Howard Melville Hanna (January 23, 1840 – February 8, 1921) was an American Civil War veteran, businessman in shipping and iron ore, philanthropist and owner of Pebble Hill Plantation in Thomasville, Georgia.
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Early life
Howard Melville Hanna was born on January 23, 1840, in New Lisbon, Ohio. His older brother Mark Hanna served as Republican United States Senator from Ohio from 1897 to 1904 and was the owner of the M. A. Hanna Company. He moved to Cleveland, Ohio with his family at the age of twelve.
In Cleveland, he was a schoolmate of John D. Rockefeller, who became a lifelong friend. Hanna graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York.
Career
Hanna served in the American Civil War of 1861 to 1865. On June 11, 1862, he became Paymaster of the Union Navy. He served on USS Agawam from March 9, 1864, until he resigned and was discharged on February 13, 1865.




