Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
HANS M. HANSEN was born in Denmark,
March 21, 1863, the son of Peter Hansen and Sine Jespersen.
He grew up on a farm and attended the public schools, later being graduated
from the agricultural and normal courses of the agricultural college at
Klank, Denmark. In the spring of 1889, two years following his graduation,
he sailed from Copenhagen for the United States on the ship Denmark.
The vessel was wrecked about fifteen hundred miles east of New Foundland.
There were nine hundred passengers aboard, only one of whom, was drowned,
although the steamer was a total loss. The remaining passengers were
taken aboard a passing ship, and after a hazardous voyage of fifty-six
days succeeded in reaching the port of New York. A short time was
spent in New York, after which Mr. Hansen came west to Minneapolis, Minnesota,
and from that point came to Wilbur in the fall of 1890. The following
spring he engaged as a section hand with the Central Washington railway,
and was soon promoted to the position of foreman of his gang. He
remained with the company four years, when, in 1894, he engaged in buying
and selling grain. Three years later he embarked in the lumber business,
at the same time keeping up his speculations in grain. He later sold
his business and engaged with Peter M. Lyse in the mercantile business.
In February, 1902, however, he disposed of his interests in this business
and engaged in his present business, which is that of grain buying, real
estate and farm loans, with his home and headquarters in Wilbur, where
he has one of the handsomest residences in the city. He owns three
large grain warehouses, one at Wilbur and two at Govan, the three covering
a total of about nine thousand six hundred and forty square feet.
Each branch of his business is in a prosperous condition and is yielding
him good returns.
In the lodge circles of his town, Mr. Hansen
is identified with the Odd Fellows, the K. P., and the K. 0. T. M.
He was married in December, 1889, to Dorthea
Bruhn, a native of Denmark Mr. and Mrs. Hansen have been parents
of four children, whose names are, Jennie, Carrie, Alfred B. and Sigvard
T.
The family's church home is in the Lutheran
denomination.
Although coming to Wilbur without means, Mr.
Hansen has, by his habits of thrift, business sagacity and relentless
toil, achieved success to such a degree as to place him in the foremost
ranks of the business men of his town.
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