22 Dec., 1932 - The Enterprise

EARLY SETTLER ANSWERS CALL

Lorenz Hanson Passes Away At Age of 92 Years. Settled On York Creek Homestead In 1868.

PROMINENT EARLY CITIZEN

Lorenz Hanson, one of the best known and best loved characters of the early days of this county, passed away Dec. 16, 1932 at the home of his daughter, Clara Nelson of Glen Ellyn, Ill., with whom he had made his home for several years.

He was born near Trondheim, Norway on March 1, 1840, and had he lived until his next birthday, would have been 93 years of age.

After he had finished his military service in the year 1866, he, with a younger brother, set sail for America, and after six weeks of rough sea landed in Quebec, Ontario. From Quebec, the two brothers, with several other Norwegian emigrants, came overland to Spring Grove, Minn. Mr. Hanson remained in Minnesota but a few months. In the fall of 1867 he came to Council Bluffs, Ia., and in the spring of 1868 he filed on a homestead on York Creek in Washington Co, Nebr., thirty five miles north of Omaha. Omaha being the nearest trading point, Mr. Hanson often made the trip on foot carrying home his necessary supplies on his back.

In 1871 he was united in marriage to Johanna Anderson who preceded him in death on April 6, 1924. To this happy union nine children were born, three of whom died in infancy. Those left to mourn their father’s passing are Hans L. of Mullen, Idaho; Caroline Poucher of Omaha, Neb; Clara Nelson of Glen Ellyn, Ill; Karl L. and Lorentz of Blair, Nebr. and Emily Hodgkins of Choteau, Montana. there are also 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild, besides a host of relatives and friends to whom he was near and dear.

Mr. Hanson was a most successful farmer in his day, and being a man of kindly disposition and strictly honest, he became known for miles as an outstanding citizen. His advice and council were sought by the entire community in which he lived. In those early days when it was miles to a physician, and but little or nor money to pay for such services, Mr. Hanson acted as physician, and was called far and near to minister to the sick.

Always industrious, he not only found time to do his own farm work, but did most of the carpenter work for his community.

It does not come to all of us to gain and retain the love and respect of our fellow man as did Mr. Hanson, and in all the privilege of the writer to have known him, we have heard nothing but words of highest praise for him. He was a devout Christian of the Norwegian Lutheran faith and he lived the part.

He was the last of his immediate family to go. An older sister, at the age of 97 years, preceded him in June of this year. In spite of his advanced age, he retained his faculties and interest in every day affairs, having eagerly gone to the polls to cast his vote at the last presidential election, and he was active up to within a week of his death which was caused by pneumonia.

Surely when such an exemplary life is ended, and the transition is made, the pearly gates will open wide to welcome him to that haven of rest, and the divine words will be heard “well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of they reward”.

The funeral services were conducted in the Bendorf Parlors in Blair Tuesday with Rev. Walter H. Jackson in charge. The test was “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith”. Interment was made in the Thone Cemetery.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

FindaGrave #109910978