To all lovers of biographical history the story of the life of Hans Reimer Claussen should certainly be a treat. His life was most active and full of honors. From his boyhood days up to the time of his death he labored most assiduously with his voice, pen and arms to better the condition of his fellow-men.
Banished from his native land where he had through his own force of character created a name and fame for himself as a most eminent man of letters and statesmanship, he came to the United States and through the possession of those qualities that brought him into prominence in Schleswig-Holstein, he rose to a high position among the most eminent men of the West.
He was born on the twenty-third day of February, 1804, in the Province of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. He received a college education at Meldorf and studied law at the University of Kiel. In 1830 he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of his profession, first at Heide and afterward in 1834 he removed to Kiel, the principal place in the Province and the seat of the Supreme Court and State University. In 1840 he was elected a member of the Legislature for Holstein and was repeatedly reëlected until 1851, when he was exiled and emigrated to the United States.
The establishment of a republic in France in 1848 created throughout Germany great political excitement. The revolution was victorious; in Berlin and Vienna the people were clamorous for a united Germany, a German Parliament, liberty of the press, and such a bill of rights as is secured to the American people. The kings had to consent to a German Parliament, which convened at Frankfort -on -the-Main in May, 1848, and in which Mr. Claussen, elected from Holstein, was a member. The assembly was a sort of constitutional convention; it framed a constitution for Germany which did not take effect, the kings refusing to accept The present constitution, however, contains very essential parts of the constitution so framed.
Schleswig-Holstein belonged to the Kingdom of Denmark till 1864, although the inhabitants were nearly all Germans and were always dissatisfied with the Danish Government, which was tyrannical, oppressive and burdensome by unjust and heavy taxation. They Cherished a hope to be released from the Danish Government by the death of the ruling king, Friedrich VII, since his successor, Christian VIII, had no right to the government in Schleswig-Holstein. The Danish king had, however, made several efforts to change the law of succession so as to make it uniform for all parts of the Danish monarchy, and thus to keep Schleswig-Holstein united with Denmark. This policy of the Danish king had created a feverish excitement and was the cause of very bitter controversies between the Danish king, his German subjects and their representatives. In 1848, when nearly the whole of Germany was in arms against the rulers, the Germans in Schleswig-Holstein also took up arms against the Danish king, to conquer and gain their independence. The Legislature, however, had previously sent a delegation of five of their members to Copenhagen to present their grievances to the King of Denmark; Mr. Claussen was one of the five. On their arrival they were in great danger of their lives, the excited Danes intending to mob them; the hotel where they lodged was surrounded by thousands who in their excitement called them traitors and disloyal to their king.
When they drove to the palace of the king the streets were densely crowded with excited men, who attempted to overthrow the coaches and mob them. The better educated Danes and particularly the students made strenuous and successful efforts to save their lives. The king received them courteously, but refused to grant their petitions. When they returned they found the people in arms and a Provincial Government established, which sent Claussen to Berlin to obtain aid from the Prussian Government; in this mission he was successful; a Prussian army entered Schleswig-Holstein, drove out the Danish army and occupied the Province. The Schleswig-Holstein army maintained the government of the Germans against Denmark up to 1851, when Prussia and Austria resolved, by an army entering Schleswig-Holstein, to compel the people thereof to subjection and obedience to their Danish king.
After the restoration of the Danish power, a general amnesty was granted to the king's disloyal subjects, excepting about twenty persons, and Claussen among them, who were exiled from their native country. The writ of banishment was as follows:
ALLERHOCHSTES PATENT
betreffend die Amnestie für das Herzogthum Holstein.
Kopenhagen, den 29 sten März, 1852.
Wir, FRIEDRICH der SIEBENTE, von Gottes Gnaden König zu Dänemark, der Wenden und Gothen, Herzog zu Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn, der Dithmarschen und zu Lauenburg, wie auch zu Oldenburg, etc., etc.
Thun kund hiermit:
Nach Wiederherstellung unsere landesherrlichen Gewalt in unserm Herzogthum Holstein haben wir in Verbindung mit der, durch unsere allerhöchste Bekanntmachung vom 29 sten Januar, d . J. , für diesen Zeitpunkt angeordneten Revision des für unser Herzogthum Schleswig unter dem 10ten Mai, d. J., erlassenen Patents betreffend die Amnestie die in dieser Beziehung für unser Herzogthum Holstein erforderlichen Bestimmungen gleichzeitig zu treffen uns allerhöchst bewogen gefunden. Wir gebieten und befehlen demnach wie folgt:
1. Alle unsere Unterthanen vom geistlichen und Civil-Stande, welche an dem im März, 1848, in unseren Herzogtthumern Schleswig und Holstein ausgebrochenen Aufruhr Theil genommen haben oder wirksam gewesen sind, denselben zu fordern, wollen wir unsere landesväterliche Gnade und Verzeihung, wegen der von ihnen begangenen rein Politischen Vergehungen dargestalt angedeihen lassen, dasz eine Un tersuchung und Bestrafung wegen derselben nur dann statt finden soll, Wenn sie sich solcher Vergehen aufs Neue schuldig machen sollten.
2. Ausgeschlossen von der, im vorstehenden (Sec. 1) allergnädigst bewilligten Amnestie sind:
Der Herzog CHRISTIAN CARL FRIEDRICH AUGUST von Schleswig-Holstein - Sonderburg - Augustenburg und dessen Familie.
Der Prinz FRIEDRICH EMIL AUGUST von Schleswig-Holstein Sonderburg - Augustenburg und dessen Familie.
Der Advocat WILHELM HARTWIG BESELER.
Der vormalige Probst des adeligen Convents in Preetz, Graf FRIEDRICH REVENTLOW zu Wittenberg.
Der Kaufmann M. T. SCHMIDT. Der Ober - und Landgerichts - Advocat JUERGEN BREMER.
Der vormalige Eisenbahndirector THEODOR OLSHAUSEN.
Der fruehere Deputirte in dem vormaligen General-Zollkammer und Commerz - Collegio CARL PHILIPP FRANCKE.
Der fruehere Committirte in dem vormaligen General-Zollkammer und Commerz - Collegio RUDOLPH SCHLEIDEN.
Der vormalige Regierungsrath ANDREAS PAUL ADOLPH von HARBOU.
Die Mitglieder des vormaligen Schleswigschen Obergerichts.
Der Director, Landrath FRIEDRICH CARL HEINRICH AHLEFELDT.
HEINRICII CARL ESMARCH.
Der Landrath AUGUST DETLEF von AHLEFELDT zu Oehe.
Der vormalige Amtmann der Aemter Gottorff und Huetten, Ober director des Fleckens Cappeln, FRIEDRICH NICOLAUS ADAM LUDWIG, Baron von Lilieneron.
Der vormalige Hardesvogt der Cropp - Harde und für Meggardorf FRIEDRICH CARL FERDINAND JACOBSEN.
Der vormalige Amtsverwalter und Hausvogt im Wester- Amte Hadersleben, GEORG FRIEDRICH von KROGH.
Der vormalige Bürgermeister, Polizeimeister und Stadtvogt in Apenrade, GEORG HEINRICH LEONHARD SCHOU.
Der vormalige Probst der Probstei Hütten und Hauptprediger an der Friedrichsberger Kirche in Schleswig, NICOLAUS JOHANNES ERNST NIELSEN.
Der vormalige Prediger zu Adelby, LORENZ LORENZEN.
Der Ober - und Landgerichts - Advocat JACOB GUIDO THEODOR GULICH.
Der Ober - und Landgerichts - Advocat HANS REIMER CLAUSSEN.
3. Die vorstehend benannten Personen (Sec. 2) sind, falls sie sich in unserm Herzogthum Holstein betreten lassen sollten, sofort zur Haft zu bringen und ist in Betreff des in jedem solchen Falle zur Anwendung zu bringenden weiteren Verfahrens unsere nähere allerhöchste Ver fügung einzuholen.
4. Die Bestimmungen des Sec. 3 treten mit dem 15ten April, d. J., in Kraft.
Wonach alle Beikommende sich zu achten.
Urkundlich unter unserem Königlichen Handzeichen und vorge druckten Insiegel.
Gegeben auf unserem Schlosse Christiansborg, den 29sten März, 1832.
FRIEDRICH R. REVENTLOW, Crimind.
Hans Claussen emigrated to the United States in 1851 and estab lished his residence at Davenport; studied the English language and the laws of our country and was admitted to the bar in Iowa about two years after his arrival in the United States. In 1855 he built a steam grist-mill in Lyons, Clinton County, Iowa, where he resided about three years. He was not successful and lost almost all of his means; in 1858 he sold his mill and returned to Davenport and again commenced practicing his profession. Thus at the age of fifty - four years, when most men are thinking of retiring from active business cares, this remarkable man was forced to start afresh to build up a fortune for himself. The same characteristics, force of character, good fellowship and unswerving industry made his business in Davenport a success from the outset, and his acknowledged ability soon brought him a large clientage. In 1858 he was elected and in 1860 reëlected, a Justice of the Peace. In 1862 he admitted his son, Ernst Claussen, as partner in the business. In 1869 he was elected a Senator for four years from Scott County.
In May, 1871, he retired from the practice of law, leaving it to his son, whom he had the pleasure of seeing elected mayor of the City of Davenport for seven successive terms, and occupy a most prominent position among the eminent men of the day. He saw that son , who inherited his many good qualities, pass away from earth, mourned as no citizen of Davenport was ever mourned before. The law business which he did so much to build and put on a solid basis, he witnessed with great pride increase from year to year under the guiding hand of his beloved son, and upon his death he saw his grandson succeed to the business and display those same traits of character that made the grandfather and father so successful. It is a rare thing in this country for a business to remain in one family for three generations.
In the summer of 1871 Mr. Claussen visited his fatherland and his native Schleswig-Holstein, where the Danes had ceased to rule; the decree of exile against him had ceased to be operative since 1866, when the country passed under the rule of Prussia, and he was once more allowed to view the scenes of his boyhood and again visit his old friends. The dreams of his life were realized and he saw a united Germany, as he had struggled for in his early days. Going to Berlin he visited the German Parliament and heard the greatest statesman of our age (Bismarck) speak in regard to the administration of the Government in Alsace and Lorraine.
In 1874 he returned to the United States and led a retired life, keeping away from business, but deeply interested in all events that transpired. He contributed a great many articles upon the issues of the times, both political and social; he was always very observant and a close student of all political events. It was he that discovered the legal flaw in the prohibition constitutional amendment, which rendered that amendment illegal and unconstitutional.
He was married in May, 1832; his wife Annie was the daughter of Claus D. Rahbeck, a Danish officer; after fifty-seven years of happy wedded life she died.
Seek the wide world over and you will find very few men like Mr. Claussen, who at the age of over four-score years and ten was in the possession of a bright, active, clear mind. His was a most glorious life; he abandoned self-interest, time and time again, that the masses of the people might be benefited. Liberal in his views, both political and religious, he never acted hastily in any important matters, but deliberated fully, and when he did take a stand on either side of a question, he had weighed all things connected therewith carefully and his actions were based upon thoughtful reflection. His views on most important events were sought by the leading journalists of the country and his articles have been copied by the leading newspapers in the United States.
BIOGRAPHIES