Résumé

Principal, Hans Pederson, Building Contractor, Seattle, WA, 1901. Pederson mainained an office at at 1406 6th Avenue in 1901. (See Polk’s Seattle Directory Company’s Seattle City Directory, 1901, p, 925.)

President, Queen City Contract Company, Seattle, WA, 1902. The Queen City Contracting Company operated at 114 James Street in 1902. (See Polk’s Seattle Directory Company’s Seattle City Directory, 1902, p. 1028.)

In 1933, Pederson had an office in Room #503 of the Prefontaine Building in Seattle. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1933, p. 1175.)

Relocation

Hans Pederson was born in Denmark, and remained in that country for his primary and high school education. He may have grown up in Løjtved, South Denmark, as this may have been name of his birthplace hand-written on Danish cofirmation records of 1878. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Rigsarkivet; Danmark; Kontraministerialbog; Reference: 8009235151, accessed 12/09/2020.) His marriage license listed his birthplace as Stenstrup, Denmark. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: kingcoarchmr_05404, accessed 01/12/2021.)

Following his high school graduation, he fulfilled his mandatory military service and then resolved to leave Denmark for enhanced job opportunities in the United States. Mandatory conscription for physically-fit males over age 18 has been the law in Denmark since 1849. Terms of service range in length from four months to twelve months.

Arriving in America, he first settled in Minnesota, which had a large Scandinavian-American population. He worked as an agricultural worker for two years here, before again heading west. He selected Seattle, another city with a large population of Danish-Norwegian-Swedish immigrants, landing here by 1886. While in Minnesota, Pederson filed for US citizenship on 09/20/1886 in the District Court of the 13th Judicial District for the State of Minnesota. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives, Washington DC; Washington DC; ARC Title: Naturalization Records for the Superior Court for King, Pierce, Thurston, and Snohomish Counties, Washington, 1850-1974; NAI Number: M1543; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 12/09/2020.)

He worked on Northern Pacific Railway Company tunnel projects through the Cascade Mountains and on track laying around Lake Union.

During his time working for the railroad, Pederson probably expanded his knowledge of construction techniques in various materials, both wood-framing and concrete work. He used this knowledge to transition into the building trade following the Great Seattle Fire of 06/06/1889.

In 1898, Pederson boarded in the residence of P.M. Hanson in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. (See Polk’s Seattle Directory Company’s Seattle City Directory, 1898, p, 770.)

He applied himself to carpentry In Seattle until 1898, when he left the city during the Klondike Gold Rush. He spent some time prospecting, but like most miners, he failed in securing a gold bonanza and had to endure the North's harsh weather and absence of creature comforts.

Pederson wasn’t listed in Polk’s Seattle City Directory, 1900, but was included in tthe following year's book. He lived and worked at 1406 6th Avenue in 1901. (See Polk’s Seattle Directory Company’s Seattle City Directory, 1901, p, 925.)

In 1910, Hans and Marie resided at 2518 Boyer Avenue, with their son Hans Pederson, Additionally, his niece Millie Madison (born c. 1899 in WA), also lived with them. A next-door neighbor on Boyer Avenue was Rasmus Hansen (born c. 1864 in Denmark) and his wife, Dagmar (born c. 1873 in Denmark). Rasmus also worked as a carpenter in 1910. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Seattle Ward 7, King, Washington; Roll: T624_1661; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 0144; FHL microfilm: 1375674, accessed 01/12/2021.)

Pederson, his wife Marie, son Hans, Jr., and niece Milly Madsen (born c. 1899 in WA) resided at 1119 10th Avenue North in Seattle according to the 1920 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: T625_1927; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 175, accessed 12/09/2020.)

He and Marie relocated to Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood to the Narada Apartments at 25 West Highland Drive by 1926, at least, and remained here in 1930, as per the US Census. They paid $150 per month in rent. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1926, p. 1168 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 34A; Enumeration District: 0084; FHL microfilm: 2342230, accessed 12/10/2020.) After his wife's death in 1932, he remarried a few months later, and he and his new wife, Doris, also continued to live in Apartment #54 at this address. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1933, p. 1175.)

Parents

His father was Christen Pedersen, his mother, Gjertrud Sofie Hansen. Hans's parents' names were listed on his church confirmation record of 10/06/1878. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Rigsarkivet; Danmark; Kontraministerialbog; Reference: 8009235151, accessed 01/12/2021.)

Hans's death certificate indicated his mother's name was "Sophia Olsen." (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Washington, U.S., Select Death Certificates, 1907-1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013, accessed 01/12/2021.)

Spouse

Pederson married twice.

He first wed Marie Sophie Madsen (born 09/10/1871 in Hellinge, Denmark-d. 03/06/1932 in Seattle, WA) on 03/22/1902 in King County, WA. (See King County Marriage Records, 1855-Present--Hans Pederson--Marie Madsen, King County Marriage Records, 1855-Present, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 12/09/2020.) They married at the Madison Park home of M.J. and Anna D, Lehmann, at the corner of Garfield and 39th Street in Seattle. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: kingcoarchmc11458, accessed 01/12/2021.) Marie's parents were Jørgen Madsen and Kathrine Jensen. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Rigsarkivet; Danmark; Kontraministerialbog; Reference: 8026166841, Source Information: Denmark, Church Records, 1812-1918 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2019, accessed 01/12/2021.)

She traveled aboard the ship Norge, coming to Seattle in late 1900. (See Ancestry.com, Source Web: Denmark, Emigration Index, 1868-1908 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: The Danish Emigration Data Base. The Danish Emigration Archives. http://www.udvandrerarkivet.dk/udvandrerprotokollerne/: accessed 24 August 2014, accessed 01/13/2021.)

At age 67, he married Doris A. Hushlak (née Domnica Hotsuliak, born 10/24/1906 in Andrew, Alberta, Canada-d. 12/28/1986 in Jefferson County, WA) on 06/15/1932 in Port Angeles, WA. (See Ancestry,com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013, accessed 12/09/2020.) Of Polish Ruthenian ancestry, Doris Hushlak worked as a nurse at the Firland Sanitorium in Seattle in 1930 and attended the University of Washington in 1932. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1931, p. 822 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Greenwood, King, Washington; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 2342224, accessed 01/12/2021.) She applied for US naturalization in 1931. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Naturalization Records of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, 1890-1957; Microfilm Roll: 24; Microfilm Serial: M1542, accessed 01/12/2021.)

Doris Pederson lived at 25 West Highland Drive, Apartment #54 in 1935. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1935, p. 1189.)

Children

He and Marie had a son, Hans Pederson, Jr., (born c. 1912 in Seattle-d. 07/08/1927 in Seattle, WA). (See Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2017--Hans Pederson--Pederson Jr.--Marie Madsen, Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2017, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 12/09/2020.)

Biographical Notes

Danish birth records indicated that his father, Christen, spelled his last name "Pedersen." Hans's church confirmation records also spelled his surname "Pedersen." Hans likely changed its spelling to a more familiar Pederson for English speakers.