HANS SIMONSEN was born in the province of Schleswig-Holstein in what is now northern Germany on September 23, 1835. He helped on the family farm until he emigrated to America, arriving in Davenport, Iowa, on October, 1864. He engaged in farming in the Davenport vicinity until 1875, when he moved to the new town of Marne, Iowa, and was one of the earliest purchasers of town lots here. Among the lots which he purchased here in Marne, Iowa, and was one of the earliest purchasers of town lots here. Among the lots which he purchased here in Marne was the northwest corner of Main and Washington Streets, where he erected the Marne House Hotel overlooking the railroad and the Rock Island depot. This was the first and largest hotel in Marne and was for many years a prominent landmark in the community. Hans Simonsen operated the hotel until 1881, when he rented it to Joseph Caulkins. Mr. Simonsen then returned to Davenport and operated a grocery store until 1883, when he returned to Marne and opened a business selling agricultural implements in one of the buildings he owned in what was known as the "hotel row". He resumed full management of the Marne House in 1884, and also continued selling agricultural implements and farm equipment. Hans Simonsen also owned a meat market and butcher shop which was located in one of Hans Simonsen's buildings on the west side of Washington Street just norht of the hotel. He bought the bulding and the business in the late 1870's and operated it until 1881, when the business was sold to a C. Krull, who removed the business one block north, where the United Benefit Society is presently located. Hans Simonsen married Mary D. Wendt in Davenport on April 30, 1865.

Transcribed from "The First Century, A History of Marne, Iowa 1875 - 1975", published in 1975, Marne, Iowa: The Marne Centennial Historical Committee, pg. 39. Transcribed (2015) by Cheryl Siebrass and contributed September, 2019.

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