Yolo-Butte County CA Archives Biographies.....Hansen, H. J. 1877 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 14, 2005, 12:05 am

Author: Tom Gregory

H. J. HANSEN

    Back to the period when authentic history is lost in traditional lore the
Hansen family lived in Denmark and followed the sea as sailors. The geographical
location of the peninsula where they were born and reared attracted them to an
ocean life as a means of livelihood, for, brought up within the sound of the sea
and familiar with sailors from their earliest recollections, for generation
after generation the men of the family gave their preference to work on
shipboard. Always starting in very lowly capacities, some of them rose to be
masters of vessels, while others occupied more humble rank, yet filled their
positions with the same fearlessness characteristic of the higher officers. Nor
was Peter Hansen less brave than his progenitors, and many a time in his
seafaring expeditions he encountered great peril with calmness. Although fond of
the sea, he was not averse to the quiet pursuits of the landsmen, and when his
ship rounded the Horn in an early day, a desire to see the west led him to give
up his work and join a throng of gold miners in Trinity county. The mines not
proving profitable, he removed to Butte county and took up land near Chico,
where he spent the remainder of his life. After he settled in California he
married Elizabeth Boydstun, who was born in Arkansas, and crossed the plains
with members of her family at an early age.

    Among the children of Peter and Elizabeth Hansen there was a son, H. J., who
was born near Chico, Butte county, in 1877, and received a common-school
education, supplemented by attendance at the Chico Business College. After
leaving the college he was employed for five years in a business office, in
Chico. During 1905 he married Miss Catherine Eggleston, member of a pioneer
California family. They are the parents of two children, Willis E. and Dorothy
M. Coming to Yolo county in 1906, Mr. Hansen since has engaged in farm pursuits
here, although he still retains an interest in the old homestead near Chico. The
ranch of one hundred and sixty acres, which he has operated since his arrival in
the county, has been greatly improved. An innovation which has proved profitable
was the planting of twenty-four acres of Egyptian corn. Some of this has run
forty sacks to the acre and all has been sold at $2 per sack. The barley yields
about thirty sacks to the acre, and under the present mode of cultivation and
fertilization will give larger returns in the future. Thirty acres of the farm
are under alfalfa, which always proves a profitable crop. The owner realizes the
value of fine stock, and the animals to be found on the farm are unexcelled in
quality and breeding. The mares are not only good, work animals, but in addition
they produce fine colts of the Percheron strain. A herd of one hundred
Poland-China hogs proves an income producer. The milch cows are the best that
could be bought in the community and the stock animal is a fine type of
thoroughbred Holstein. At the state farm Mr. Hansen won the prize in 1910 for
the best grade of cream and the highest dairy score, the prize being a $200 bull
calf presented by George A. Smith. Since he came to this county he has been so
closely tied to farm work and so anxious to improve the condition of the
property that he has had no leisure for participation in public affairs, nor has
he identified himself with any fraternities aside from the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, and their kindred society, the Rebekahs, to which latter his wife
also belongs.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]




File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/hansen179nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/

File size: 4.4 Kb