Minerva B. Hansen was born on 3 Jul 1916 in Chignik, Alaska, a village on the Aleutian Peninsula to Lars Antone Hansen and Nancy J. Anderson. Her father had immigrated from Norway in 1909 and her mother was considered mixed race -- American, Russian, and Aleutian, a Native Alaska tribe. She was called "Creole" on many of the documents of the time.
In 1920 Minerva and her family lived next door to her maternal grandparents in Chignik and her father worked as a fisherman. He likely sold his catch to the local cannery, which was the main employer in the village. Minerva's father was naturalized in 1924 and became a U.S. citizen. However, when the 1930 census was enumerated, Minerva's mother was listed as a widow and lived in Chignik with her eight children.
I am not sure how Minerva and Alexander Eugene Muir met. He may have been stationed in Alaska or perhaps Minerva traveled to the west coast of the United States after her mother married and placed most of her children in an orphanage. By 1940, though, Alexander and Minerva were married. He was a 3rd class radioman stationed on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Pulaski, which was based at Coos Bay, Oregon. Minerva boarded at the home of Pearl Frazier in nearby Marshfield, Oregon. Alexander and Minerva had one known son over the course of their marriage.
It is interesting to note that when Minerva lived in Alaska, her race was considered mixed even though she could have been no more than 12.5 percent Native Alaskan. When she lived in Oregon her race was listed as white.
After Alexander was discharged from the Coast Guard, the family settled in Seattle, Washington, where Alexander worked as a mechanic for United Airlines.
Alexander died in 1999 and Minerva died on 30 January 2001 in Edmonds, Washington.
_______________
1920 US Federal Census, Census Place: Unga Peninsula, Third Judicial District, Alaska Territory; Roll: T625_2031; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 2; Image: 298
1930 US Federal Census, Census Place: Unga, Third Judicial District, Alaska Territory; Roll: 2628; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0026; Image: 264.0; FHL microfilm: 2342362
1940 US Federal Census, Census Place: Marshfield, Coos, Oregon; Roll: T627_3358; Page: 61A; Enumeration District: 6-12
US, City Directories, 1822-1995, 1958 Seattle, WA (Alex E. Muir and Minerva B. Muir)
US, City Directories, 1822-1995, 1960 Seattle, WA (Alex E. Muir and Minerva B. Muir)
US, Obituary Daily Times Index, 1995-Current, 2001 Muir, Minerva "Min" (Hansen)
US, Public Records Index, Volume 2, 1950-1993 Muir, Minerva B. (Seattle, WA)
US, Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Number: 543-12-0603
US, Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Number: 543-12-0603; Issue State: Oregon; Issue Date: Before 1951
No comments:
Post a Comment