Hanbys Corner, Delaware

Hanbys Corner is an unincorporated community in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It is located at the intersection of Marsh and Naamans Road, in Brandywine Hundred.[1] The area is named for Richard G. Hanby, who first purchased the 125-acre (0.51 km2) parcel from the descendants of William Penn in 1753.[2] His descendants included several notable figures in the local political scene including Samuel Winfield Hanby (1817-1892) who was elected as a State Representative in 1874, Jacob Klose Hanby (1839-1932) who was Samuel's son and was elected State Representative in 1904, Robert Johnson Hanby (1834-1898), who served in the 124th PA infantry during the Civil War and was elected State Senator in 1896, and Florence Wood Hanby (1870-1963), who was Robert's daughter-in-law and was the first woman elected to the Delaware House of Representatives in 1924.[3] In addition Wayne Hanby and James Hanby have both served as Justices of the Peace for New Castle County. The last Hanby to occupy the property, Albert T. Hanby (1881-1947), another son of Samuel, attended West Chester State College before getting his law degree from Penn Law School. Albert became a Philadelphia lawyer and left his farm at Hanby's Corner to be used for the good of "all the children in Delaware". He and his wife created a foundation in 1945 to protect the property from further development.[2] Today the YMCA operates their Hanby Camp there, and the trust provide scholarships for kids who might not otherwise be able to attend. In 2007 that support was over $70,000.

References

  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hanbys Corner, Delaware
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Archaeological Survey - Series No. 129". Delaware Department of Transportation. 1994.
  3. Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. p. 211.

Coordinates: 39°49′21″N 75°29′14″W / 39.82250°N 75.48722°W