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Have found out that John William Hanson had two daughters in The States, Bertha and Frances. Awaiting more info from my cousin. X

Thank you. X

OK Diane, just add the info to this thread when you have it and will pick it up.

It now seems definate that he was John William. Will post any new info ASAP. Thank you your help. X

Thank you! Will see what I can do. X

Hello again Diane. If John William (or vice versa) Hanson is the known ancestor of someone in USA then I think the way to approach it would be to for us to try to work back from that person to him and then see if we can find his arrival in USA and try to confirm a connection that way.

Obviously you don't want to post details of someone that is living but if there are some known facts about e.g. her grandparents then that would give us something to go on.

There are dozens of Hansons born Norway of the right age on the 1860 US census so working back will be far easier than attempting to work from each one of them.

I know that he wouldn't have been a gold miner. That's obviously why he went to America, hoping to make his fortune. Roger Gilbanks, who may have been his son, is the great grandfather of my cousin on his dads mothers side.

Many men went to the USA during the 1850s and 1860s, and became gold miners.

The major gold mining activity at that time were in California, then Alaska, and parts of British Columbia in Canada.


That does NOT mean that they were gold miners in their home countries ..................

in fact they were far more likely to be farmers, office clerks, criminals escaping justice, or even the black sheep of the family.


What is your connection to this man?

Not sure where he lived in USA but his great granddaughter lives in San Fransisco. I suppose he could have been Danish. They could have got mixed up. They do have Family letters to connect to him.

He was born in Kirkby Ireleth which I think is Cumbria?

Where was Roger Gilbanks born?

Hello Diane, I won't enter into discussion about the DNA as I have my own opinions on that which may not tally with yours.

Having said that, what part of the USA did this man arrive in and how was the date established? How is it known he was from Norway?

I did see this record but the man is Danish, not Norwegian.

New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957

Name: John Hanson
Arrival Date: 29 Jun 1854
Birth Date: abt 1826
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/ Nationality: Danish
Place of Origin: Denmark
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination: United States of America
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Queen of The West

He was a farmer. I'm sure there weren't many gold miners needed in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe so would guess it was an occupation men took up when they arrived in USA.

Have found out that the ship must have docked in Dalton in Furness. Hope this helps

Hi folks, Could anyone help me find details of John William (or William John) Hanson? He migrated from Norway to The USA in 1854. He was a gold miner. He must have stopped off in Engand in the early months of 1854 because we have DNA evidence connecting a lady in America to my family via a Roger Gilbanks. He was the son of Eluzabeth Gilbanks, no Father named on his birth certificate. Mr Hansons ship must have docked in England en route to The USA. Does anyone have experience of dealing with Nowegian ancestry. Am now stuck! :-(

Have now found out he was Danish. Can anyone help? X