COL. A. HANSCOM IS DEAD
Former Receiver of Minot Land Office, and Father of Mrs. J. M. Devine, Dies at Towner – Funeral Friday in Minot – Remains Brot Here To-day.
Abner L. Hanscom, formerly Receiver of the Minot land office, died at his home at Towner Wednesday morning after a lingering illness. The remains were brot to this city this morning and will be interred in the Rose Hill cemetery Friday afternoon. Short funeral services will be held from the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. M. Devine, at 2 o'clock p.m. after which services will be held in the M. E. Church.
The funeral will be in charge of the Masonic Order, and the members of the Minot lodge are asked to meet at the lodge rooms in this city at 1 o'clock sharp, Friday afternoon.
Col. Hanscom was a fine old gentleman and there are thousands of friends over the state who regret most sincerely his departing hence.
We will give an account of his noble life in our next issue.
** The Ward County Independent, Thursday, October 31, 1907, Page 1.
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LIVED A USEFUL LIFE
A. L. Hanscom, one of the oldest and best known settlers in Mouse River country, died Wednesday, Oct. 30th.
After suffering from Pernicious Enemia for several years, Hon. A. L. Hanscom passed away at the St. Francis Hospital at Breckenridge, Minn., at 3 A.M. Wednesday morning, October 30th. He had been at the hospital but a short time under the care of Dr. Robert H. Devine. Everything that care, medical skill and loving hands could do was done, but his disease was fatal from the start, and he gradually grew worse from month to month until the end finally came.
The funeral services were held at the residence of Ex-Governor J. M. Devine at Minot. Rev. E. P. Lawrence of the Presbyterian Church gave a brief address, the services in general being in charge of the Masons.
Mr. Hanscom was born in Springfield, Maine, in 1848, almost sixty years ago, in which place he lived until the year 1868 when with his family, following the general movement westward, and shortly after the close of the Civil war, he came to the State of Michigan and settled near the city of Grand Rapids. He lived there until 1880, when with his brother, George D. Hanscom, now of Tacoma, Washington, he settled in the then Territory of Dakota, locating in the vicinity of Antelope Lake where he engaged in the cattle raising industry.
In 1867 Mr. Hanscom was united in marriage to Miss Alice R. Tisdel. One child was born to this union, May B. Hanscom, now Mrs. Joseph M. Devine of Minot.
Mr. Hanscom was in many respects the typical pioneer both in appearance and character. He settled in this section of the country when railroads were few and far between, and when supplies could be secured only from Jamestown or Devils Lake. It took courage and splendid physical endurance to meet the hardships incident to life on a ranch at this period in the country's development.
He was one of the first county commissioners of McHenry County, and conducted the first hardware store in Towner. In a very large measure he enjoyed the confidence of his neighbors and the people of this section, having been elected State Senator, as representative of the counties McHenry and Bottineau, in the year 1897, of the Fifth Legislative Session. He performed the duties of this office in a simple, straightforward and intelligent manner, as in fact he did everything else which he was called upon to do. At the close of his Senatorial term, he was appointed Receiver of the United States Land Office at Minot, which office he held for four years. At the end of his term he again removed to his farm six miles south and west of Towner, where he has since remained up to the time of his death.
Mr. Hanscom was a veteran of the Civil war, enlisting at the age of fifteen in the Twenty-first Maine Sharp-shooters, and was mustered out at Washington, D.C., at which place he took part in the Grand Review.
He also belonged to the Lodge of Masons, being a charter member of the lodge at Towner, N.D.
In every respect Mr. Hanscom was a good citizen, a good neighbor and friend, simple in manner, kindly in disposition, square in all his dealings conservative in thought, but unswerving in what he considered his duty when his mind was once made up as to what that duty was. He will be greatly missed by the people who knew him well, and naturally all those who were acquainted with him will regret to hear of his death.
**The Ward County Independent, November 7, 1907 page 1
Member of Company A, 20th Maine Infantry Regiment
COL. A. HANSCOM IS DEAD
Former Receiver of Minot Land Office, and Father of Mrs. J. M. Devine, Dies at Towner – Funeral Friday in Minot – Remains Brot Here To-day.
Abner L. Hanscom, formerly Receiver of the Minot land office, died at his home at Towner Wednesday morning after a lingering illness. The remains were brot to this city this morning and will be interred in the Rose Hill cemetery Friday afternoon. Short funeral services will be held from the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. M. Devine, at 2 o'clock p.m. after which services will be held in the M. E. Church.
The funeral will be in charge of the Masonic Order, and the members of the Minot lodge are asked to meet at the lodge rooms in this city at 1 o'clock sharp, Friday afternoon.
Col. Hanscom was a fine old gentleman and there are thousands of friends over the state who regret most sincerely his departing hence.
We will give an account of his noble life in our next issue.
** The Ward County Independent, Thursday, October 31, 1907, Page 1.
***************
LIVED A USEFUL LIFE
A. L. Hanscom, one of the oldest and best known settlers in Mouse River country, died Wednesday, Oct. 30th.
After suffering from Pernicious Enemia for several years, Hon. A. L. Hanscom passed away at the St. Francis Hospital at Breckenridge, Minn., at 3 A.M. Wednesday morning, October 30th. He had been at the hospital but a short time under the care of Dr. Robert H. Devine. Everything that care, medical skill and loving hands could do was done, but his disease was fatal from the start, and he gradually grew worse from month to month until the end finally came.
The funeral services were held at the residence of Ex-Governor J. M. Devine at Minot. Rev. E. P. Lawrence of the Presbyterian Church gave a brief address, the services in general being in charge of the Masons.
Mr. Hanscom was born in Springfield, Maine, in 1848, almost sixty years ago, in which place he lived until the year 1868 when with his family, following the general movement westward, and shortly after the close of the Civil war, he came to the State of Michigan and settled near the city of Grand Rapids. He lived there until 1880, when with his brother, George D. Hanscom, now of Tacoma, Washington, he settled in the then Territory of Dakota, locating in the vicinity of Antelope Lake where he engaged in the cattle raising industry.
In 1867 Mr. Hanscom was united in marriage to Miss Alice R. Tisdel. One child was born to this union, May B. Hanscom, now Mrs. Joseph M. Devine of Minot.
Mr. Hanscom was in many respects the typical pioneer both in appearance and character. He settled in this section of the country when railroads were few and far between, and when supplies could be secured only from Jamestown or Devils Lake. It took courage and splendid physical endurance to meet the hardships incident to life on a ranch at this period in the country's development.
He was one of the first county commissioners of McHenry County, and conducted the first hardware store in Towner. In a very large measure he enjoyed the confidence of his neighbors and the people of this section, having been elected State Senator, as representative of the counties McHenry and Bottineau, in the year 1897, of the Fifth Legislative Session. He performed the duties of this office in a simple, straightforward and intelligent manner, as in fact he did everything else which he was called upon to do. At the close of his Senatorial term, he was appointed Receiver of the United States Land Office at Minot, which office he held for four years. At the end of his term he again removed to his farm six miles south and west of Towner, where he has since remained up to the time of his death.
Mr. Hanscom was a veteran of the Civil war, enlisting at the age of fifteen in the Twenty-first Maine Sharp-shooters, and was mustered out at Washington, D.C., at which place he took part in the Grand Review.
He also belonged to the Lodge of Masons, being a charter member of the lodge at Towner, N.D.
In every respect Mr. Hanscom was a good citizen, a good neighbor and friend, simple in manner, kindly in disposition, square in all his dealings conservative in thought, but unswerving in what he considered his duty when his mind was once made up as to what that duty was. He will be greatly missed by the people who knew him well, and naturally all those who were acquainted with him will regret to hear of his death.
**The Ward County Independent, November 7, 1907 page 1
Member of Company A, 20th Maine Infantry Regiment
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