William A. Hansford, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of William A. Hansford
WILLIAM A. HANSFORD.
The farming class of America, and especially of the northern tier of States, is noted for the degree of intelligence that is possessed among its representatives. Mr. Hansford belongs to one of the most progressive of families, and as a tiller of the soil, as well as in other respects, he has endeavored to keep out of old grooves, and has always favored the adoption of new and improved methods in conducting his operations. The Hansfords originated in England, and the grandparents of the subject of this sketch were well-to-do dairy farmers. Their son, John, was born in Lancashire, in 1813, and at the age of fifteen years he left the home of his birth to seek his fortune in the new world, and first located in New Jersey. He worked in that State and Pennsylvania during the building of the Lehigh Canal as cook, and also at blasting rocks, but about 1836 came westward to Chicago. Succeeding this for about seven years he resided at Thornton, Illinois, where he followed farming and teaming, and in 1843 he removed to Indiana to the farm where the subject of this sketch now lives. While at Thornton he pre-empted eighty acres of land which he improved, and on which he resided while in that section. In 1838 he was married to Miss Maria Morgan, by whom he had two children:. John, who died at the age of ten years, and Maria, who passed from life in December, 1889. Mr. Hansford was married a second time April 4, 1844, to Miss Hannah Dillingham, a native of Ohio, to which union eight children were given: William, who died in 1849; Eri, who is a prosperous and successful farmer in the vicinity of Topeka, Kansas; Effie Jane is the wife of Otis King and lives in LaPorte County on a farm; Ella B. is the wife of Reason Reed, and lives on a farm in Kansas; Emma C., is the wife of John Sellman, a farmer; William A., the subject of this sketch; Jonah S., is located on a portion of the old home farm, and J. L., who is successfully tilling the soil in LaPorte County. William A. Hansford, the subject of this sketch, was born on the farm on which he is now residing March 17, 1860, and on this farm he was brought up, and though his educational advantages were limited, his native shrewdness and naturally good mind placed him among the intelligent young men of his day. He gave his assistance to his father up to the age of about twenty-one years, then began farming for himself in Shawnee County, Kansas, where he remained about, two years. He then removed back to the old home farm in Indiana, but at the end of two years went to Marion County, Missouri. A year and a half later he came to Porter County, Indiana, once more, and here has made his home ever since. He was married in 1890 to Miss Ida Shroder, a daughter of Christian and Hannah Shroder, farmers by occupation, and the parents of the following children: Minnie, Laua, Mary, Ida, Sophia and Christopher. The father of these children died in 1880, but his widow still survives him. Mr. and Mrs. Hansford have but one child living, their eldest born having died at the age of three months. Their present little one was born on the 30th of August, 1893, and is named Edith. Mr. Hansford has been very successful as a tiller of the soil, for though still a young man, he is the owner of about 600 acres of fine farming land, on which are good buildings and improvements of all kinds. The appearance of his place indicates that he is a man of thrift, and he gives every promise of becoming one of the wealthy men of the county before many years have passed over his head. Mr. Hanford is a Democrat politically, but is liberal in his views, and is by no means an aspirant for political honors. Although not a member of any church he believes in the Golden Rule, and in matters of public enterprise he is always interested and a substantial supporter. His father died in 1890, at the age of seventy-seven years, and his mother, in 1874, when about fifty-five years old. The family are well known in Porter County, the members of which are deservedly classed among its most substantial citizens.
Source: Goodspeed Brothers. 1894. Pictorial and Biographical Record of La Porte, Porter, Lake and Starke Counties, Indiana. Chicago, Illinois: Goodspeed Brothers. 569 p.
Page(s) in Source: 563-565
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook