Andrew Hammond

ANDREW HAMMOND came into Stanton County in 1885. While now one of the prosperous farmers of Mitchell Township, his life has been one of strenuous effort since childhood. He never inherited a dollar, and his means are the result of the slow and sure accumulation of years and well directed effort.

On the 26th of October, 1885, Mr. Hammond filed on his preemption in the southeast quarter of section 11, township 27, range 41. His first Kansas home was a dugout, and a sod stable sheltered his stock. He lived there eighteen months, proved up, and by means of a mortgage was able to continue the battle with soil and climate a little longer. In the same section he entered the northeast quarter as a homestead, and at the end of five years the Government issued him a patent. On this quarter he had a stone dugout of two rooms. The homestead he exchanged for the quarter section that is now included in his farm, the southeast quarter of section 33, township 27, range 41. It is in this locality that his chief Kansas experiences have occurred.

On coming to Stanton County Mr. Hammond had a "plug" team and less than five dollars in cash. He had journeyed hither from Brown County, Illinois, traveling by wagon and was a member of a party of several settlers, including the Peters, Raneys and others. There were few people on the scene, but the next year the locality filled up with settlers. In the fall of 1885-86 he worked at the carpenter trade at Syracuse and had a part in the early building of that town. The following spring he began digging wells, and found plenty of work in that line on account of the rapid influx of settlers. It was a business at which he made considerable money for two or three years. At the same time he was looking after his farm. In 1886 he accomplished the remarkable feat of raising 550 bushels of corn on twenty acres of land. His success at growing this cereal has always been reasonably good and perhaps above the average, since many of the old timers of Stanton County early learned to place no dependence in this crop. While Mr. Hammond demonstrated the possibilities of agriculture when carried on industriously, the main factor in his success has been livestock.

As a stockman he began with a single mare and watched her increase by the doubling up process until he could trace property to the value of $7,000 from this single animal as the original source.

There are in reality two chapters of Mr. Hammond's experience in Stanton County. After several years of reasonable success he left the country in order to benefit his wife's health, and while away used up all his accumulations. He returned with only $40 in money. With this he bought a horse, and the next year bought on time a team, wagon, harness and lister, and paid for this equipment with his crop of broom corn. The next year he extended his credit again to the extent of buying two cows, a sow and some chickens, and these also were paid for out of his fall crop of broom corn. He exchanged his calves for heifers, and a few years after making his second start had a herd of seventy-five head of cattle and a bunch of good horses, and owed no obligations which it would embarrass him to pay. His probity and industry gave him credit at the bank, and this enabled him to take advantage of a bargain in a deal or trade when he saw one. Starting with a single quarter section, when that became too small for his operations he bought a second and again a third, and now owns 480 acres in section 33.

His part as a citizen has been a most commendable one. For a few terms he was treasurer of school district No. 22, and while always willing to help forward any local enterprise he has been interested in politics only to the extent of casting his vote as a republican. He was appointed a justice of the peace of the township and was elected to that office several terms, but declined to qualify. He has been several times elected county coroner, and is still filling that office, but has never been called upon to hold a single inquest during his term. Mr. Hammond has no church affiliations and belongs to no fraternity.

Andrew Hammond was born in Brown County, Illinois, May 23, 1853, and grew up with few educational advantages. In fact he never attended a school after he was ten years old. His father at that time was in the Union army and as the oldest boy it was necessary for him to expend his time and energies working for the mother and other children. He worked out by the month as a farm hand, and it was through the earnings of his own hands that he got his start in life. His father, Lymon James Hammond, was killed in a skirmish during the Vicksburg campaign, and he is thus a son of one of those immortal dead who gave up their lives that the Union might exist. Lymon S. Hammond was three times married. His first wife was a Miss Brown, and by that union there was one son. The second wife was a Miss Johnson, who became the mother of twins, Albert and Emily. Emily is now the wife of Mr. Hayes of Kansas City, Missouri. Albert, her brother, served in the Union army, was a plasterer by trade, and has spent his active years roving about the world. For his last wife Lymon J. Hammond married Sarah McLaughlin, whose father was an Irish farmer. She was the mother of four children: Andrew; Lymon, who died in Brown County, Illinois; and Mariette and Jane, still living in Brown County, Illinois.

In June, 1887, Mr. Andrew Hammond married in Stanton County Mrs. Mary Tapp, who had come to Stanton County at the same time as Mr. Hammond. She was a sister of Charles and Grant Raney, old settlers of Stanton County and successful farmers and ranchers there. Mrs. Hammond died in November, 1900. By her first husband she had three children, James, Albert and Sallie, the latter the wife of Mr. Haynes of Nowata, Oklahoma. Mr. Hammond by his marriage has one son, Harry, who is now a member of Company K of the Third Kansas Regiment in training at Camp Doniphan, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, getting ready for European service.