Hannah,
North Dakota
The land which became the townsite of Hannah was homesteaded by
Francis Hannah about 1887. Francis Hannah and wife Catherine started
their journey in County Donegal, Ireland in 1848. After arriving in
Canada they homesteaded in several sites in Ontario. With the offer of
land in the Dakota Territories, Francis, Catherine and six of their
married children left their farms on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron
and set out for the Dakotas. Alpheus Adams (son-in-law of Francis)
became the first Postmaster of the Hannah Post Office. The “town”
received its charter in 1896 and the railroad arrived from Grand Forks
in 1897 guaranteeing the future of the town. Hannah still thrives
today as a typical small prairie town situated in Cavalier County
about one kilometer from the Canadian border.
Dr. Richard S. Hannah
Professor
Dept of Anatomy
University of Calgary
Calgary, AB
Canada