Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-02-23
Edwin Harmon Il.

We find in the Massachusetts Pt0ltgh
man, the following excellent sketch o
Hon. Edwin Hammond, of Middlebury
It is accompanied by most life like like
ness of Mr.. Hammond. The sketch i
evidently from the cultured pen of Col
Daniel Needbam, Secretary of the New
England Agricultural Society.
"Another leading man among the agri
culturists of the United States has passec
away. The name of Edwin Hammond
of Vermont. has long been familiar to th'
people of New England; and among th'
wool growers and sheep breeders of th'
United States there has been no authori
ty for the last twenty years more 0ener
ally recognized, than the name of Edwin
| Hammond. If Consul Jarvis introduced
fine wooled sheep into the United States
Edwin Hammond aided materially in
perfecting them. Ii Consul Jarvis derived
credit for enterprise in risking his fortune
in the venture of the introduction of 8
valuable and expensive breed of sheep
to Edwin Hammond belongs the honor Of
having by his genius and study SO thor
oughly understood and comprehended
the nature and quality of wool and wool
growing, as to be able to increase the pro-
duction of the sheep to an amount never
thought of before, and at the same time
relatively to increase the quality and
valne of the wool produced. In the death
of Edwin Hammond, the country as well
as the State of Vermont, has lost a man
who learned theory from close observa-
ton, and who aided materially in demon
strating that sheep breeding in Vermont.
under the direction of intelligent labor,
could be made in point of pecuniary pro-
fit to compare favorably with any in
dustry, which grew either out of agricul-
ture or the mechanic arts. How much
Vermont is indebted to it's improved
breed of sheep, in maintaining its agri-
cultural population cannot be easily de-
termined. But it is safe to say, that had
it not been for the improved Merino-or
as George Campbell has more prop
erly named it-the Vermont Meri-
no-thousands of farmers who have
remained within the State and continued
to pursue the industry of agriculture,
would have followed the tide of emigra-
ton and established new homes in the
thrifty and rapidly growing States of the
west. But in the improved Merino, they
could compete with the prsiries of the
west in the production of wealth and
comfort. How much of the wealth of
Vermont is to be attributed to its improved
breed of sheep? This is a question diff
fcult to answer; yet all must concede
that it cannot be computed except by mil
lions. Consul Jarvis introduced the Span
ish Merino; and in SO doing, aided the peo-
pie of Vermont materially in their agri-
cultural industry. But the Spanish Me-
rino had failed to be profitable in Yer
mont long before Consul Jarvis died. The
wool growing interest was on the wane,
and had it not been for Edwin Hammond
the production of wool would to a large
extent have been abandoned in the Green
Mountain State. With his close observa-
ton and careful study, aided more or less
by other men who also were careful OBJ
servers, Edwin Hammond SO improved
the merino sheep that it was an entirely
new breed; and it was eminently fit that
the old name should be dropped and
American" or vermont" substituted
therefor.
Edwin Hammond was born in the town
of Middlebury, on the twentieth of May.
in the wear eighteen hundred. He died
in the same town, on the thirty-frst day
of December, eighteen hundred and seven
tv, in the seventy-first year of his age
For more than thirty years he has been al
marked man in his native State. Inter
esting himself in all projects and enter
prises which were inaugurated for the
general wealth, he early learned to go ou'
of himself and beyond the bounds OF bi.
own domain, to seek objects of study and
benefcence. AS citizen of the town o.
Middlebury, he was first and foremost
either in starting or seconding everything
out of which good could grow to his ns'
tive town. As resident of the county !
of Addison and State of Vermont, tht
same feeling constantly inspired him.
Having been largely instrumental IL
securing for Vermont the honor of pro-
duoing breed of sheep which could chal
lenge the scrutiny and criticism of tbs
world, he was one of the first to join
hands with George Campbell, in his pro-
position to send commissioner to the In
Exhibition in Germany il
1868, and to have at that Exposition some
American Merinoes to compete with the
fine wooled sheep of Europe and the
world. The idea Of sending Msrino sheep
to Germany, which at that time was fuIs|
nishing the fine wooled stock sheep for
America. was novel in the extreme. But
Edwin Hammond believed fully with
George Campbell, that the improved Me-
riuo. created by the skill of Vermont
breeders, conld compete successfully With
the best breeds which the world bad pro-
duced. The Vermont State Agricultural
Society heartily endorsed this project
and through the energetic influence OF ]