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Emma Dessie Chown
Emma Dessie Hannen was born in Belle Plaine, Iowa on March 7, 1901, the daughter of William and Josaphine (Wilson) Chown. Dessie was raised and attended school in Belle Plaine. On March 20, 1918, Dessie was married to William Dell Hannen in Marengo, Iowa. Dessie and William farmed south of Blairstown, next to the lake that now bears the family name. William passed away on November 12, 1976. Following his death Dessie moved into Blairstown, and lived there for a short time before moving into the Nursing Home in Marengo. In 1986 Dessie moved to the Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Middle Amana, where her death came on Wednesday, March 10, 1993 following a long illness. Dessie was 92 years of age. She was a longtime member of the Calvary United Methodist Church in Blairstown, and during her spare time she enjoyed playing the piano, fishing with her husband and hunting for mushrooms. Dessie is survived by 2 sons; Warren and his wife Marie of Center Point, Iowa, and Bruce and his wife Irene of Blairstown. She is survived by 11 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grandchildren. Dessie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband William, 4 sisters and 1 grandson.
James Billingsley Hannen
Blairstown - James Hannen, one of the early pioneers, residing two and one half miles south of town, died on Sunday, aged 85 years. Mr. Hannen was a good citizen and an ardent Republican. During the civil war he lived in Southern Iowa, near the Missouri border, where there were many copperheads and rebels, and being a stalwart union man he was in many exciting conflicts with these non-unionists.
James B. Hannen was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, October 8, 1816, and died September 8, 1891, and his wife, a native of the same place, was born March 13, 1826, and died January 3, 1906. James B. Hannen grew to manhood in his native state, and was reared on a farm. He came to Iowa, first locating in Lee County, and later removed to Van Buren County, where he was married. He came to Benton County in October, 1863, spending the winter in Blairstown, and in the spring purchased forty acres of land in section 35, LeRoy township; there was a log house on this farm, and here he and his wife died. They were parents of six children, namely: Anetta, living with her brother, William M.; William M.; Isabella, wife of Albert Rice, of LeRoy township; Ella, wife of E. J. Schult, of Palo Alto County; Prudence, deceased; and L.H. of LeRoy township.
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