HANSON, John Wesley, author, born in Boston, Massachusetts, 12 May, 1823. After attending the Lowell high school, he entered a counting-room in that city, where he remained seven years, still continuing his studies, he was ordained to the ministry of the Universalist church in Wentworth, New Hampshire, in 1845, held pastorates in Danvers, Massachusetts, in 1846-'8, and Gardiner, Maine, in 1850-'4, and in 1848 edited the "Massachusetts Era," the first Republican paper in Lowell. He edited the "Gospel Banner" in Augusta, Maine, in 1854-'60, and was pastor in Haverhill, Massachusetts, till 1865, serving also in 1863-'4 as chaplain of the 6th Massachusetts regiment and army correspondent of the Boston "Journal" and the New York "Tribune." He was pastor in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1866-'9, and then had charge of the "New Covenant " in Chicago, Illinois, till 1884. Buchtel college, Ohio, gave him the degree of D. D. in 1876. He has published histories of Danvers, Massachusetts (Danvers, 1847), Norridgewock, Maine (Norridgewock, 1849), and Gardiner, Maine (Gardiner, 1852); "Bible Threatenings Explained " (Chicago, 1847);"Witnesses to the Truth," a collection of quotations from the poets (Boston, 1850; enlarged as "Cloud of Witnesses," 1883);" Aion-Aionios" (Chicago, 1876); " Bible Proofs of Universal Salvation" (1877); " Twelve Sermons on the Lord's Prayer" (1883); " The New Covenant," a translation of the New Testament" (2 vols., 1883-'5); and "Voices of the Faith " (1884).--His wife, Eliza Rice (HOLBROOK), born in Norridgewock, Maine, 11 April, 1825; died in Blue Island, Illinois, 16 September, 1865, married Dr. Hanson on 30 May, 1846. She published "Women Workers," a popular book.