Hanna - John E.
Source: Crawfordsville
Weekly Review 25 Feb 1888 p 6
John E. Hanna died at
his home on Washington Street Monday night after an illness of 18 months from consumption,
aged 45 years, leaving a wife and three small children to mourn his taking off.
John E. Hanna or, “Johnny” as he was familiarly known in this county has had a
life whose history would read like the pages of a romance. His first
recollections date from a time when at 8 years of age he found himself running
alone upon the streets of Dublin, Ireland, one of the city’s waifs. One morning
he found himself on boardship, a mere chit of a boy, on his way from the
Evergreen Isle of his birth to the hospitable shores of America. On the ship he
attracted the attention of some Irish soldiers on their way to America to
enlist in the regular army. They took a fancy to the boy and he fared royally on
the passage over. When the ship discharged her passengers at Castle Garden,
John got off in company with his friends and in the crowd on the wharf, the
little sack of money which some friend in Erin had tied about his neck with a
ribbon was lost; he had been robbed. He had no friends in America, was hungry,
homesick, broken-hearted. In this condition he fell in with an Irishman who
kept a small boarding house and who cared for him until he was sent to
Crawfordsville. Once here he was fortunate in falling into the family of James
Hanna, by whom he was adopted, and from that day until his death he bore the
name of that widely known Indiana family. He entered Wabash College and though
not a graduate, was possed of a good education. When the family, consisting of
Misses Mary and Martha Hanna moved from this city to their home in Coal Creek
Township, John went with them. He managed their farm, made them money and gave
them a brother’s care and attention and there grew up among them an attachment,
the strength of which has seldom been equaled in the family circle where the same
blood courses through the veins of all. Early in life he entered the field of
politics, championing the cause of Democracy. He worked for the party’s
interest in season and out of season, being an acknowledged leader, yet the
rewards of the faithful were never given into his hands. He thought all
politicians were like himself true to their friends. That characteristic was reigning quality in
John Hanna, his friends were his first thought and he was bound to them by
links of steel, never to be broken. In him the Republicans found a bitter enemy
and a hard one to master, yet among them he found his warmest personal friends.
He was elected twice Trustee of Coal Creek Township and was the Democratic
candidate for Sheriff in 1880 against Warner Wilhite. He afterwards operated
the Review from 1881 – 1884 and again was a partner in that paper with TB
Collins in 1885-86. He removed to this
city where he was married to Miss Manie Brown to whom he has proven a devoted
husband. The wife and three little ones mourn for him who was so kind to them.
Raised a Protestand on his death bed he united with the Catholic Church, where
his wife is a communicant in order that the grave might not separate them. The
deceased will be remembered as the kind husband, the genial companion, the
adroit politician and true friend. The funeral took place at 10 o’clock from
St. Bernard’s Church Wednesday, Father JR Dinnen officiating. Interment at
Calvary Cemetery. - kbz