Putnam patriot., 1919-07-04
VIM. H. HAMMOND
DIED in HAMPTON
Had Been Ill For Some Years.
End Came Monday Morn
ing.-Lived In Putnam For
Some Time.
Leaves Brother, George A. Hammond
of This City


ham county, died at his home in
Hampton Monday morning after an
illness covering a period of years. He
was SO years old.
While a farmer nearly all of his
life, Mr. Hammond did spend a few
years in Putnam working in the mill
of Hammond Knowlton & Company
(now the H. X. H. Silk Company
The family lived on Church street in
the house now owned by Henry A.
| Wheelock and occupied by he and his
sisters.
Mr.. Hammond did not like the con-
finement of the factory and some
years ago again returned to the farm
at Hampton. He was of genial dis
position, although somewhat retiring
by nature He was an honest, sturdy
New England gentleman, kind and
eonsiderate of the feelings of others
and respected and honored by his fell
| low townsmen.
Mr. Hammond came from one of
the oldest and most honorable fam
| flies in New England. He was de-
| scendan of Josiah Hammond, who re-
sided in that part of Pomfret which is
now known as Hampton, on the farm
which was occupied by William H.
Hammond up to the time of his
death. Josiah Hammond is the first
of the name of whom any record is
known in Windham county.
Mr.. Hammond was the grandson of
Col. Ashael and Betsey (Robinson)
Hammond Col. Hammond was born
in Hampton and resided on the farm
homestead, remaining until a few
years prior to his death, when he re-
moved to Brooklyn and spent the rest
of his life, dying Nov. IS, 1851. He
was buried in Brooklyn cemetery He
received his title because of his Of
fee in the state militia.
William Henry Hammond was
born Jan. d, 1850, on the old home
stead in the house which he occupied
for many years. He was one of eight
children. He was the son of Capt.
George Robinson and Sarah Elizabeth
(Bottum) Hammond.
Mr. Hammond's primary education
was obtained in the common schools,
and he attended the Norwich Free
Academy one year, and Burnham's
Business college, at Springfield, Mass.
After completing his course he re-
turned to the home farm and in COM
pany with his father engaged in farm
ing. He owned a large acreage of
land. some of it located in Eastford
and Pomfret, but the larger portion
in Hampton. The improvements
were modern, complete and substan-
tial He kept, on an average, thirty
mich cows for dairy purposes, besides
other stock, and in connection with
other business interests, became
agent for fertilizers and agricultural
implements in his locality.
On Feb. 5, 1878, Mr.. Hammond
was married to Miss Alice M. Sharpe,
born March 10, 1852, daughter of
Horace Ingalls, and Sarah (Austin)
Sharpe, farming people. A family of
four children came to Mr. and Mrs.
Hammond, as follows: Arthur Sharpe,
died Feb. %, 1884; Annie Eleanor,
graduate of the Putnam High school,
class of 1901; George Austin, died
June 80, 1888, and Helen Storrs,
graduate of Woodstock Academy and
Emerson College of Oratory.
Like his father, Mr.. Hammond was
prominently identified with the Re
publican party. served on the board
of selectmen for six years and held
many of the local offices. In 1886 he
was elected to the state legislature
and served on the committee on Con-
stitutional Amendments and Engross-
ed Bills. Mr.. Hammond organized the
first farmers organization in the leg
islature. which secured the passage of
the oleomargarine bill, and also es-
tabhshed the Storrs' title for the then
Storrs School, now the Connecticut
Agricultural College in Mansfield.
Mr.. Hammond had always taken
deem interest in agricultural matters
and had been prominent in support Of
the Grange. He was a charter mem
her of Little River Grange and served
two terms as its master, being the sec
opd occupant of that Office. He was
selected by the Grange as a member
of the Board of Agriculture, of which
he served two terms, and he also
served efficiently three years as
trustee of the Connecticut Agricul-
tural College. When the Pomfret
Creamery Association was in exist
ence. he served one year as manager.
He has been a director in the New
England Milk Producers Union for
twelve years.
Mr.. Hammond belonged to Putnam
/, Council, No. $40, Royal Arcanum.