Collection: Books and Periodicals > Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins

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Title: Volume 059-4 - October 2005 Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Collection Name: Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins # of Pages: 8 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2014-03-12 08:16:56 OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 04:06:02 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:06:02

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

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NCHS Bulletin October 2005 Tin Wedding.—Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Hanson, of this city, celebrated the anniversary of the tenth year of their wedded life last evening. A large number of guests assembled at their residence on the occasion, and numerous unique gifts were tendered them by their friends. There were eight children born to the Hansons: Charles H., Helena A., Lyle, Edward B., Caroline (Carrie) A., George J., Walter N., and Abel H. Jr. In the winter of 1863 . and into 1864 an epidemic of scarlet fever was rampant in Nevada County and took the life of son Walter, age two, on February 24th and, in the same week, infant son Abel H., 8 months old, succumbed to the disease. As the mother of their six surviving children, Caroline was undoubtful busy managing her household. She was intelligent and active, and it is known she was involved in the Ladies Relief Society after moving to Grass Valley. While still living in Nevada City the Hanson and Mead families lived very near the Aaron Sergeants, and most likely Caroline was associated with Ellen Clark Sargent, for she was a strong supporter of Women’s Suffrage. Although not able to vote, she voiced her political opinions through the local newspapers. On March 22, 1879, the editor of the Nevada Daily Transcript published a letter she wrote, almost one column long, concerning the new State Constitution. I am opposed to said document, because the framers of it evidently did not intend that women should derive any benefit from it, as they have “carefully inserted” the word “male” wherever there was any chance that women would have the impertinence to suppose that they might be included in the advantages to be derived from the new charter.. . Any man, even the lowest and most ignorant foreign born male who may, or has come to these shores, may have a change to dictate to me in my own native country what sort of laws I must be governed by. . . So long as I live in this State, . am to remain politically on a level with the Chinese, criminals and idiots. Hardly on a level with the Chinese, for they are considered worthy of a section in the new Constitution. .. In all times of National trouble and distress, women have never failed to do their utmost to alleviate said troubles. . . . My sisters, can you forbear to use your influence to prevent the men of California from thrusting this new piece of injustice upon us, in the shape of the new Constitution? Abel H. Hanson had lost his business and merchandise in the two devastating Nevada City fires of 1856 and 1863 which consumed the business district and almost every structure within. He rebuilt after both fires, and for many years he was a successful grocer on Broad Street in Nevada City. He became president of the Nevada Theatre Company in December 1864, and for a time in the late 1870s was proprietor of the National Exchange Hotel, which he leased from the widow of John Lancaster. He also had mining interests, including the Buffalo Hill Creek claim along with John Lancaster and others. It was the mid-1870s when Caroline first became ill with a disease that was incurable and that no doctor could diagnose. This unknown disease consigned Caroline to a wheelchair for the next twenty-five years of her life. Consulting doctors, trying to find a cure for his wife, and taking time from his business interests may have started the financial troubles that led Abel Hanson to file an Insolvent Notice in Superior Court on November 7, 1881. Shortly after that time the Hanson family moved from their home in Nevada City to Grass Valley. After moving to Grass Valley another tragedy struck the Hanson family. On January 7, 1888, twelve year-old song George had a serious accident while coasting down the sidewalk on Neal Street on a sled. As he was descending the hill at “lightning speed,” a cart pulled by a young horse was nearing the sidewalk near where the sled was heading. The boy and sled struck the horse’s feet, causing the animal to become frightened and begin kicking. George was struck in the head and suffered a major skull fracture. Dr. Jones was called and did what he could, but it was determined that the skull was pressing on the brain and the injury was so severe that it was doubtful the child would recover. Dr. Jones performed a surgical procedure, and whether it was In this 1856 illustration of Nevada City, Boswell & Hanson’s grocery and provisions store is shown at the foot of Broad and Main, with entrances on both streets. Most of the buildings in this historic view were destroyed by fire in July 1856, shortly circulated. after it was printed and “™