Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Hansen, A M, A M, Ph D 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 2:44 am

Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885

A. M. Hansen, A. M., Ph. D., President of the Northern Illinois College at 
Fulton, is a native of the State of Ohio and was born in Gibesonville, Hocking 
County, March 17, 1850. His parents were Samuel C. and Elizabeth (Kinser) 
Hansen. His father was born in England and his mother in Ohio. Mr. Hansen 
received his primary education in the common schools, and was next a student 
at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio. He subsequently took a 
regular course at the National Normal University of Lebanon, of the same 
State, where he was graduated with the class of 1875, in the classical course. 
He entered upon the career of educational instructor in Hocking Co., Ohio, 
where he taught school one year. From there he went to Linn Co., Mo., where he 
was employed as teacher about the same length of time. He next accepted the 
positions of President of Taylorville College and Superintendent of City 
Schools, of Taylorville, Ill. After two years devoted to the duties of these 
offices, he removed to Dixon, Ill., and was elected President of the Rock 
River University of that city, which position he held till the spring of 1879, 
when he came to Fulton to accept the chair of Professor of Natural Sciences 
and Director of Study of the Northern Illinois College. As the President was 
necessarily absent the greater part of the time, the responsibility of 
conducting the college devolved upon Prof. Hansen from the start. In June of 
the following year (1880), he was elected President of the college for the 
term of eight years, and in the spring of 1884 he was re-elected to the same 
position for ten additional years. The history of the college for the past six 
years, while under the management of President Hansen, covers the most 
prosperous period of its existence. As extensive improvements in the way of 
buildings were in contemplation by the Board of Trustees, in 1884, it was 
determined to secure the services of President Hansen for the term of ten 
years in addition to his unexpired term, before the expense of improvement 
should be incurred. The action of the Trustees in this matter is a well 
merited compliment to the ability and able management of the President. A 
history and description of the college is given in another department of this 
work. Mr. Hansen was married at Blue Mound, Macon Co., Ill., Nov. 11, 1877, to 
Miss Laura Wilcox, daughter of James and Mary (Sims) Wilcox. Mrs. Hansen was 
born in Morgan Co., Ill. Two children have been born of their union, a son and 
a daughter: Charles Roy, Jan. 8, 1879, and Lena May, May 1, 1882. Professor 
Hansen's portrait, on a preceding page, forms one of the most important 
additions to the Album of Whiteside County. To him is entrusted one of the 
leading enterprises, not only of Fulton and the county, but of Northern 
Illinois. He has accomplished a work that will perpetuate his name as one of 
the benefactors of his generation; and those who have been connected as pupils 
with the noble institution to which he is devoting the best energies of his 
prime, will give a hearty welcome to his likeness. Marbles crumble in decay; 
men forget in the tumultuous haste of successive years, even those to whom 
they owe the most; but an engraving on the pages of accredited history is 
imperishable.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full-
page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885.

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