The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-02-08

/ w afdsDoro was held by Rev. James
Tufts of the old town hill and was the
only office for Wardsboro, Stratton
and Somerset. Mr.. Tufts IS office was
created and the appointment made in
1914 under James Madison
The history Of the Hammond fam
lily includes large share Of the his
/ tory Of Hammond , Mills. Samuel
/ Hammond, the father of Peter the
! founder Of the mills, was from New
ton, Mass. He took up and settled on
farm about one mile north of the
/ Mills and his grandson, George Ham
mond Occupied the place until his death
a comparatively recent date. / have
been informed that the oriqina
farm taken up by Samuel Hammo I'd.
was at the foot of the mountains near
the Dover line, and for this reason the
farm was purchased and held by Ma
thaniel Hammond of Boston, a brother
of Peter.
Samuel Hammond was one of the
party that threw overheard the tea in
Boston Harbor. Mrs. Lyman E. Holden
| of the d. A. r. found his name on the
record of the party as preserved by
the government at Washington.
Samuel Hammond died on the ola
Hammond farm at West Wardsb no
/ the winter of 1912. The funeral ser
| vices were held at the church in the
village. l remember well and
never shall forget, something which
occurred at the funeral. 1t was q bit
ter cold day. The funeral procession
passed by the door of the schoolhouse
in which 1 was one of the pupils. The
teacher held the scholars. although
through with the exercises for that
part of the day, not to disturb the
solemnity of the occasion 1t was a
long procession. AS it passed the door
slowly the friction of runners on the
cold snow made a craakino. dismal
sound that I have always associated
with this occasion whenever / have
heard it since. Seventy -four wears have
passed since then yet it seems almost
as if | could hear that sound vet
Though Samuel Hammond reached
the good old age of 81 years. his son
Peter, exceeded him eight wears in
length of life, dying in Geneseo. III
on his 102nd birthday anniversary.
Until a few weeks of his death his
health was said to have been almost
perfect. Physicians of Geneseo declared
that there was not an unsound organ
in his body at the age of 100. There
is a rumor that at this age he haa
plans for getting married, but was dis
suaded by his son.
The house which Peter Hammond
built and III which he and his wife.
Charlotte Holbrook. lived until her
death IN 1S56-53 years-is still stand
ing IN West Wardsboro village and is
one of the most desirable places in
town. 1t gives evidence of Mr.. Ham
mond S good taste and his good work
G | II =,
almost daily in the summer time and
often at other seasons. He had an out
lot to which he used to drive two o.
three cows to pasture by wav Of the
road by my father s house. but in pass.
ing either way he never wasted tima
on me by telling long stories. He had
the greatest habit of mind.ng his own
business strictly OF any man ever
met. lie would 90 to the store to make
purchase, make it in as few words
as possible and without DELAY turn his
pack upon the company. There were
then no Grange meetings and few
eiubs or societies and il was then more
the custom Of the people to l-nper
about the stores, hotels or shons to
talk up the affairs of the neiahborhood
and discuss a wider range of subjects
But Mr.. Hammond got none of his
knowledge of the country that way.
1t was much in harmony tn the
character of Peter Hammond that he
should pick out and prepare his place
OF burial many years before his death.
lie IS buried in a grave prepared with
ms own hands beside his wife, Char
Iotte Holbrook, in the old graveyard
on or near her fathers old farm. His
body was brought from Geneseo. H..
and buried as he had prepared and di-
reeted.
Joseph Hammond was the only son
of Peter. He had three sisters. all of
whom were married and settled in
ife, one at first on farm in Wards
boro and two in Troy, n. Y. Joseph
Kept shop for general mechanical
work which was run by the water
power long in use for his father s
mills lie was very skillful workman
One OF his specialties was working and
turning iron, in which his skill was so
great that his customers come FIR m
many towns, including BrattIeboro.
HIS shop was model of order and tidi.
ness. Everything was in is place and
IN perfect order. The large water power
SrIndstone was made to reyolvp with
perfect trueness. This is noted because
a few years before he left the place he
was the caucus nominee Of his party
Tor town representative, but, although
the party had a plurality of voters, it
was impossible to elect their nominee.
as | have always believed owing to the
way he kept his shop. 4 man who had
ground an old, dirty, dull axe on his
grlndstone and thrown it out of balance
was more likely to vote for him. than
another who had used one of his keen
failed to return it to its place. One who
had taken such care of his shop MIGHT
be expected to take good care of his
money which Joseph Hammond appears
TO have done, as he was able to give
$4,000 to the city of Geneseo, H., for
founding a library
NJ. 0. Howe.