Biography of Fred J. Hanson
Son of John Hanson and Elizabeth Ducklow Hanson
[Published January 25, 2009]

The biography of Fred J Hanson that follows is excerpted from page 480 of a book titled History of Barron Co., Wisconsin published by H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co. in 1922. This tome is another example of a self-congratulating local "history" filled dotted with complementary language outlining the life and virtues of a local area's many esteemed citizens. This history book's volume of pages are a primarily a collection of paid autobiographies of some residents the Barron County area with some some information about the attractive features of the county that make it a great place to carve-out a living. A separate post in this blog containing biography of Charles Ducklow discusses the economic nature of this types of local biographical books.

Fred J Hanson was the first born of Elizabeth Ducklow and John Hanson. Elizabeth was Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow's tenth child. Elizabeth and John Hanson moved from the Oconomowoc area to Clinton Township in Barron County about three years after the were wed. both Fred and his sister Nellie came to Barron County as very young children (ages three and one, respectively).

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Fred J. Hanson, an active farmer of section 11, Clinton Township, was born at Oconomowoc, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Dec. 2, 1883, the son of John and Elizabeth (Ducklow) Hanson, natives of Ashland County, Wisconsin [see footnote], of Norwegian and Irish descent. John Hanson is a farmer and carpenter. He came to Clinton Township in 1886, and secured 80 acres in section 2, to which he later added 80 more, making a good place of 160 acres, which he developed, and where he carried on general farming until his retirement. In the family there were eight children. Fred J. is a Clinton farmer. Nellie is the wife of Charles Blair, of Clinton Township. Charles farms on the old homestead, Lila is in Rice Lake. Theodore J. lives in Poskin, this county. Gordon, Clarence and an unnamed infant are dead. Fred J. was brought to this township when he was three years old, and was here reared and educated. He thoroughly learned farming and carpentering from his father, and remained at home until after he was 27 years old, helping with the farm work and following his trade throughout the surrounding country. In the fall of 1911 he bought 80 acres in section 11, Clinton Township. He has developed this into a good place, and here he successfully carries on general farming, stock raising and dairying, breeding good cows, horses, sheep and swine. He is one of the enterprising young men of the community, modern in his methods, liberal in his ideas, and held in the highest liking and esteem by all who know him. Mr. Hanson was married at Dallas, this county, Sept. 27, 1911, to Hilma Thollander, who was born in Clinton Township on Feb. 18, 1890, the daughter of Charles J. and Signe Thollander, natives respectively of Sweden and Norway, and early settlers of Clinton Township, who now live at Hudson, this state. There were two other children in the family: Teekla and Emma, who died at the age of two years. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have two bright children. Budd J. was born Oct. 28, 1915, and Glen C. was born April 8, 1917.

Footnote: This biography states that John and Elizabeth are natives of Ashland, Wisconsin. This is the only reference the author has ever found stating that Elizabeth or John are from Ashland. If they were from Ashland, they had lived there for only a very short time. Both Elizabeth and John were born in Dodge and and Jefferson Counties in southern Wisconsin, were wed there and had their first two children born there.

Footnote: The original publication occurred in 1922. Its copyright expired on or before 1997 . The book is now in the public domain.

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