Family Life

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Three young men pose with their instruments: two cornets and a clarinet. The note on the back of this postcard reads: "music group Rasmus [Hanson] belonged to," undated.

The photographs in the Hanson Photographs collection at the Immigration History Research Center Archives depict the families of Lydia (1890-1981, born Leskella) and Rasmus Hanson (1885-1966). Lydia’s parents immigrated to the United States from Finland. The Leskella family operated a ranch near Buffalo, South Dakota, and Lydia was one of the first pioneer school teachers in what is now Harding County, SD. The family moved to Henning, Minnesota, in 1912. Lydia married Rasmus Hanson, a farmer in Leaf Lake Township, MN, in 1919. His parents were immigrants from Norway and Finland. Lydia gave up her teaching to work on the farm. In 1950, they moved to New York Mills, Minnesota.

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Members of the Hanson family and neighbors gather outdoors at Leaf Lake. Lydia Hanson is third from left, standing. Her husband Rasmus is first from left, standing, undated.

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View of the destruction caused by a tornado on Lydia and Rasmus Hanson's farm, 1930s.

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Lydia (Leskella) Hanson feeds her flock of chickens, near Henning, 1920s.

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The note on the back of the photograph reads: "What are these men into? Prohibition days?" undated.

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Studio portrait of Lydia and Rasmus Hanson on their wedding day, June 10, 1919. They were married in Wadena, 1919.

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Rasmus and Lydia Hanson, along with an unidentified young girl, stand by their home in New York Mills.