Oliver Hansen
Oliver was born in Ogden, Utah on June 11, 1909. His
parents, Caroline and Frederick Hansen were divorced when he was 12 years old.
Shortly after the divorce, Caroline married John Wise. Oliver used his step
father’s last name until 1930 when Branch President Peter L. Ferguson suggested
he change it back to his correct name of Hansen.
A series of circumstances brought the family from
Ogden, Utah, to Reno. Oliver wrote a journal entry about the strenuous tour across
the desert. “The trip to Reno took three days, traveling all day, early to
late. We drove across the Salt Flats to Wendover, Utah, a tiny place. I don’t
remember clearly, but somewhere near Wendover we rented a little cabin for a
night’s lodging.”
“Early in the morning we resumed our journey. There
were no highways in those days as we think of them now. There were only dirt
roads. I remember good gravel roads at and near Elko, Nevada. As I recall, the
first pavement we encountered was a two lane pavement in Sparks, Nevada which
extended from about First Street, along B Street to Fifteenth Street, then
north to County Road. (Now Prater Way)”
“The second night on the road. . . we were directed to
a tourist camp outside of Battle Mountain. This camp consisted of two small,
crude buildings with open sides facing each other. There was drinking water
available from a faucet. We parked our Dodge in the open near the buildings and
slept uncomfortable in the car.”
“A traveling speed of twenty to twenty five miles per
hour was not bad on some of the roads. We traveled thirty to thirty five miles
per hour at times. Forty five miles per hour was a high top speed for our 1919
Dodge car even on smooth paved roads. I do not think that we ever attained this
speed on the trip.”
“On the night of October 26, 1926 we arrived in Reno,
Nevada about midnight.”
“A good friend, a fine man, named Seth Burgess. . . got
me a job with the Southern Pacific Railroad in the Sparks shops as a
boilermaker apprentice. I filled out the employment papers on February 1, 1927
and went to work on February 2.”
“There was a boilermaker named William G. Peterson. I
openly professed to being a Mormon and talked some about it. He immediately, in
a friendly way, advised me not to let it be known that I was a Mormon as I
would be persecuted. However I did not take his advice and received some
persecution, if you could call it by that name. I was regarded as a curiosity
by some. By others I was disliked and avoided. It seemed to me the boss made it
a little tough for me because of my religion. He did openly criticize me and
berate me.”
“Peterson told me that Brother Lloyd Bedell a
boilermaker had worked there and because he was a Mormon his job was made
miserable and he was fired. Brother Bedell later confirmed these facts.”
Scouting
Possibly the earliest, most honored and continual
member of the scouting program in the church is Oliver Hansen. He merits
commendation for his devotion to the program and the community he served. He
revered and kept the very first scout membership card given him dated June 6,
1927, signed by Erwin J. Sherman and Peter L. Ferguson, chairman of the troop
committee which certified him as a Tenderfoot Scout. Oliver acknowledged that
much of his character and profound dedication to his family, religion and
country came from his participation in scouting.
His journal bears the following entry, “Before long, a
young boilermaker from Ogden, Utah went to work in the boiler department. His
name was Erwin J. Sherman. He was a good Mormon and became the scoutmaster of
the LDS Sparks Branch, Troop 4.”
“Scoutmaster Sherman invited and encouraged me to join
his Boy Scout Troop. I was very lonely and desired friends and companions. I
investigated the joining requirement and liked them all very much except the
duty to God part. I thought duty to God meant going to Sunday School, and I did
not like the idea of going. I decided to join anyway.”
“I became active in the troop and in the branch.
Shortly, I was appointed as assistant scoutmaster. About September, Brother
Sherman was laid off at the railroad. He and Peter L. Ferguson assigned me to
carry on the troop activities.”
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| Sparks NV Boy Scout Troop 12. Council Snow Carnival Winners Winter 1931-1932. Left to right. Don Purdy, Bill Casey, Merrill Carlson, John Naughton,Harold Ferguson, Herman Layton Dellas Richins, Henry Swart, Oliver Hansen Dean Call, Harlyn Vidavich. |
“One Tuesday evening, I and some scouts went to MIA
Meeting, but we, especially I, were hesitant to enter the chapel. I had never,
almost, attended meetings and felt bashful and out of place. Sister Glayds
Huyck was president of YWMIA. She noticed that we were outside and brought us
each a bowl of fine chili and invited us to come inside. She seemed so warm and
friendly and reassuring that we all went in to the meeting. I have always been
grateful to Sister Huyck for her loving, understanding, kindly service to me.
After breaking the ice by attending the first meeting I have been active in the
church ever since.
Tithing
“In the early 1920’s I had a girl friend who was a true
Latter-day Saint, as was her family. She taught me the principle of tithing and
kept urging me to pay it. At length I told her that I would pay. I received
$30.00 for half a month’s work. I met Branch President Peter L. Ferguson on the
sidewalk near the front of the branch building and gave him $3.00 for tithing,
then I Iooked at the remaining $27.00 and said to myself, “Oliver you are a
fool. . . There will be no more of this foolishness.”
“Next payday rolled around and I did not pay. Shortly I
had a date with my girlfriend. I knew she would ask me if I had paid. When she
asked, I lied. She immediately said to me, “Oliver you are lying to me.” What
could I say? She knew that I had lied and I knew it too. She gave me a long lecture
and I promised to pay. The next payment was somewhat pleasant and I liked it.
The more often I paid the more I liked it. I believe that I have paid a full
tithing since then.”
“I have often thought to myself that I like to pay
tithing because the Church can spend the money on things that I want it spent
for, better than I can spend it myself. For example, the Church can spend the
money far better than I can for education, temples, missionary efforts,
buildings and maintenance
as well as various programs to help the needy and relief for catastrophes.”
Mission
Oliver was 29 years old and worked for Southern Pacific
Railroad for over ten years when he was inspired to serve a full time mission
for the church. In June of 1938 he wrote a formal letter addressed to the
Master Mechanic stating, “The authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints have asked me to go on a mission. . . this is a serious and
sacred calling to me. I will receive no financial remuneration for my services
but will be obliged to support myself from my personal savings. He then asked
for, and received, a leave of absence to fulfill the two year commitment.
Called to the Northern States mission, Oliver was
assigned to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1939 to clean up Temple Square and make necessary
preparations for a great conference which was held there. The spirit of Nauvoo
left an indelible mark on him that resonated throughout his life.
Coincidentally while serving his mission, Oliver met
the Ira and Ellen Holloman family in Boone, Iowa. He quite enjoyed their
company, in fact he married their daughter, Ruth. The couple were sealed for
all time and eternity in the Salt Lake Temple in 1941. As time went on, all of
Ruth’s family followed them to Sparks adding their imprint and influence in the
church and community.
From 1952-1957 Oliver served as the bishop of the
Sparks West Ward as it was designated at the time. Bishop Hansen’s
administration was unique in that his zeal permeated his quest for excellence.
Attention to details of administration and leadership strengthened the ward
membership.
Bryant S. Hinckley served as the Northern States
Mission president while Oliver was on his mission. With love and veneration in his heart for
Pres. Hinckley, Oliver wrote to him on the occasion of his 87th
birthday. “No one can know how many souls you have helped to elevate, but I do
know that you helped me greatly.” Since the letter to President Hinckley was
sent while Oliver was serving as bishop, He wanted his mission president to
know that he and his family had been true to the faith.
President Hinckley’s reply letter to Oliver denotes the
outstanding qualities of both men. It stated, “I have a vivid recollection of
you and of the fine missionary work which you did in the Northern States. . .
you were a faithful and dependable missionary; a fine good man, and a credit to your Church and to your
community. I am sure the Lord will reward you for your faithfulness.”
Spiritualize Outdoor Activities
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| Scout Camp Troop 12, 1928, Max Carver Assistant Scout Master Left to right, Harlon Purdy, Edwin Huyck, Oliver Wise (Hansen) Max Carver, Ross Hall, Frank Ferguson, Giles Vanderhoof, Milton Harre. |
During his decades of scout activity, Oliver had many
occasions to speak to boys and parents at Courts of Honor. Oft times, duty,
faith, community and church history were his subjects mingled with scriptural references.
One
talk was entitled, “How to Spiritualize Outdoor Scouting Activities.” He
started by saying, “I bear my testimony, usually at the close of a hike as to
how Scout training helped me on my mission. Then I say, “If you are good Scouts,
the training will help you when you go on your mission. I always emphasize,
“when” not “if” you go on your mission.”
He
ended the talk with a survival code and a personal story. “I have five
principles of survival in the outdoors that I am pleased to call the F.F.F.S.T.
Factors of Survival. These letters stand for faith, food, fire, shelter and
travel.”
“If you get in trouble and need help to
survive, the Holy Ghost can help you. A few years ago my son Daniel, a
scoutmaster took his scouts on an overnight back pack hike to Price Lake. That
night it snowed unexpectedly about six inches on them. They did well during the
night and had a good breakfast in the morning. They had a hard hike on a steep,
slippery, rugged, snow-covered trail to return home. To make matters worse they
had taken a lot of muskrat traps which were heavy to carry. In the morning a
strong feeling came over me that I should help them. So I rode my big, strong
quarter horse, Washoe Dancer, up the trail as far as I could to meet them. I
waited for the Scouts under a huge white fir tree which I call shelter tree.
The scouts came struggling along and were delighted to see me. They were tired
and wet. We lightened their heavy loads by putting much of it on Washoe Dancer.
With this help the scouts were able to hike to their cars quite easily. I
carried a small scout’s pack as he was really tired. The troop had prayed for
help before they went on the camp out
and again in the morning. The Holy Ghost
sent me to help them.”
Being
a prolific writer gave Oliver an outlet to channel his thoughts, his curiosity
and his appreciation for others. His memoirs and writings have bound together
the pioneers of the branch with many decades of saints and citizens that have
come and gone, hither and thither. After writing a 13-page paper entitled, “A
History of Sparks from My Point of Vue,” he concluded his musings by asking
himself, “Are these things important that I write? And answer myself, “Maybe
they will be of interest to someone, someday.”
Yes!
Oliver, they are indeed!
Oliver
came to stay. He stayed in the church, he stayed with scouting, he stayed with
his wife and five children, he even stayed in Sparks, in the same house on H
Street for many decades. After fighting the effects of Leukemia, he died in
1991.
