Elmer Larson

Page by Sally Hafdell and David Eriksson in Sweden with contributions from Bob Leathers
Picture
Elmer Larson. (The Butvier Collection from Sally Hafdell and David Eriksson in Sweden)

Life Story
From Sally and David Eriksson with contributions from Bob Leathers

1871: Elmer Larson was born in Sweden. 
1889 January 30: ​The United States Post Office Department established a Post Office at Hanna and appointed George F. Doane as postmaster.
1889 September 30:​ Wyoming approved the first state constitution to grant women in Hanna the right to vote.
1889: ​Workers spent their time in Hanna developing the Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 mine and No. 2 mine and building the town. Living conditions in Hanna during the winter of 1889 were difficult. The workers lived in tents and were exposed to the winter weather with little protection from Wyoming's cold and windy conditions.
1890: Elmer Larson, age 18, immigrated from Sweden to the United States. (1900 US Census)
1890: ​The first Hanna School was built. ​Elmer probably helped build the first school. (Family)
1890 June 19:​ A fierce fire broke out in Carbon and burned most of the business district to the ground. A few reports indicate the fire started in the Scranton House hotel where a guest knocked over a kerosene lamp. The fire fighters even tried dynamiting a few buildings in hopes of stopping the fire from spreading, but their efforts were not successful. Immediately after the fire, the people and businesses started rebuilding the town and new laws and ordinances were passed to help avoid such a thing from happening again. Elmer, working for the Union Pacific Coal Company may have helped rebuild at Carbon. (Family) 
​1900: The Union Pacific Coal Company hired Swedish carpenters to build the first coal dumps / tipples and miner homes in Hanna. Among the first carpenters hired from Sweden was Elmer Larson. (BL)
1900: Elmer Larsen, age 28, born July 1871 in Sweden was living in Hanna, Carbon, Wyoming. He was single. His father's birthplace was Sweden. His mother's birthplace was Sweden, was in the United States for 10 years, a Naturalized citizen, a carpenter by occupation, could speak English, could read and write English and rented a home. Elmer Larson, head of house, had living with him John Tinwall, age 53, a partner, widowed, born in Sweden and Nels Ekman, age 32, single, born in Sweden, a partner. All were living in Hanna, Wyoming. (1900 US Census)
1903 June 30: The Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Mine Exploded killing 169 men. ​​
1903 August 8:​ The Coroner's Inquest was published for the Union Pacific Coal Company's June 30, 1903 explosion of Hanna mine No. 1, which killed 169 men. The report consisted of questions and answers from the miners that survived the explosion.
1908 March 28:​ The Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 mine in Hanna exploded twice in the same day killing 59 men.
1906: Due to the explosion of the No. 1 Mine, the No. 2 Mine needed a new tipple. Elmer Larson helped build it. 
1908 July 27:​ Noah Young, Wyoming State Mine Inspector reported to Governor B.B. Brooks the details of the March 28, 1908 explosion of Union Pacific Coal Company's Number 1 mine In Hanna.
1909: Due to the second explosion of the No. 1 Mine, the No. 1 had to be abandoned and a new Union Pacific Coal Company mine, the No. 4 mine was developed. Elmer Larson helped demolish the No. 1 Mine and helped build the No. 4 Mine with materials from the old No. 1 mine. (BL)
1910: Elmer Larson was living in Hanna, Wyoming. (Wyoming Census)
1910: ​Construction of the Union Pacific Railroad's second main line started through Wyoming.
1911:​ The Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 4 mine in Hanna was under development. The mine would start production of coal in 1912. Elmer was a part of the building of the dump / tipple for the mine. 
1911: ​The United Mine Workers of America organized a Hospital Commission in Hanna. The Commission obtained the old school, which had been turned into a boarding house, and created the Hanna Hospital to take care of the Hanna miners and their families. Elmer Larson helped build the school that became the Hanna Hospital. (BL)
1912: Elmer returned to Sweden. (Family)
Elmer Larson - he was actually named Hjalmar, but he called himself Elmer in America - was born in 1870 and emigrated to America in 1891. We don't know where he lived all those years but probably around Hanna, Wyoming.

He first worked as a carpenter at the coal company and later he became something more than a carpenter, maybe foreman/supervisor or someone with a little more responsibility than a carpenter.

He returned from Hanna, Wyoming to Sweden in 1912 because his wife's father was killed by a bull, therefor they had to take over the farm here in Sweden. They should have sailed with the Titanic home, but of unknown causes they never did.

Hedda Bolin, then married Larson - she was actually named Hedvig, but she called herself Hedda in America - she was born somewhere between 1873 - 1883 and emigrated to America around 1900 at about 17 years old. She met Elmer Larson in America and they were married there. (David Eriksson, Sweden)