WI BIO - Dane Co - HANSON, Henry D.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol I, pp 186-187

Henry D. HANSON, editor of the Oregon Observer, at Oregon [Dane County], WI, 
was born in Dunkirk Township, Dane County, WI, 18 Apr 1862, son of Henry D. 
and Sarah (FILLINGHAM) HANSON, residents of the town of Dunkirk. Our subject 
was reared on the farm and received his education in the district schools and 
Milton College. At the age of 21 he left the farm and engaged in clerking in 
a store in Stoughton [Dane County, WI] until Mar 1884, when he came to Oregon 
and purchased an interest in the Oregon Observer, and learned the business 
from "devil" to editor. In Jul 1885 he became sole proprietor of the paper, 
since conducting it as an independent paper devoted to the interests of 
Oregon and vicinity. It is an eight-column folio, and is now in the 12th 
year of its existence. The office is equipped with good presses and steam 
power. Henry D. HANSON is a member of the M. W. A. [Modern Woodmen of 
America] and I. O. O. F. [Independent Order of Odd Fellows], being an active 
member of each. In politics he is a Republican, and is actively interested 
in the welfare of the party. He has served as Clerk of the Village Board, 
and is now Treasurer of that same body.

The father of Henry D. HANSON was a native of Lincolnshire, England, where he 
[Richard HANSON, the father] was born 21 May 1830. He [Richard HANSON] was 
reared a farmer, and remained at home until he attained his majority, when he 
started for the U. S., landing in NY upon the day he was 21. From that city 
he proceeded to Buffalo, NY, where he was joined by his parents, Richard and 
Sophie HANSON, and the following brothers and sisters, eight in number: (1) 
John, who died in Chicago, Cook County, IL; (2) Phoebe, wife of John BARNUM, 
died in NY; (3) William, who resides in Wellington [Lorain County], OH; (4) 
Joseph, who resides in Dane County, WI; (5) Eliza, wife of George [p 187] 
SPIKE, of Dane County, WI; (6) Richard, who resides in Fort Wayne [Allen 
County], IN; (7) Edward, who resides in Chicago [Cook County, IL]; and (8) 
Elizabeth, who resides in Chicago, having married a Mr. SANNERS.

The grandfather of our subject died in Buffalo [Erie County], NY, of cholera. 
In 1852 the father of our subject [Richard HANSON] came to WI, settling in 
Beloit [Rock County], where he married Miss Sarah FILLINGHAM, who was born in 
Cambridgeshire, England, 11 May 1834. They resided near Beloit [Rock 
County], WI, until about 1856, and then settled in the town of Dunkirk [Dane 
County, WI] where he [Richard HANSON] is still engaged in farming, being 
reckoned as one of the old settlers.

Richard and Sarah (FILLINGHAM) HANSON had eight children: (1) Helen, the 
wife of Jewett SHERMAN, of Lyle [Mower County], MN; (2) Eliza, married Frank 
WALKER, and died in Fulton, Rock County, WI; (3) Belle, married L. D. WEBB, 
and resides near Stoughton [Dane County, WI]; (4) Sarah, wife of Edward 
STANLEY, of Lyle, MN; Emma, Edward, and William. The parents of our subject 
are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Henry D. HANSON is a life business man, fully alive to the interests of his 
town, where he enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him. He is a 
good editorial writer and local reporter, and is little sheet is newsy and 
entertaining, and its circulation is constantly increasing. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly