Hans Larson

LARSON, JOHNSON, HEWITT, HANSEN

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 2/1/2010 at 17:06:23

HANS LARSON

Hans Larson, one of the foremost residents of Forest City, where he is engaged in the land business, was born in Norway on the 27th of February, 1860, a son of Lars and Leva (Larson) Larson, both of whom spent their entire lives in the land of the midnight sun. It was in 1880 that Hans Larson, then a young man of twenty years, crossed the Atlantic, landing at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of July. He made his way direct across the country to Winnebago county, Iowa, where he was employed during the summer months as a farm hand at eight dollars per month, while during the winter seasons he worked for his board. His passage money had been sent to him from Winnebago county by his cousins, Hans and L. T. Thompson, and this money he repaid soon afterward by his work as a farm hand. He was employed in that way for three years, at the end of which time he purchased a team of horses, rented land and started out independently as a farmer. From that point forward he has rapidly won success. He bent every energy to the development and improvement of his place and made his efforts count for the utmost in the attainment of prosperity. In 1885 he purchased eighty acres of land in Forest township, on which he took up his abode and there resided for twelve years. In the meantime he continued to purchase land whenever opportunity offered. He carefully saved his earnings and the money was invested in other property until he was the owner of some eight different farms in Hancock and Winnebago counties. In recent years he has sold some of this land, but he is still one of the large land holders of this section of the state and in addition he owns extensive interests in city property at Forest City and also has large land holdings in Texas, including a tract of four hundred acres near Houston which he has recently leased for oil development. He was emigration agent for several railroads of the Northwest and was the means of bringing many hundreds of settlers to North Dakota, Idaho and Washington. In 1897 he took up his abode in Forest City, where he has since resided, and he today owns and occupies its most beautiful home. In fact, he is justly accounted one of the most progressive and substantial residents of his part of the state. While he has been a progressive and enterprising farmer, the greater part of his wealth has been acquired through his successful speculations in land. He has displayed almost intuitive wisdom in recognizing the value of property and its possible rise, and land which he has purchased at a low figure has been sold at a good profit, bringing to him a gratifying return.

On May 15, 1885, Mr. Larson was united in marriage to Miss Anna Johnson, of Forest township, Winnebago county, by whom he had eight children, six of whom still survive, as follows: John M. and Lena E., both of whom are graduates of the Waldorf Lutheran College; Minnie M., also a graduate of that institution; Harry; Ida, a high school student; and Alma. Clara passed away soon after completing her course in the Waldorf Lutheran College. Lena E. is now the wife of A. D. Hewitt and resides in Lemon, South Dakota, and Minnie M. married Dr. B. E. Hansen, of Forest City, but the other surviving children are still under the parental roof.

The parents are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and in politics Mr. Larson is a republican. He may truly be called a self-made man and he deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, for his energy and industry have carried him into important relations. His life is an indication of what may be achieved when laudable ambition points out the way and persistency of purpose characterizes one's course.

Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 110-115.

Winnebago Biographies maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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