Nicholas Hansen

Nicholas Hansen was an American politician who served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. He served as a state representative representing Pike County in the 3rd Illinois General Assembly and the 4th Illinois General Assembly.

Hansen was originally from Albany, New York where he graduated from Union College before moving to Illinois. At the time, a special committee was established to consider the holding of a Constitutional Convention to put the question of slavery before the people of the state. The matter required a 2/3rd vote in the State House and Senate to proceed. The propenents of the resolution had the necessary votes in both the Senate and the House although when the vote was called, Hansen voted in the negative. The following day, fellow representative Alexander Pope Field, after a long speech, moved to reconsider the vote declaring Shaw entitled to his seat. A vote was held, Hansen was ousted, and his former opponent, John Shaw, was seated in the House as Hansen's replacement.

Hansen ran again for the same seat in 1824 and was duly elected.

After his stint in the state legislature, he again served as a probate judge in 1826. In 1829, Hansen returned to New York where he lived until his death in 1872 at age 91.