The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1907-01-18
MRS. D. M. HANSON.

Ia
Sylvia D. Head was born in Alfred, N.
Y Jan. 8, 1928. She came to Wisconsin
| with her parents, Solomon and Sarah
Head, in 1889, who after four years resi-
dence at Milton located permanently in
Albion. In 1851 Sylvia Head was mar.
ried to Diminious M. Hanson. Thus a
bright, enthusiastic young wife and a
capable, ambitious, manly young hus-
band united into their new life with the
happiest prospects. Their home was in
the growing city of Minneapolis and Mr..
Hanson, a successful lawyer, became a
prominent member of the legislature of
Minnesota. From the beautifully bound
volumes of the masters of literature
| which Mrs: Hanson cherished to the last,
one could form little conception of the
culture and beauty of the home where
for five years they enjoyed each others
companionship and made host of
friends outside. In 1856, after a very
brief illness, Mr.. Hanson died and Mrs.
Hanson seemed to feel that her life too
was ended so far as personal ambition or
happiness was concerned. Mr.. Hanson
had been able to provide a beautiful
home, but no provision had been made
for such an unhappy possibility as leav-
ing his wife, and she found herself with
very limited means. Too independent
and proud spirited to become burden
to her friends or accept from them the
necessities of life, she went into business
for herself. But she was spared the un-
happiness of living to herself alone.
For eighteen years Mrs. Hanson was
the Albion postmistrees and the people
came to know her we'll and to appreciate
her sterling qualities. With positive
convictions of her own on almost every
subject, she sometimes in her extreme
partisanship aroused antagonism, which
all melted away as soon as her sense of
justice and humor had time to assert
itself. With fund of information on
current topics always at her command.
ready wit and keen appreciation of the
humorous side Of things, she greatly en-
joyed the contact of the people about
her which the office afforded and every
one liked to drop into the postoffice
where Mrs. Hanson by her genial and
pleasant manner and ready sympathy
often made social center for the little
town.
During these years of activity Mrs.
Hanson so managed her financial affairs
that with her own earnings she built
pleasant little home for herself and when
her duties became too wearing she re-
signed as postmistress and went to this
cozy little home in the midst of old
friends and neighbors. A less resource
full woman would have been too lonely
to do this, but Mrs. Hanson had world
Of her own to draw on-a world of great
happiness in the far away part that had
lasted for just five years and whose sun
was the husband whose presence never
seemed to forsake her "a world of the
past, peopled with father and mother,
with Samuel and Rollin and Martha and
Jane and Henry and the ones dearest to
them and to her. All her life she had
been a great reader and the literary
world was full of old friends she could
bring to her Preside at any time. Not
until she felt that she was really getting
past looking out for herself was she will
ing to give up and be cared for by 9th
ers. What comfort it must have been
to her when she felt her own strength
going to know that brother and sister
were ready to support her with their
strength. The last few weeks of Mrs.
Hanson's life were spent in the home of
her brother, Henry Head, where she was
tenderly cared for. On the 9Th day of
January, 1907, she finished her 70 years
of earthly pilgrimage and as the morn
ing of the 9th dawned she entered into
the light of eternity.
Funeral services were held at the
home of Henry Head Sabbath afternoon
at o'clock. Rev. T. j. Van Horn read
selections from the scriptures. Wearied
with life's journey, she was gently laid
to rest by the side of her father and
mother in the Albion cemetery.