Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 2. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 53.

	J. A. A. HANSEN, who together with F. N. Weis is engaged in the furniture
business at the corner of Second and Center streets, has bee indentified with
the commercial interest of Baker City for the past nine years.  He was born in
Buford, Wyoming, on the 5th of December, 1873, and is a son of Carsten and
Elizabeth (Olberg) Hansen.  The parents were both natives of the province of
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, the father’s birth having occurred at Husum and
that of the mother at Itzehoe.  They were likewise reared and married in the
land of their birth, whence they emigrated to the United States in 1870.  The
father always devoted his energies to farming, with the exception of the first
ten years of his residence in this country when he was in the employ of the
Union Pacific Railroad Company.  Later he turned his attention to agricultural
pursuits in the Willamette valley, but he subsequently withdrew from this and at
the time of death was residing in Portland, where the mother still makes her
home.  Mr. and Mrs. Hansen were the parents of three children, our subject being
the only son.  In order of birth the daughters are as follows:  Mary, the wife
of Rudolph Hallberg, of Salem, Oregon, and Annie, the wife of H. Valentine, of
Portland.  The father served for some years in the German army and participated
in the war with Denmark and later faught against Austria.
	Although a native of the state of Wyoming, in the acquirement of his
education J. A. A. Hansen attended the common schools of Iowa, having been a
resident of Crawford county, that state, for thirteen years.  In 1892, he joined
his parents, who were living on a ranch in the Willamette valley, and turned his
attention to agricultural pursuits, by assisting his father with the work of the
fields and care of the stock.  He continued to follow ranching until 1903, and
during the intervening years by reason of his practical ideas and industrious
habits met with good financial success.  He did not find the career of an
agriculturist altogether to his liking, however, and subsequently decided to
identify himself with business activities, so in 1903 he removed to Baker City,
and has ever since made this his home.  Here he subsequently became associated
with Gus Shute in the furniture business.  Their store was first located at the
corner of Bridge and Resort streets, but at the expiration of a year they
removed to Second and Center streets, Mr. Hansen’s present place of business.
Shortly after they located here, Mr. Hansen bought out the interest of Mr. Shute
and conducted the business alone for a year.  At the end of that time he took
his brother-in-law, R. Hallberg, in with him.  This connection lasted only for
about six months, however, the latter then disposing of his interest to Mr.
Weis, who has ever since been a partner in the business.  They have a very nice
location and carry a full and well assorted stock of general house furnishings
of varied quality and prices to meet the tastes and circumstances of their many
patrons.  Both proprietors are practical business men of enterprising methods,
and in the conduct of their establishment they closely adhere to the highest
standard of modern commercial principles.  They are meeting with success as the
quality of their goods and their prices are such as to commend them to the
patronage of the general community, and they take infinite pains to satisfy and
please all.  They have enlarged their business to meet the demands of their
increasing trade and the development of the city and now have a very attractive
store.  In addition to his interest in this business, Mr. Hansen is the owner of
a timber claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Malheur county, and a nice
residence in Baker City.
	On the 16th of November, 1900, Mr. Hansen was united in marriage to Miss
Katie Johnston, a native of Missouri and a daughter of Thomas and Katherine
(O’Shaunessy) Johnston, and to them have been born two children:  Carsten
Alexander, who is attending school and Albert Edward.
	Mr. and Mrs. Hansen are both communicants of the Roman Catholic church.
Fraternally Mr. Hansen is a member of the Knights of Columbus, being the grand
knight of the local order; and he also belongs to the Benevolent Protective
Order of Elks, Lodge No. 338, of Baker City.  He is one of the active members of
the Baker Commercial club and takes a deep interest in the various movements of
this organization, while his political support is given to the republican party,
and for three years he has represented his ward in the local council.  Mr.
Hansen is one of the capable business men and highly estimable citizens of the
town, whose private interest are never permitted to absorb his attention to the
exclusion of his fulfillment of his public responsibilities and duties and he
can at all times be depended upon to do his share toward advancing the welfare
of the community.




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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2015 by Dale Givens, odg -at-
hiwaay.net.

More information can be found at:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bakerco&id=I52921