HANNER, Rev. Alexander Burrell

HANNER, BURRELL, WOODMANSEE, YOUNG, CRAFT, SKYLES, WONDERLY, ARMSTRONG

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 9/30/2013 at 06:48:54

Rev. Alexander Burrell Hanner

Alexander Burrell HANNER, an able and zealous member of the clergy of the Christian Church, and one of the local Elders of the church at Stuart, was born in Jackson county, Indiana, November 23, 1831, a son of John and Rebecca (BURRELL) HANNER, natives of Gallia county, Ohio. They resided in Jackson county, Indiana, until 1838, when they started for what was then known as the Black Hawk Purchase, in Iowa, but when they had reached a point near Bloomington, Indiana, the father was stricken with a fever which resulted in his death. The family then returned to Jackson county, Indiana, remaining there until 1848, when they came to Iowa locating first in Lee county, where a brother-in-law of our subject had purchased land.

In the fall of the following year they removed to Decatur county, where the death of the cherished mother occurred in the year 1853.

John and Rebecca Hanner became the parents of five sons and one daughter, of whom we offer brief record, as follows: Rachel, who died in Decatur county, Iowa, in 1890, was the wife of James W. WOODMANSEE; Bartholomew, a shoemaker by trade, died in Lawrence county, Indiana; Frank, who served three years as a soldier in the Seventh Iowa Cavalry, is now engaged in farming in Jackson county, Indiana; John, who died in that county; Reuben, a retired farmer of Harlan, Shelby county, Iowa; and Alexander B., the immediate subject of this review. [see Volume Two, page 612]

Alexander B. HANNER, the youngest child, passed his early live on a farm, attending the common schools of Indiana and Iowa. In the year 1864 he removed from Decatur county to Muscatine county, Iowa, where he followed agricultural pursuits, and while there he also initiated his ministerial labors.

He had been a member of the Christian Church for some years, and in 1866 was granted a license to preach. His first pastoral charge was over the church at Moscow, Muscatine county; he next preached to several small congregations in Cedar county, this incumbency extending over a period of two years; he later had charge in turn of churches at Glenwood, Iowa county, and Luzerne, Benton county; for two years presided over two churches in Poweshiek county, and later was installed over two churches in Tama county, during which pastorate he maintained his residence on a farm. Mr. HANNER also preached for four years at Clemons Grove, Marshall county, and after residing on his farm seven years he removed to Dallas county, where he had charge of two churches and resided near Redfield. From that place he came to Stuart, where he has since maintained his abode and where he has had charge of the church for three years. IN the year 1890 he organized a church in Harrison county, preaching for the same one year; his next pastorate was with two congregations in Marion county, - at Pleasant Ridge and Dallas.

On the 15th of August, 1852, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. HANNER to Juda YOUNG, who was born in Jackson county, Indiana, on the 20th of March, 1835. They became the parents of eleven children, concerning whom we enter brief record as follows: Juda is the wife of Thomas CRAFT, of Belle Plaine, Iowa; Rebecca died in childhood; John W. is a farmer of Decatur county, this State; Rachel, deceased, was the wife of Lorenzo D. SKYLES; Alexander B. is a farmer of Dexter, Iowa; Sarah Elizabeth is the wife of Henry WONDERLY, of Des Moines; Mary E. is the wife of James L. ARMSTRONG, who resides near Redfield, Iowa; Bartholomew is an employe of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad; Francis Luke is in the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad; William, who retained a clerical position in a general store for the period of five years, is now a commercial traveler; and Rosa Bertha died in early life.

In his younger years Mr. HANNER was an adherent of the Democratic party, but at the time of the Civil war he became an independent voter. In the Centennial year, 1876, he identified himself with the Prohibition party, having been one of the first to espouse its cause and interests, and having ever since been a stalwart advocate of its principles and policies. He has been called upon to serve in offices of public trust and responsibility, having served as Township Clerk, Assessor and Justice of the peace. He has delivered many able and earnest speeches in support of the prohibition cause, and for four years has been, and is at the present writing (1895), chairman for the Ninth Congressional District, of the Prohibition State Central Committee. In his fraternal relations our honored subject is a Royal Arch Mason, being Chaplain of the blue lodge and chapter, and is also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. He is a forceful and entertaining speaker and able writer, and is a frequent contributor to prohibition and church papers.

Rev. Hanner's obituary

Juda (Young) Hanner's obituary

SOURCE: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa. Lewis Pub. Co., Chicago, 1896.
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2013