Father Hanz was born in Milwaukee in 1880.  He was ordained in 1903 at St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee and started his first pastorate in Beloit at St. Thomas under Father Ward.

In 1908 a directive came that a second Catholic parish be established in Beloit and Father Hanz was assigned to organize another church on the city’s west side. In 1910 St. Jude’s church was dedicated and a year later the rectory was occupied. In 1926 he founded Beloit’s first parochial school, Brother Dutton.

He was a charter member of the Beloit planning commission and served in that capacity for 20 years. He was a noted scholar of history and he belonged to the Beloit Historical Society for many years, being elected president in 1938. Father Hanz was the first priest in Rock County to ever be given the higher rank while still serving in his regular parish. He died in 1950.