John Hansen's watch fob contains what's left of a piece of the rope used to raise the American flag over Hawaii on August 12, 1898. In the possession of SHansen. Picture by PattiA.
From a Reno Newspaper (probably the Reno Gazette Journal), date unknown, but sometime between 1941 and 1943. Saved by Vere Hansen.
This week's theme could have been interpreted many different ways, genealogically speaking. I chose to take a more literal direction! I am revisiting my great grandfather John Hansen's story of a very special watch fob and adding a little Reno historical twist. I first told this story in my blog post from May 9, 2020 and shared another newspaper article about the watch fob.
Reno Gazette Journal 1984
In the 1984 Reno Gazette Journal story Uncle Bob (Robely Hansen) told how his father enlisted in the Spanish American War and served as an Able Seaman on the USS Mohican, as well as the USS Philadelphia. Instead of serving in the Philippines John found himself in Hawaii, which was a mid-Pacific fueling station and Naval installation for the war. On August 12, 1898, Hawaii was officially annexed to the United States. Both the the Mohican and the Philadelphia were present for that ceremony, and since John Hansen knew about sailing and rope splicing he was one of four lucky sailors to hoist the American flag up the flag pole in Honolulu. He served aboard both ships, but I am not sure which one he was serving with on this date. After the ceremony, each sailor was given a 12-inch piece of the halyard and a certificate telling of their participation.
Here is what John Hansen experienced that day!
Raising the U.S. Flag in Hawaii:
The Transfer of sovereignty: August 14, 1898
The following report was filed the ranking naval officer present when the American flag was first raised in Hawaii after its annexation.The appendices mentioned in the report were not included in the referenced source.
U. S. FLAGSHIP PHILADELPHIA,Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, August 14, 1898.SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on the participation of the forces under my command in the ceremonies attending the change of sovereignty of the Hawaiian Islands, which took place at noon on Friday, the 12th instant:
As the report of this important event will be a matter of record in the files of the Navy Department, and as occasion may occur hereafter to refer to it to know what was done by the naval force on that occasion, it is made more in detail than it would otherwise be.
The force under arms from the Philadelphia and Mohican attending the ceremonies consisted of four companies of infantry and two sections of artillery. (See Appendix A for organization of battalion.)
The Hawaiian National Guard met our force at the landing and escorted them to the front of the executive building, where they took position in column on the driveway leading to the front of the building, the head of the column being close to the official stand. The Hawaiian troops were in position, a battalion on each side of the head of column of our men. (See Appendix B for position of troops during the ceremony.)
The official stand was in front of the executive building, one side for the Hawaiian officials, the other for the United States minister and his attaches and the officers of the Navy and Army. Colonel Barber, of the First New York Volunteers, was third in the line of precedence, as the ranking officer of the army present and next to me. The remaining officers of the Navy and Army were seated according to rank, there being in all twenty officers of the Navy present on the official stand and five of the Army.
All the officials having been seated except the president and his cabinet, the United States minister and his attaches, myself, Colonel Barber, and four of the ranking naval officers, the ceremonies commenced by the entrance on the platform from the executive building of the president and his cabinet, followed a moment later by the United States minister and the American officials mentioned above. After all were seated prayer was offered by the Rev. G. L. Pearson, of Honolulu. Minister Sewall then rose, and addressing President Dole, formally communicated to him the text and purpose of the joint resolution of Congress annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States. President Dole then formally tendered the sovereignty of. the islands, with all the public property of the Hawaiian Government, to the United States through our representative, Minister Sewall, who accepted it in the name of the United States Government. The actual ceremony of exchanging flags was then begun by the Hawaiian band playing Hawaii Ponoi, the national anthem. Colors were sounded, and, a 21-gun salute was fired by the shore battery and by the Philadelphia and Mohican, after which the Hawaiian flag was slowly hauled down, all the spectators standing uncovered.
Minister Sewall then turned to me and requested me to perform the duty intrusted to me, of hoisting the United States flag, and upon signal from me, as had been prearranged, colors were sounded, the flagship band played the Star Spangled Banner, and the United States flag was slowly hoisted on the flagstaff of the central tower of the executive building, two smaller flags being hoisted at the corners of the building to provide for the possibility of the main halyards carrying away; and 21 guns were fired by the Philadelphia and Mohican and the shore battery when the flag had reached the truck, all the spectators standing uncovered. The Hawaiian flag was hauled down, and the large United States flag hoisted by four men from the Philadelphia and Mohican, two from each ship, directly from the inner corners of the platform.
After the 'United States flag bad been hoisted and the salutes had been fired Mr. Sewall made a short address, and then communicated the directions of the President continuing the present government officials in office until Congress should provide a form of Government for the islands.
The chief executive of the Hawaiian government was then sworn in by the chief justice, followed by the members of his cabinet, after which our men and the local troops marched to the drill grounds, where the military officers, including the staff officers of the chief executive, were sworn in.
The battalion from the Philadelphia and Mohican then returned to the ships, escorted
to the landing by the local troops. This concluded the participation of the force under
my command in the change of sovereignty of these islands.
I am much indebted to Lieut. A. G. Winterhalter flag lieutenant, and to Lieut. Philip Andrews, flag secretary, for their assistance arranging the details of the ceremonies connected with the raising of our flag, and for seeing that they were properly carried out.
I am gratified to be able to report to the Department that the ceremonies throughout were a complete success in every particular, and were rendered very impressive and dignified by the simplicity and lack of ostentation of the carefully prepared programme. The battalion from the two ships presented a fine appearance, and it gives me great pleasure to congratulate the Department on the opportunity given the Navy to take such a prominent part in an important event in the history of our country.
Very respectfully,
J. N. MILLER,
Rear-Admiral, U. S. N.,
Commander in Chief Pacific Station.
The SECRFTARY OF THE NAVY,
Navy Department, Washington, D. C.
https://losthistory.net/spanam/Hawaiiflag.htm
I've shared this picture several times of John Hartwig Hansen in his Spanish American War uniform in 1898.
What happened to John Hansen's 12-inch piece of the rope? "Without really recognizing the value of his memento, Hansen sold half of it for $20 when he was short of cash. Later, he sold half of what was left. The remaining snippit of rope, no bigger than a cigarette, he wore as a watch fob." (Reno Gazette Journal, 1984).
John was still proud of his remaining piece of history in 1941 when he and his wife Vere visited their son Bob and his family in Reno, Nevada for Christmas. I am not sure where he shared his story or with what group, but the story and the memento were interesting enough to make the newspaper!
There is no sign of the actual certificate John received, but the watch fob was rediscovered with Hansen family belongings several summers ago and it remains in the Hansen family. It is a reminder of John's participation in a chapter of American history. I'm glad it was not the "end of the line" for that memento!
Does the name Francis G. Newlands sound familiar?
Francis G. Newlands
United States Senator from Nevada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_G._Newlands
Francis Newlands was a United States Representative and Senator from Nevada. He created the Newlands Resolution in 1898 which led to the annexation of Hawaii. The resolution was highly controversial, and Queen Lili'uokalani protested the taking of her country as being an illegal act. She boycotted the ceremony and was not present that day. The Territory of Hawaii was created in 1900 and it did not become a state until 1959. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newlands_Resolution
Francis Newland's home in Reno, Nevada, is a designated Historical Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1890 and was the first home built overlooking the Truckee River in the fashionable Newland Heights area. The Newland Heights Historic District was named to the National Register of Historical Places in 2017, and is one of Reno's oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods. Newlands Park is a small 2-acre Reno park named after Francis Newlands, located on California Avenue, Reno, Nevada. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_G._Newlands_Home
Those are just a few fun facts that tie John Hansen's historic flag hoisting experience to Reno history and the city the Burrows and the Hansens lived in. My family now calls Reno home, also. It's a small world!
Relationship Reference:
Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby->Harold Hansen->John Hartwig Hansen (married Vere Hansen) sons Jack, Robely (Bob) and Harold.
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