Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2024 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Detroit Free Press Friday, 12 August 1859 The steamer Illinois yesterday brought down the intelligence of the death of A. H. HANSCOM, Esq., of Ontonagon. He died suddenly on board the steamer Lady Elgin on Thursday evening, the 4th inst. He was Prosecuting Attorney of the upper district at the time of his death, and had left home a short time previous to attend to his official duties in Marquette and Houghton counties. These he had com- pleted, and taken the steamer to return home, when, having retired to his state-room early in the even- ing, he ruptured a blood-vessel, which produced so violent a hemorrhage that he was suffocated and died in a very few minutes. For a year or two past he had been suffering from consumption, which had so wasted him away that he had been almost wholly incapacitated from attending to the duties of his profession, and made it evident that he could not long survive. A short time since he had a severe attack of bleeding at the lungs, and, in the sec- ond attack, a blood-vessel was ruptured as men- tioned above, and he almost instantly expired. His remains were taken to Ontonagon for interment. MR. HANSCOM was a native of Maine, but had re- sided for many years at Pontiac, in this State, having removed to Ontonagon but a few years since. He occupied a prominent position in the democratic party for a number of years, a position for which his talents well qualified him. He was a member of the Legislature for some time, and, in the winter of 1846 and '47, at the last session of the Legis- lature in Detroit, was Speaker of the lower house. In 1850 he was a member of the constitutional con- vention. Last year he was nominated for the Senate in the upper district, but was forced to decline on account of the precarious state of his health. He, however, accepted the nomination for Prosecut- ing Attorney, and was elected without any opposi- tion whatever - a fact which shows the esteem in which he was held by men of all parties. At the time of his death he was forty-one years of age. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lansing State Journal Tuesday, 16 August 1859 Death of Hon. A. H. Hanscom This gentleman died on Thursday, August 4th, on board the Lady Elgin, between Marquette and his home, Ontonagon. He was born near Saco, Maine, in 1818, but removed with his parents very early to Macomb county, is this State. He passed some years at school at Hamilton, N.Y., after which he returned to Pontiac, and entered the office of Hon. Randolph Manning, as a student. MR. HANSCOM was admitted to the bar in May, 1838, at Pontiac, and at once entered upon a brilliant and successful career of practice. His legal percep- tions were clear, he was eloquent, quick, of imper- turable good nature, and unbounded resources. He was without conceit, vanity, or egotism, was of the kind- est temper, and the most genial address and social manners. As a young man he had almost every grace of person, mind and manners, and but for one fatal in- firmity would have realized, to their fullest extent, the high anticipations of his friends. MR. HANSCOM served in several public capacites with credit. He was Clerk of the House of Represent- atives in 1842. He was Speaker of the House in the year 1845. He served in Mexico as captain of volun- teers, at the head of a company of his own raising. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1850, and at the time of his death he was Prosecuting Attorney of the Upper Peninsula, and engaged in the active duties of the office almost up to the hour of his sudden death. MR. HANSCOM was twice married - first to Miss FORSYTH, daughter of D. A. FORSYTH, of Clarkson, Monroe Co., N.Y., and next to Miss WELLER, sister of AUG. WELLER, Esq., of Lansing. Poor HANSCOM! he hardly had an enemy in the world. He disarmed enmity where it existed, by his impertu- able good nature, his pleasant manner, and his real generosity of heart. His entire self-possession, his grace, intelligence, and natural taste, made him a welcome visitor in all circles, while his instinct- ive abhorrence of inflicting pain, or of wounding the feelings of others, attached to him all whome he met. MR. HANSCOM was an active Democratic partisan, without the first spice of bitterness. He was a brilliant political speaker; and having resources of the brain sufficient to cope with the topices of the canvass, he was content to leave diatribe, invective and personal abuse, to those whose men- tal sphere was more circumscribed. May he rest in peace! The blue, white-crested waves of Old Superior roll at his feet, and the sands from her depths cover his bosom, but there are many who started in life with him in whose hearts his good qualities will be "freshly remembered." Speaking of his death, the correspondent of the Detroit Tribune states the following remarkable facts. "His wife was here to receive the sad news in confirmation of a singular presentiment or dream which she had the night before his death. And what is most singular she had related her dream yesterday, which was so strongly impressed upon her mind that she expressed the belief that he was dead, or be returned to her a corpse. Her dream presented him coming to her residence car- ried on a board, as the scene appeared to those who had heard the presentiment, as his body was carried from the Elgin past the Bigelow House, to his late residence, by six pall bearers of the oldest citizens of the town. I am not a be- liever in dreams, but this is a singular coinci- dence, and as there can be no doubt of its exist- ence, I relate it for the reflection of the curious in such matters." ===========================================================================