Bayless W. Hanna
| Bayless Washington Hanna | |
|---|---|
| Indiana Attorney General | |
|
In office November 3, 1870 – November 3, 1872 |
|
| Preceded by | Delano E. Williamson |
| Succeeded by | James C. Denny |
| United States Ambassador to Iran | |
|
In office April 18, 1885 – 1885 |
|
| Preceded by | S.G.W. Benjamin |
| Succeeded by | Frederick H. Winston |
| United States Ambassador to Argentina | |
|
In office October 15, 1885 – July 8, 1889 |
|
| Preceded by | Thomas O. Osborn |
| Succeeded by | John R. G. Pitkin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 14, 1830 Troy, Ohio |
| Died | August 2, 1891 (aged 61) Crawfordsville, Indiana |
| Resting place | Oak Hill Cemetery, Crawfordsville, Indiana |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Oakalla Hanna (nee Read) |
| Children | John Telford Hanna Read Hanna Bayless Hanna James Richmond Hanna Oakalla Castleton (nee Hanna) Mary Craig Martin (nee Hanna) Ruth Hanna |
| Residence | Terre Haute, Indiana |
| Alma mater | Wabash College |
| Profession | lawyer |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
Bayless W. Hanna (March 14, 1830 – August 2, 1891) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as the Indiana Attorney General, the U.S. Minister to Iran, and the U.S. Minister to Argentina.
Bayless' grandfather, James Hanna Sr., immigrated to the United States from County Monaghan, Ireland at the age of 10 in 1763 with his parents, one sister and three brothers. The Hanna family settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania but upon his father's death in 1764, James Sr. was raised by a farmer in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. On April 4, 1782, James Sr. married Hannah Bayless at Havre de Grace, Maryland. Shortly after their marriage, James Sr. and Hannah, moved to Georgetown, Kentucky. It was here that the family grew with the addition of nine children including Bayless' father, James Hanna Jr., on March 31, 1791. In 1804 the family once again moved to Dayton, Ohio.
Bayless Washington Hanna was born in Troy, Ohio to James Hanna Jr. and Nancy Telford on March 14, 1830. Bayless had two brothers and two sisters: James, who died at a young age, Alexander, Martha and Mary. In 1836 the family moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana so that James could start a general store with his brothers, Joseph Hanna and Judge Samuel Hanna, and Robert Gregory. He later became a tanner and currier. James Hanna's move was also prompted by his desire to assist with the founding of Wabash College. Bayless spent his youth working in his father's various ventures and eventually attended Wabash College in 1849. After his Junior year, Bayless fell into some bad health and subsequently moved to Natchez, Mississippi where he discovered his love of the law under the tutelage of Josiah Winchester. (It wouldn't be until 1883 that Wabash College would give Bayless the degree of Master of Arts.) In June 1855 Bayless passed the Bar Exam and was licensed by Judge Stanhope Posey. He then returned to Indiana and went to work in the law offices of fellow Wabash attendee Joseph E. McDonald where he pursued his law studies and was later elected the prosecuting attorney of the Crawfordsville District in 1856. He held this post until November 1857 when he opened his own law firm in Terre Haute with Daniel W. Voorhees. It is because of this association and his stuanch anti war stance that it is widely believed that Bayless was a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle. On October 9, 1858 Bayless married Sarah Oakalla Read the only daughter of Dr. Ezra Read and together they had 14 children, seven of whom died in infancy. Sarah Read was also the niece of Ohio Supreme Court Judge Nathaniel Read, Navy Lieutenant Commander Abner Read and University of Missouri President Daniel Read on her father's side and the niece of Commodore Jonathan Young on her mother's side. Now being a prominent member of the community Bayless was named to the Board of Trustee's of Indiana University from 1859 to 1862.
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