H. C. HANSEN.
The story of a young man who has been successful in his chosen field through sheer force and energy and aptitude is always interesting. Consequently, it is fitting that the biography of one of the most successful life insurance men of northeast Kansas have a proper place in the pages of the history of Atchison county. The rise of H. C. Hansen in the insurance field has been rapid and substantial until his high place among the business men of his home city is assured. Born in the little kingdom of Denmark and reared on American soil, he has given evidence of possessing the sturdy qualities peculiar to the Danish people which have led them to the forefront in America wherever they have settled. It is probable that no people coming here from foreign shores and speaking an alien tongue have shown greater adaptability and more acumen in being assimilated into the great American body of citizens than those who have come from Denmark.
H. C. Hansen was born in Denmark January 17, 1867. His parents were Hans and Anna Hansen, who left their native land to seek their fortunes in America in 1869. Hans Hansen was a blacksmith, and the family first located in Atchison. From here they went to Brown county, and a few years afterward settled in Doniphan county. Mr. Hansen operated a blacksmith and wagon-shop at Severance, Kan., until 1890. He then removed to Graham county and settled on a farm where he still resides. His first wife, Anna, died in 1875, leaving four children, as follows: Mrs. Mary Kellenberg, of Brown county; Mrs. Minnie Knoop, of Canton, Okla.; Mrs. Ellen Moore, of Cottonwood Falls, Chase county, Kansas, and Hans Christian.
H. C. Hansen was reared in Doniphan county and was forced by circumstances to look after his own education. When still a boy he learned the blacksmith’s trade and also worked as a farm hand. He had little opportunity to secure an education and received no encouragement from his parents to acquire knowledge. It was necessary for him to earn money to support himself while attending school. He studied for two years in the Christian Brothers College of St. Joseph after he became of age. Beginning with December 20, 1892, he served twelve years as salesman for the Edward Heeney Hardware Company, of Severance, Kan. He then became local agent for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company at Severance. So successful was Mr. Hansen in his new vocation that in a short period of eighteen months he was tendered the position of general agent of the company, with headquarters in Atchison. He has written as high as $200,000 in life insurance policies yearly and his success still continues. A strong and amiable personality combined with energy and persistence have been factors in enabling him to advance with such rapid strides in a field which is full of able competitors. In addition to his duties as general agent of the Penn Mutual Insurance Company, he looks after his farm of 120 acres, located five and one-half miles east of Potter. Mr. Hansen has purchased this farm with money earned in selling life insurance, and he is displaying the same energy in developing his farm acreage that placed him to the forefront in the life insurance field. An old, rundown orchard of about ten acres was located on his farm. He had this orchard placed in shape for fruit bearing by trimming the trees and spraying with a power sprayer. The results are seen in the fine quality of fruit which the trees have yielded. He has been awarded three first prizes at the Atchison county horticultural display.
Mr. Hansen was married August 20, 1891, to Katie Browning, a daughter of Frank Browning, an early pioneer settler of Doniphan county. To them have been born the following children: Anna, a graduate of the public school and high school, and now a teacher in the schools of Sparks, Kan.; Bettie, a trained nurse, who graduated from the Sisters of Charity Hospital, at St. Joseph, in October of 1915; Crystelle, a milliner in the Ramsey store; and William Penn or “Pat,” the youngest of the family.
Politically, Mr. Hansen is an independent Republican, inclined to be progressive in his ideas of government by the people, and favoring those candidates for office who seem to be capable of serving the people to the best advantage of all. He is a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, and is fraternally connected with the Knights of Columbus.