GURLEY, Walter M., Orleans Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be Reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any Other organization or persons. Persons or organizations Desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent Of the contributor, or the legal representative of the Submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with Proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for Personal use only. Gurley, Walter Morgan, a notary public and vice-president and general manager of the Rural Credit Company, New Orleans, was born in New Orleans, La., and is a son of John Ward and Rosamund (Richards) Gurley, the former of whom was born in Baton Rouge, La., and early in life removed to New Orleans, which then became his permanent place of residence. He received his early education at Jefferson college, in his native state, and his legal education and training in the city of New Orleans, following the completion of which he entered upon and continued in the practice of law during the remainder of his active and useful career, in the course of which he served 20 years as United States district attorney. His wife, Rosamund Richards Gurley, was a descendant of Baron Richards, of England, and also of the Earl of Huntington. Walter Morgan Gurley, the son, was educated in New Orleans, chiefly by private tutor, Mr. Furmann, later attending Soule' college. Following the completion of his academic education, he for a time became identified with the cotton business; received his legal education at the law department of the University of Louisiana, now Tulane university. Since the completion of his professional education he was commissioned as a notary public, in which Mr. Gurley was a director of the Peoples Bank, and now chairman of the liquidation committee, elected by the stockholders, and is vice-president and general manager of the Rural Credit Co., of New Orleans, which he organized. Mr. Gurley has always taken an active and aggressive part in genuinely meritorious reform movements, local, state, and national, and in accord with these characteristics has taken a lively interest in the Young Men's Democratic association of New Orleans, and has been identified with every public movement he deemed worthy of his support. He is a member of the Pickwick, the Country, the Chess, Checkers and Whist clubs, the Knights of Pythias fraternity, all of New Orleans, and Woodmen of the World. He was one of the organizers of the Progressive Union, now the Chamber of Commerce. He was also one of the organizers of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Feb. 20, 1890, Mr. Gurley was married to Miss Marie White, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edmund White, of New Orleans, and a niece of Lady Fitzgerald, of Ireland. Her father was a member of the Irish gentry, and was a cousin to the famous orator, Robert Emmett. Mr. Gurley's paternal ancestors have been professional men throughout the past 6 generations, mostly engaged in the practice of law, but also including some in the ministry, and some in the medical profession. The paternal grandfather, Henry H. Gurley, served some time on the United States circuit court bench, and was a member of congress during 4 terms. The great grand-uncle of Walter Morgan Gurley, whose name was the same as that of his father, John Ward Gurley, was a close personal friend of the first governor of Louisiana, Gov. Claiborne, and was killed in a duel because lie declined to recommend to the governor the appointment of a gentleman whom he did not think fitted for the position sought. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gurley, these being Walter M. Gurley, manager of the Bonhora Sales Co., Inc., in New Orleans, and Miss Marie Rosamund Gurley. Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp. 758-759. Edited by Alc e Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association. ****************************** HANNA, Robert, Orleans Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be Reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any Other organization or persons. Persons or organizations Desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent Of the contributor, or the legal representative of the Submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with Proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for Personal use only. Hanna, Robert, capitalist, largely interested in various New Orleans and other corporations, was born at New Orleans, La., May 26, 1871, 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 largely identified with many of the most important enterprises of New Orleans throughout a long, active, and unusually successful business career. Seven children were born to their union. For full details as to the parents and children, see sketch of Capt. J. Stonewall Hanna, elsewhere in this work. Robert Hanna, the subject of this sketch, received his early education at the public schools of New Orleans, where he graduated from the Boys' high school. Later he matriculated at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., from which institution also he in due time graduated. His first business undertaking, after the completion of his education, was the handling of coal in large quantities at New Orleans. This enterprise was a success from its inception, and he continued at the head of the business about 10 years, at the expiration of which time he became associated with his brothers, Capt. J. Stonewall Hanna and Richard J. Hanna (elsewhere referred to in this work), in the ownership and operation of the Orleans Metal Bed Co., one of the large and important manufacturing enterprises of the city. The name of Robert Hanna has become intimately connected with a number of the leading business organizations of the city in which he lives. Among these various affiliations it may be mentioned that he is a stockholder in the New Orleans National bank, the U. S. Trust & Savings bank, the Hibernia Insurance Co., the Times-Democrat Printing Co., and other corporations and enterprises of like importance, including also the Cullett Gin Co., of Amite City, La. July 5, 1892, Robert Hanna was married to Miss Mathilde Virginia Zebal , a daughter of H. L. and Adele (Morgan) Zebal, of New Orleans. H. L. Zebal was one of the best known citizens of New Orleans, brought into prominence born by his military and civil career. During the dark days of the Civil war he served the cause of the Confederacy as commissary sergeant of the famous Washington artillery, and during these years of stubbornly-contested battlefields and sanguinary conflicts, established a record for gallantry in action in every way worthy to be cherished by his descendants. Not until after the surrender did he return to his civil pursuits, when he became associated with T. C. Peyan in the clothing business, their store being located in the business portion of the old St. Charles Hotel building. He remained in this connection about 5 years, following which he became connected with the well-known and widely popular business house of Leon Godchaux, thus remaining throughout about 42 years, after which he engaged in the insurance business with W. C. Wilcox, continuing in this latter association to the end of his active business career. The mother of Mrs. Robert Hanna, was a daughter of Colonel Charles Morgan, of Pointe Coupée, one of the most widely-known citizens of Louisiana. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hanna have two children, namely: Roy, now a student at Soule' college, New Orleans, and Mathilde Elizabeth. Members of the family are regular attendants at Trinity Episcopal church, where members of Mr. Hanna's family have been constant attendants during more than 40 years. Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, volume 3, pp. 765-766. Edited by Alc e Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association. ************************************************* HANNA, Richard J., Orleans Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be Reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any Other organization or persons. Persons or organizations Desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent Of the contributor, or the legal representative of the Submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with Proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for Personal use only. 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 attaché 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 Alc e Fortier, Lit. D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association. ************************************************