Hannah, named for the Hannah or Hanna family, was known as Cane Branch or Lynches River before a post office opened there in 1887. William S. Hannah, a farmer and merchant, built his house nearby in 1847 and also ran a general store there; he later dropped the final h from the family name. The area was part of Williamsburg County until Florence County was created in 1888. From 1887 to 1917, the Hannah Post Office served a community with two churches, two general stores, a cotton gin, saw mill, grist mill, and cane mill. William S. Hanna's store, built about 1850, operated for more than 135 years and passed to his son Ervin, grandson Davis, and great-grandson Murdock before the old store was replaced in the 1950s.