his property in good condition and from his fields reaps an abundant harvest, which yields him profitable returns. He is regarded as one of the substantial men of the community as in addition to his realty holdings he is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of McCallsburg and the Roland Creamery.
In 1891 Mr. Helvig completed his arrangements for a home in his marriage to Miss Mina Hanson, who was a daughter of Charlie Hanson, a pioneer of Illinois, in which state Mrs. Helvig was born. They became the parents of four children, three of whom are still living: Clarence, Esther and Mina, all of whom are at home. The wife and mother passed away in 1899.
The family always attended the Lutheran church, of which the parents were members, Mr. Helvig still being identified with that denomination. Ever since attaining his majority he has stanchly adhered to the principles of the republican party. He has always taken an active interest in local politics and has served in many of the township offices, the duties of which he discharged to the satisfaction of his constituency. He is highly regarded in the community where he has spent his entire life and retains the friendship of many of his boyhood comrades, which is a tribute to his fine principles of life.
HARRY PAUL HANSON, M. D.
Prominent among the professional men of Story county is Dr. Harry Paul Hanson, physician and surgeon, who for ten years past has been located at Cambridge. He comes of good Norwegian parentage and was born at Christiania, Norway, January 14, 1870, a son of Bernhardt and Sophia Hanson. The mother passed away shortly after his birth and the father remained in Norway until 1887, when he came to America and located in Cleveland, Ohio. He was in the optical business in his native country but was engaged in the mercantile pursuits at Cleveland for about twenty years and is now living retired in that city.
Harry Paul Hanson remained at home until fifteen years of age, receiving his education up to that time in the common schools of the country and at Christiania University. Being an ambitious lad, he decided to come to the United States, and on August 5, 1885, he landed from a vessel in New York city, being then only fifteen years of age, a stranger in a strange land and with no knowledge of the English language. He felt the importance of larger educational training and, saving his money, he later became a student in the Case School of Applied Sciences at Cleveland, one of the most noted institutions of the kind in America, and took a course in civil engineering. During the summer vacations he was employed as a nurse of the Hon. James Hoyt, a Cleveland millionaire, and for five years he was