Robert Wesley HANNA

HANNA, MELROSE, BUTTERFIELD, FIGI, GOERGE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/18/2010 at 11:07:46

Semi Weekly Waterloo Courier - Iowa
December 21, 1906

1856 - 1906

PHIL HANNA’S BROTHER DEAD

Prominent Banker of Luverne Passed Away Suddenly.

Was Raised Near Waterloo and Has Relatives Here.

On Tuesday afternoon at his home in Luverne, Robert W. Hanna, a well to do banker and business man, died suddenly. Mr. Hanna was the son of Mrs. G. W. Hanna who for many years lived on the west side of the river on the Cedar Falls road just out of Waterloo. He was the brother of Phil Hanna, who is now consul at Monterey, Mexico, and has two sons who are Methodist preachers.

Deceased with his brother, Phil Hanna, was raised on the old farm just out of Waterloo and the older residents of the city will remember both. The mother still continued to live on the home place until about a year ago when fire destroyed the house, since which time has made her home with her son whose death has just occurred. G. W. Hanna, father of the deceased, came to Black Hawk county from Illinois, settling near Waterloo in July, 1846. He was thus the first white settler in the county. For several years he was engaged in the mercantile trade in Waterloo but spent most of his time farming. He was the first justice of the peace of the county and a well known citizen.

Robert W., the third oldest son in a family of four sons and two daughters, settled at Luverne where he has been prominent in the affairs of the town for many years, devoting his time of late to the banking business in which he prospered. He was about fifty years old and as he had been in good health, his sudden death from heart failure came as a great shock to the community.

Deceased was twice married, his first wife being Miss Butterfield of Waterloo, who was the mother of his five children. His second wife was a Miss Grant, whom he married many years after his first wife’s death. His sons are all men of high attainments. The oldest, Rev. George A. Hanna, is a Methodist minister at Money Creek, Minn., and three years ago was married to Miss Rachel [Regula Mary] Figi of this city. The second son, Rev. Edward Hanna, holds a Methodist charge in this state and the third son, Guy, is an officer in the regular army with headquarters at San Francisco. His two daughters, Bertha and Laura, graduated three years ago from the West Waterloo high school.

Besides his wife and children, he leaves two brothers, one at Luverne, G. W. Hanna, who was associated with him in the banking business and Phil C. Hanna, United States consul to Mexico, and two sisters, Mrs. George lives between Waterloo and Cedar Falls, but is now with another sister in Texas.

The funeral will not be until Saturday in order that the relatives may have time to reach Luverne. Consul Phil Hanna telegraphed that he was not sure whether he would be able to arrive in time for the funeral but would do so if it could be arranged.