Christopher Hanson, who, for many years, was one of the influential and highly-respected citizens of Hawk Creek, was born in Norway, son of Hans Thoroson Hanson. In 1874, with his wife and five children, he set out for America, to which land his parents and other members of the family had previously emigrated. Upon reaching Renville county he secured a homestead of forty acres in section 18, Hawk Creek township, that being the last homestead land left in the neighborhood. He at once erected a log cabin into which the family moved. Then he started breaking and developing the land. One of his earliest duties being to set out the trees, which now adorn the place. The time of his arrival was an unfortunate one, for the first year the grasshoppers destroyed everything edible, even the hay. Mr. Hanson considered himself fortunate that they left him even with a stack of straw, and this straw he planned to preserve with much care. After a while the weeds began to grow up and, after they became dry, in order to keep them from casting their seeds and burs into his prized stack, he decided to destroy them by fire. The result was that the flames spread beyond his control and straw and all was consumed. But in spite of such experiences Mr. Hanson was undaunted and worked with unwavering courage year by year until all the difficulties were overcome. After eighteen years he erected a frame dwelling for a residence and in time the old sheds were replaced with good buildings for stock and crops. He added to his original holdings until he owned a good farm of 160 acres, of which eighty acres was in section 18 and eighty in section 7. Many of the improvements on the place were the work of his own hands, for he had inherited considerable dexterity with tools from his father, who had been a carpenter in Norway, and whom in his younger days he had assisted. Mr. Hanson never aspired to public office, but being always interested in the progress and betterment of the community he consented to serve as road overseer, and did good work for many years as director of School District No. 21. He was a man of active church interests, was instrumental in having the Hawk Creek Norwegian Lutheran church established and spent many days in laboring on the structure, in addition to contributing liberally toward its expenses. In the course of his farm business he became a stockholder in the Farmers' Creamery at Granite Falls. After a long, useful life, Mr. Hanson died Oct. 12, 1901, his good wife having passed away Dec. 27, 1887.

Christopher Hanson was married in Norway to Anna Gulbrandson, who was born in that country, and they had seven children: Hans, Dorothy, Bertha, Gunda and Carrie were born in Norway; Julius and Emma were born in America.