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HENRY C. MAHANNA, Belle Plaine. Assistant Superintendent of the Middle Iowa Division of the C. & N. W. R. R. since May, 1884, and an employe of the company for eighteen years, was born in Waynesburgh, Greene Co., Pa., Nov. 10, 1843, and is the son of James and Rebecca (Adams) Mahanna. He removed to Cambridge, Ill., with his parents, in 1853, and three years later they removed to Winona, Ill. At the age of thirteen years our subject began to rely on his own unaided efforts to make his way in the world, applying himself to such employment as he could obtain. At the age of fifteen he became an employe of the I. C. R. R. Co., and was assigned to the wood pile. He was soon removed to the position of brakeman, where he developed muscle and a capacity for endurance, which fitted him for the duties of a soldier. Bidding farewell to the life of a brakeman, he entered the military service of the Government in June, 1862, as a high private of Co. I, 11th Ill. Vol. Inf. known as the Railroad Regiment. His regiment was assigned to the 4th Army Corps, and participated in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and in the battles before Atlanta, winding up with the battles of Jonesboro, Lovejoy, Franklin and Nashville. He was in active service a few days less than three years, during which time he was in every battle in which his company participated. On his return from the war he engaged as brakeman on the Illinois Central from July to September, 1865, then with the C. B. & Q. R. R. as conductor on freight trains until November, 1866. In August, 1867, he entered the service of the C. & N. W. R. R. Co. as brakeman. He was soon promoted to conductor, and ran a train between Belle Plaine and Boone for about eighteen months. He was appointed agent at Belle Plaine Sept. 12, 1869, and served in that capacity till March, 1881. He was appointed master of transportation of the C. & N. W. R. R. May 10, 1881, with headquarters at Tama. He resigned that position two years later, and Aug. 20, 1883, was appointed Assistant Superintendent of the Middle Iowa Division, with headquarters at Belle Plaine. While a resident of Eagle Grove he was chosen a member of the City Council of that place, and served two years.Mr. Mahanna was married at Marshalltown, Nov. 10, 1868, to Miss Rachel H. Warrick, daughter of Jacob Warrick. Mrs. Mahanna is a native of Pocahontas County, Va.
Mr. Mahanna is a Knight Templar Mason, and in politics affiliates with the Republicans. He has made a good record as a soldier, a railroad man and a citizen. He has had to make his own way in the world unaided, and it is no flattery to say of him that he has always proved competent and faithful in the discharge of the duties of his position, giving entire satisfaction, and that he enjoys the confidence and respect of his superiors as well as that of his subordinates and fellow-citizens.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 246.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on January 28th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.
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