Saturday, December 4, 2010

NORWAY AND COMMUNITY

John Adolph Hanson was born in Racine County in Wisconsin, Nov. 4, 1861.  He came to Norway, Kansas in 1878 and set up a blacksmith shop about 50 feet east of the N. W. corner of the Bray garage.  This shop was later used for a stable for horses.

Theodore Hanson, brother of Adolph came to Norway at the same time.  They lived with their mother, Mary Hanson, on the farm now owned by Ingwald Dyrdahl and at that time owned by Grandmother Mary Hanson.  This farm was homesteaded by Severt Lehn, Sec. 21.

Mary Hanson's husband, Hans Hanson, a captain in the 15th Wisconsin volunteer Army was wounded at the battle of Chickawauga, taken prisoner by the South and died in Andersonville Prison (Confederate prison).  No record of where he was buried has ever been received.

John Adolph Hanson was married to Huldah A. Nystrom, Aug. 30, 1885.  The wedding had been postponed because of his brother's death.  The wedding ceremony was performed by Gust Nelson, Justice of the Peace for Norway Township.  They lived in the stone house on the farm Mr. Nelson owned.  Now it is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Blosser.

In 1914 my wife and I (Ted and Marie Hanson) set up housekeeping in the three upstairs rooms of that house.  Soon after Father and Mother's marriage they moved to a farm west of Concordia.  They were living on this farm when my father died.  After his death my mother and I lived with her parents, Gustave and Marie Nystrom, four and a half miles north of Norway where Russel Lervold now lives.  In 1892 mother purchased the house which Dr. Sherrard purchased from her later.  This house is owned now by Cecil Dickerhoof.  We moved there and that summer I attended a subscription school taught by Elle Rockhold in the building now owned by Carrie Ross where the Antiques were displayed during the Centennial. Arnie Thompson of Geary, Oklahoma also attended that summer and perhaps others who are yet living.

These are a few of the people and places of business at that time.  On the Northwest corner J. F. Dickerhoof had a general Mdse. store and Post Office.  Next was a small building where John Peterson had a harness shop, next N. P. Hanson had a blacksmith shop and the residence that Dr. Anne Rimol now owns.

There was then nothing south of her house until the livery barn was built by the Belden boys.

On the east side on the northeast corner Mr. Booze of Scandia had a store.  However, he sold out just before Mrs. Rockhold held her subscription school there.  Next south was a long one story house extending from the street to the alley on the east.  Sivert Olson and his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peder Running, lived there.  Mr. Running had a cobbler shop in part of that building.  His wife carded wool, spun yarn on the spinning wheel and knit the best mittens and stocking to be obtained.

Next was the store where Bray's shop now operates.  This was owned by T. A. Nelson and he had a good general stock of merchandise.  In that store I earned my first nickel by sweeping the store.  Mr. Nelson, or T. A. as we all called him, and his daughter Clare, the late Mrs. Julius Olsen, usually supplied me with Knick Knacks of all sorts.

Later W. H. Beatty had this store and the Post Office was moved there.  Owen Brewer bought this store later.  The next building was Chas. Hugo's residence.  This house was moved and is now the residence of Jim Norris.

The old frame building next stood about two feet from the north wall of our house.  This was occupied by a Bohemian family, John Demboski.  John supplied the whiskey for those who partook, and a keg of beer now and then; however, John spent most of his time in jail.  Business was never suspended as his wife took over.  I remember one time he had been released from the cage at Belleville, and had walked home.  He arrived just in time for the sheriff who was waiting to serve a warrant on him.  The sheriff loaded him into the buggy and headed for Belleville.  That time for some reason the family also moved away.

The next house was the one owned by my mother.  At various times the lower floor was occupied by other families.  John King and his wife Daisy, Dr. Anderson, Dr. Hood, and Mr. and Mrs. Tabor the depot agent for awhile.

Next was the old two story house south between the J. F. Dickerhoof house and our house built and arranged by Dr. Seastrom who had quite a complete line of drugs and other articles.

Frank and Melissa Dickerhoof were at the south side of town and it was a good many years before any other improvements began farther south.

The only house north of the road was the old stone house and east of the railroad was the Lutheran Church and parsonage.

There are very few descendants of the original families living in or around Norway today.  I am quite sure that the Dickerhoof site is the only one that has never changed hands from the original family.   Names of some of the older settlers: west of the river - Dr. W. Scott, J. W. Shivvers, E. V. Moore, Gus Anderson, Andy Peterson, Henry Lax, P. O. Larson, Amos Rodgers, Stantons, N. C. Christensen, Jim Nelson, Jim Morehead, H. A. Hanson; east and north - Crosson, Geo. Ireland, Joe Merica, Tom and Quill Long, Joe Blosser, Sampson Scrivner, Hans Krogmoe, Gust Nelson, Fet Scrivner, Pete Hammer, J. R. Hugos, N. O. Garburg, Gust Stromgren, Claus HerrmanGile, Henry Gile, Jim Varnick, John Throbeck, Sr., Joe Melhus, Sr., Carl Anderson, Kellys, Bartletts, Osul Thompson, Owen thorpe, Walters, Sted Gray, Ed Jacobson, Sam Bashford, John Hoofbourrow, Ames, Stensaas, Day, Barleen, Tates, Siebenborn, Mikkel Thompson, Ole Tiller, Stensaas, Kullberg, Brewer, Rimols, Owen Dickerhoof, Goodman, John David, Carig, John Hanson, John Dutton, Lone Smith, Giffords, Pierce, Melhus, Taggart, Pat Dutton, Chester Dutton.

Written by Theodore Hanson whose parents were John Adolph Hanson and Huldah A. Nystrom.

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