Rev. Thomas Hanson, pastor of Hauges, Franklin, Zions, Camp and Fairfax Lutheran churches, was born at Immanuel church parish, at Aspelund, Goodhue county, Minn., on February 3, 1871, being the son of Rev. Osten Hanson, for nearly forty years pastor at that place, and for many years president of the Hauges synod. Rev. Thomas Hanson was first sent to school at the early age of five years, diligently attending the English public schools during the winter months from that time on and attending parochial school during the summer months. This was kept up until 1885, when he was confirmed at Immanuel church, Aspelund, Minn., by his father, Rev. Osten Hanson. At the age of fifteen, after being confirmed, he was sent to take up his studies at the Red Wing Seminary, Red Wing, Minn. Partly because he had to look after his father's farm interests and partly because he loved outside work as well as loving much his home community, he spent a couple of years out on his father's farmstead. However, something seemed ever to be drawing him back to college, and he did not feel satisfied until he again took up his studies there. In 1895 be graduated from the college department. Having studied theology also during the senior year of his collegiate he was able to graduate (at the head of his class) in 1897, at the age of twenty-six years, having in the meantime taught school for many years during summer vacations. Long, strenuous and many had been the years of school and he accordingly had planned on a vacation betore starting in the ministry. But as the charge he had accepted a call from was without a minister, he went to his duties in 1897 not long after the close of the school year, first attending to the necessary preliminaries. On June 2, 1897, he was united in marriage to Julia Follingstad, the lady having been teacher of music in his home community for more than five years and during the same time being church musician at Immanuel's church, Aspelund, Minn. To this union six children have been born, namely: Inga, Mabel, Ernest, Joseph, Henry and Victoria. On June 7, 1897, Mr. Hanson was ordained to the ministry at St. Paul, Minn. Four brothers are all ministers, namely: the above mentioned, Rev. M. G. Hanson, president of Hauges synod; Rev. H. A. Hanson, of Chicago, and Rev. S. E. Hanson, of Jackson, Minn., all being the sons of Rev. Osten Hanson, Goodhue county, Minnesota.

Rev. Thomas Hanson has served as a minister of the gospel in Renville county for a period of eighteen years and is still serving there in that capacity.