John Louis Hannegan, 1875–1927

John Louis Hannegan was born on 16 February 1875 in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of John M. Hannegan and Ernestine Winkelmeyer. He grew up in St. Louis, attending public school. He was confirmed at St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church on 25 May 1890.

John began his working life as a weigher in the St. Louis Wire Mills owned by his grandfather Winkelmeyer, and later he worked at the Alkire Grocery Company of St. Louis, where he became the city buyer. In 1898, he became a messenger with the International Bank of St. Louis (a Winkelmeyer institution) and was successively promoted to clerk, bookkeeper, teller, and assistant cashier. From 1922 until his death, John was cashier of the bank.

On 3 July 1900, he married Bertha Elizabeth “Lizzie” Deininger at St. Andrew’s Evangelical Church. An unverified story is that John Louis was playing recreational baseball on a team coached by a Protestant. His parish priest told him he could not play on that team and John Louis left the Catholic church over that issue. His brother, Daniel, also left the church, but the reason has never been given. On 1 December 1903, John Louis and Lizzie became the parents of John Michael Hannegan.

During World War I, John served as a member of the American Protective League. He was a member of the St. Louis chapter of the American Institute of Banking, the Isaak Walton League of America, the Automobile Club of Missouri, and the St. Louis Beagle Club. He enjoyed fishing trips on the Huzzah River and stayed at his fish camp, dubbed the Hannegan and Webb Hotel. John Louis and Lizzie enjoyed visiting her uncle William Doepke’s farm in Crawford County, Missouri. John Louis was also an avid stamp collector.

John Louis Hannegan died on 25 August 1927 after surgery for stomach cancer. He is buried in New St. Marcus Cemetery.

Submitted by Mary McMillan
February 2018

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