Representative Thor O. Hanson View All Years

HON. THOR CLAUS HANSON.

MR. SPEAKER—Your committee appointed to draft and present resoluitons commemorating the life, character, and services of the Hon. Thor Claus Hanson, late a member of the House of Representatives in the Thirty-second and Thirty-third General Assemblies, beg leave to submit the following report:

Mr. Hanson was born in Perry, Dane county, Wisconsin, June 15, 1859, of the parents of Hans and Guri Thoreson Toso. At the age of 10, in 1869, he moved with his parents to Estherville, Emmet county, Iowa. He received his education in the rural schools of that county and Luther college, Decorah, Iowa, which institution he attended from 1875 to 1878, graduating from the normal course with good grades. He was forced to quit school the following year on account of poor eyes. The next eight years he taught in the public schools of Iowa, having taught in Bode, Thor and Senaca.

On March 1, 1885, he was married to Miss Julia Jenson of Senaca, Iowa, on the Peter Jenson place. To this union seven children were born, Minnie, Joseph, George, Laila, Thoa, Helmer and Esther, who with their mother are left to mourn his loss.

In 1886, Mr. Hanson entered the land business, working for the Frederickson Land Company of St. Paul. From 1886 to 1889 he lived at Benson, Minnesota; he personally residing one winter in St. Paul, and in Chicago about seven weeks.

In 1889, he received a call to teach in the preparatory department of Luther college, but declined the call. The same year he returned from Benson, Minnesota, to Bode, and entered the mercantile business with J. N. Johnson.

In 1892 he entered the employ of Dennis & Son, bankers, and was affiliated with the State Bank of Bode until the same was dissolved in 1913, serving in the capacity of cashier and director.

In 1914, he was elected president of the State Savings Bank, which position he held until his death. He was also president of the Rural Union Telephone Company.

He was the first mayor of Bode, and also held the office in 1912 and 1913. For thirteen years he served as one of the school directors.

In 1906, he was elected representative to the Iowa legislature and served as the representative of Humboldt county in the Thirty-second and Thirty-third General Assemblies. In the year 1913 he was talked of as a candidate for congress from the Tenth congressional district of Iowa, but on account of his health and love for home declined to enter the race. In politics he was always a republican and took an active part, having served as chairman of the republican county central committee.

From 1910 on, he served as a member of the church council of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod Church of America, and from 1912 on, he served as a member of the board of visitors of Luther college. He was a staunch Lutheran and was always an active attendant in the church work and died as he had lived in its faith.

Mr. Hanson died at his home in Bode on Monday morning, February 8, 1915, of anemia, at the age of 55 years, 7 months and 24 days, after a sickness of thirteen months of which the last five weeks were passed in bed.

Although Mr. Hanson’s death was not unexpected it nevertheless came as a shock and we all knew that a good man and kind father had passed to that realm from which no traveler returns. Therefore, be it

Resolved, That in his death the state has lost a most worthy citizen, a conscientious and an honorable man, and we hereby extend our sympathy to the surviving family who have lost a devoted husband and father, and be it further

Resolved, That the chief clerk is instructed to send an engrossed copy of these resolutions to the surviving wife and family, and that the same be spread upon the Journal of the House.

R. J. JOHNSTON,

PETER HADLEY,

LARS O. WIGDAHL,

Committee.

Adopted unanimously.