3 GENERATIONS OF "COWBOY DINNER"

WRITTEN BY DAR HANSON

"Auntie" Verle Kellstrom (Rudy Hanson's 1st cousin) called me one day near New Years Eve 2011 and mentioned she was making "COWBOY DINNER" ...a delicious concoction made frequently by her own mother IDA HANSON FREDRICKSON during those cold Skandia winters. Verles grown children still say HOO-RAY when she announces she's making COWBOY DINNER! I tried it and it's absolutley dee-licious....

Here's the recipe:

ALL DIVIDED INTO 2 LAYERS, ENDING WITH TOMATO SOUP

-RUSSET POTATOES, SLICED TO 1/4 INCH
-SLICES OF LEAN BACON, EITHER IN STRIPS OR CUT UP
-CAN DARK KIDNEY BEANS, NOT DRAINED
-ONIONS AND CELERY, CUT UP
-TOMATO SOUP, THINNED WITH ABOUT 1/8 C. WATER
-SALT AND PEPPER OR WHATEVER SEASONING STRIKES YOU!

LAY SOME OF THE BACON ON THE BOTTOM OF CASSEROLE DISH. LAYER SOME POTATOES ON TOP OF THAT, SALT AND PEPPER, SOME ONIONS & CELERY, SOME BEANS, A DRIZZLE OF THE TOMATO SOUP- THEN START THE LAYER AGAIN WITH THE BACON, REPEATING AS ABOVE, ENDING WITH THE TOMATO SOUP MIXTURE. BAKE COVERED W/ FOIL AT 325 TO 350 DEG FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF- THEN REMOVE THE FOIL FOR ABOUT ANOTHER HALF HOUR.

MAKES THE HOUSE SMELL HEAVENLY!

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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.

"SWEDISH VALHALLA = PASTIES ! " ("borrowed" from the Cornish miners)

From Dar Hanson

A HANSON TRADITION

Here is an original "pasty" shop on U.S. 41 in Marquette, Michigan- the very road where RUDY'S childhood home was, OTTO & GREAT GRAM KRISTINA'S homestead too... this shop was one of many in Michigan's upper peninsula. Rudy's cousin "Auntie Verle" claims nowdays the best pasties are made at the Lion's Club or the church where the old guard knows what they're doing ( LARD for the crust- crisco for the wimps).. dad's other cousin,"Auntie Leona" is 91 and still drives herself to church during pasty week to do her volunteering- she puts the fresh pasties in a sack for those to go & refers to herself as the "Bag Lady" of pasties. Occasionally my brother Dean will bring me a few from a Cornish family joint up by his place- we make a joke- if he does something particularly good to help his old sister, I say "I **PASTY** love you for that!".....I know this post will make all the Hansons DROOL.."I'll have mine with lotsa 'Stokleys' catsup and whole milk in a jelly glass"........

Click on "pasty shop" or the logo to visit their home page. Some fun pictures there.

Ida and Her Daughter Verle

"CONTRIBUTED BY DAR HANSON"

"Auntie Verle" (seen here on far right with her family- son Paul, wife Karen, Lynn, Verle with Paul and Karen's two boys- around 2007) is actually my dad, Rudy's, 1st cousin- she was considered the matriarch of Skandia and still visits during summers..her full name is Verle Kellstrom (wife of Howard Kellstrom). They have two children- Lynn and Paul.

Verle is the daughter of Ida Victoria Hanson (7th child of Kristina and Pehr). Here is a picture of her mother Ida (seated bottom center at right) with the Bahrman sisters of Skandia.

Ida was born in Marquette, Mich Dec 6th 1889 and died young on July 12th 1939. Her hubby David Fredrickson served as postmaster, had a general store and full service station- all attached to the original homestead. It was the hub of community activity! see photo above. Verle herself served many long hours there..

  Ida and David married in Skandia, Michigan Dec 2nd, 1922 & had four children- Vernon, Verle, Violet (Vi) and Gloria. Verle can remember her father was very strict and did not approve of dancing, drinking, card playing and the like! He was a generous and long valued member of the community and died there in 1947..

Daughter Verle just celebrated her 87th b'day with her family on oct 29th, 2011 @ Palm Springs, California.

Verle's future husband Howard first saw her as a young girl sitting on the steps of her fathers store the very day of her mother's death. It was his first day carrying mail for the Star Route - after awhile he asked her to the movies, they courted for a few years, then married. At first Verle didn't want to get married- she was only 18, but Howard insisted she was the one!

Howard Kellstrom

"CONTRIBUTED BY DAR HANSON"

Here is a photo of Verle's hubby, Howard Kellstrom, from the West Branch book. Verle said Howard was a very smooth dancer. During their marriage he frequently took her for overnighters to a club in nearby Escanaba. She said Howard liked to dance so much that whe she tired she gave him permission to "dance with the widows"- and he did !

Like his father, Howard was Postmaster and with his family, ran the same compound at the family homestead during his era. Howard died at the young age of 68- a popular and highly regarded member of the community.

"Uncle Robert was our favorite uncle when we were little- he was a quiet swede, but loved to toss us around like peanuts - he never tired of it and was always so kind. We would scream with delight when we saw him coming! (We agree that Uncle Robert is the spitting image of Great Grandpa Pehr!)" ox auntie dar

Aunt Marlene and Uncle Robert Hanson

Uncle Robert is Rudy's (Rudolph) youngest brother (mentioned in the Verle story). Also sons of Axel and Anna Hanson.

Fathers Connection: Rudy/Robert to Axel to Pehr

Great Grandpa Pehr is Robert's grandpa.

He is retired from the phone company and restores old cars and trucks as a hobby. Aunt Marlene is a retired nurse. they live in Marquette, Michigan.

Robert and Marlene at "Skandia Days" parade in front of a 1924 Ford Uncle Robert restored to drive in the procession.

Marlene and Robert with Verle (on right) while she was visiting them at "Little Shag Lake" near Skandia, Michigan.

Wedding Announcement and 50th Anniversary in newspaper "The Mining Journal" of Marquette, Michigan.

Verle Kellstrom- matriarch of Skandia

"Aunt" Verle Kellstrom (Rudy Hanson's 1st cousin) - as told to Dar Hanson:

Today is October 28th, 2011- Auntie Verle's 87th birthday! She is the daughter of Ida Fredrickson-Hanson and granddaughter of Kristina Hanson.

Verle lives now in Palm Springs, California with her daughter and son-in-law. Her son and family are also close by in Laguna Beach.

Verle was reluctant to leave her dear Skandia having lived there all her life- and in the same house (with attached post office) her father built. Here's a pic of her house there in Skandia.

After her husband Howard died she had a long time boyfriend named George-a dutiful suitor (see photo below) and also like Verle, a highly valued member of the community. When he passed away she decided it was time to pack up all those memories and head west.

Reminiscing from what her mother told her, today she recalled the story of her being born in 1924 in that house in what was then the "music" room- delivered by her own grandmother Kristina Hanson- it was said Verle's younger sister Gloria was the last baby Kristina delivered before she retired (at the ripe old age of 70) from being the midwife of Skandia, Michigan.
My Uncle Robert Hanson (Rudy's little brother) is friends with the new owner and works on his vintage autos in the "car barn" on Verles old property.

Verle was very much the matriarch of her community (having served as postmaster too) and is still much sought after when she visits "little shag lake" (near Glen Hanson's old "camp") in the summertime.

Here's Verle with Judge Judy (Larry King in backround)

Below singer, Jerry Vale with Verle. Both pictures taken in Palm Springs.