Hans Christian Wein, was born in Als Svendstrup, a Danish possession, May 20, 1841, son of John F. and Anna Fredericka (Klausen) Wein, who were workers in wooden ware. There were seven children in the family: John, Clause, Ellen (deceased), Anna, Hans, George and Peter. In 1881, after his wife's death, John F. Wein came to the Unnited States with his daughter Anna, who was Mrs. Jesse Bonde, and located in Sacred Heart township. Hans C. came during the same year and George came later. The sisters remained in Europe. Hans C. grew up in his native village and became a sailor. For many years he sailed the seas, touching nearly every port in the world and spent four years in China. In 1881 he located on a tract of 80 acres in Sacred Heart township where he built a small house of one room, 12 by 15 feet. He also bought a team of horses and two cows. The first year he broke up only a small part of his farm, about fifteen acres, and set to work putting in a crop. As times passed he became prosperous, made improvements on his farm and increased it to 200 acres.

Mr. Wein was married in Europe to Ellen Jenson, who was born in 1850 and died five weeks after coming to Renville county. There were four children by this marriage: Hans J., who is now a pastor of a church at Caledonia, Houston county, Minn.; John, Anna and Christine. In 1882 Mr. Wein married Marie Thompson, born in Felstar, Germany, May 10, 1843, daughter of John and Catherine (Clausen) Thompson, the former of whom was a fisherman, both of whom are now dead. There were six children in the family: Chris, Marie, Matthew, Tena, Catherine and John. John was the first to come to America, Catherine came in 1881 and Tena came later. The rest of the family remained in Europe. By this second marriage there were four children: Ellen, Chris., and one who died, who were triplets, and Marie (deceased).