Remembering John Hanson: A biography of the first president of the original United States government

by Peter H. Michael

Winner of the 2013 eLit Silver Award in Biography and named Finalist for the 2013 USA Book News Award in Biography Remembering John Hanson re-illuminates the key Revolutionary War figure and Founding Father to whom George Washington reported when Hanson served as the first president of the original United States government chartered under the Articles of Confederation. This biography, the first in over seventy years on Hanson and with the best documentation ever researched on him, spells out his two nation-saving triumphs which kept the nation whole on the eve of independence and again as it struggled to form a government, and made Hanson the unopposed choice by some of the greatest Americans who ever lived to be their and their nation's first president. Remembering John Hanson brings to light the astounding and tragic story of the destruction of Hanson's tomb in the 1980s and the author's rediscovery of its site in researching the book. Also covered are current efforts to rekindle the nation's memory of Hanson and to dispel odd Internet myths that have arisen about him in recent years. Peter H. Michael is publisher of Underground Railroad Free Press, the nation's top-circulation Underground Railroad news publication. His recent books are Running on Along an Epic 12,000-Mile Road Trip America Has Its Say on Economic Inequality, and Palace of Yawns, a 365-day Southeast Asia journal at the tumultuous end of the Viet Nam War. Peter Michael was educated at the University of Maryland, Berkeley and Princeton and lives with his wife on his family's ancestral farm founded in 1768 near Adamstown, Maryland. The first comprehensive biography of the most forgotten major figure in American history, reading this volume is nothing if not enriching. Michael’s narrative presents a torrent of information in fine detail, a rich trove about a major historical figure. / Kirkus Reviews Some of the best information on Hanson I have ever seen. / Edward Edelen, Founder, The John Hanson Institute This work represents the most comprehensive and - equally important - extensively documented exploration of the life and contributions of John Hanson. It provides the context and critical analysis to properly elevate Hanson to the pantheon of the fathers of our nation. / Aldan Weinberg, Professor Emeritus of Journalism and Director of the Communications Arts Program, Hood College You contribute greatly to our understanding of Hanson, his times, and why he became largely forgotten. Remembering John Hanson is also clearly and engagingly written, with excellent illustrations. / Ralph Levering, Hanson scholar and Professor of History, Davidson College I have found your information to confirm my arguments why Hanson was the more significant first president of the United States. The story of John Hanson is much greater than previous authors have given credit to. / John Cummings, John Hanson researcher

Genres: History, Biography

488 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Peter H. Michael is most recently the author of Running on Empty: Along an Epic 12,000-Mile Road Trip America Has Its Say on Economic Inequality, his seventh book. Running on Empty was awarded two 2015 national book prizes, one in travel essays, the other in political and economic affairs. He also writes newspaper, magazine and op-ed articles. Michael serves as publisher of Underground Railroad Free Press, the nation's top Underground Railroad news publication, and of Free Press Books.

Peter Michael was educated at the University of Maryland, Berkeley and Princeton, and is the seventh generation of his family to reside at Maryland's Cooling Springs Farm, a national Underground Railroad historic site founded by the family in 1768.

Reviews

[Clay Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a crime against American History that the very important Founding Father President John Hanson is not better remembered by his country and its citizens. Multiple times a sentence will say see image below but there is no picture to see. The same poor quality reprint of a painting is used at the start of a chapter.

[Steve Patton · Rating 1 out of 5]

John Hanson is my 5th Great-Grandfather and the first President of the United States. You thought George Washington was the first President of the United States? You went to a public school, didn't you? George Washington was actually the 9th President of the United States. Outside of Maryland, John Hanson is considered "the most forgotten man in United States history."

Let us note that these eight men only served a 1-year term and had no executive powers. Now, wasn't that a thought? Then let a General into office and the dictatorship mentality takes place, with George Washington serving a 4-year term (they wanted more) AND gaining executive powers. I wonder how our country would be if they had remained with the original concept of a weak President... and we could change them every year.

Anyway...

The author claims this book compiles all the biographies of John Hanson into a single volume, along with the author's own biography of John Hanson. What I found this book to be was an apology for slavery, indentured servants, Native Americans, and anything else that went wrong with America before the year 1800.

This is not a biography of Hanson, and I was greatly disappointed. It is a large book and a long read to get to this conclusion. Yes, Hanson is mentioned in the book, and yes, it could be considered a biography of Hanson...but that is all that I wanted in a book, not the history, or in this case, only the bad history as the author opinionated, of America.

The author starts by apologizing for Hanson owning slaves. Let me state this loud and clear: slavery was wrong, but you can't go back and apologize for someone four generations ago. If you were to ask the original John Hanson if slavery was wrong, he would not get the concept, say no, and would not be apologetic about it, but probably in your face on your objections to him. The author, to whom John Hanson was his fourth Great-Grandfather, spends more than a chapter of the book just apologizing for his Great-Grandfather. I am sure my Great-Grandfather committed sins...maybe atrocities I don't even know about. I can't apologize for him today; he is dead and gone. I can only do what is right to be done today and account for myself.

If you are of Italian descent, do you apologize for how Nero treated the Christians, or shall we go back all the way to the beginning and apologize for Adam and Eve eating the fruit in the Garden and letting sin enter the world? Now, if someone really messed the world up, let's skip all generations and go back to the beginning of it all. OK, I am being a little facetious here, but trying to make a point. People do bad things, and they are not sorry for what they did...you cannot apologize for that person. You can work to change or undo the things they have done, but you cannot be that person.

Enough said - the author needed to focus on the task at hand and tell about John Hanson, not the history of America.

To this point, the author then takes off apologizing for how John Hanson treated the Native Americans, yet he states there is no record of John Hanson having dealings with the Native Americans, good or bad. The author makes the assumption that since Hanson lived during a period of western conflicts, that he must have "fought the Native Americans" at some point in his life and makes a second assumption that Hanson would have been against Native Americans. But again, the author states there are no claims to this. An assumption based on an assumption is what? Well, it is not fact, I can tell you that.

Then the author begins an apology for Hanson owning Indentured Servants, but there are no records that Hanson owned any Indentured Servants, or his views on this practice. The author claims that records of Indentured Servants were not kept, but that Hanson most likely had them.

Am I boring and digressing you at this point? That's exactly how I felt about the book. Aside from my angst that it didn't talk much about Hanson, other flaws made me question the book. Several times, the author refers to photos in the book that just aren't there. And a family tree would have been nice. The author jumps around until he is going down the route of third cousin twice removed...a diagram would have been nice to follow this endless trail.

The author also repeats himself...A LOT...like repeats himself...A LOT...like I am doing now. At many points in the book, you want to shout, "Just move on!" The book is 472 pages long... it could have been half that. It is truly a "doesn't go anywhere" book. Many of the author's claims are unsupported, yet in his preface, he states that this is not what he wants to do and that facts support everything he purports about Hanson. I never saw this.

Initially, I wanted to give this book three stars, just on the basis of history. But I failed to find the history I was looking for, and accurate history at that. This book fails for me on all points, earning the lowly one star. I am going to see if the earlier biographies of Hanson, as mentioned by the author, have a better prognosis.

[Gregory Knapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding book on the life of John Hanson, America's first President. Michael, is the benefactor of a of oral history of the life of John Hanson, but he doesn't rest on that. This book is thoroughly researched with a sizable bibliography and notes section. Absolutely a must read for anyone interested in the founding of our republic.

[Fred Fanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book that not only raises the importance of America's First President but also explains a completely forgotten period in American History. The book is well researched and filled with information new to most readers.

[Peter Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the books I have authored. Rather than toot my own horn, here is what reviewers have had to say.

The first comprehensive biography of “the most forgotten major figure in American history,” reading this volume is nothing if not enriching. Michael’s narrative presents . . . a torrent of information in fine detail . . . a rich trove about a major historical figure. ~ Kirkus Reviews

This must-read book will certainly become the "go to" for researching John Hanson. An in-depth study, extremely well written, easy to follow and well documented. President John Hanson has long been forgotten as the man behind the struggles, and the mover and shaker of our first form of government. ~ Mary Jo Pundt, Hanson genealogist

Some of the best information on Hanson I have ever seen. ~ Edward Edelen, President, The John Hanson Institute

This work represents the most comprehensive and - equally important - extensively documented exploration of the life and contributions of John Hanson. It provides the context and critical analysis to properly elevate Hanson to the pantheon of the fathers of our nation. ~ Aldan Weinberg, Professor of Journalism and
Director of the Communication Arts Program, Hood College

You contribute greatly to our understanding of Hanson, his times and why he became largely forgotten. Remembering John Hanson is also clearly and engagingly written, with excellent illustrations.
~ Ralph Levering, Hanson scholar and Professor of History, Davidson College

I have found your information to confirm my arguments why Hanson was the more significant first president of the United States. The story of John Hanson is much greater than previous authors have given credit to. ~ John Cummings, John Hanson author

The author’s meticulous research and irrefutable arguments show that the “indispensable man” in 1781, when the United States first took its place among nations, was John Hanson. This book tells why, and in so doing casts much-needed light on an undeservedly neglected moment at the beginnings of our nation’s history.” ~ William Van der Mei, Author

[Louis Picone · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author makes a very compelling case that Hanson and the other forgotten "presidents" deserve more attention in history. While a little repetitive & redundant, the typical reader of a book like this is looking for details & the author delivers. Although I read the whole book and am still not sure why it is subtitled "The First Lincoln"