THE HANNA HOUSE IN LUVERNE

I am always fascinated by the beautiful old homes that were built near the turn of the 20^th century.  I came across one that was featured in the semi-centennial issue of the Upper Des Moines Republican which was published on October 5, 1904.  It was the home of George W. Hanna, the founder of LuVerne.

George and Ophelia Hanna

George Washington Hanna was born June 3, 1850 in Waterloo, the son of George W. and Mary (Melrose) Hanna.  After receiving his early education in the Waterloo and Goldfield, he attended Upper Iowa University at Fayette and

George W. Hanna

received an M.A. degree.  Too young to serve during the Civil War, he assisted his father and uncle in furnishing beef to the war prisoners housed at Rock Island.  He went on to teach for a few years and also operated a mercantile in the town of Goldfield before coming to Kossuth County in 1880 at the age of 30 and founding the town of LuVerne.

In 1876 he was married to Ophelia K. McIntosh.  Mrs. Hanna had been born in Wright County, Iowa, November 22, 1857.  Her parents, O.C. and Selina McIntosh, were early settlers of that county.

The Founding of LuVerne

In the early 1880s, the Northwestern railroad had built a station at an area they called Whitman.  Approximately one half mile away, the Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad had established a station in a location they called Vernon.  Each station was endeavoring to attract settlers and the rivalry was high.  This was the situation discovered by George Hanna and B. B. Bliss when they came to see which site would make the best location for a store.  Sizing up the situation, Hanna decided that the wisest course of action would be to purchase the tract of land between the two stations.  He did just that and started to lay out a town which became LuVerne.  The railroads did everything in their power to dissuade him from his plan.  However, Hanna circulated a petition to establish a post office at LuVerne which he carried to Fort Dodge by horseback.  Finding that neither railroad had attempted to obtain a post office at their site, he successfully persuaded Congressman C. C. Carpenter to establish a postal facility in LuVerne and appoint Hanna as postmaster.

Situated between the two railroads, LuVerne prospered.  Whitman and Vernon were eventually absorbed into LuVerne.  George was a very astute businessman and with a series of wise investments that included farm land, livestock and the establishment of the Bank of LuVerne, he became quite wealthy.  He served two terms in the state legislature representing this county.  By 1897, the family needed a new home to reflect their stature in the community.

The Hanna Mansion

On February 3, 1897, the Algona Republican published the following description of the plans which was being reprinted from the LuVerne News:

“The extreme outside measure is (including all porches) 50x94 feet.  The kitchen and wood house are one story, the balance has 22 foot posts.  The whole house will be built in an up-to-date way, of best material. It will be heated throughout with either steam or hot water and will be furnished with two bathtubs, two water closets, lavatories, halls, and in fact will be modern and complete in every respect.  There will be a covered driveway with handsome stone railing.  Also round porches and bays, also dumb waiter, bent glass and art glass will adorn it.  There will be twelve large rooms and as many closets and small rooms.  The inside finish is white and yellow pine, cypress, sycamore and oak, all finely varnished.  The vestibule will have a fine parquette floor, and there will be fine waxed floors of maple and yellow.  The shingles will be dipped in stain; double doors and sash, also double floors and plaster will unite with the heating plant to keep George from freezing.  The stairs and grilles of fancy hardwood are bound to be very ornamental.  To cut a long story short, Mr. H. will have a house of which a large city might be proud.”

The Hannas went on to raise four children in this home.  They included Eugenia, W. Scott, Geneva, and Consuelo.  Both W. Scott and Consuelo became attorneys and both came home and worked at the family bank. At the time that she passed the bar, Consuelo was the youngest woman lawyer in the state of Iowa.

Both Scott and Consuelo became involved in the family bank which George had

Published in the
Upper Des Moines
Jan. 20, 1886

established in 1886.  He also owned Hanna ranch which was located in LuVerne township which he stocked with cattle, horses and hogs.  He accumulated over 6,000 acres of farm land.  George served several years in the state legislature as the representative from this area.

George enjoyed his home for 20 years, passing from this life in January of 1918.  Ophelia survived him and continued to live in the house until September of 1931 when she passed away.  This was during the height of the depression and, ironically, the family bank was closed by bank examiners on the day of her death. 

Neither Consuelo nor Scott ever married and so they continued to live in the family home following their mother’s passing.  Scott died in 1934 after a long illness with arterial schlerosis. 

The End of an Era

In 1939, Consuelo decided to build a smaller home.  The mansion was taken down in June of that year and her dwelling was erected on the same property, just northeast of where the original home sat.  Unfortunately, she did not get to enjoy her new home for very long.  That fall she had traveled to visit her sister in Monterey, Mexico.  After spending several months there, she was on her way home.  While in Corpus Christi, Texas, she was walking along train tracks when she stepped in front of a train and died instantly.  According to friends, Consuelo was hard of hearing and they assumed that she did not hear the train come up behind her.  She was only 41 years old.  Her ashes were eventually returned to LuVerne where she was buried next to her parents and brother Scott.

The other family assets had been liquidated prior to Consuelo’s death and her passing brought this LuVerne family dynasty to a close.

Until next time,

Kossuth County History Buff

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