THE MARION ADVERTISER

December 29, 1899

 

Historical

 

            I Hanson of New London, is the guest of his daughter, Mrs. Libby.  Mr. Hanson is 91 years of age, hearty and healthy and walks about as nimbly as one many years younger.  He located in New London in the early fifties and has the honor of constructing the first bridge across the turbulent waters of the raging Wolf at that place.  He recollects well the days when Mukwa was the seat of Waupaca county’s government and James Smiley’s stubborn career as Register of Deeds, in secreting the books after Waupaca people had knocked the county seat persimmon off the tree with a pike pole.  But after Mr. Smiley had been jailed in a board shanty for a day, the books were properly turned over to his successor and he returned to the flats of Mukwa rejoicing.  James Smiley is now 87 years old and Mr. Hanson thinks he and himself are the only two pioneers left in the eastern part of the county.  The others have all departed to the happy hunting grounds, from whence none return.  Mr. Hanson is quite deaf, the only impediment to a daily enjoyment of life.