Our Past Is Present August 1, 2018

August 1, 2018

            You are reading “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            Today’s story is “Remembering the Hammond Family”.  Pascal Hammond was a freed black man from South Carolina, who was born in 1842.  Pascal Hammond married Elizzie and they had four children, who were born before the move to Junction City after the Civil War.  Pascal worked as a sorghum maker and truck farmer, raising vegetables, strawberries and pigeons.  He sold these items to the officer’s families and soldiers at Fort Riley.

            In an article published in the “Daily Union” newspaper in 1999 and written by Susan Franzen, she stated that “The marriage of Mary Johnson and Joseph C. Hammond in 1889 marks the real beginning of the Hammond dynasty in Junction City.  They were the parents of fourteen children.  The children also raised large families.  Whites knew them primarily as reliable workers or business people, talented musicians and skilled athletes.  In the 1930’s Robert Hammond, one of Joseph and Mary Hammond’s sons shined shoes in the Bartell House lobby.  The Hammond quartet, consisting of Howard, Bob, John and Paul sang gospel songs on the radio station in Abilene and around town on Christmas Eve.  Loretta Hammond had a gospel hour on the radio. 

            Other Hammonds were Mervyn, Gilbert, Robert Lee, Mervyn Sr., Laren Dale, Joseph, Roger, Buford and Selwyn Hammond.  Dana Durand recalled that “They were great singers.”

Gilbert Hammond recalled that people would say “It isn’t Christmas Eve until the Hammonds came by to sing Christmas Carols.”   

            The Hammond/Johnson family began the practice of returning to Junction City every three years for a family reunion.  They came from all over the world. They worked as teachers, lawyers, doctors, ministers, policemen, musicians, farmers, businessmen and quite a number of PhD’s. 

            Gaylynn Childs wrote that “Each time this remarkable family gathers back to the home place to celebrate their roots, Junction City, too, has cause to rejoice for it is families like these that have made the fabric of our community strong and vital as we learn to live, work, overcome, and make music together.”

            And… that’s today’s story on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.