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John Hartvig Hansen's birth certificate (original)
John Hansen's Citizenship Papers September 21, 1894
John Hansen expressed his wishes to join the Navy for just the length of the war. He says he has had eight years experience in (? difficult to read) ships. On the back of the letter someone has written that he can enlist for 1 year for service on tugs or (?) vessels. In different writing it says that 3 years is the usual term. 1 year terms are wanted on (?) vessels, tugs, etc.
This next letter was written by a friend and neighbor from Grass Valley as a letter of introduction. It was written from Camp Barrett, Ca. (Oakland) which was a temporary camp for Spanish American Infantry volunteers. P.T. Riley had joined up, too.
Back of Discharge Paper
I am so glad I found this particular piece of paper! It lists John's enlistment and discharge activity on the USS Independence. His Veteran's record on Ancestry.com lists him as serving on the USS Philadelphia. Uncle Bob's recollection had him serving on the USS Mohican. I found a letter from the Bureau of Pensions which shed more light on his service. He did serve on two different ships!
Pension Letter....12$ a month!
The USS Philadelphia was in Hawaii with the USS Mohican during the transfer of power and the flag raising ceremony, making Uncle Bob's recollection of the rope piece from that flag even more plausible. There is more research needed on the service of the USS Independence. The only reference I can find is on Wikipedia and states that the Independence was a receiving ship (an older ship used in harbor to house newly recruited sailors before they are assigned to a ship) and it was at Mare Island Navy Yard from 1857 to 1912 when it was decommissioned. He wrote his initial request to a Captain Kempff at Mare Island. Captain Kempff signed his Honorable Discharge papers from the Independence. So, he might not have actually served aboard this ship; it may have been where he signed up and was discharged. I'm still not sure if John was ever in the Philippines as his obituary states. It does not appear that either the Philadelphia or the Mohican were anywhere near the Philippines during the time frame of John's enlistment and discharge. So, I'm still leaning towards....no.
And on to the period of his life where he met and married my Grandmother Vere Hansen.
The Union July 3 1904
At 4:45 this morning a quiet, but very pretty, wedding will be solemnized at the home of Mrs. E.J. Burrows, when her daughter, Miss C. Vere, becomes the bride of John H. Hansen.
The ceremony will be performed at this early hour to allow the bride and groom to take the first train out for the coast.
The interior of the Burrows home has been very prettily decorated for the occasion, the parlor, where the ceremony will be performed, being especially noticeable. Here a patriotic effect has been worked out with bunting and flags, while smilax, ferns and flowers are also woven into the color scheme.
The ceremony will be performed in the presence of only immediate relatives, Rev. C.E. Farrar of Emmanuel Episcopal Church officiating. The bride will be attended by her sister, Miss Wanda Burrows, the groom by James Hogan. The wedding march will be played by Don Burrows, brother of the bride.
At the conclusion of the services the gathering will enjoy a tempting wedding breakfast, after which Mr. Hansen and bride will be escorted to the train and given a farewell with showers of rice. After a honeymoon trip to coast points, Mr. and Mrs. Hansen will return to take up their residence in this city.
The bride is a native of Grass Valley, a young lady of grace and charm, whose sunny disposition and unaffected ways have won her a host of friends as one of Grass Valley's favorite daughters. For several years she has been a devoted worker among the younger set of Emmanuel church, and has assisted especially in choir work.
Mr. Hansen has made this city his home for ten or twelve years, and is one of the best known men in the district. Whole-souled and genial, yet careful, shrewd man of business, he is popular with a wide circle of friends. He was formally employed at the Empire Mine, but less than a year ago purchased the Nevada County Laundry which, under his careful, business management, has become one of the most prosperous concerns in the interior.
Amid the shower of congratulation and good wishes for the future The Union joins most heartily.
This is a unique look at Main Street as it was in 1909 (or before) as a dirt road. It looks very similar today, although the steps leading up to the houses are contained behind tall cement walls. John and Vere lived in their first house on Main Street before they moved out to the ranch with the boys. Later in life their son Bob would design their "new" house at this same property on Main street. Vere and her son Jack would live the rest of their lives in this house, which is still standing.
I am not sure which era of John Hansen's life adventures this is from...his early days as a miner, a navy seaman in the war, or maybe from his days in Central America working in the mines. He still seems like a larger than life character to me!
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