John Harvey Hanna was born November 30, 1836 in Lowndes County, Alabama, USA. The son of William Hanna (1799-1858) and Eliza Crook (1798-1852). J.H. fought in the Civil War on the side of the Confederacy. In Lownde's Rangers, and then in Col. Wood's Mississippi Regiment. He surrendered on May 4, 1865. J.H. married in 1866 in Lowndes, Alabama to Sabrina Jane "Sabrey" Casey They had three children. Sabrey passed away in 1873. J.H. married Emily Lucinda Palmore in 1874 in Lowndes County, Alabama. They had seven children. J.H. moved his family to Texas around 1900 settling in Martinsville, Nacogdoches County. He worked as a farmer until he passed away November 12, 1919 in Martinsville, Texas at the age of 82.