John Fletcher Hanson
Encyclopedia
John Fletcher Hanson was a self-made industrialist who lived in Georgia
and helped establish the Georgia School of Technology (later known as the Georgia Institute of Technology
). The son of a farmer-preacher, Hanson learned about the brick and furniture industries in Barnesville, Georgia
. He later moved to Macon, Georgia
and started the Bibb Manufacturing Company in 1876; it was a textile company that built and acquired mills, particularly in Columbus, Georgia
.
In 1881, Hanson became the principal owner of the Macon Telegraph and Messenger
, a republican opponent of the democratic Atlanta Constitution. It was reportedly at Hanson's request that Harry Stillwell Edwards
composed a March 2, 1882 editorial in the Macon Telegraph that promoted a polytechnic college
in the state of Georgia, in order to create a skilled workforce.
Major Hanson was also instrumental in electing Nathaniel E. Harris, another strong proponent of a technical school, to the Georgia House of Representatives
in 1882. It was Representative (later governor) Harris who introduced a bill in 1882 providing for the establishment of a state technical school,
which was chartered in 1885 and opened in 1888, and eventually became Georgia Tech
.
Through his connections, Hanson became president of the Central of Georgia Railroad in 1903. One of Georgia Tech's residence halls, Hanson Hall, built in 1961, was named in his honor.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and helped establish the Georgia School of Technology (later known as the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
). The son of a farmer-preacher, Hanson learned about the brick and furniture industries in Barnesville, Georgia
Barnesville, Georgia
Barnesville is a city in Lamar County, Georgia, United States. The city is a part of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,755. The city is the county seat of Lamar County....
. He later moved to Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
and started the Bibb Manufacturing Company in 1876; it was a textile company that built and acquired mills, particularly in Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
.
In 1881, Hanson became the principal owner of the Macon Telegraph and Messenger
The Telegraph (Macon)
The Telegraph, frequently referred to as the Macon Telegraph, is a McClatchy newspaper in Macon, Georgia, United States, and is the primary print news organ in Middle Georgia...
, a republican opponent of the democratic Atlanta Constitution. It was reportedly at Hanson's request that Harry Stillwell Edwards
Harry Stillwell Edwards
Harry Stillwell Edwards was an American journalist, novelist, and poet, born at Macon, Georgia. He studied law at Mercer University, Macon, and graduated in 1877. He was assistant editor and editor of Macon journals , gaining distinction as a writer of dialect stories. He wrote on the Georgia...
composed a March 2, 1882 editorial in the Macon Telegraph that promoted a polytechnic college
Institute of technology
Institute of technology is a designation employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable levels of the educational system...
in the state of Georgia, in order to create a skilled workforce.
Major Hanson was also instrumental in electing Nathaniel E. Harris, another strong proponent of a technical school, to the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
in 1882. It was Representative (later governor) Harris who introduced a bill in 1882 providing for the establishment of a state technical school,
which was chartered in 1885 and opened in 1888, and eventually became Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
.
Through his connections, Hanson became president of the Central of Georgia Railroad in 1903. One of Georgia Tech's residence halls, Hanson Hall, built in 1961, was named in his honor.