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"Spokane and The Spokane Country - Pictorial and Biographical - Deluxe Supplement." Vol. II. The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912. (No author listed.) pgs. 254-266.
ONE of the most respected citizens of Spokane county was Ole Hansen,
whose death, June 29, 1911, occasioned profound regret throughout a wide
region where he had long been favorably known. He was of Danish descent and
was born at Copenhagen, Denmark, January 8, 1844. He received his education in
the common schools and continued in his native city until twenty-one years of
age, when he resolved to seek his fortune in the new world. He came to the
United States and for six months worked on a farm in Wisconsin. Perceiving the
importance of a more thorough education, he attended school for four months
and supported himself by working outside of school hours. He next took up his
residence in Chicago and secured a position as coachman for a private family,
continuing there until 1882. In the year last named he came to the northwest
and located on one hundred and sixty acres of land on Pleasant Prairie,
Spokane county. He prosecuted his work with such good results that a year
later he was able to purchase one hundred and sixty acres in addition and thus
became the owner of a farm of three hun-dred and twenty acres, which he
cultivated until 1905. He then gave one hundred and sixty acres to his two
eldest sons and in 1910 gave eighty acres to his youngest son, retaining
eighty acres for his own use. He was a man of good business judgment,
enterprising, industrious and persevering, and gained a prominent position in
the community, being recognized as one of its most progressive and useful
citizens.
On the 8th of July, 1877, Mr. Hansen was married, at Chicago, to
Christina Sorensen, a daughter of Soren Sorensen. To this union ten children
were born. Christian, the eldest, born September 5, 1878, is now studying
agriculture and dairying at Washington State College. Albert, born September
14, 1882, is engaged in the sand and gravel contracting business at Spokane.
He was married June 14, 1911, to Charlotte Camp. Minnie L., born June 29,
1884, was married to E. W. Fox, who died August 19, 1909. She has one son,
Donald Louis, who is three years of age. Mrs. Fox is the secretary of and is a
stockholder in the F. 0. Berg Tent & Awning Company of Spokane. Lillian M.,
born January 8, 1886, makes her home with her mother. Frank, born March 18,
1888, engages in farming. He married Miss Verna White on August 20, 1910, and
they have one son, born February 26, 1912. Ivy, born August 5, 1890, is a
stenographer in the employ of the Underwood Typewriter Company of Spokane.
Hazel, born February 9, 1894, is a student in the North Central high school of
Spokane. Three children died in infancy. Mrs. Hansen, his widow, now makes her
home in Spokane, having a residence at 03613 Atlantic avenue.
Mr. Hansen's death resulted from blood poisoning after a brief
illness. He was sixty-seven years of age and apparently had before him many
years of usefulness when suddenly the dread messenger arrived, and Spokane
county lost one of its most respected citizens and one of its wealthiest
farmers. He was an early settler of the county and willingly contributed his
part toward the upbuilding of this portion of the state. In politics he
adhered to the republican party and his religious belief was indicated by
membership in the Lutheran church-the faith in which he was reared. A
generous--hearted and noble-spirited man, he was fully worthy of the esteem in
which he was held, and his memory will long be cherished by a wide circle of
friends and acquaintances in Spokane county.
Submitted by: Nancy Pratt Melton
* * * * Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individuals featured in the biographies.