Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Hanson, John R. July 4, 1852 - February 22, 1923
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com May 27, 2009, 1:14 pm

Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

      JOHN R. HANSON, who made a splendid record as chief engineer of 
Portland, had reached the Psalmist's allotted span of three scores years and 
ten when called to his final rest on the 22d of February, 1923. A native of 
Norway, he was born in Sarpsborg, near Oslo, July 4, 1852, and when twenty 
years of age was graduated with high honors from Horton polytechnic school in 
Norway. Following his emigration to America he was first employed in a drug 
store at Minneapolis, Minnesota, and a little later made his way to Chicago, 
Illinois, where he entered the office of an architect. About 1875 he journeyed 
westward to the state of Washington, where he was associated with the Northern 
Pacific Railway at chief draftsman on the construction of the road between 
South Spokane and Walla Walla.  He next entered the service of the Union 
Pacific Railroad Company in Oregon, being engaged in construction work in the 
eastern part of the state and Portland. Thereafter he took up his permanent 
abode in Portland, where his education and training well fitted him for the 
important work which devolved upon him as assistant city engineer and later as 
chief city engineer. His duties in this connection claimed his efforts and 
attention to the time of his death and he planned and carried out many 
important city projects, the last of these being the sewage disposal canal, to 
the Columbia river.

     Mr. Hanson was twice married and by his first wife had three children, of 
whom two survive, namely: Mrs. Ben Berger, a resident of Portland; and Donald, 
living in California. In 1916 he married Mrs. Hilda (Bjur) Wilhelm, widow of 
Ludwig Wilhelm, who was born in Germany in 1844 and came to the United States 
as a lad of ten years. Mr. Wilhelm spent two years in New York and in San 
Francisco, California, prior to coming to Portland as one of Oregon's pioneers 
in 1859. Shortly thereafter he made his way to Idaho, where he was in the 
mines for a time, returning to Portland in 1862. He passed away on October 24, 
1912. By his first wife Mr. Wilhelm had three sons: Frederick, a successful 
practicing attorney of Portland; Walter who is also a resident of Portland; 
and Victor H., chief geologist of the California Petroleum Corporation in Los 
Angeles. It was on the 10th of October, 1893, that Ludwig Wilhelm wedded Hilda 
(Bjur) Wilhelm and to them was born a daughter, Alice J., who lives with her 
mother at 1058 East Couch street in Portland.

     John R. Hanson was a prominent representative of the Masonic fraternity, 
taking the degrees of both York and Scottish rites.  He became a charter 
member of Washington Lodge, reached the thirty-second degree in the consistory 
and crossed the sands of the desert with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He 
never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for 
here he found the opportunities which he sought and in their wise utilization 
won both prosperity and an honored name.

Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, 
Pages 775-776

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