Connor Hansen

He was born in Freeman, South Dakota, and was educated in the Eau Claire public schools, graduating from Eau Claire High School. He earned his bachelor's degree from the Eau Claire State Teachers College in 1934 (now the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire), and immediately went on to University of Wisconsin Law School, where he earned his J.D. in 1937.{{cite web|url= https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/supreme/justices/retired/hansen.htm |title= Former Justices - Justice Connor T. Hansen |website= Wisconsin Court System |accessdate= September 21, 2020 }}{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1979 |title= The state of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1979 |location= Madison, Wisconsin |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |chapter= Biographies: Supreme Court Justices |chapter-url= http://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1979/reference/wi.wibluebk1979.i0007.pdf |page= 8 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 }}

After briefly practicing law in Eau Claire, in 1938, Hansen declared his candidacy for district attorney of Eau Claire County.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59707542/hansen-for-district-attorney/ |title= Is Candidate for District Attorney Post |newspaper= Eau Claire Sunday Leader |location= Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date= July 10, 1938 |page= 3 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }} Despite being only 24 years old, Hansen won the Republican Party primary election, defeating former district attorney Curt W. Augustine, and went on to win the general election, defeating incumbent district attorney, Progressive Victor O. Tronsdal.{{cite news|url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59710066/eau-claire-election-results/ |title= Tronsdal, MacLeod Are Both Defeated, Pepin Wins Sheriff |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader |location= Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date= November 9, 1938 |page= 1 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }} Hansen was subsequently re-elected in 1940 and 1942.

A few months into his third term, however, he resigned as district attorney to accept a position as special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59710988/hansen-to-fbi/ |title= Connor Hansen Takes FBI Post |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader |location= Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date= June 19, 1943 |page= 11 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }} He completed his service with the FBI and returned to Eau Claire in late 1944, and formed a law partnership with his former assistant district attorney, John D. Kaiser.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59717571/hansen-returns-from-fbi/ |title= Connor Hansen, J. Kaiser Resume Law Partnership |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader |location= Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date= November 30, 1944 |page= 6 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }}

In 1945, Hansen returned to public office when he was appointed circuit court commissioner for Eau Claire County by 19th circuit judge Clarence E. Rinehard, and would continue in that role until his appointment as County Judge in 1958.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59724378/hansen-for-circuit-judge/ |title= Connor Hansen to Be Candidate for Judge |newspaper= Eau Claire Sunday Leader |location= Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date= July 28, 1957 |page= 11 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }} He was elected to office as a member of the Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors in 1947, and would remain on the board until 1952, serving as chairman in 1949 and 1950.

He was a strong supporter of former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen in his campaign for the Republican nomination for president in 1948, and was elected as a Stassen delegate to the 1948 Republican National Convention. That same year, he attempted a run for United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 9th congressional district. He fell far short of incumbent Merlin Hull in the Republican primary, however.{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1950 |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1950 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1950 |editor1-last= Ohm |editor1-first= Howard F. |editor2-last= Kuehn |editor2-first= Hazel L. |chapter= Parties and elections: the primary election |chapter-url= http://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1950/reference/wi.wibluebk1950.i0023.pdf |page= 654 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 }}

Due to his role as circuit court commissioner, between 1945 and 1957, Hansen frequently served as acting County Judge in place of Judge Merrill R. Farr, when he was recused from cases or otherwise absent. In 1958, Hansen ran against Judge Farr for the Wisconsin Circuit Court seat in the newly created 24th circuit, but lost badly in the April general election.{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1960 |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1960 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1960 |editor1-last= Toepel |editor1-first= M. G. |editor2-last= Kuehn |editor2-first= Hazel L. |chapter= Wisconsin state party platforms and elections |page= 702 |chapter-url= http://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1960/reference/wi.wibluebk1960.i0015.pdf |accessdate= September 21, 2020 }} With Judge Farr vacating the County Judge seat, however, Hansen was appointed as his replacement by Governor Vernon Wallace Thomson, taking office in June 1958.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59722920/eau-claire-new-judges/ |title= Two Judges Assume New Positions Here |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader |location= Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date= June 3, 1958 |page= 3 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }} His appointment was overwhelmingly confirmed in the April 1959 election for a full term as county judge.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59723578/hansen-elected-county-judge/ |title= One-Third of City Voters Go to Polls |newspaper= Eau Claire Leader |location= Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date= April 8, 1959 |page= 1 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }} He was unopposed seeking re-election in 1965.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Myron L. Gordon for a newly created seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Following his confirmation in March, Wisconsin Governor Warren P. Knowles chose Judge Hansen as Gordon's successor on the state's highest court.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59705690/hansen-named-to-supreme-court/ |title= Hansen Named to High Court |newspaper= The Capital Times |last= Hunter |first= John P. |location= Madison, Wisconsin |date= March 13, 1967 |page= 1 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }} He was subsequently elected to a full ten-year term in 1970, without opposition.{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1971 |title= The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1971 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1971 |location=Madison, Wisconsin |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter= Elections: Nonpartisan Elections |chapter-url= http://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1971/reference/wi.wibluebk1971.i0011.pdf |page= 350 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2125&keyword=hansen |title= Hansen, Conner T. 1913 |website= Wisconsin Historical Society |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121107022836/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2125&keyword=hansen |archive-date= November 7, 2012 |via= Wayback Machine }}

Connor Hansen married Annette Phillips Ferry in on June 17, 1939. Annette was a great granddaughter of Jonathan Phillips, an early settler at Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and, at the time of the wedding, her family was known as one of the most prominent families in southern Wisconsin.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59728399/hansen-ferry-wedding/ |title= Annette Ferry Takes Nuptial Vows Saturday with Connor Hansen |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |location= Eau Claire, Wisconsin |date= June 18, 1939 |page= 16 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }} Together, they had four children—Annette, Peter, David, and Jane.

Justice Hansen died at Madison's University Hospital on August 21, 1987.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59728831/justice-hansen-obituary/ |title= Ex-justice of state Supreme Court dies |author= State Journal staff |newspaper= Wisconsin State Journal |location= Madison, Wisconsin |date= August 23, 1987 |page= 3 |accessdate= September 21, 2020 |via= Newspapers.com }}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin's 9th Congressional District Election, 1948}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Republican Primary, September 21, 1948

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Merlin Hull (incumbent)

|votes = 25,243

|percentage = 60.99%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Connor T. Hansen

|votes = 14,071

|percentage = 34.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Lynn Mason

|votes = 2,073

|percentage = 5.01%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 11,172

|percentage = 26.99%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 41,387

|percentage = 100.0%

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Circuit Court, 24th Circuit Election, 1958}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Nonpartisan Primary, March 4, 1958

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Merrill R. Farr

|votes = 4,847

|percentage = 55.06%

|change =

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Connor T. Hansen

|votes = 2,452

|percentage = 27.85%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = William H. Frawley

|votes = 1,504

|percentage = 17.09%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 8,803

|percentage = 100.0%

|change =

}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, April 1, 1958

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Merrill R. Farr

|votes = 7,016

|percentage = 84.26%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Connor T. Hansen

|votes = 1,311

|percentage = 15.74%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 5,705

|percentage = 68.51%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 8,327

|percentage = 100.0%

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Eau Claire County Judge Election, 1959}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, April 7, 1959

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Connor T. Hansen (incumbent)

|votes = 7,822

|percentage = 85.56%

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Homs A. Schwahn

|votes = 1,320

|percentage = 14.44%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 6,502

|percentage = 71.12%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 9,142

|percentage = 100.0%

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Find a Grave|14677675| Connor Theodore Hansen }}
• {{Find a Grave|14677674| Annette Ferry Hansen }} (his wife)

{{s-start}}

{{s-legal}}

{{s-bef|before = Victor O. Tronsdal}}

{{s-ttl|title = {{nobreak|District Attorney of Eau Claire County, Wisconsin}} |years=January 1, 1939{{spaced ndash}}June 18, 1943 }}

{{s-aft|after = John D. Kaiser }}

{{s-bef|before = Merrill R. Farr}}

{{s-ttl|title = {{nobreak|County Judge of Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, Branch 1}} |years= June 3, 1958{{spaced ndash}}March 13, 1967 }}

{{s-aft|after = Thomas H. Barland}}

{{s-bef|before = Myron L. Gordon}}

{{s-ttl|title = {{nobreak|Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court}} |years= March 13, 1967{{spaced ndash}}July 31, 1980 }}

{{s-aft|after = Donald W. Steinmetz}}

{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansen, Connor}}

Category:County supervisors in Wisconsin

Category:Wisconsin state court judges

Category:Justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court

Category:People from Hutchinson County, South Dakota

Category:University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alumni

Category:University of Wisconsin Law School alumni

Category:1913 births

Category:1987 deaths

Category:20th-century American lawyers

Category:20th-century Wisconsin state court judges

Category:20th-century American politicians