Born in Maryland, Hanson was the son of John Hanson and Jane Contee. John Hanson was a Revolutionary War financier and statesman, who was a signer of the Articles of Confederation and first President of the Congress created by those Articles.
Alexander Hanson was educated at the College of Philadelphia and read law in Annapolis. He planned to travel to England to be ordained for the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church, but his voyage ended in a shipwreck. He was rescued and taken to Philadelphia, where he became the Assistant Private Secretary to General George Washington. Hanson's cousin (and the future appointee to the Chancellorship), Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison was Washington's Chief Secretary.
In 1776, Hanson fell ill, and after two months service, had to leave General Washington's service. Hanson visited headquarters just after the battle of Brandywine, and was present when the two armies, just on the eve of battle, were separated by a violent rain. Still very ill, Hanson accompanied Washington to a farmer's house, where Washington offered him his bed. Alexander Hamilton lay down on the floor in the corner, and afterwards Colonel Hanson would good-humoredly remark that he "never saw a man look so like a cat".
On October 3, 1789, Hanson was appointed to succeed John Rogers, deceased, Chancellor of the State of Maryland. This appointment was made after the place had been offered to Robert Hanson Harrison, who was at that time Judge of the General Court, but had been offered a seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Harrison was strongly urged by Alexander Hamilton to accept the appointment, and finally declined the Chancellorship for this reason, but died on his way to take his seat. Hanson was about this time himself offered a United States district court judgeship, but declined.
While serving as Chancellor, Hanson was a member of the Convention called to consider the proposed Constitution of the United States. He was a strong advocate of its adoption. In 1789 he was appointed to digest the Testamentary Laws of the State. He was a Presidential Elector in both of the elections of General Washington to the Presidency. He was a visitor of St. John's College and a great friend of that institution. In 1803 he was appointed to a committee to defend it against its adversaries.
Chancellor Hanson married Rebecca Howard, of Annapolis, and had three children: Charles Wallace Hanson, Alexander Contee Hanson (who became a U.S. Senator), and a daughter, who married Peabody Grosvenor, of New York. Hanson seems to have been a religious man and of the kindest disposition. He was charitable, and many acts of kindness are related by his grandson. He took several young men under his care and treated them with a fatherly kindness. He died by a stroke of appoplexy January 16, 1806.
Chancellor Hanson received the degree of LL.D. from one of the Universities, but the identity of the institution is not known.
Alexander Hanson was educated at the College of Philadelphia and read law in Annapolis. He planned to travel to England to be ordained for the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church, but his voyage ended in a shipwreck. He was rescued and taken to Philadelphia, where he became the Assistant Private Secretary to General George Washington. Hanson's cousin (and the future appointee to the Chancellorship), Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison was Washington's Chief Secretary.
In 1776, Hanson fell ill, and after two months service, had to leave General Washington's service. Hanson visited headquarters just after the battle of Brandywine, and was present when the two armies, just on the eve of battle, were separated by a violent rain. Still very ill, Hanson accompanied Washington to a farmer's house, where Washington offered him his bed. Alexander Hamilton lay down on the floor in the corner, and afterwards Colonel Hanson would good-humoredly remark that he "never saw a man look so like a cat".
On October 3, 1789, Hanson was appointed to succeed John Rogers, deceased, Chancellor of the State of Maryland. This appointment was made after the place had been offered to Robert Hanson Harrison, who was at that time Judge of the General Court, but had been offered a seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Harrison was strongly urged by Alexander Hamilton to accept the appointment, and finally declined the Chancellorship for this reason, but died on his way to take his seat. Hanson was about this time himself offered a United States district court judgeship, but declined.
While serving as Chancellor, Hanson was a member of the Convention called to consider the proposed Constitution of the United States. He was a strong advocate of its adoption. In 1789 he was appointed to digest the Testamentary Laws of the State. He was a Presidential Elector in both of the elections of General Washington to the Presidency. He was a visitor of St. John's College and a great friend of that institution. In 1803 he was appointed to a committee to defend it against its adversaries.
Chancellor Hanson married Rebecca Howard, of Annapolis, and had three children: Charles Wallace Hanson, Alexander Contee Hanson (who became a U.S. Senator), and a daughter, who married Peabody Grosvenor, of New York. Hanson seems to have been a religious man and of the kindest disposition. He was charitable, and many acts of kindness are related by his grandson. He took several young men under his care and treated them with a fatherly kindness. He died by a stroke of appoplexy January 16, 1806.
Chancellor Hanson received the degree of LL.D. from one of the Universities, but the identity of the institution is not known.
Born in Maryland, Hanson was the son of John Hanson and Jane Contee. John Hanson was a Revolutionary War financier and statesman, who was a signer of the Articles of Confederation and first President of the Congress created by those Articles.
Alexander Hanson was educated at the College of Philadelphia and read law in Annapolis. He planned to travel to England to be ordained for the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church, but his voyage ended in a shipwreck. He was rescued and taken to Philadelphia, where he became the Assistant Private Secretary to General George Washington. Hanson's cousin (and the future appointee to the Chancellorship), Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison was Washington's Chief Secretary.
In 1776, Hanson fell ill, and after two months service, had to leave General Washington's service. Hanson visited headquarters just after the battle of Brandywine, and was present when the two armies, just on the eve of battle, were separated by a violent rain. Still very ill, Hanson accompanied Washington to a farmer's house, where Washington offered him his bed. Alexander Hamilton lay down on the floor in the corner, and afterwards Colonel Hanson would good-humoredly remark that he "never saw a man look so like a cat".
On October 3, 1789, Hanson was appointed to succeed John Rogers, deceased, Chancellor of the State of Maryland. This appointment was made after the place had been offered to Robert Hanson Harrison, who was at that time Judge of the General Court, but had been offered a seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Harrison was strongly urged by Alexander Hamilton to accept the appointment, and finally declined the Chancellorship for this reason, but died on his way to take his seat. Hanson was about this time himself offered a United States district court judgeship, but declined.
While serving as Chancellor, Hanson was a member of the Convention called to consider the proposed Constitution of the United States. He was a strong advocate of its adoption. In 1789 he was appointed to digest the Testamentary Laws of the State. He was a Presidential Elector in both of the elections of General Washington to the Presidency. He was a visitor of St. John's College and a great friend of that institution. In 1803 he was appointed to a committee to defend it against its adversaries.
Chancellor Hanson married Rebecca Howard, of Annapolis, and had three children: Charles Wallace Hanson, Alexander Contee Hanson (who became a U.S. Senator), and a daughter, who married Peabody Grosvenor, of New York. Hanson seems to have been a religious man and of the kindest disposition. He was charitable, and many acts of kindness are related by his grandson. He took several young men under his care and treated them with a fatherly kindness. He died by a stroke of appoplexy January 16, 1806.
Chancellor Hanson received the degree of LL.D. from one of the Universities, but the identity of the institution is not known.
Alexander Hanson was educated at the College of Philadelphia and read law in Annapolis. He planned to travel to England to be ordained for the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church, but his voyage ended in a shipwreck. He was rescued and taken to Philadelphia, where he became the Assistant Private Secretary to General George Washington. Hanson's cousin (and the future appointee to the Chancellorship), Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison was Washington's Chief Secretary.
In 1776, Hanson fell ill, and after two months service, had to leave General Washington's service. Hanson visited headquarters just after the battle of Brandywine, and was present when the two armies, just on the eve of battle, were separated by a violent rain. Still very ill, Hanson accompanied Washington to a farmer's house, where Washington offered him his bed. Alexander Hamilton lay down on the floor in the corner, and afterwards Colonel Hanson would good-humoredly remark that he "never saw a man look so like a cat".
On October 3, 1789, Hanson was appointed to succeed John Rogers, deceased, Chancellor of the State of Maryland. This appointment was made after the place had been offered to Robert Hanson Harrison, who was at that time Judge of the General Court, but had been offered a seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Harrison was strongly urged by Alexander Hamilton to accept the appointment, and finally declined the Chancellorship for this reason, but died on his way to take his seat. Hanson was about this time himself offered a United States district court judgeship, but declined.
While serving as Chancellor, Hanson was a member of the Convention called to consider the proposed Constitution of the United States. He was a strong advocate of its adoption. In 1789 he was appointed to digest the Testamentary Laws of the State. He was a Presidential Elector in both of the elections of General Washington to the Presidency. He was a visitor of St. John's College and a great friend of that institution. In 1803 he was appointed to a committee to defend it against its adversaries.
Chancellor Hanson married Rebecca Howard, of Annapolis, and had three children: Charles Wallace Hanson, Alexander Contee Hanson (who became a U.S. Senator), and a daughter, who married Peabody Grosvenor, of New York. Hanson seems to have been a religious man and of the kindest disposition. He was charitable, and many acts of kindness are related by his grandson. He took several young men under his care and treated them with a fatherly kindness. He died by a stroke of appoplexy January 16, 1806.
Chancellor Hanson received the degree of LL.D. from one of the Universities, but the identity of the institution is not known.
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