Hanson, Borger 1856 – 1931
HANSON, NYGAARD, SCHAGER, MYRANN, NELSON, DANIELSON
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/18/2015 at 12:13:21
BORGER HANSON.
From carpenter to the position of one of the foremost contractors and builders of Decorah is a wide step to take, yet Borger Hanson has reached that position without outside help or special advantages, through his own efforts, and is considered today one of the foremost citizens of his community and one of its most substantial men, being also connected with other important enterprises in this locality. Born on March 10, 1856, in the kingdom of Norway, he is a son of Hans Peter and Bertha (Schager) Nygaard, natives of Norway. The father followed the occupation of farming in the old country, where he passed away on January 2, 1871, but his wife subsequently came to the United States and made her home with our subject from 1886 until her demise in 1892.
Borger Hanson in the acquirement of his education attended the excellent common schools of his native country and subsequently went to Christiania, where he learned the cabinet-maker's trade. The opportunities and advantages of the new world appealing to him, he came in 1876, when twenty years of age, to the United States and located in Decorah, Iowa, where he engaged in building and contracting. There he remained for two years but in 1878 made removal to Fargo, North Dakota, where he was one of the first settlers to take up a homestead in the Red River valley, in Traill county. He became the owner of two hundred and forty acres and subsequently added to his ranch by acquiring another one hundred and sixty acres of school land. For seventeen years he gave his sole attention to the improvement and cultivation of his farm, remaining in that northern state until the fall of 1895, when he returned to Decorah to engage again in the contracting and building business. In 1910 he disposed of his North Dakota interests and now gives all of his time to contracting and subletting. He has built the gymnasium at the Luther College and superintended the carpenter work on the dormitory and built the hospital on the college grounds. Moreover, he has erected many residences in Decorah and country homes in Winneshiek county, his extensive business connections speaking well for his ability and integrity. As his means have increased he has become connected with other important institutions and is now serving in the third year as a director of the Decorah State Bank, while he is also a stockholder in the Winneshiek Hotel Company and the Farmers Creameries. He owns, moreover, five hundred and sixty acres of well improved land in northern Minnesota, which he rents and from which he receives a gratifying income.
In 1880 Mr. Hanson was united in marriage to Miss Nicoline Myrann, a daughter of Asle and Astrid (Nelson) Myrann, natives of Norway. The father followed agricultural pursuits throughout his life and upon coming to the United States became one of the pioneer settlers of Winneshiek county, where he located in Madison township, buying land, to the cultivation of which he devoted the remainder of his life. Both the father and mother passed away there. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson were the parents of ten children: Borghild Hansine died at the age of thirty-two years. Alma Amanda passed away when but seven months old. Alma Alvilde, the wife of Rev. P. C. Danielson, who is pastor of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Fort Dodge, Iowa, is the mother of three children, Agnes Caroline, Evelyn Caroline and Baby Danielson. Cora Elizabeth died when seventeen years of age. Hans Peter, the eldest son in the family, is at present attending the Agricultural College at Ames, this state. Asle Norvin is pursuing a course in civil engineering at the State University at Iowa City. Sigurd Olaf takes an agricultural course at Ames, Iowa. Dagmar Victoria will graduate from the Decorah high school in 1916. Gisley Waldemar and Philip Yerner both died in 1902, the former at the age of two years and the latter in infancy.
Mr. Hanson gives his allegiance to the republican party, and the family are members of the United Lutheran church. Setting out upon his career without particular advantages or influence, he has attained to a prominent and substantial position in the community life of Decorah—a position which he has attained by his own efforts. He has well earned the proud title of self-made man and enjoys the confidence and good-will of all who come in contact with him in a business or social way.
Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark Publishing Company 1913
Decorah Lutheran Cemetery gravestone
Winneshiek Biographies maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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