- From the book "Compendium of and Biography of Western Nebraska Containing a History of the State of Nebraska", published by Alden Publishing Company, 1909
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HON. DAVID HANNA
David Hanna, one of the older settlers of Cherry county, Nebraska, and a popular resident of Wood Lake, has watched the development and growth of this section for the past twenty-five years, and has gained an enviable reputation as a successful business man and worthy citizen. He is engaged in the banking business and is widely known throughout this and adjoining counties.
Mr. Hanna was born near Lisbon Center, St. Lawrence county, New York, Judy (sic) 4, 1844. His father, John Hanna, was of Scotch-Irish stock, farmer by occupation, and his family of eight children were reared and educated on the farm where our subject early learned to perform all sorts of hard labor, and received a good old-fashioned training which fitted him for the struggle with fortune which he encountered later in life.
He first started out for himself at the age of nineteen years, when, together with one brother, he came west to Winona county, Minnesota, where they worked on farms for three years. In 1888 the parents with five sons followed and each bought land on the Winnebago reservation. In 1883 Mr. Hanna first came to Cherry county in company with his youngest brother, driving a bunch of cattle from Minnesota to this county, and immediately settled in section 18, township 29, range 27, on a homestead and tree claim and started in the stock raising business. He proved up on these places and having improved it with good buildings and fences, it is now considered one of the best ranches in the county. It is personally managed by himself and he derives a good income from the stock which he keeps on the place. The range contains eight thousand acres, and he runs about sixteen hundred cattle and two hundred and fifty horses on it.
The surrounding country is well settled now, but when Mr. Hanna came here the nearest neighbor was thirty miles from his place, and he and his brother were the first white men to settle west of the village of Johnstown. There was no one living between his farm and Valentine, and no one south between his ranch and Broken Bow. He has always done his share in advancing the interests of Cherry county, and has built up a fine estate, which would be a great credit in the older and more thickly settled portions of the country.
April 1, 1904, he bought a half interest in the bank at Wood Lake, purchased a fine residence and moved into town to give personal attention to the business. In 1890 Mr. Hanna was elected sheriff of this county, serving one term, and in 1902 was sent to the state legislature to represent the county as a member of the lower house. Since 1906 he has been a member of the state senate from his district.
Mr. Hanna was married to Miss Janette Lambie, who was born in Hammond, St. Lawrence county, New York, in 1854, of Scotch descent. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hanna, four of whom are living, named as follows; Niel, Florence, Mary and Charlotte, all reared in Cherry County. They are consistent members of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Hanna with his family occupies a beautiful six thousand dollar residence in Wood Lake, and devotes his time to his different enterprises. He takes a keen interest in politics and keeps abreast of the times in matters of local and national importance. He is a Republican in politics. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, affiliating with the blue lodge at Wood Lake, the Chapter at Long Pine, the Commandery at Norfolk and the Shrine at Omaha. He also holds membership in the A. O. U. W. at Wood Lake.
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