Jacob Hansen Homestead Family
Jacob (1836–1899 )and Theresa (1837-1896) Hansen arrived in
Richfield, WI from Germany in 1884 and purchased 80 acres in Section 28 (South of Elmwood and a little east of Hwy 164). Jacob and Theresa had 7 children. Their first child was Jacob Jr. (1860-1930); he married Emma Maria Wiedmeyer (1861-1952). They had 15 children, with Amelia (1904) being the 13th. Here are her memories:
Our family lived on a farm near St. Mary’s Church in Richfield. Fr. Wurm, the pastor of St. Boniface, also served St. Mary’s, Richfield. He was very close to Amelia’s family and was not only her pastor but also her Godfather.
On the weekends, when there was no mass at St. Mary’s, her dad and mom would bundle up the children and take the horse and buggy to Holy Hill, rain or shine. Family social life was highlighted by visiting relatives. No one ever visited who was not given a light lunch or meal. Dancing was the popular recreation. 
Everyone worked all day. So a wedding dance or a barn dance was a grand time to be with and visit friends and neighbors.
First Communion Day was special for Amelia. She was allowed to receive communion at age eleven instead of twelve because Fr. Wurm came back, and he wanted the privilege of giving First Communion to his Goddaughter.
Many of Amelia’s early memories recall life on the farm in the early years of the century. Her dad had about twelve head of cattle. In addition, he raised, trained, and sold horses. The settlement of Pleasant Hill supplied many of the needs of the farm. It was the location of the cheese factory, the blacksmith shop, the tavern and 
dance hall. Amelia vividly remembers the threshing and silo filling. She remembers having to pump water from the well by hand on calm days when there was no wind to turn the windmill.
By far, the most unusual memory of all was Amelia as a six-year-old girl riding the wagon with her father all the way to Milwaukee. He had a regular number of customers for the produce from his garden. They would leave home at 2 a.m. and drive to Milwaukee. He would stop at house after house and market his produce. Sometimes it was as late as 10 p.m. when they arrived home in Richfield.
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