Sarah Hanson was my grandmother. She was the only grandmother I knew growing up. My paternal grandmother Annie Agnes Murray Maloney died when I was one year old.
I have fond memories of Sarah and always remember her as a joyful person. She brought a bright light to us. Yet I remember my mother saying she had a hard life. She loved giving her family nicknames of endearment and would make them feel they were important. Her nickname for Grandpa Nick was Jazzy. She named Grandpa's nephew Boyse Who Danny. She would put me on her knee and sing a Swedish Nursery Rhyme "Rida Rida Ranka" in the You Tube above with her own twist. Her version as I remember was "Rita Rita Runkin Hassen in the Blunkin, Vas kut a nenta, Ten little Penta, No need need a so, No need hoppa grown, lady come a sear, lady and the banker go a boo woo woo." When I remember others I will update. Over the years. she helped people and took care of family members in her home.
I remember her telling me that it was feast or famine at her home. Sometimes Grandpa would come home and pour a bundle of money on the table at the end of the week from his business as a well digger and other times the table was bare. She said they always rented and never owned their own home, but they could have paid for a house when they had the feast times. I think she put up with many trials and hardships, yet you would never suspect it. She also had diabetes and had to have insulin shots regularly. She always made it fun when she gave herself a shot when visiting our family.
One of her talents was pie baking. She helped in her daughter, Virginia and son in law, Nell's restaurant by working there and making the pies.
I have fond memories of Sarah and always remember her as a joyful person. She brought a bright light to us. Yet I remember my mother saying she had a hard life. She loved giving her family nicknames of endearment and would make them feel they were important. Her nickname for Grandpa Nick was Jazzy. She named Grandpa's nephew Boyse Who Danny. She would put me on her knee and sing a Swedish Nursery Rhyme "Rida Rida Ranka" in the You Tube above with her own twist. Her version as I remember was "Rita Rita Runkin Hassen in the Blunkin, Vas kut a nenta, Ten little Penta, No need need a so, No need hoppa grown, lady come a sear, lady and the banker go a boo woo woo." When I remember others I will update. Over the years. she helped people and took care of family members in her home.
I remember her telling me that it was feast or famine at her home. Sometimes Grandpa would come home and pour a bundle of money on the table at the end of the week from his business as a well digger and other times the table was bare. She said they always rented and never owned their own home, but they could have paid for a house when they had the feast times. I think she put up with many trials and hardships, yet you would never suspect it. She also had diabetes and had to have insulin shots regularly. She always made it fun when she gave herself a shot when visiting our family.
One of her talents was pie baking. She helped in her daughter, Virginia and son in law, Nell's restaurant by working there and making the pies.
Another family mystery is what happened to the oldest child Johannah or Hannah Hanson. She had a child John out of wedlock and her father and mother raised the child as their own, but banned Hannah from the family. It has been a sad truth and I often wondered what happened to the girl. Did she have a good life after that? Did she marry? Lots of questions with no answers.
We are trying to find out more about Emily Hanson and her early demise. She was the sister of my grandmother Sarah. When she died, her mother passed away within days. Both were buried at the same time. She supposedly died of pneumonia. "She was hospitalized 4 times in the last 12 months before she died. She had "discoloration" on her chest (among other places) at the time of autopsy. She was admitted for being "feeble minded" On the report her grandmother was listed also as "feeble minded".
She died in Eldridge, site of the Sonoma State Hospital. Emily died November 1, in Eldridge and her mother, Christina died November 8, 1914. Their funeral was the same day and they are buried in Sunset View Cemetery.
She died in Eldridge, site of the Sonoma State Hospital. Emily died November 1, in Eldridge and her mother, Christina died November 8, 1914. Their funeral was the same day and they are buried in Sunset View Cemetery.
