ANDREW P. HANSON.
Among the citizens of Audubon county, Iowa, who have built up comfortable homes and surrounded themselves with valuable personal property and real property as well, few have attained a greater degree of success than Andrew P. Hanson, a well-known farmer of Oakfield township. With few opportunities except what his own efforts were capable of mastering and with many discouragements to overcome he has achieved an exceptional success in life, and now has the gratification of knowing that the community has been benefited by his presence and by his counsel. He is regarded as a good business man and excellent manager, a man possessed of sound judgment and keen foresight, and one who believes in always pressing forward. Mr. Hanson has ever enjoyed the respect and esteem of those who know him. His friendly manner, his business ability, his interest in public affairs, and upright living has won for him the universal esteem of the people of Audubon county.
Andrew P. Hanson was born on April 7, 1869, at Fyn, Denmark, son of Jens and Karen (Axelsen) Hanson, both natives of Denmark. The former was born on March 10, 1836, and the latter on June 4, 1830. Jens P. Hanson received his education in Denmark. His parents were very poor, and he had to start out early in life and work as a farm hand. He served in the German and Danish War of 1864. By careful economy he managed to save part of his wages, both in his native land and in this country. He came to America in 1874 and located at Avoca, Iowa, where he purchased a house for thirty dollars. It was twelve feet square. Mr. Hanson started to work for the railroad as a section hand, and was thus employed for four years. After this he purchased forty acres of land in section 4, of Oakfield township. This land was bought from the Rock Island Railroad at six dollars an acre. Mr. Hanson paid sixty-six dollars cash for the first payment. Later he increased his holdings to one hundred and twenty acres.
Jens and Karen (Axelsen) Hanson had four children, Christian, Christiana, Lena and Andrew P. Christian married Botilda Wolf. Christiana married Nels Christensen. Lena married Chris Peterson.
Andrew P. Hanson received a very limited education in Avoca, Iowa, where he attended school for two years. Then his parents moved to Audubon county. Since there were no schools in the township where they settled, the children had no opportunity of continuing their studies. Andrew P. worked at herding cattle for four years. His father's health failed and he had to take up his father's work, and worked for him until he was twenty-one years old. His father turned over the farm to him, which is the place upon which he is now living. Mr. Hanson purchased a hundred and sixty acres in addition. He now owns two hundred and eighty acres. He has put ten thousand dollars worth of improvements upon the place. He has modern barns. His home is strictly modern, and has electric lights, hardwood floors, and all other conveniences. Mr. Hanson raises about one hundred acres of corn a year which averages at least fifty bushels to the acre. He also raises seventy acres of small grain, which produces thirty-five bushels to the acre. Mr. Hanson feeds about a hundred and fifty head of cattle a year, and milks about twenty cows the year round. He keeps about one hundred head of cattle on the place, and this has proved a very profitable investment.
When Andrew P. Hanson was twenty-one years old he was elected revisor of the West Hamlin cry. He was elected president of the cry when he was twenty-five years old. He held that office for ten years. He has been township trustee of Oakfield township for ten years.
Andrew P. Hanson was married on December 27, 1893, to Elsie Katherine Christensen, daughter of Andrew R. and Elsie Mary (Nelson) Christensen. Ten children have been born to this union, Lillie, James, Maggie, Alfred, Elsie, Dollie, William, Hazel, Russel and Ida. All are living at home. Mrs. Hanson was born in Denmark. Her parents were natives of that country. Her father was a tailor by trade and has followed that occupation all his life. He was born in Jutland, Denmark, January 3, 1844. His wife was born October 11, 1846, and died January 3, 1884. Andrew R. Christensen died in Denmark, April 19, 1915. He and his wife had four children, Nels, Trena, Thomas and Elsie.
Mr. Hanson's father died October 19, 1895, and his mother died December 11, 1903.
In politics Andrew P. Hanson is a Republican. He is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church, and has been an elder in the church for a good many years. He is a member of the church conference of the state of Iowa, and is president of the Marne and Elkhorn Telephone Company.
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Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, September, 2019 from History of Audubon County, Iowa Its People, Industries and Institutions With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, by H. F. Andrews, editor, Indianapolis: B. F. Bowen & Company, 1915, pp. 658-660.
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