RACINE BELLE CITY OF THE LAKES AND RACINE COUNTY WISCONSIN-ILLUSTRATED

VOLUME II Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

FANNY S. STONE Supervising Editor CHICAGO:
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1916
Contributed by Diane Kaye


Rudolph J. Hansche
The name of Hansche figures extensively and prominently in connection with the history of Mount Pleasant township, and Rudolph Hansche was among those who were active in promoting the early agricultural development of this region. The work of progress and improvement had scarcely begun in this locality when on coming to the United States in 1841 he made his way to Racine county and purchased eighty acres of land. He was born in Germany in 1814 and was there reared and educated, being a young man of about twenty-seven years when he crossed the Atlantic. With characteristic energy he began to till his fields and brought the farm to a high state of cultivation. He was truly a self-made man, for when he arrived in the county he was practically empty handed and for some time worked at a wage of twenty-five cents per day. Later he secured better wages however, and, carefully saving his earnings, was at length able to invest in the farm which he owned at the time of his demise.

In 1859 Mr. Hansche was married to Miss Anna Seorgel, a daughter of John Seorgel, and they had a family of nine children: Sophia, who became the wife of Norbert Grabher, of Mount Pleasant township, by whom she has five children; Mrs. William Piper; George, who married Lucy Olle and has passed away; Fred William; Katherine, who is the wife of Anton Lund and is living in Mount Pleasant; William J., who is married and resides in Racine county; Clara, who is the wife of Carl Sheckler, of Kenosha county, and has two sons; Lottie, who is upon the home place; and Earnest, who married Marie Jorgensen and died leaving two sons, who are with their mother in Mount Pleasant. Mr. Hansche passed away September 8, 1882, when sixty-nine years of age, while his wife long survived, her death occurring April 14, 1901.

In his political views Mr. Hansche was a republican, always strongly indorsing the principles of the party. His religious faith was that of the Evangelical church and its teachings guided him in all of his relations with his fellowmen, so that his was an honorable and well spent life, gaining for him the respect and goodwill of all with whom he was associated.