James M. Hanson, a general farmer residing in ELK Creek District, Kanawha County, W. Va. was born in Greenbriar County, now West Virginia, March 29, 1846, and is the son of John and Mary Jane (Shuck) Hanson, and a grandson of William C. and Martha Hanson. John Hanson was born in Greenbriar County and after learning the carpenter trade combined work at it with farming. In 1865 he moved to Elk District, Kanawha County and bought what remained of the homestead, on Mill Creek, and there died at the age of eighty-two years. He married Mary Jane Shuck, whose death preceeded his by only two weeks. He parents were Moses and Rachel Shuck and the older generation belonged to Greenbriar County. Eight children were born to John Hanson and his wife as follows: Charles A., who is a farmer on Two-Mile creek; James M..; Franklin M., who lives near Mill Creek; George C., who lives in Elk District; Ruth A., who is the wife of Rec. George Spangler, a baptist minister residing at Charleston; Harvey E., who resides on Two-Mile Creek; John Floyd, who lives on Elk river and one who died young. After his school days were over, James M. Hanson engaged in farming on the home place, moving after his marriage to a tract on the Elk river and from there one year later to newr Two-Mile Creek. Four years aftereward he located on Elk river again for a year, and then bought his present valuable property on Mill Creek. He carries on farm industries and works as a carpenter, a busy, practical and auccessful man. Mr. Hanson was married to Miss Martha Scott, who was born in 1848, in Kanawha county, a daughter of James Scott, originally of Elk river. He retired to Charleston where he fell victim of Cholera during the epidemic. He married Mary Jane King, also deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Hanson were born: Charles E., married Lucy Carter and they have five children; Wesley, who is in business at Mill creek married Virgie Matheny and they have nine children; Sarah, who is the wife of R.W. Morris, a farmer of Elk river, and they have nine children; John Luther, who is a farmer in Clay countie, married Lizzie Matheny and they have 5 children; Hezekiah and Joseph, both of whom reside at home; Thomas, who lives in Clay county, married Virgie Morton; and Philip who lives on Elk river, married Irene Clay. Mr Hanson and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he has been a class leader and superintendent in the Sunday school. A Republican in politics, he has taken a good citizen's interest in district affairs and has servec as a trustee.

The bio was from: "History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative Citizens", by W.S. Laidley, Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., 1911, page 648.