Background
Louis Benjamin Hanna was born in New Brighton, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Louis Hanna grew up and received his education in Massachusetts and New New York
banker governor politician representative senator
Louis Benjamin Hanna was born in New Brighton, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Louis Hanna grew up and received his education in Massachusetts and New New York
He sold his land in 1882 and moved to Page where he began his career as a businessman. He started a retail lumber company, then expanded into grain handling. Soon he needed banking facilities, so he opened a private bank at Page.
The bank became a state bank, then became the First National Bank of Page, with Hanna as the president
From 1895 to 1897, Hanna served in the North Dakota House of Representatives. In 1908, Louis Hanna was elected to represent North Dakota in the United States House of Representatives where he served two terms, from 1909 to 1913.
Without any lapse between positions, he became the eleventh Governor of North Dakota in 1913 beating Frank O. Hellstrom in the race. The four years in Bismarck as Governor of North Dakota were largely spent attacking the $300,000 debt inherited by Hanna upon assuming office.
At the end of four years, the entire amount was paid official
In addition, the bonded debt of nearly one million dollars was reduced to $462,000. A teacher"s retirement and insurance fund was created and an inheritance tax law was sanctioned. During Hanna"s term the governor, his family, and a committee went to Norway.
On July 4, 1914 at Christiania (Oslo), they presented the people of Norway with a statue of Abraham Lincoln.
The statue, by North Dakota sculptor Paul Fjelde, is located in Frogner Park in Oslo. During World War I he served in France as a captain in the American Red Cross.
He was cited as an officer of the French Legion of Honor by the French government. Hanna continued his business interests in agriculture, banking, and other enterprises until his retirement.
In 1924, Louis Hanna handled presidential campaign of Calvin Coolidge in North Dakota.
He died in 1948, aged 86, in Fargo, North Dakota. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota United States of America.