Odds and Ends Continued and the Final Word on John Hartwig Hansen (Hansen)

Jack Hansen's trip to Yosemite sometime after 1924.  Notice the dirt roads! 

John Hansen (in hat and with pipe) standing with Jack Hansen and unknown family sometime after 1924

The receipt for the Ford Touring car purchased from the Grass Valley Garage February 28, 1924.  John Hansen upgraded the rear axle for $70.00.  I believe it is the same car in the above two pictures!

It looks like John and Vere purchased a Maytag washing machine in 1926 for  $178.00.  Bob Hansen helped with the purchase in some way, as he signed the agreement.  Margaret Hansen Boothby remembers the washer still in use in the 40's.  It had a set of wringers on it that you could feed the wet things through to squeeze the water out, then they would go on the clothesline out the back door of the second story (West Main Street).   She said it was state of the art back then, and it fascinated her as a little girl.  I can imagine. 

It may have looked like one of these from a 1926 catalog.....

Jack Hansen graduated with a Commercial Degree from St. Mary's Academy in 1926, two years after his High School Graduation. From 1928-1931 he attended Heald Business College in San Francisco, learning Accounting.  He gained valuable clerical skills that he used in his various jobs.  In the 1930 Census he is listed as living in Sacramento as a boarder with the Charles McConnell family working as a clerk for the State.  The 1940 Census has him listed as living in Grass Valley with his parents John and Vere and working as a substitute mail carrier with the post office.  His Separation Qualification Record (Army) from October 1945 says he was a postal clerk for the U.S. Post Office in Grass Valley, sorting mail, performing minor clerical duties and working as a carrier on a rural route before enlistment. 

 He would serve in WWII as a postal clerk.  When he came back to Grass Valley after the war, he became the Superior Court Clerk for Nevada County until his retirement in 1972. 

Jack's retirement letter from Congressman Harold T. (Bizz) Johnson 1972

  And now for some final words and thoughts on John Hartwig Hansen.....

I found this in an envelope while going through a stack of bills, life insurance policies and receipts for mining shares purchased that Vere had saved.  It is from September 7th, 1888 in San Francisco, which puts John Hansen in California at that time.  He must have been curious enough  about his future prospects in America to visit Professor Allen Haddock's office at No. 1008 Market Street in San Francisco, where he had his Phrenological Character determined.  Phrenology was a pseudoscience which involved the measurement of the bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.  It was very popular in the 1800's and was influential in  psychiatry and psychology of the 19th century.  Professor Haddock offered phrenological examinations (oral) for $1.00 and "recorded on chart" for $2.00. For $5.00 you could get a type written analysis.  John opted for the $2.00 option.  Here it is!

He had two pages of checklists...here is the first page which is difficult to read. #3 says (regarding friendship) that he was highly social and warm hearted.  #5 says (regarding continuity) that he was disconnnected, inclined to change often and love variety.  On page two under #26 (size) it says that he would be good at  estimating the weight of cattle by  size.  Under #37 (comparison) is says that he was agreeable, persuasive and polite to a degree.  I loved #23 (mirthfulness)....he had a keen relish for jokes.......

   His callings as a sea faring man, a farmer or a miner were spot on although he never went into the grocery business.  He owned the Nevada County Laundry for awhile, building up  a prosperous business.   He did marry a brunette, but I'm not sure she would qualify as tall.  She did aspire to be a good mother, and to serve her church and community.   He lived past the 70 or 75 years predicted (he was 80).  He loved variety and change, and was a much loved member of the community in Grass Valley.  I'm not sure how much he needed his ability to estimate the weight of cattle, but he did have milk cows on his farm.  As far a sanguine temperament goes, the definition is something like this:  "Indicated by well defined forms, moderate plumpness of person, tolerable firmness of flesh, light hair inclining to chestnut, blue eyes and a fair complexion, with ruddiness of countenance". (The History of Phrenology on the Web by John van Whye) 

 I wonder why he saved this in an old envelope all these years.  I sure enjoyed reading it!

If you are really interested in Phrenology, there is a Google book that is fascinating.  It is a compilation of journals called The Phrenological Journal and Science of Health Volume 117.  There is an article (with pictures!)  about the one and only Professor Allen Haddock in San Francisco on page 310.  He wrote an article for the Journal entitled "The Correlation of Mind and Body".  You can also read such articles as "Cuba as a Winter Health Resort" or "The Hygiene of Sunshine" or "More Care Choosing Pursuits".