HANNA, FERN AND SETH

by Margaret Mercure

Entry F178 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Seth and Fern Hanna Family about 1931. L ro R:
Fern, Margaret, Bonnie, Jack, Ulala and Seth.

Seth and Fern Hanna early 1960's

Four Generations L-R: Margaret Stephenson McIntyre,
Margaret Hanna Mercure, Fern Hanna and Baby Ron Mercure.

L-R: Margaret (Hanna) Mercure, Ulala (Hanna) Madsen,
Bonnie (Hanna) Nutter.

Fern Stephenson Hanna was born October
1, 1895 in Hooker County, 1/4 mile west of the
town of Mullen on the south side of the
railroad tracks. Part of the little brown
shingled house is or was still standing - where
Buchanan's live now (they put up a new
house).

Fern's parents, Margaret (Brannon) Ste-
phenson and Edward Z. Stephenson, were
married at Broken Bow, Nebraska on Decem-
ber 15, 1885. They were some of the earliest
settlers of Hooker County around 1887,
before the town of Mullen had a name. The
Stephenson's had 7 children. Fern's mother
was a midwife for many pioneer mothers who
had babies in this area. Fern's father was born
in Missouri. He had a livery barn in Mullen
and was also sheriff. He died young, at age 41,
of typhoid pneumonia. Both Fern's father
and mother are buried in the Mullen ceme-
tery.

Fern was a popular young lady and one of
the prettiest in Mullen or Seneca (this was
told by a friend to Fern's daughters). Fern
loved to dance and roller skate. The young
people of the area played baseball - boys and
girls.

Fern worked in the McCawley and Uhler
store in Seneca, as did Seth Hanna. Fern and
Seth were married on Christmas day in 1914.
They had five children - two are living today.
All their children were born in Hooker and
Thomas counties of Nebraska. The first baby
- a boy - died at birth. The second is
Margaret Hanna Mercure. Third was John
Milton Hanna II. Fourth was Bonnie Hanna
Nutter. Fifth was Ulala Hanna Madsen.
Margaret and Ulala are the only living
children today, 1987. Margaret married
Nelson Darwin Mercure in 1936. They have
four children; Ron, Norris, Twyla and Steve.
John married and had three children - John,
Jodene and Jeri. He died in 1957. Bonnie
married Harley Nutter and they had three
children; Douglas and Teresa are living and
Larry is deceased. Bonnie died in 1967. Ulala
married Lawrence Madsen. They live in
Chadron, Nebraska and have two sons and
one daughter - Mark, Jed and Stephanie.

Fern and Seth were real pioneers of the
Sandhills. They lived in two sod houses. They
had one horse they both rode. It was a two
day trip to town by wagon for supplies. They
lived for 35 years on Cherry County ranches.
They moved to Seneca to retire in 1947 and
restored the old house where Seth's parents
had once lived (Della and Milt Hanna). Seth
and Fern celebrated their 50th anniversary
in 1964.

Fern is a 60-year Eastern Star member and
was a Nebraska Cowbelle for many years - a
wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, neigh-
bor and friend. She has 12 living grandchild-
ren - one deceased - 23 great grandchildren
and two great great grandchildren.

Seth passed away August 13, 1974 and is
buried in the Seneca cemetery. Fern lives at
Pineview Good Samaritan Center in Valen-
tine, Nebraska and is 91 years young.

Fern and Seth had lots of happiness and
sorrows in their married life, but were always
of strong character. They were married
nearly 60 years when Seth passed away.