#52Ancestors52Weeks....Week 31...End of the Line.....The Halyard That Raised the American Flag Over Hawaii in 1898 (Or What's Left of It...)

 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

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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.

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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.  

        

Memorial Park in Grass Valley California....More Musings on Memorial Day and Our Hansen Family Service Recognized....

 

 Memorial Park

Grass Valley, California 

All Veteran's Memorial and Memorial Grove

City of Grass Valley.com 

  Memorial Day is a national holiday set aside for reflection and remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. Military. I have previously posted about the origins of Memorial Day (previously called Decoration Day), what this day has meant to our family and the service of my Hansen and Boothby relatives (see posts from  May 31, 2021 , June 4, 2021) .  You can read about the Hansen Brothers' WWII service in these posts: May 26, 2020, June 10, 2020 and June 15, 2020; you can also click on the WWII link on the right. 

  This Memorial Day I would like to reflect on the service of my Hansen relatives and how it has now been marked for future generations of our family.  Even though these men did not die in service they did serve with honor and came home very different men than when they left their homes in Grass Valley and Reno to serve their country.  I am sure they were very aware of the ultimate sacrifice that countless friends and fellow service members paid.   We are able to enjoy our  privileges and freedoms as citizens of the United States of America because of those sacrifices. 

 These marble plaques were recently installed at the All Veterans Memorial located in Memorial Park, Grass Valley, California (2023).  The first phase of the project began in 2002; the names on the walls honor Nevada County veterans living or deceased who served in all branches of the military.  Margaret Boothby (my mother) requested that four plaques be added this year in honor of John Hartwig Hansen (her Grandfather), Jack Hansen (her Uncle), Robley Hansen (her Uncle) and Harold Hansen (her Father). The plaques are all together on the same wall. 

John Hartwig Hansen (Grass Valley, Ca.)

Jack Klemmet Hansen (Uncle Jack) Grass Valley, Ca. 

Robley Evans "Bob" Hansen (Uncle Bob) born in Grass Valley, Ca. and lived in Reno, Nevada

Harold Lloyd Hansen (Grandpa) Grass Valley, Ca. 

 The four plaques can be found at the top of this section.  

The Memorial section of the park is located across from the pickle ball courts and pool and is located on the Race Street side. 

Taken from the City of Grass Valley website: 

  "The Grass Valley Women's Improvement Club's creation of the modest park, Dow Alexander Park, presaged bigger things.  In their early conversation with William Bourn, the women asked about a 7-acre property along Colfax Avenue, known as Barker Tract, which the Empire had purchased for its underground mineral rights.  Bourn took the matter to his Board of Directors, and a week later offered the land for a park.

  In 1911, the women didn't have the funds to develop a property as large as the Barker Tract.  But later, as a result of organizing successful war bond and Red Cross drives during the Great War of 1914-18, local citizens developed the skills to raise money on a larger scale than they could through parties and variety shows.

  The Memorial Park property was purchased November 11, 1930 from the Empire Star Mines Company for the sum of $1.00.  After the war Empire's property would become Grass Valley's Memorial Park.  The Memorial area was dedicated to Veterans and contains monuments for WWI, WWII and Korean War.  Memorial Day and Veteran's Day services are held annually by local Veteran's groups." 

  The Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce also asked for contributions with the slogan "Give a Shift for the Park". Hundreds of working men and their families gave a day's wages.  The result was a beautiful community park with a stone bridge, an auto camp, gardens, a community building which served as the veteran's hall, tennis courts , a ball field, a swimming pool, and a memorial grove. Cities throughout the state used Memorial Park as a model. (The Union October 29, 2021 Volunteerism Built Grass Valley's Memorial Park)  

 

   Memorial Park just recently under went an extensive remodel and upgrade.  There is a renovated and expanded  pool, new tennis, basketball and pickle ball courts and a beautiful inclusive playground for children of all abilities. The Memorial grove is located in the same quiet spot under large mature trees that provide cool shade in the summer.  A perfect spot to sit and reflect on the service of not only our family members, but of all the remembered service members of Nevada County.  

John Hartwig Hansen Spanish American War 1898

 Harold, John and Bob Hansen WWII

Jack Hansen (from the Bob Hansen Family Album) WWII

  

  

  

John Hartwig Hansen Larger Than Life (Hansen)

Memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth, but not it's twin.
Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

  

  The stories go like this..............

  John Hartwig Hansen was born in Norway; ran away to sail the seas on clipper ships when he was 12 years old; jumped ship in Eureka, California, worked for awhile as a farm hand in Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, enlisted in the Spanish American War and after his service somehow found his way into the Sierra Foothills and mining country, ending up in Grass Valley, California.  His knowledge of rope splicing made it easy for him to get work as a cable splicer in the mines.  In Grass Valley, putting down roots, he taught elocution which led to participation in local theatrical productions.  He gave dance and physical fitness instructions (he worked out with Indian clubs all his life).  He swept Clara Vere Burrows off her feet because he was such a good dancer!

  John H. enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the Spanish American war.  It was said that he sailed under Robley "Fighting Bob" Evans (hence the name given to his middle son Robley "Bob" Evans Hansen).   His obituary stated that he was present at the raising of the American flag in Manila. He was present at the raising of the flag over the Iolani Palace in Hawaii.   He tried to enlist for active duty during WWI, but was kept in the active reserves.  He was a very patriotic citizen, participated in events of patriotism, and always hung out the American flag for appropriate occasions. 

  In 1910 he embarked on the  steam ship  "City of Para" to El Salvador where he accepted a position with the Pullinger and Butters Co., which operated a number of mines in Central America.  He spent 3 years there, and wrote down his adventures as a collection of stories filled with tales of monkeys, dogs and mules, numerous close calls with nature and difficulties with employees and natives alike. The last few months of his tenure  he was joined on his adventure by his wife, Clara Vere Burrows Hansen and their oldest son, Jack Klemmet.  They left their two youngest sons at home in California. When the President of El Salvador was  assasinated it was time to come home.  

  He spent the remainder of his life  ranching and raising three boys in Grass Valley with the love of his life, Clara. They built their final home on West Main Street, and he saw his three boys off to serve in WWII.   He served on the Grass Valley City Council for 4 years and was eventually elected mayor of the city for which he served two years. 

  John Hartwig Hansen  was indeed a colorful character, and seems almost larger than life to me.   The story of his life is put together from pictures,  family memories, newspaper articles and information provided in his obituary.  There are his memoirs written down of his adventures in Central America.  But.... are these memories, tidbits of information and stories accurate?  I am finding that genealogical research can sometimes be a difficult thing when it comes to matching memories with actual fact.  Gay Hansen Sandberg, Bob Hansen's daughter, edited John Hansen's memoirs.  She added in her introduction that.."It has to be remembered that he was quite a spinner of tales". 
 Memory is indeed a complicated thing. I will try to provide some relative truth, but it will never be it's twin. 


  John H. Hansen's family applied for a headstone for Military Veterans after his death in April of 1945.   This application gives the date of his enlistment as July 1, 1898 and his discharge as November 11, 1898.  He was 33 years old when he enlisted. According to a July 4, 1984 article in the Reno Gazette Journal, Bob Hansen talks about his father's early years.  The article states that "As a teenager the late John Hartwig Hansen ran away from home and went to sea aboard a clipper ship.  After exploring a large part of the globe in the 1880's he decided to settle in the United States--but he didn't give up the sea.  When the Spanish American War started, Hansen presented his brand new citizenship papers to the U.S. Navy and was assigned to the USS Mohican as an Able Seaman.  That's how he happened to be aboard when the Mohican sailed to the Hawaiian Islands to raise the American flag over the Iolani Palace in Honolulu, officially annexing the islands to the United States.  Since Hansen was an expert rope splicer, he was sent ashore with the landing party and was one of the sailors who hoisted the flag into place.  After the ceremony, each sailor in the flag raising party was given a 12-inch piece of the rope and a certificate telling about their part in the annexation of Hawaii." 

  The article goes on to tell how the piece of rope grew smaller.  "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 snippet of rope, no bigger than a cigarette, he wore as a watch fob. Now, 86 years after it was cut from the line that raised the American flag over Hawaii, that tiny piece of rope is one of Robley Hansen's treasures.  He loves to tell his granddaughter the story of the piece of rope and why her great-grandfather wore it as a reminder of his role in a chapter of American history." 

  
  This part of John H.'s story is probably the most accurate of his war stories.  In researching Robley Dungliston Evans I found that he was commanding the USS Iowa in Cuba early summer of 1898.  The raising of the flag in the Philippines was August 13, 1898.  The formal flag raising ceremony to mark the annexation of Hawaii over the Iolani Palace was August 12, 1898.  I believe that John H. possibly idolized Robley Evans from his previous war exploits (he was a colorful character) which is why he named his second son after him.  I also believe that in the retelling of the Spanish American war and his part he played, possibly the flag stories got mixed up resulting in a piece of information in his obituary telling of his role in the Philippines.  He was actually in Hawaii serving on the Mohican.   That is my interpretation.  It is always open to revision.  
  
  John H Hansen was found living in Grass Valley in the 1900 US Census. He was living on Neal Street as a single boarder in the household of George Hill and his wife. His occupation was listed as miner. He was listed as being 33 years of age. In reality he was 35 years old.  One of his fellow boarders was a Florence Garrison, aged 32.  Her occupation was listed as "Teacher of Elocution".  That is an interesting connection, and may be where his skills as an elocution teacher came from! I wonder what he and Florence were collaborating on.  He lists his date of immigration as being 1883, which would have  made him 18 when he entered the United States. Since most of the 1890  US Census is not available due to fire, we really do not know what he was up to prior to 1900, with the exception of his war service in 1898.  He certainly could have been working in various parts of California, especially as a farm hand, since he grew up on a farm in Norway.  Later in life, he worked a small ranch near the Idaho-Maryland Mine.  In 1900,  Clara Vere Burrows was 17 years old and  living on the west side of Townsend Street in Grass Valley.  He and Clara would marry in 1904.  It sounds like both John and Clara had a busy social life in Grass Valley and could very well have met at a theatrical production, or during dancing lessons!  

  The 1910 Census lists the Hansen family as living at 418 Main Street (in the old house..before the new house was built).  John Hansen was listed as a miner, working in a gold mine as a ropeman.  He and Clara had experienced the death of their first child, Hulda Hansen in 1905.
  The Union Tuesday April 25, 1905......Hulda Elizabeth, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Hansen passed away yesterday morning at 5 o'clock, after a week's illness.  The child was only thirteen days old.  A severe attack of congestion of the lungs was the cause of death.  The funeral will be held this afternoon at 2 o'clock, from the family residence, and will be private.

  Jack Hansen and Robley Hansen are listed on the census.  Harold Hansen was born October 11, 1910, after the census was taken.  

  In his memoirs, John Hansen talks about Clara and Jack meeting him in El Salvador and staying with him for a short period.  I did find the Passenger and Crew List for their return trip home from La Union which lists their arrival date in San Francisco as 2 March 1913 which coincides with the story of the assassination of the president in February of 1913.  

  
  I also found a U.S. Passport Application for John Hansen requesting a passport to Nicaragua in June of 1921. 

  

     His obituary mentioned that he was a gold miner in Nicaragua and Guatemala. Indeed, he was!

  I chronicled the rest of John H.'s life with his family in the last blog post, using his obituary as my source along with family pictures to fill out his life in Grass Valley.  I believe I am closer to the truth of John Hartwig Hansen, but I will never truly know him as I am generations removed from when he lived and made his mark on the world.  He was a unique person who left his mark on our family in many, many ways.  


Some pertinent information on Indian Clubs....

"Indian clubs, which originated in the Indian subcontinent, are a type of exercise equipment used to present resistance in movement to develop strength and mobility.  They consist of bowling-pin shaped wooden clubs of varying sizes and weights, which are swung in certain patterns as part of a strength exercise program.....they were used in carefully choreographed routines in which the clubs were swung in unison by a group of exercisers, led by an instructor, similar to 21st century aerobics or zumba classes.....when the 19th century British colonists came across exercising clubs in India, they named them Indian clubs."  Wikipedia.
 

                            St. Pauls Young Mens Society Indian Club Swinging Team, Ipswich, 1890's