1914 Biography - Joe Hanna

Hanna, Joe, the well known assessor of Ouachita parish, was born in the city of Monroe, Sept. 16, 1877. His father, John E. Hanna, born Jan. 26, 1840, in Murfreesboro, Tenn., came in 1843 with his parents to Monroe, where his father, Dr. William Hanna, practiced medicine for a number of years, and later lived in Caldwell and Catahoula parishes.

John E. Hanna was clerking in a store at the outbreak of the Civil war when he enlisted in Co. I of the 3d regiment Louisiana infantry with which he served through the war and surrendered at Vicksburg in 1865. He entered as a private but was promoted in about 18 months and at the close of the war was quartermaster. He served under Beauregard and Bragg. After the war he returned to Caldwell parish and farmed for several years. About 1870 Mr. Hanna removed to the city of Monroe and for a few years ran a warehouse for river steamers, after which he was with his brother-in-law, Capt. Chamberlain, in mercantile business. Later he became deputy sheriff under J. E. McGuire during his incumbency as sheriff. In 1878 Mr. Hanna was elected clerk of the police jury of Ouachita parish, which position he held until his death, Jan. 15, 1911, and had the distinction of never missing a meeting in 33 years. He was a Mason, a Knight of Honor, and a devout member of the M. E. church, South. He was long and conspicuously identified with the affairs of Ouachita parish, having come here when there was no town of Monroe, the post office being called Fort Miro. In 1900 he was elected assessor of Ouachita parish and served for 4 years, during which time he installed a system of keeping records which was said by the governor to be the best of any parish in the state. In 1904 he was re-elected, but resigned on account of age and feeble health. Mr. Hanna's wife was Josephine E., daughter of William and Rachael Reitzell. She was born July 9, 1843, in East Feliciana parish, where she lived on her mother's plantation until her marriage to Mr. Hanna. They were the parents of 8 children: John R., Ben M., Mary Louise, died at 18 years of age; Josephine Eva, now Mrs. R. Monk, of Monroe; Robert E.; Joe, assessor of Ouachita parish; Martha A., now Mrs. W. J. Crowder, Jr., of Shreveport; Fred, living in Monroe.

Joe Hanna has lived in his native city all but 7 years of his life. He attended public schools until 13 years old when he took employment with the Consolidated Ice Co., of Monroe, for 3 years. Next he was with Meyer Brothers until March 1, 1896, when he accepted a position in Shreveport as bookkeeper for Henry Rose. This he held for 3 years and then became salesman for the same house until June 1, 1903, when he went as traveling salesman for Kohn Weil & Co., of New Orleans. This he retained until March 1, 1912, when he resigned to take the office of assessor of Ouachita parish, to which he was elected that year. Mr. Hanna is a member of the Masonic order, of the Woodmen of the World, of the Redmen and the Eagles. He has always been a democrat in politics, and bids fair to rival his father in length of time in public service. Nov. 12, 1901, Mr. Hanna was married to Eva, daughter of Lloyd Bowers of Nacogdoches, Tex., and to them 5 children have been born: Eva Elstner, Josephine Ewing, Martha Louise, Robbie Lee, Jennie Winbish.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Louisiana: Comprising Sketches, edited by Alcee Fortier, published in 1914, volume 3, pages 622-623.