Connor Theodore Hansen (November 1, 1913August 21, 1987) was a justice of the

Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in Wisconsin. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over original actions, appeals from lower courts, and regulation or administration of the practice of law in Wisconsin. Location The Wi ...

for 13 years, from 1967 until 1980. An American attorney and

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

politician, he previously served as County Judge and District Attorney of Eau Claire County, and worked as a special agent of the

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Early life and education

He was born in

Freeman, South Dakota Freeman is a city in Hutchinson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,329 at the 2020 census. Freeman was laid out in 1879. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. F ...

, and was educated in the Eau Claire public schools, graduating from Eau Claire High School. He earned his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

from the Eau Claire State Teachers College in 1934 (now the

University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (UW–Eau Claire, UWEC or simply Eau Claire) is a public university in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System and offers bachelor's and master's degrees. UW–Eau Claire ...

), and immediately went on to

University of Wisconsin Law School The University of Wisconsin Law School is the professional graduate law school of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the school was founded in 1868. The University of Wisconsin Law School is guided by a "law in ...

, where he earned his J.D. in 1937.

Legal and political career

After briefly practicing law in Eau Claire, in 1938, Hansen declared his candidacy for

district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a l ...

of Eau Claire County. Despite being only 24 years old, Hansen won the Republican Party primary election, defeating former district attorney Curt W. Augustine, and went on to win the general election, defeating incumbent district attorney, Progressive Victor O. Tronsdal. Hansen was subsequently re-elected in 1940 and 1942. A few months into his third term, however, he resigned as district attorney to accept a position as special agent with the

. He completed his service with the FBI and returned to Eau Claire in late 1944, and formed a law partnership with his former assistant district attorney, John D. Kaiser. In 1945, Hansen returned to public office when he was appointed circuit court commissioner for Eau Claire County by 19th circuit judge Clarence E. Rinehard, and would continue in that role until his appointment as County Judge in 1958. He was elected to office as a member of the Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors in 1947, and would remain on the board until 1952, serving as chairman in 1949 and 1950. He was a strong supporter of former Minnesota Governor

Harold Stassen Harold Edward Stassen (April 13, 1907 – March 4, 2001) was an American politician who was the 25th Governor of Minnesota. He was a leading candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 1948, considered for a ti ...

in his campaign for the Republican nomination for president in

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...

, and was elected as a Stassen delegate to the

1948 Republican National Convention The 1948 Republican National Convention was held at the Municipal Auditorium, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from June 21 to 25, 1948. New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey had paved the way to win the Republican presidential nomination in the pr ...

. That same year, he attempted a run for

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

Wisconsin's 9th congressional district Wisconsin's 9th congressional district was a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin. It was created following the 1870 Census along with the 8th district, and was disbanded after the 2000 Census. From ...

. He fell far short of incumbent

Merlin Hull Merlin Gray Hull (December 18, 1870 – May 17, 1953) was a lawyer, a newspaper publisher, and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin. Born in Farina, Illinois to John and Adelia Hull, Merlin Hull was a graduate of ...

in the Republican primary, however.

Judicial career

Due to his role as circuit court commissioner, between 1945 and 1957, Hansen frequently served as acting County Judge in place of Judge Merrill R. Farr, when he was recused from cases or otherwise absent. In 1958, Hansen ran against Judge Farr for the

Wisconsin Circuit Court The Wisconsin circuit courts are the general trial courts in the state of Wisconsin. There are currently 69 circuits in the state, divided into 10 judicial administrative districts. Circuit court judges hear and decide both civil and criminal case ...

seat in the newly created 24th circuit, but lost badly in the April general election. With Judge Farr vacating the County Judge seat, however, Hansen was appointed as his replacement by Governor Vernon Wallace Thomson, taking office in June 1958. His appointment was overwhelmingly confirmed in the April 1959 election for a full term as county judge. He was unopposed seeking re-election in 1965. In 1967, President

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

nominated

Justice

Myron L. Gordon Myron L. Gordon (February 11, 1918 – November 3, 2009) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Education and career Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, ...

for a newly created seat on the

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (in case citations, E.D. Wis.) is a federal trial court of limited jurisdiction. The court is under the auspices of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, ...

. Following his confirmation in March, Wisconsin Governor Warren P. Knowles chose Judge Hansen as Gordon's successor on the state's highest court. He was subsequently elected to a full ten-year term in 1970, without opposition.

Personal life and family

Connor Hansen married Annette Phillips Ferry in on June 17, 1939. Annette was a great granddaughter of Jonathan Phillips, an early settler at Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and, at the time of the wedding, her family was known as one of the most prominent families in southern Wisconsin. Together, they had four children—Annette, Peter, David, and Jane. Justice Hansen died at Madison's

University Hospital A university hospital is an institution which combines the services of a hospital with the education of medical students and with medical research. These hospitals are typically affiliated with a medical school or university. The following is a l ...

on August 21, 1987.

Electoral history

Eau Claire District Attorney (1938, 1940, 1942)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", Republican Primary, September 20, 1938 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 8, 1938 11918 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 5, 1940 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 3, 1942

U.S. House of Representatives (1948)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", Republican Primary, September 21, 1948

Wisconsin Circuit Court (1958)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", Nonpartisan Primary, March 4, 1958 , colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, April 1, 1958

Eau Claire County Judge (1959)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, April 7, 1959

References

External links

* * (his wife) {{DEFAULTSORT:Hansen, Connor County supervisors in Wisconsin Wisconsin state court judges Justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court People from Hutchinson County, South Dakota University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alumni University of Wisconsin Law School alumni 1913 births 1987 deaths 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century American judges 20th-century American politicians