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BURT COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES

Elizabeth Sophia Robertson Toxword

      Elizabeth Sophia Robertson Toxword was born February 28, 1877 on her family's farm 5 miles northeast of Oakland, Nebraska. She was the daughter of Niels Hansen and Ane Marie (Karen) Edvardsen. She was baptized and confirmed in the English Lutheran church.

      Lizzie, as she was affectionately known, was an accomplished vocalist, pianist and artist. She attended Bellvue College in Omaha after graduating from Oakland High School in 1894. She excelled in several mediums including china painting, oils and pastels as well as music and drama. On Easter morning, April 23rd, 1905 she married Andrew Hansen. After 5 months the couple moved to a house in Bancroft and there joined the Presbyterian church. They had 3 children: Wallace, B. Marie and Donald.

      Elizabeth was born in America and so she was a citizen of this country UNTIL she married Andrew in 1905. Women at that time took their citizenship status from their husbands and Andrew had not completed the naturalization process. So, for the 8 years until he was naturalized in 1913, Elizabeth had unknowingly forfeited her citizenship!

      Elizabeth and Andrew were very active in the church. She was a member of the Ladies Aid and church choir for many years. Elizabeth was also a past matron of the Amethyst Chapter #162 of the Order of the Eastern Star and was affiliated with the Rebekah Lodge in Lyons. She was a charter member and past president of the Music and Drama club.

      Elizabeth was a resident of Bancroft for 37 years when she died in Logan Valley Hospital in Pender on September 5, 1942 from ovarian cancer. She and Andrew are buried in Lyons Cemetery, Lot 5, Block 12.

      The program for the seventh Graduating Exercises of the Oakland High School indicates that they took place on Friday, May 25th, 1894 at 8pm at Wangberg's Opera House. The class motto was "In ourselves lies Victor or Defeat."

Submitted by Janet Jones <jjones@albany.net>

Ane Marie (Karen) Edvardsdatter (Edvardsen) Toxword

      Ane Marie (Karen) Edvardsdatter Toxword was born on December 4, 1848 in Everdrup Parish, Barse District, Præsto County, Zealandt, Denmark to Edward Axelsen/Olesen and Karen Jensdatter. She was the youngest of three children (Jens Peter Edvardsen 1836 - ? and Sophie Frederikke 1842 - ?). Baptised on February 24, 1849 and confirmed on April 12, 1863 in the Lutheran Church of Everdrup, it is recorded in the church records that she was a good student.

      Ane Marie immigrated to America in the spring of 1870. She lived for three years in Lee Center, Illinois. On February 18, 1872 she was united in marriage to Niels Hansen Toxword in Du Page County, Illinois. In the spring of 1873 they moved to Burt County and settled on a farm located 6 and ½ miles southeast of Lyons, Nebraska. They were among the early settlers in that locality and withstood the hardships and privations of the pioneer. The couple were members of Grace Lutheran Church near their farm outside of Oakland.

      They had four children: Karen (Carrie) Marie (1873-1886), Edward S. (1875-1938), Elizabeth Sophia Robertson (1877-1942), and Jennie Viola (1881-1910).

      In December of 1901 the couple purchased the old Peter Ackerman farm consisting of 80 acres adjoining their land on the north paying $54 per acre for it. They retired from farming in March of 1911 and made their home in Lyons faithfully attending the Presbyterian Church there until 1931 when they moved to Bancroft to reside with their daughter, Elizabeth.

      Ane Marie passed away during her afternoon rest at home on August 29, 1933. She enjoyed good health considering her advanced age and her demise was unexpected. She was 84 years, 6 months and 25 days old.

      Funeral services were held on Thursday afternoon at the Bancroft home. Services were also conducted at the Presbyterian Church in Lyons by Rev. L.A. Thompson. Pall bearers were Harry Miller, George Keettel, M.C. Ustick, Sam Christensen, Tom Larson and E.P. Thompson.

      Surviving her were her husband, Neils; her daughter, Elizabeth Sophia Hansen and her son, Edward S. Toxword; and five grandchildren: Elizabeth's three children - Wallace Hansen, B. Marie Hansen Priest, and Donald Hansen; and Edward's two children: Eda Toxword Lindman Ramsey and Carolyn Toxword Waterhouse.

      Ane Marie was a slight little woman. She was a hard worker and a loving wife and mother. Ane Marie's large sea chest was donated to the Danish American Museum in Elkhorn, Iowa in 1998.

Submitted by Janet Jones <jjones@albany.net>

Andrew Hansen

      Andrew (Anders Andreas) Hansen was born in Næstelst, Denmark on December 28, 1870 and reared and educated in the Danish countryside, receiving baptism and confirmation in the Danish Lutheran faith. Andrew and his twin sister, Katrine, were the oldest of the 10 children (Karen Maria, Rasmus, Johanne, Hans Thomas, Lars Peter, Sanne Elizabeth, Ane Sophie Valborg, and Frederik) of Hans Hansen, a cartwright, and Birthe Larsen, his second wife.

      In the winter of 1877-78, at the age of seventeen Andrew immigrated to America making his home for a time with his uncle, Robert Hansen, on a farm near Oakland, Nebraska. His older half sister, Anna also provided some connection as her husband, Walter was a member of the Holmquist family that owned the company for which Andrew worked for 58 years. In 1895 he began employment with the Holmquist Grain and Lumber Company retiring from active service in 1945, but continuing to work with them as his health and strength permitted.

      We believe that Andrew homesteaded somewhere in North Dakota (possibly Bottineau County) and obtained his citizenship there in 1913. He was married to Elizabeth Sophia Robertson Toxword of Oakland in 1905 and had three children, Wallace (1906 - 1954), B. Marie (1908 - 1964) and Donald A. (1912 - 1990).

      Andrew was ordained an Elder of the Bancroft Presbyterian Church in 1922 and was Treasurer for many years. He was the oldest member at the time of his death in 1953. He was also a member of Bancroft Masonic Lodge No. 145 and Order of the Eastern Star. Andrew had received his 50-year pin and was holder of the Jordan medal. He was also a member of the Cobble Creek Bridge Club.

      We know without a doubt that he was a kind, gentle man who was loved by everyone. He enjoyed beer and cheese with crackers. He was a very skilled card player and was rumored to have won a bridge championship for the state of Nebraska. He never did return to Denmark so he never saw his younger sister, Valborg or Frederick who was the youngest son. His wife Elizabeth died September 4, 1942 and since retirement in 1945 he made his home in Bancroft with his son, Donald, and daughter-in-law, former Marjorie Shepard.

      Mr. Hansen was preceded in death by his wife and seven brothers and sisters. Surviving him were his two sons, Wallace of San Diego, California and Donald of Bancroft, and a daughter, B. Marie Priest of Patchogue, New York; also his twin sister, Catherine of Memphis, Tennessee, his sister Sanne of Phoenix, Arizona; a sister and a brother, Valborg and Frederik of Vordingborg, Denmark; and three grandchildren [Wallace's children, Maxine Hansen Anderson and Charles Hansen; and B.Marie's daughter, Janet Elizabeth Priest] and one great grandchild [Maxine's child?].

      Andrew died in his sleep at the age of 82 on Monday, August 3, 1953. Funeral services for Andrew Hansen were held at the First Presbyterian Church Thursday, August 6th, 1953, at 2:00pm with Rev. Harold L. Snow officiating. Millard Cates sang "Rock of Ages" and "There Is No Death" with Wilma Harms as accompanist. Pallbearers were Clement Ward, George Diedrichsen, Dr. Lyle Egerman, Harold Holmquist, Clarence Larsen and Alfred Daniels. Graveside services were conducted by the Masonic Lodge of Bancroft with Reed Moore in charge and Chaplain was Frank Woods. Interment was at the Lyons Cemetery.

Submitted by Janet Jones <jjones@albany.net>

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