SWEDISH CHRISTMAS CONFIRMATION LONG AGO

FROM DAR HANSON

SKANDIA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH- CHRISTMAS 1895

OH, IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK.
The Hanson Family history is deeply woven into every pew of this little church.
The photograph is an early confirmation ceremony in Skandia, Michigan performed at the church our great grandparents PEHR and KRISTINA HANSSON helped build. Great uncle CHARLIE (KARL) HANSSON and my grandpa AXEL HANSSON are the last two kids on the right. They were about 9 and 10 years old. This only a few years after the boys father had drown. The church stands in 2011 and is still active. My parents, RUDY and PEARL HANSON were married here as well as my brother DOUGLAS HANSON and his wife MELISSA. In the early days LEONA HANSON COPPO remembers Grandma KRISTINA being in charge of preparing the coffee (almost a religion in itself for swedes). She would make it in huge urns with egg shells in it to cut any bitterness. She also remembers grandma KRISTINA tugging at her braids when she was wriggling around at church and not paying attention. (I guess thats universal!) Both she and Verle recall OTTO HANSON (Leona's Dad) singing beautiful duets with his sister IDA (Verles Mom). OTTO was devasted when his big sis died too early and swore he would never do another duet and never did after that.  This is the same church CLARA PETERSON WILSON recited a poem she had written about KRISTINA and PEHR's journey to America. She also sang at that 1985 family reunion. When the piano player at the church lagged a bit during the performance, she stopped singing, banged on the piano and said " comon' lets step it up a bit!" and continued right on singing her song.
 I love the fresh greenery inserted with flowers at the alter, the old fashioned oil lamp overhead and those snappy hats the girls wore. The photo is somewhat sun faded, but my brothers look very much like my grandpa AXEL at that age.

Twas' The Night Before...Deer Season?

FROM DAR HANSON

This is a deer hunting poem from a log book at an old yooper deer camp..it was found and published in the Marquette Mining Journal..Leona Hanson Coppo transcribed this in a letter to me in her own hand. She lives in Flint, Mich and is 91 this year.

Deer season was almost a religion in Skandia from back when the town was first founded- deer were plentiful and a good source of protein for hungry families eking out a living in those hard times...

this poem is to read like " 'Twas the Night before Christmas"....

Kristina's Kitchen

We referred to Bert's wife as Aunt Pat- (Bert was my dad, Rudy's, 1st cousin -- Leona's younger brother and -- son of Otto and Pearl Robinson Hanson). Seems everyone was Auntie and Uncle in Skandia!

It was said when two young people started making "peepers" at each other, everyone ran to the Elders to make sure they weren't related! A small town phenom that still carries out to this day.

Here's a pic of Aunt Pat's Christmas celebration when they lived in Kristina's old house (Pat said about 1950). Love that kitchen- original beadboarding and wavy glass windows!

L to R:

-Martin Coppo (husband to Leona, Otto's daughter),

-Pat Bradley Hanson (standing more in front, with glasses)

-Pearl Robinson Hanson holding Bert and Pat's daughter, Pam

-Pearl's hubby, Otto

-Leona (Otto and Pearl's only daughter)

-Glen (Otto and Pearl's youngest son) My dad Rudy's 1st cousin and best friend!

Thought Pat's recipe would be a nice addition. OX Auntie Dar

This recipe from "Aunt" Pat in Skandia - she was a great cook but hated being away from the party...

*AUNT PATS HURRY UP CHICKEN*

-2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts

- Equal amounts of Dijon mustard and dark brown sugar

Rinse and pat chicken dry. Spray a shallow pan with PAM. Place chicken in pan. Smear heavily with mustard/sugar mixture. Cover with foil and bake 350 for 20-30 Minutes or until juices run clear.

USE EXTRA SAUCE FOR DIPPING. SOUNDS KILLER! ox Dar

Leona "Lee" Hanson Coppo- Family Historian

"WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY DAR HANSON"  on11-3-11 (the anniversary of our Dad Rudy's birthday- he would've been 87 today!)

Here is a picture of Leona (Hanson) Coppo surrounded by her lovely collection of Cambridge glass. As a young woman she was paid for a babysitting job in a piece of original Cambridge and has been hooked ever since. She has written for the Cambridge Glass Magazine, hosted and attended Cambridge Glass Club functions (with her daughter Carol) featuring the pieces in Flint, Michigan. Leona has the gift to make a written text come alive and is in the process of doing her own extensive scrapbooking project for her branch of the Hanson line. We often share photos & information, but best of all the STORIES! Leona has total recall about even the smallest details back when our great grandma Kristina and all those other names, dates and faces we wonder about were alive and we spend hours late at night in that magical space of living history. She is the COOLEST!

   Leona is the daughter of Otto and Pearl Hanson- born in 1920. Though I call her "Auntie", she is my dad Rudy's 1st cousin. She met her husband, Martin Coppo (as many seemed to in Skandia) at Fredricksons post office/general store. Here is my favorite pic of her in their "salad days"- about 1946.

They were married December 17th 1943 at Ypsilanti, Michigan when Martin was home on leave from the Navy (type U.S.S. Pequot in your browser to see an entire web circuitry about that WW2 ship Martin served on) . Leona lived in Ypsi and worked as a civilian for the Army Air Corps at Willow Run where they made the famous B-24 aircraft.
Leonas father was Otto Hanson, b.1891- d.1977 (Otto was Kristina and Pehr's last child- under a year old when his father drowned while working at Lake Superior). Leona's mother was Pearl Robinson b. 1893- d. 1980 (from the reknowned Robinson Family of Skandia)..Leona's Mom Pearl was considered the best cook in Skandia (i can attest to it personally!) & the ultimate homemaker..

LEONA'S BROTHERS

Glen was Leona's brother and Rudy's best friend growing up..Glen married later in life to Lillian Swanson of Skandia- they had no children...her other brother, Bert, married Pat Bradley of Detroit-(they lived in Kristina's old house while Bert built their new one across highway 41 in the 50's- Pat is the one with the chicken recipe in former post). Bert served both in WW2 and Korea- they had one daughter, Pamela..here is a picture of cousins Glen, Bert and my dad Rudy in front of the legendary Donckers Sweet Shop (still there in Marquette!) while Bert was on leave after boot camp about 1941 or 42, yet to see the horrors of war.

According to Leona, her Mom Pearl died at Norlite Nursing Home in Marquette, Michigan. Here is Otto and Pearl's wedding picture in January 1920 (not to be confused with Rudy's wife Pearl!) they were married at Green Bay, Wisconsin when Otto had a job at the Carnation factory there.

Here are each of Pearl's parents, Demmon Robinson b. 1866- d. 1922...and his wife, the legendary Minnie Goodman Robinson b.1872- d. 1945