Hanna, Richard J.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Hanna, Richard James, president of the Orleans Metal Bed Co., City Park avenue, and St. Louis street, New Orleans, was born at New Orleans, La., Aug. 21, 1874, son of Capt. John Holmes and Elizabeth (Spires) Hanna, the former of whom was of Irish and the latter of English parentage. Capt. John Holmes Hanna, the father, was during many years actively engaged in grain and steamboat business at New Orleans, where he early acquired the title of "The Corn King of New Orleans." He was affiliated with many of the most important enterprises about the city of New Orleans throughout a long, active, and unusually successful business career. Both he and his estimable wife were among the most in tensely interesting characters in New Orleans life of the past generation. The mother, Elizabeth Spires, was from Cheltenham, England, and came to America with her parents, 2 brothers and 2 sisters, in the year 1850, she being at that time 14 years old. Her father and 2 brothers died of yellow fever at New Orleans in 1853. Her mother died in l876. Seven children were born to Capt. John Holmes Hanna and his wife. For full details as to parents and all of children, see sketch of Capt. J. Stonewall Hanna elsewhere in this work. Richard James Hanna, the subject of this sketch, received a finished education, both academic and commercial, in preparation for his life work, in the course of which he became a student at several of the best educational institutions available, among these being Centenary college, Jackson, La., from which be graduated, later matriculating at Tulane university, New Orleans, from which in due time he took his degree. Following this he entered Soule' college, New Orleans, where he took the complete commercial course. Shortly after the completion of his education he became an attache of the brokerage office of J. H.. Kamelate, at New Orleans, later on entering the service of the New Orleans National Bank, where be remained about 15 years.

In the year 1910 he became identified with the Orleans Metal Bed Co., being, on Jan. 1 of that year, elected president of the latter company, of which position he has remained incumbent to this time. Upon the death of his father, Richard James Hanna succeeded the latter as a member of the board of directors of the New Orleans National Bank, and has since remained in that capacity. He also is a stockholder in the U. S. Trust & Savings Bank, the Hibernia Insurance Co., the Gullett Gin Co., of Amite City, La., and several other corporations and business institutions in New Orleans and elsewhere. Richard James Hanna has been twice married. His first marriage was to Miss Jennie Edgerton Lincoln, who died Feb. 4, 1899 leaving one child, Jennie Lincoln Hanna. June 15, 1903, Mr. Hanna was married to Miss Bessie Ramsey Thomson, a daughter of W. B. Thomson, of New Orleans, in which city the daughter was born. Mrs. Hanna's father has long been well known as a wagon manufacturer. To this latter union 2 children have been born, namely: Edith and Bessie Lee, both of whom are now at the parental home.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp. 764-765. Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.