Bio: Hansen, Christian J. (Commemorative Bio - 1895)

Poster: Crystal Wendt

Christian J. Hansen

Christian J. Hansen is numbered among the influential and prominent citizens of Lincoln County, who are indebted for their present prosperous condition to their own industry and energy. He is one of the leading business men of Tomahawk, where he is carrying on a wagon and blacksmith shop, and is meeting with success.

He was born in Forde, Norway, November 17, 1854, which was also the place of birth of his father. The latter was a wagon maker and blacksmith by occupation. He married Christiana Christianson, and to them were born five children, as follows: Oleanna, Caroline, Rasmus, Anna and Christian. The mother died in Norway in 1857, after which the father wedded Pernelle Pederson. His death occurred in his native land in 1892. He was an industrious, hardworking man, and a consistent member of the Lutheran Church. The paternal grandfather was a restaurant keeper of Bergen, Norway. All of our subject’s brothers and sisters, with the exception of one, had come to America before he arrived. He still has two sisters living in Wisconsin, and a brother in Minnesota.

Christian J. Hansen remained at home until reaching the age of seventeen years, during which time he was given a fair education. He had previously worked with his father in the wagon shop, but now began learning the trade of shoemaker, at which he served at two-and-a-half years’ apprenticeship, receiving nothing in compensation for his services. After completing his trade, however, he was compelled to give it up on account of ill health, and for six months was employed in a ship year, at the end of the which time he finished learning wagon making in the city of Bergen. Feeling that the United States offered better opportunities to a young man, he in June, 1875, crossed the Atlantic, and on his arrival in this country first located at Wausau, Wis., where he worked at his trade until the spring of 1889, when he came to Tomahawk. During the last six months of his stay in Wausau, he had conducted an establishment of this own, having bought out a firm and erected a good shop. He now has a steam engine for turning his lathes, and other machinery used in the manufacture of heavy wagons and sleights, and the work he turned out is all first class.

In 1880, at Wausau, Wis., Mr. Hansen was united in marriage with Olea Larson, who was born in Laurvig, Norway, July 11, 1859, and is a daughter of Ole and Karn M. (Anundson) Larson, who were the parents of four children: Anne, Olea, Louis and Severn. Her father, who was a ship carpenter, came to the United States in 1872, first locating in Chicago, where he remained one year, when he sent for his family who were still in the Old World, and, in the summer of 1873, removed to Manitowoc, Wis. Here the mother died in 1874, after which Mr. Larson was again married, and by this union had two children, Carl and Martin. He had served as a soldier in the Norwegian Army. He now makes his home at Dancy, Wis. The four children born to our subject and wife are Oscar H., Martha C., Henrietta C., and Margaret L.

Mr. Hansen with his family hold membership with the Scandinavian Lutheran Church. In politics he is a Republican. His property has been acquired by the exercise of sound judgment, good business talents and industry.

---Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the Upper Wisconsin Counties of Waupaca, Portage, Wood, Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Langlade and Shawano. publ. 1895 by J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago 1110 pages, illustrated; Page 245-246