Summary Information
Hans Alfred Anderson Papers
1873-1879, 1911-1941
- Anderson, Hans Alfred, 1855-1939
La Crosse Mss O
0.2 cubic feet (1 archives box)
UW-La Crosse Murphy Library / La Crosse Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Papers of Anderson, a Trempealeau County Court judge in Whitehall, Wisconsin, including an autobiography, but primarily concerning his proposed history of Trempealeau County. Included is correspondence, 1912-1916, with Milo M. Quaife, director of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin; other correspondence with early settlers of the county; recollections by Anderson of Nicolas Bourlier, a rather hermit-like settler about 1865 on a bluff between Osseo and Pigeon Falls; and the David W. Wade Family papers, 1873-1879, a set of family correspondence given to Anderson for his research. Wade resided in the Town of Lincoln and the letters primarily concern financial matters and family news.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-lx000o ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Hans Alfred Anderson was born in Sonfjord, Norway, on March 4, 1855 and immigrated with his family to the United States and Trempealeau County, Wisconsin in 1867. On December 10, 1877 he married Oline Fristad. Largely self educated he passed the state teacher's examination. Struck with a desire to study law, he left for the University of Wisconsin in 1887, having by now a family with four children. He completed the two-year course in one year, and passed his bar examination in 1888.
Mr. Anderson returned to Trempealeau County in 1888 to become one of its most esteemed citizens, attaining the positions of state assemblyman, county judge, and district attorney. Judge Anderson was also the founder of the Trempealeau County Historical Society. He died on October 9, 1939 in Whitehall, Wisconsin, where he had spent most of his life.
Scope and Content Note
An autobiography and files of Judge Anderson regarding a proposed history of Trempealeau County. Correspondence is from Anderson's writing to various old-timers in the county requesting factual information about the people and events in the county during its early years. After Anderson's death, the project seems to have been carried on by Roy H. Masters and Henry A. Kline Jr. This project may have been started in the 1870s by Judge B. F. Heuston. Form 1912 to 1916, Milo M. Quaife, director of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, seemed very interested in the study Anderson was preparing and corresponded with him frequently.
The folder of David M. Wade Family papers represents a fairly complete set of family correspondence that was given to Judge Anderson for his historical research. Filed separately are recollections by Anderson of Nicolas Bourlier, a somewhat hermit-like settler on a bluff between Osseo and Pigeon Falls about 1865.
The autobiography concerns Anderson's life in Norway as a child of extremely poor farmers, immigration to the U.S. in 1867, other settlers in Trempealeau County, work at various jobs in Wisconsin, teaching school in Trempealeau County, studying law at the University of Wisconsin in 1887-1888, election as prosecuting attorney for Trempealeau County, and practicing in Whitehall.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Autobiography loaned for copying by Mrs. George Fisher, Prior Lake, Minnesota, February 19, 1965, through the courtesy of Albert Erlebacher. Bourlier recollection apparently presented by Judge Anderson. Remainder of papers transferred from the State Archives, November 1960.
Contents List
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La Crosse Mss O
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Correspondence, 1915 December-1920 October
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Box
1
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Historical correspondence and memoranda, 1914 April-1941 May
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Box
1
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David W. Wade family correspondence, 1873 December-1879 September
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1
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Miscellaneous correspondence, 1911 December-1926 December
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Box
1
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Bourlier recollections
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Box
1
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Autobiography (45 pp., photocopied)
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