Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Hans S. Jellum
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
HANS S. JELLUM. Considering the fact
that he has not yet attained the thirtieth
year of his age, the career of Mr. Jellum
is one of more than ordinary interest. He
is recognized as one of the most able men of Garfield
Township, where he has resided since 1870,
on the old homestead of his father. He has served
as Township Trustee and Clerk for four terms and
is at present (1889) nominee for Register of Deeds
of Clay County on the Union Labor Ticket. He
is a gentleman of more than ordinary intelligence
and good education, having followed the profession
of a teacher considerably and has likewise
been familiar with farming pursuits from his boyhood
up. As an instructor he has made a good
record, having taught school six terms consecutively
in his own district very successfully.
Mr. Jellum completed his education at Clay
Center, walking to and from the latter place, a distance
of eleven miles, each week. He comes of a
hardy race, was born near Christiana, Norway,
March 4, 1861, and is the son of Andrew G. Jellum,
who was born near the capital of Norway, Nov. 11,
1834. He comes from an old line of soldiers of
German extraction, his paternal grandfather, Andrew
Hill, having been a native of Hesse Darmstadt,
Germany. The latter participated in the war of
1812-13, when Norway and Sweden were united,
and spent his last years in the former. He reared
a large family, among them being a son, Andrew
Hill, the father of Andrew G. Jellum�the latter
receiving his name from the farm on which he located
and purchased after reaching man's estate.
Andrew Hill, the father of Andrew G. Jellum,
lived and died near the capital of Norway, attaining
to a ripe old age. He had served as Assistant
Sergeant in the Regimental department of the National
Guards for several years, but likewise carried
on farming and was a prominent man in his
community. His son, Andrew G., the father of our
subject, was reared on the farm and when of suitable
years served as a soldier for some time in the
National Guards, his headquarters being at Horton,
Norway. His brother, John Hill, retaining his
father's name, is now an officer in the Home Guards
of his native country, with which he has served for
seven years.
Andrew G. Jellum upon reaching man's estate
married a lady of his own country�Miss Carrie
Stixrod, who was born and reared in a seaport
town, Selvig, and was the laughter of Samuel Stixrod,
who followed the profession of a teacher
and was a leader under the Government and in the
church, being likewise at the head of the choir in
his parish. He was well educated and followed the
profession of a teacher. He lived to an advanced
age and during his last years received a pension
from the Government. He kept himself well informed
upon all subjects of political, social and
religious interest, and was a leading member of the
Lutheran Church.
After marriage Andrew G. Jellum and his wife
lived on a farm near the capital of Norway, where
were born their three eldest children�Christ, Hans
S., our subject, and a sister, Louisa. The latter
never came to America but was reared by her
grandparents, and is now married to Ole Hall, in
Norway. Upon leaving Norway Andrew Jellum
was accompanied by his wife and their two sons,
taking passage at the port of Christiana in May.
1868, on the sailing vessel "Hanah," under command
of Capt. John Larson. When some days
out they were nearly shipwrecked in mid-ocean by
a storm, the vessel being stripped of all its masts and
left floating at the mercy of the winds and waves.
After drifting about for some days they were enabled
to put into a port at Limerick, Ireland, where
they were obliged to sojourn for six weeks, during
which time, the vessel was repaired and they again
started on their journey. After a successful voyage
of some weeks they landed in Quebec, Canada,
in July, 1868.
From the Dominion the Jellum family made
their way by canal and river to Detroit, Mich., and
thence across the lake to Milwaukee, Wis., landing
at that place in August of the year above mentioned.
They settled in Norway, Wis., with an
old Norse colony, who had located in Racine
County, Wis., and which contained the first Lutheran
Church established in the United States. The
father, in 1869, made a trip through Hamilton and
Webster Counties, Iowa, with a view of changing
his location, but not liking the climate he returned
to his family in Norway, Wis., and in due time
came to what was then known as the Eldorado
of the West�Kansas. They located temporarily
in Waterville, Washington County, where
the father employed himself at whatever he could
find to do, and in the meantime homesteaded 160
acres of land on section 8, in Garfield Township,
Clay County, where he has since lived. At the
time of securing his land he walked from Waterville
to Junction City, a distance of fifty miles,
making the trip in one day and filing his claim in
the United States Land Office. The next day he
returned as he had gone, arriving home in time for
an early supper. He put up a shanty on his land
in the fall of 1870 and from that time on effected
one improvement after another until the Jellum
farm is considered one of the most desirable in
the county.
The father of our subject was the son of wealthy
parents, but his father having died and a stepfather
coming into the family, he was deprived of his
rightful heritage, only receiving $600 from his
mother's estate after her death, which took place
in 1870. This, however, was much better than
nothing, enabling him to obtain a foothold, financially,
much sooner than he otherwise would have
done. He has now a sufficiency of this world's
goods and has likewise attained to prominence in
his community, taking an active part in local matters
and contributing his quota to the general welfare
of the people. He is an active member of the
Lutheran Church and in politics is a Union Labor
man. Personally, he is a fine example of manly
strength and vigor. He is now fifty-four years of
age and his estimable wife is fifty-three. The latter
is mentally and physically the suitable companion
of her husband�very bright and intelligent
and possessing unusual strength and activity
for one of her years.
To the parents of our subject there were born
eight children, the three youngest of whom are natives
of Kansas, and are named respectively,
Sophia, John B. and Anna K. The two elder also
born in this country are, Josie J. and Martin. None
are married with the exception of the eldest
daughter previously mentioned. Hans S. has been
quite prominent in political affairs, serving in the
fall of 1886 as a delegate to the Fifth District
Congressional Convention, and in 1888 he was a
delegate to the State Convention of the Union
Labor party, the first convention of the kind held
in Kansas. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias,
Custer Lodge, No. 19, at Clay Center, and is a
charter member of the Farmers' Alliance of Garfield
Township, which was organized Sept. 25,
1889. He lives with his parents and is unmarried.