Stener Hanson

HANSON, SCARBOROUGH, LARSON

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/26/2010 at 04:30:36

STENER HANSON

A considerable proportion of the citizens of Winnebago county claim Norway as the land of their nativity. Among this number is Stener Hanson, who was there born February 22, 1842, a son of Hans and Annie (Scarborough) Hanson, who were also natives of Norway. Coming to America with their family, they settled in Racine county, Wisconsin, in 1846, and there the father secured land and carried on farming throughout his remaining days, his death occurring in 1881. He had for six years survived his wife, who passed away in 1875.

Stener Hanson was reared and educated in Wisconsin and at the age of twenty years he responded to the call of his adopted country for troops, enlisting in defense of the Union as a member of Company E, Nineteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, in 1862. With that command he served until the close of the war and after the cessation of hostilities he returned home and worked at the mason's trade, which he followed for many years. In 1882 he came to Lake Mills, Winnebago county, where he has since followed his trade and has thus been actively connected with industrial interests of the district. He also has a nice farm of forty acres on section 10, Center township, and has improved the property to a considerable extent. Upon the place is an old log cabin which was built in 1867 and remains one of the landmarks of this section.

In January, 1882, Mr. Hanson was married to Miss Margaret Larson and to them have been born four children: Hans; Louisa, who is a nurse in a Chicago hospital; Lawrence, a telegraph operator; and Theresa, a teacher in the schools of Emmet county, Iowa.

In his political views Mr. Hanson is a republican, while his religious faith is that of the Lutheran church, to the teachings of which he loyally adheres. He was formerly identified with the Grand Army of the Republic when a post existed at Lake Mills, but it has been disbanded. However, in days of peace he has been as true and loyal to his country as when he followed the stars and stripes on the battlefields of the south. He has ever been actuated by a spirit of devotion to the public good, and his work and worth both as a man and a citizen have been widely acknowledged.

Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 517-518.