The SW4 in Sec. 32 was homesteaded by John W. Cramer Aug. 15, 1882 and sold to Wm Mathies in 1882. He sold it to S. A. McCall in 1884 and to H. A. Hansen in 1884. The NE4 Sec. 31 U. S. to L. H. Tyrrell. He released to Jacob Hull for $50.00. U. S. to Jacob Hull, March1, 1877. Jacob Hull to Hans A. Hansen, April 19, 1880. SE4 NE4 to H. A. Hansen by Tax Title Sept. 23, 1882. W2 of NE4 Mary Nelson and Husband to H. A. Hansen May 29, 1894.
H. A. Hansen left Denmark to keep from being taken into the army. He arrived in Chicago without money and was walking up the street when a man stopped him and asked him if he was looking for a job. He, of course, said, "Yes." "Just sign this paper then," said the man. He did and soon found out he was in the army in the U. S. A.
He didn't far so badly as he was an expert cabinet maker. He was assigned to Ft. Union, New Mexico and soon became a captain.
After his release from the army, he came to Republic County at the suggestion of an old acquaintance, N. C. Christensen.
He bought land a little at a time on which he lived until his death in 1908. The land descended to his widow and son.
Tax, as he was called, at one time raised goats, and was a big hog raiser having as many as eight hundred head at one time.
The first permanent house in this community was built of stone on the southwest part of the NW4 of section 32. It was built by Jens Peterson in 1868 and was the only house having a board floor. It was 10x12 and had two rooms. It was used for dances, Post Office, liquor store and general meeting place. The stone house on Jake Hull's was used for liquor storage and he owned a saloon in Superior, Nebraska, and one in Clay Center, Kansas. This was half-way between. This house was also used as a school house with Mrs. Hull as teacher, before a school house was built.
School District No. 32 was organized by the election of officers May 25, 1871. L. S. Palmer, director; Winfield Scott, clerk; Geo. Miller, treasurer.
The first schools were subscription schools, and were held at different places in the district. One was held in a dugout at or about the center of the north line of section 19.
Pupils were sent to Hungry Hollow School for three or four years before a school house was built. There was no school house there either, but they held school in various places in the district.
The first school house was built in 1880 of stone, by George Kackley and according to record he was paid $130.00.
There is only one descendant of a homesteader living in district 32 on original land. He is Lester Houghton, a grandson of James Nelson. His sister, Ruth Anderson, also lives in the district, but on different land.
Church and Sunday School were held in the school house for many years and debating societies and community meetings have been held there in the winter ever since it was organized. The first teachers were paid up to $20.00 per month. At one time we had 32 pupils. Some came to learn the English language only.
At the present time there are nine homesites from which the houses have been removed, with ten empty houses and twelve occupied houses.
The farms have grown in size from 80 acres to as much as 720 acres, and and none is farmed with horses any more.
All occupied houses are supplied with electricity and only a few use wood for heat. Very few even have chickens and some do not milk cows. The crops are wheat, corn, milo, and alfalfa. Very little hay is stacked. Nothing is done by hand that can be done by machine. The families with the smallest incomes pay out more per month than our grandparents paid out in a whole year. All have TV with a few exceptions.
Prepared by H. A. Kuhn 1-1961
Jamestown, Kansas
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