hanby house

HISTORY OF THE HANBY FAMILY

Hanby House is the former home of William and Ann (Miller) Hanby. Built in 1846 at the corner of Grove and Main Streets, the Hanby family occupied the house from 1853-1870.

William Hanby was the 15th Bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. He was an abolitionist and opened his home as a station on the Underground Railroad. Bishop Hanby was co-founder of Otterbein University. Their oldest child, Benjamin Russel Hanby, was in the second graduating class of Otterbein in 1858.

Ben was a United Brethren preacher, a teacher, an abolitionist and a composer.  During his short life, he composed over 80 songs including Darling Nelly Gray, Up on the Housetop, and Who is He in Yonder Stall?  The house is on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a significant Underground Railroad site by the National Park Service. It is also designated as a United Methodist Heritage Landmark. 

Want more information? Check out the downloadable histories here: 

Hanby Family History  
Hanby Family Biographies