Hans Warner

Hans Bertel Warner (born Hans Bertel Pederson; July 12, 1844 – August 18, 1896) was a Norwegian American immigrant, farmer, and Republican politician. He was the 12th Secretary of State of Wisconsin and served four years in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Eau Claire, Pepin, and Pierce counties.

Early life Warner was born Hans Bertel in the valley of Gudbrandsdalen in Oppland, Norway. As a young boy in 1849, he emigrated to the United States with his parents. They originally settled in Dodge County, Wisconsin, but in 1855 relocated to Martell, in Pierce County, Wisconsin. His mother died that year and he was subsequently adopted out of the family by Judson and Almira Warner. Hans was educated in common schools and worked on his adopted father's farm until 1864, when, at age 19, he volunteered for service in the American Civil War.

Civil War service On March 28, 1864, Warner was enrolled as a private in Company G of the 37th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. The 37th Wisconsin Infantry had been called to urgent service that month, so the bulk of the regiment had already left the state by the time Warner enrolled. His company took several more weeks to complete its enlistment, and traveled to Virginia in June 1864, joining the regiment entrenched in the Siege of Petersburg.

Political career Warner returned to farming in Pierce County, and in 1868 was elected County Clerk, ultimately serving through 1877. He was renominated for another attempt at the office in 1877, and this time went on to win the general election with 44% of the vote, defeating Democrat James B. Hays and Greenbacker Joseph H. Osborne. After five ballots, Bingham's support collapsed; Rusk obtained the necessary majority of convention delegates and went on to become the 15th Governor of Wisconsin.

Warner left office in January 1882. Later that year, however, he began another campaign, running for Wisconsin State Senate in the 25th State Senate district. Warner's district comprised his home county, Pierce, as well as Pepin and Eau Claire counties. Warner won a comfortable victory in the general election, taking 61% of the vote over Democrat Frank N. McVean and Prohibitionist H. C. Van Hovenberg. In the 1882 election, voters also approved an amendment to the Constitution of Wisconsin which changed State Senate terms from two years to four years. Warner served through 1886, and was chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Banks, and Insurance.

Warner was stricken with a stomach ailment in the summer of 1896, which was apparently exacerbated by a trip to Milwaukee to attend the Republican State Convention. He died at his home in Ellsworth on August 18, 1896.

Electoral history Wisconsin Secretary of State (1875, 1877, 1879)