FranklinA. Hammer
FRANKLIN A. HAMMER, of thefirm of Beatty & Hammer, dealers in all kinds of hardware and farmers’implements, was born on the banks of the Shenandoah river, in Buckinghamcounty, Virginia, April 10, 1829. He is the son of John Hammer, who, withtwo other brothers, had come from Germany prior to the Revolution. Thefamily was started in this country by the grandfather of Mr. Franklin Hammer,who settled in Virginia, and lived and died there at an advanced old age.His son grew to manhood in Virginia, and participated in the war of 1812.After that war was over he moved to the Shenandoah valley and farmed inRockingham county for some years, when he went to Morgan county, Illinois,and started his life in that State as a general mechanic and blacksmithand wagonmaker. In 1843, he removed to Beardstown and opened up a liverystable and hotel, which he ran until 1848, when he sold out and boughta farm six miles from Beardstown, and lived on it for some years, farmingand improving it to a great extent. At the end of that time he again movedto Beardstown, and died at the age of eighty, in 1868. He was a good manand citizen and well known pioneer. He was a Methodist in religion, anda Democrat in politics. He married in this native county, Miss ElizabethMarica, of Virginia. She died on the farm in Cass county, at the age offorty-six. She was a member of the Lutheran Church. He was married a secondtime, to Cynthia Dalton. She died on the farm in Cass county, without issue,when quite old.Franklin is the only survivingmember of his fathers’ three children. He came to the State of Illinoisin 1835, when but a small boy, with his parents, settling in Arcadia, Morgancounty, Illinois; and later, in 1843, the family came to Beardstown, andhis father settled on a farm in Cass county. Our subject returned to Beardstownand was connected for many years in the livery business, buying and sellinghorses and preparing them for fancy roadsters. He was a true admirer ofthe noble, intelligent animal, and his judgment in regard to the worthof a horse was very good. In the old days he could drive four-in-hand aswell as a western stage driver. He still retains his fondness for them.In 1874, he sold out his livery and horse business, except as a breederof the Hanbletonian horses, that he continued until 1877, when he becamepresident of the old Cass County Bank. He continued in this capacity until1883, when he resigned in order to enter into a partnership with Mr. Beatty,he buying the stock of Mr. Rearick. He had been a stockholder in the Casscounty bank ever since its organization in 1866. It had been previouslyan insurance business. The present firm of Beatty & Hammer is notedfor the full line of reliable goods they carry. They are located on Mainstreet. Mr. Hammer has always taken an active part in all the affairs ofthe town. He has made judicial investments in various ways, and has madeconsiderable money.
Mr. Hammer was married inCass county, to Miss Margaret A. Lee, of the same county of Cass. Her parents,Caleb and Matilda (Higgins) Lee, were natives of Maryland, and after marriagecame, in 1828, to Cass county, Illinois, and settled there. He was a farmer,and spent the remainder of his life on the farm that he purchased uponcoming to the county.
Mrs. Hammer is the youngestof four children, and all were born in Cass county. She and her husbandare the parents of two children living: John, in business with his father;and Nellie, wife of Charles Ireland, a conductor on the Ohio & Mississippirailroad. Mr. Hammer is a Democrat in politics, and he and his wife aremembers of the Congregational Church. He has been the Treasurer and Assessorof the county one term.
Biographical Review ofCass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review PublishingCo., Chicago, 1892, pages 242-244..
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