History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Philip C. Hanna
PHILIP C. HANNA was born in Waterloo, Iowa, June 27, 1857. He was educated for a Methodist minister and was engaged several years in that work. In 1889 he was appointed by President Harrison United States Consul General for Venezuela and during the administration of that office won world-wide fame for his energetic action in securing the release from imprisonment of the consuls of Russia, France, Belgium and several other nations. These consuls were seized by the dictator of that country and held for large ransoms, but through the prompt measures taken by Mr. Hanna were released. For this act Consul Hanna received the thanks of twenty-one nations for rescuing their consuls and citizens. After the overthrow of the dictator the Congress of Venezuela conferred upon Mr. Hanna the rank of count. In 1897 Mr. Hanna was appointed Consul General to Porto Rico and rendered distinguished services to our country during the war with Spain. After peace was restored Mr. Hanna was appointed Consul General at Monterey in Mexico.