Hanna - Bayless - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Source: The New York Times April 19, 1885 -- Indianapolis, April 18 - Bayless W. Hanna, who has been appointed Minister to Persia is a Buckeye by birth of S cotch-Irish extraction born in Troy, Ohio March 14, 1830. Six years later he went to Crawfordsville, Ind where his father, James Hanna became o ne of the founders of Wabash College.  Bayless was educated here and aft er graduation, began the study of law with Joseph E. McDonald. Failing hea lth compelled his removal south. Locating at Natchez, he concluded his stu dies under Josiah Winchester and was licensed in 1855. Returning to Indian a, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of the Crawfordsville District in 1 856. Th next year he removed to Terre Haute. In 1862 he was elected Repres entative, in 1864 Senator and in 1870 Attorney General of the state. In 18 72, 1876, 1880 and 1884 he was Delegate at Large to The National Democrat ic Conventions and at St. Louis he was Chairman of the Committee of Perman ent Organization and a member of the committee to inform Mr. TIlden of his nomination. In 1872, and again in 1884, he was Elector at Large. Recent ly he removed to Crawfordsville and edited the Review. Mr. Hanna in his legislative career was an inveterate opposer of all war measures and did  ll in his power to embarrass Gov. Morton's administration. He acquired some reputation as a political orator and has served in numerous campaigns.

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Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bayless Washington Hanna

Indiana Attorney General

In office

November 3, 1870 '96 November 3, 1872

Preceded by Delano E. Williamson

Succeeded by James C. Denny

United States Ambassador to Iran

In office

April 18, 1885 '96 1885

Preceded by S.G.W. Benjamin

Succeeded by Frederick H. Winston

United States Ambassador to Argentina

In office

October 15, 1885 '96 July 8, 1889

Preceded by Thomas O. Osborn

Succeeded by John R. G. Pitkin

Personal details

Born March 14, 1830

Troy, Ohio

Died August 2, 1891 (aged 61)

Crawfordsville, Indiana

Resting place Oak Hill Cemetery, Crawfordsville, Indiana

Political party Democratic

Spouse(s) Sarah Oakalla Hanna (nee Read)

Children John Telford Hanna

Read Hanna

Bayless Hanna

James Richmond Hanna

Oakalla Castleton (nee Hanna)

Mary Craig Martin (nee Hanna)

Ruth Hanna

Residence Terre Haute, Indiana

Alma mater Wabash College

Profession lawyer

Religion Episcopalian

Bayless W. Hanna (March 14, 1830 '96 August 2, 1891) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as the Indiana Attorney General, the U.S. Minister to Iran, and the U.S. Minister to Argentina.

Contents

   1 Family background

   2 Early life and career

   3 Politics

   4 Notes

   5 References

   6 External links

Family background

Bayless' grandfather, James Hanna Sr., immigrated to the United States from County Monaghan, Ireland at the age of 10 in 1763 with his parents, one sister and three brothers. The Hanna family settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania but upon his father's death in 1764, James Sr. was raised by a farmer in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. On April 4, 1782, James Sr. married Hannah Bayless at Havre de Grace, Maryland. Shortly after their marriage, James Sr. and Hannah, moved to Georgetown, Kentucky. It was here that the family grew with the addition of nine children including Bayless' father, James Hanna Jr., on March 31, 1791. In 1804 the family once again moved to Dayton, Ohio.[1]

Early life and career

Bayless Washington Hanna was born in Troy, Ohio to James Hanna Jr. and Nancy Telford on March 14, 1830. Bayless had two brothers and two sisters: James, who died at a young age, Alexander, Martha and Mary. In 1836 the family moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana so that James could start a general store with his brothers, Joseph Hanna and Judge Samuel Hanna, and Robert Gregory. He later became a tanner and currier. James Hanna's move was also prompted by his desire to assist with the founding of Wabash College.[2] Bayless spent his youth working in his father's various ventures and eventually attended Wabash College in 1849. After his Junior year, Bayless fell into some bad health and subsequently moved to Natchez, Mississippi where he discovered his love of the law under the tutelage of Josiah Winchester. (It wouldn't be until 1883 that Wabash College would give Bayless the degree of Master of Arts.) In June 1855 Bayless passed the Bar Exam and was licensed by Judge Stanhope Posey. He then returned to Indiana and went to work in the law offices of fellow Wabash attendee Joseph E. McDonald where he pursued his law studies and was later elected the prosecuting attorney of the Crawfordsville District in 1856. He held this post until November 1857 when he opened his own law firm in Terre Haute with Daniel W. Voorhees.[3] It is because of this association and his stuanch anti war stance that it is widely believed that Bayless was a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle.[4] On October 9, 1858 Bayless married Sarah Oakalla Read the only daughter of Dr. Ezra Read and together they had 14 children, seven of whom died in infancy.[5] Sarah Read was also the niece of Ohio Supreme Court Judge Nathaniel Read, Navy Lieutenant Commander Abner Read and University of Missouri President Daniel Read on her father's side and the niece of Commodore Jonathan Young on her mother's side.[6] Now being a prominent member of the community Bayless was named to the Board of Trustee's of Indiana University from 1859 to 1862.[7]

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Name Age

Baylas W. Hanna 47

Sarah O. Hanna 39

John T. Hanna 20

Read Hanna Hanna 17

Bayless Hanna 14

James R. Hanna 13

Oakalla Hanna 8

Mary C. Hanna 3

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Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Argus News AUg 8, 1891 p 1 - via Terre Haute Gazette --

There was a meeting of the bar Wednesday morning in the circuit court to hear the reports of the committees appointed to prepare resoltions on the death of Judge Harvey D. Scott and Hon. Bayless W. Hanna, two distinguished ex-members of the Terre Haute bar who died recently, the former at Los Angeles, Cal and the latter at Crawfordsville, Ind. Judge Eggleston presided and Geo. A. Scott was secretary. The Scott memorial meeting was held first...

The Hanna Memorial - the committee to report on the death of Hon. Bayless W. Hanna was composed of Senator Voorhees; Col. Thomas H. Nelson and Judge James M. Allen. The committee reported through Senator Voorhees, and while the resolutions were brief - much briefer than those reported by the Scott Committee - they expressed in beautiful text the regret of the bar in the death of  Mr. Hanna.  Senator Voorhees read the resolutions and after that he addressed the bar on the subject of the memorial, paying to the memory of the departed ex-Terre Hautean a most beautiful tribute of respect and love.  Mr. Voorhees' intimate personal relations for many years with Mr. Hanna admirably fitted him for this task and as the Senator closed the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:

We meet this morning to pay the tribute of our respect and affection to another member of the legal profession who has been called from the labors of earth to the rest and respose of another world. The records of this court show that Bayless H. Hanna was a member of its bar for more than a third of a century, during 25 years of which time he was an active and brilliant participant in the business which came before it.  Until within the last 10 years he was also a resident of this city our neighbor and our friend.  We knew him well and intimately and our hearts are saddened that his term of life has closed  Few men have ever surpassed him in the fascination of his social gifts and the charm of hsi colloquial powers.  As a lawyer he was faithful in all his undertakings, and qual to all the professional requiements ever made upon him. In every official relation of life, from his first election as a member of the Legislature to the close of his career, as an American minister in South America, his record is one of integrity, ability and strict fidelity to every public interest.

It is therefore

Resolved, that in the death of Hon. Bayless W. Hanna this court has lost an able and upright member of the bar, the state has been deprived of one of its distinguished citizen and his friends have been left to mourn the loss of an esteemed and attractive comrade.

Resolved,, that these proceedings be spread on record in tis court, and that a copy of the same be forwarded to his family, with whom he deeply sympathize in their bereavement and sorrow ... DW Voorhees; Thomas H. Nelson; James M. Allen........