April 25 [23], 1919, Mr. Hansen passed to her reward, and on June 1921 Mr. Hansen was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Anton of Strawberry Point.

Funeral was held from St. Patrick’s church on Monday, August 21, at 9 o’clock a.m. conducted by his pastor Father Conway. The Knights of Columbus organization, of which deceased was a member, also assisted in the funeral and burial services. The funeral was attended by a very large number of relatives and friends, who took this opportunity of paying their last respects to their beloved relative and neighbor.

Deceased is survived by a wife and three children, his mother, Mrs. Marie Hansen of Estherville, two brothers, Harry F. of Menomonie, Wis., Raymond T. of Iowa City, and six sisters, Mrs. H. Rokenbrodt, Mrs. M. Ansher, the Misses Chrissie, Alice and Emma, of Menomonie, Wis., and Mrs. H. F. Origer of Estherville, all of whom were at the funeral. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, August 23, 1922)

Mrs. H. Anton and Mrs. L. J. Olinger returned Tuesday to Cedar Rapids after being here with Mrs. John N. Hansen for the past week. They are mother and sister respectively of that lady. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, August 30, 1922)