Theodore Sophus Hanson
Theodore Sophus Hanson, cashier of the Worth County State Bank at Northwood, occupies an enviable position in the business and financial circles of his city. Throughout almost the entire period of his connection with business life he has been identified with banking, and his long experience and thorough training have enabled him to work his way steadily upward to the responsible position which he now fills. He is a prominent representative of financial activity in northern Iowa, being identified with several banks.
He was born in Northwood, April 21, 1878, a son of Hans Jens and Anne (Gunderson) Hanson, the former a native of Denmark, while the latter was born in Norway. The father's birth occurred February 25, 1842, and ere leaving his native country he served in the Danish army. In early life he there learned the blacksmith's trade and after coming to the United States in 1864, he settled in Janesville, Wisconsin, where he resided for one year. He afterward removed to a farm near Freeborn, Minnesota, and about that time, on the 19th of November, 1867, was married to Miss Anne Gunderson. They began their domestic life in Minnesota, where they remained for about five years, and in 1872 removed to Northwood, where they have since made their home save for a period of three years spent in Seattle, Washington. Mrs. Anne Hanson was born in Telemarken, Norway, April 7, 1852, a daughter of Sven and Aasne Gunderson, who in the year 1861 came to America as passengers on a sailing vessel, the voyage covering seven weeks. They landed at Quebec and from that point made their way to Wisconsin, settling near Stoughton, where they remained for a short time. They afterward removed to a claim near Blue Earth, Minnesota, and were driven from that locality by the Indians in 1864, at the time of the historic New Ulm massacre. They then made their way to Freeborn, Minnesota, and in 1891 they became residents of Northwood, Iowa, where they resided until called to their final rest. The death of Mr. Gunderson occurred in 1907, when he had reached the advanced age of eighty-two years, and his wife passed away in 1909 at the age of eighty-four years. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Hanson were four children, but two of the number died in early childhood, the surviving daughter and son being, Mrs. Charles H. Madsen and Theodore S. Hanson, of this review, both residents of Northwood. It was in 1912 that Mr. Hanson returned with his family from Seattle, Washington, and his since made his home in Northwood.
Spending his youthful days under the parental roof, Theodore S. Hanson acquired his education in the public schools of his native city, passing through consecutive grades to his graduation from the high school with the class of 1895. During vacation periods and on Saturdays, before his school days were over, he engaged in clerking in the general store of Brunsvold Brothers and, upon completing his high school course, he accepted a position in the Manly Bank at Manly, Iowa. He remained there as assistant cashier from November 1, 1895, until the 1st of November, 1897, when he entered the employ of Strauss & Gunderson, clothiers of Northwood, with whom he continued until the 1st of November, 1898. However, he preferred the banking business and at the latter date he became teller of the Worth County State Bank, with which he was connected in that capacity until 1899. He was then made assistant cashier and so continued until 1905, being elected cashier on the 1st of November of the latter year. He has since served in that capacity, covering a period of twelve Years, and in January, 1918, was advanced to the position of vice president. He is one of the stockholders in the bank, also in the Farmers State Bank of Gordonville, the First State Bank of Myrtle and the Security Bank of Meltonville. He is likewise a director in the Worth County State Bank, is president and a director of the First State Bank of Myrtle and a director of the Security Bank at Meltonville.
On the 11th of June, 1901, in Northwood, Mr. Hanson was married to Miss Rose Savre, a daughter of E. E. Savre, who was sheriff of Worth county for several years during the early period of its development. To this marriage have been born three children, Vern, Maurice and Robert.
The parents are members of the Northwood Lutheran congregation and Mr. Hanson is serving as treasurer of the church. He has also been superintendent of the Sunday school for ten years until the present year. He is now chorister of the church and takes an active and helpful interest in all branches of church work.
In the spring of 1900 he was elected city treasurer of Northwood and has held the office continuously since, a fact indicative of the faithfulness and capability with which he has discharged his duties and also indicative of the unqualified confidence reposed in him by the public. In 1909 he was elected a member of the board of education and has since served in that capacity, being chosen president of the board in 1916. He belongs to the Iowa Bankers' Association and in 1912 served as secretary of group three, while in 1913 he was made chairman of that group. He acted as chairman of the liberty loan committee for Worth county at the first and second liberty loans. A most public-spirited citizen, he stands for all that has to do with the benefit and progress of his community and his labors have been far-reaching and resultant. Having passed practically his entire life in Northwood, he is widely known and his history is as an open book which all may read. He has a very wide acquaintance and the consensus of public opinion places him with the foremost residents of this section of the state.
SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 97-99
Transcribed by Gordon Felland, January 5, 2006