HANS, PETER

HANS, JANUS, ZOLLER

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 3/25/2004 at 15:46:52

Biography reproduced from page 267 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Peter Hans has been identified with agricultural interests of Ledyard township, where he owns a hundred and sixty acres of land, for more than twenty years. He was born in Germany, October 8, 1856, and there he was also reared and educated. At the age of twenty-six years he emigrated to the United States, going direct to Moline, Illinois. Two years later, in 1885, he came to Kossuth county, locating a mile north of Germania in Ledyard township, where he farmed as a renter. Later he removed to the Moulton farm, south of Ledyard, remaining there until 1892. The same year he bought his present farm, which was partially improved, from John Smith, and has ever since diligently applied himself to its cultivation and has met with a good measure of success in his undertakings. Mr. Hans is very practical and progressive in his methods and directs his work with good judgment and foresight. Most of his land has natural drainage but wherever needed he has it tiled, and devotes his fields almost entirely to the raising of such cereals as can be used for feeding. He raises cattle and hogs for the market and such stock as is needed on the farm. All of the buildings now standing on the place have been erected during the ownership of Mr. Hans, who has installed many modern conveniences and appliances to minimize labor and expedite work. He is one of the enterprising and progressive citizens of the township, and assisted in the organization of the Farmers Elevator Company at Germania in 1910 and has ever since been president of this enterprise. He is also a stockholder in the Cooperative Creamery Company at Germania, and for twelve years was a director of the Ledyard Creamery Company, but has disposed of his interest in the latter concern. He likewise owns stock in the International Harvester Company.

Mr. Hans was married at Moline, Illinois, to Miss Minnie Janus, also a native of Germany, and they have become the parents of ten children, all but the eldest of whom were born in Kossuth county. In order of birth they are as follows: Mary, the wife of Carl Zoller, who runs a meat market in Germania; Albert; Peter, Jr., who is a graduate of Humboldt College; and William, Bertha, Louise, Aaron, Walter, and Hubert and Hugo, the two latter twins. Mr. and Mrs. Hans also have three grandchildren, Donald, Albert and Novella, the children of Mrs. Zoller.

The family are members of the German Lutheran church at Germania. In politics Mr. Hans is a stanch republican and has given his support to the candidates of that party ever since granted the right of franchise. He has been treasurer of the Ledyard township school board for the past eight years and committeeman for two, while he served as township trustee for twelve or fourteen years. He possesses high standards of citizenship and takes an active interest in promoting the community welfare. Mr. Hans has never had occasion to regret becoming a citizen of the United States, as he has here found the opportunities he sought and is meeting with success in the development of his interests.