Victor Henry Hanson

Victor Henry Hanson (1876-1945) was an American publisher.

Victor Henry Hanson

Hanson was born on January 16, 1876, in Barnesville, Georgia, to Henry Clay Hanson and Anna O. (Bloodworth) Hanson.[1] His father was a newspaperman who for years he owned and edited The Macon Telegraph and The Columbus Enquirer-Sun.[1] Hanson attended public schools in Macon and Columbus, Georgia, and for a short while attended the Gordon Institute in Barnesville, Georgia.[1]

When he was in primary school, Hanson founded a Saturday paper called The City Item.[1] It was first a single-page paper, and he produced the entire paper, from typesetting to delivery.[1] When Hanson moved from Macon to Columbus, he enlarged the paper to many times its original size, changed its name to The Columbus Times, and built up a circulation of 2,500 subscribers.[1] Hanson employed a printer in his father's office to set the type, but solicited the advertisements, wrote the news stories, and made deliveries on horseback.[1] When he was 15 years old, he sold his paper and its equipment for more than US$2,000 (equivalent to $65,141 in 2022).[1]

In 1892, at the age of 16, he became advertising solicitor for Nichols & Holliday, the advertising managers for the Atlanta Constitution; he continued to work there until 1895 when he went to work for the Baltimore World as a solicitor in the classified advertising department.[1] In June 1896 he went to work for The Montgomery Advertiser as a solicitor in the circulation department.[1] Within three months, he was transferred to the advertising department as a solicitor, and in less than six months was in charge of the department, and by the end of the year was advertising manager in of both local and foreign advertising.[1]

Hanson was employed continuously The Montgomery Advertiser until February 15, 1909, when he moved to Birmingham, the advertising receipts of that paper having increased through his efforts 500 percent.[1] Upon going to Birmingham he purchased a third interest in The Birmingham News from the owner and editor, Rufus N. Rhodes, becoming with his newly acquired interests, vice-president and general manager of the paper.[1] On March 1, 1910, shortly after Rhodes' death, Hanson purchased from his widow a majority of the interest in the paper and became its president and publisher.[1] On September 12, 1912, a Sunday edition was launched.[1]

Soon after his move to Birmingham, Hanson was joined by his former employer, Frank P. Glass, who purchased stock in The News and became its editor, retaining for a while his interest in The Montgomery Advertiser.[1] This partnership was severed in 1920, when Hanson purchased Glass's interest in The News.[1] Shortly thereafter negotiations were undertaken for the purchase of The Birmingham Ledger, which, on April 19, was formally absorbed by The News.[1]

On January 4, 1920, Hanson announced that The Birmingham News would give a $500 loving cup each year, beginning with 1920, to that citizen of Birmingham who had during the year best served his city.[1] In February 1921, the coal operators and striking miners composed their differences, Hanson securing from each an agreement to abide by a decision to be made by Governor Kilby.[1]

Hanson was a Democrat but never sought office.[1] He was a member and deacon in the Independent Presbyterian church of Birmingham, a Mason, and a Shriner.[1]

Hanson married Weenona W. Hanson on 1897 in Uniontown.[1] They resided in Birmingham.[1]

Hanson died on March 7, 1945, in Birmingham, Alabama.[2][3]