My Genealogy Home Page:Information about Major General John Esq. HAMMOND
Major General John Esq. HAMMOND (b. 1643, d. November 24, 1707)
Notes for Major General John Esq. HAMMOND:
Following is excerpted from Anne Arundel Gentry, by Harry Wright
Newman:
The refusal of John Hammond, son of Thomas, to bear arms in
1662, because of religious convictions and before his death
attaining the highest military grade known under the Provincial
years is one of the paradoxes which is found in human nature or
family history. He was definitely a member of the Quaker Church,
as ample proof exists to dispute any arguments to the contrary.
The Quakers with their peculiar and arbitrary beliefs would not
fight, yet at the same time they did not reject the protection
and benefits which the Loyalists offered them. The year of his
conviction was 1662, when Charles, 3d Baron of Baltimore,
reigned as Lord Proprietary and ruled as Governor of the
Province concurrently. Extant records do not indicate that he
participated in Fendell Rebellion in 1659-60. Circumstances are
such that he and his father had not arrived in the Province.
After his condemnation of the Quakers he was convinced of the
virtues and benefits in the ancient faith of the English Church,
became a vestryman of the court church in Annapolis and
presented St. Anne's Parish with a Bible upon his death.
Inasmuch as his birth occurred in or about 1643, there are all
reasons to believe that it occurred in England. Until 1683 he
professed the dogma of the Quakers, and it was perhaps that year
that he quarrelled with the brethren.
At a Man's Meeting at Thomas Hooker on November 2, 1680, the
following appears upon the minutes of the meeting (The microfilm
copy of the minutes at the Hall of Records is extremely
difficult to read, with many words indecipherable.):
"Thomas Hooker and Tho Lyncicum Returns an Answer to the Meeting
that they according to the last men's Meeting Ordered &
delivered the answer to Henry Perpoint's pamphet & it was Read
in a Publique meeting of their by his Consent. It is agreed upon
the meeting Richd Hall, Tho: Hooker, Francis Billingsley,
Richard Johns, Nathan Smith and Jn¡ Hammon Doe meet the next
second day come week at the meeting house at Herring Creek about
the tenth houre to heare Debate & determine the Matter of
differences that Jno Tyman and Richard Session has against
William Richardson."
The following minutes from the "Half Years Meeting at the house
of John Edmondson the gth day of the 8th month 1683" indicate
that condemnation proceedings for some reason were issued
against John Hammond:
"Several papers of condemnation being drawn by friends of the
western Shore against Edward Lawson, John Waggstaff and John
Hamon and the rest of the Separate meeting at John Lymons for
friends of this meeting to signify their unity in answer thereto
this meeting being fully Satisfied that friends of the Western
Shore have . . . with them according to the good end of truth do
unamosly signify their unity with friends in giving forth the
said papers of condemnation".
In 1685 two years after his condemnation he received his first
public office of trust, then being fully 42 years of age. The
Province was still under the government of the Calverts, yet the
Liberals were becoming strongly entrenched politically, so it
cannot be assumed that the honour emulated from Lord Baltimore.
In politics he was anti-Proprietary, so his greatest
achievements occurred when Maryland was directly under the
Crown, and no planter had any greater honours.
It has been said that John Hammond was twice married.
Circumstances now bear out the fact. The name of his first wife
and certainly the mother of his children is said to be Mary, the
daughter of Matthew Howard Sr. If such be the case, then she
died before 1678. (In Harry Wright Newman's first edition he
followed Joshua D. Warfield in his "Founders" that the wife of
Major General John Hammond was Mary Howard, a daughter of
Matthew Howard, the Pioneer. Warfield based his conclusion from
the fact that Samuel Howard of Matthew in his will of 1703
bequeathed a legacy to his cousin [nephew] John Hammond Jr.
Inasmuch as Major General Hammond was alive at that time, it is
only natural that John Hammond Jr. would be identified as the
son of the Major General.)
Thomas Roper, a Planter of Anne Arundel, died testate. His last
will and testament was probated on November 13, 1677, having
been written only a few weeks previously. He made his wife,
Mary, the sole executrix of his estate and devised her one-half
of the unnamed dwelling-plantation. To his only child, Mary, he
devised "Roper's Increase", of 300 acres, in Baltimore County,
and one-half of the dwelling-plantation at majority. William
Mitchell and Dr. William Jones were appointed the overseers .
By November 1, 1678, John Hammond had married the Widow Roper
and Dr. William Jones, one of the overseers, was deceased. On
that date William Mitchell petitioned Philip Calvert, Esq.,
Chief Judge of Probate, that he was "appointed overseer of the
last will and testament of Thomas Roper, late of Anne Arundel
County, deceased, and in his will Requesting them [he and Jones]
in case his Wife should marry to secure his Child's Estate ye
said Widow is since Maryed to John Hammond of ye Sd County Who
is likely to Imbezzell ye sd Estate and therefore humby craves
Citation to Mary Hammond ye Relict of ye sd Thomas Roper to
Render Acct to Acct before your Hon of ye said Thomas Roper
Estate that ye orphant's share may be by ye County Court
secured".
It is therefore evident that John Hammond married the widow
sometime after November 13, 1677 and before November 1, 1678. If
the Widow Roper were his wife at the time of his death in 1707,
therefore, a married life of approximately 29 years occurred.
But John Hammond had married sons as early as 1690, within 13
years after his marriage to the widow, so there is definite
evidence that John Hammond was previously married and that the
Widow Roper could not possibly be the mother of his four sons.
The burning of the Court House in Annapolis destroyed many early
land conveyances, but afterwards many planters brought their
original deeds to be recorded for posterity. In this manner we
find that John Hammond was buying land as early as June 21,
1670. On that day he purchased from John Anniss and Francis
Smith a tract of land of 50 acres on the north side of the
Severn adjoining land of Nicholas Wyatt wllich Anniss and Smith
had bought of William Frissell granted to him on September 22,
1663, under the name of "Adventure". On June 14, 1691, John
Hammond Sr. and Mary his wife deeded to Henry Ridgely for divers
good causes and consideration this tract known as "Adventure".
John Hammond signed the deed, while his wife made her X mark.
On April 28, 1702, styled John Hammond, Gent., he purchased from
fiamuel Norwood, of Anne Arundel, Gent., for .Ð110 "Strawberry
Plaine", of 100 acres, on the north side of the Severn between
the land formerly laid out for Edward Lloyd called "Swan Neck"
on a branch of Forked Creek. Samuel Norwood signed the deed of
conveyance. On February 25, 1702/3, as Colonel John Hammond,
Gent., he bought of Thomas Reynolds, Gent., for Ð90 land on the
south side of Christopher Hall's plantation in Swan Neck of 100
acres as conveyed to Edward Lloyd, late of the Severn, Gent., to
Richard Horner, with improvements. Sarah Reynolds waived all
dower rights before Charles Hammond, Justice of the Peace.
Few men in the colonial period of the American Colonies served
in more official capacities than John Hammond. His first office
of note was when he was placed on the commission in 1684 to lay
out the town of Annapolis. This was followed the next year,
when, on December 9, 1685, he was appointed a Justice of the
Peace for Anne Arundel and made a member of the Quorum.
By 1691 when the liberal elements were well entrenched in the
Province he was styled Captain John Hammond and it was the year
that he returned to England. The reason for a trip to England is
unknown. Often the planters returned to settle their inherited
estates, while others returned for political reasons. Few
returned for pleasure. Those who went back for sentiment usually
remained. He was back in Maryland the next year, for as Captain
John Hammond, he was recommissioned Justice of the Peace. By
1694 he had been advanced to Major and was appointed Justice of
the Provincial Court as a member of the Quorum. In 1699 he was
an Associate Justice of the Court of Chancery and on October 14,
1702, as Colonel John Hammond he subscribed to the Oath as
Justice of the Vice Admiralty Court. In 1698 he was among the
commissioners appointed to settle the boundary between Anne
Arundel and Baltimore Counties.
It is concluded from a study of his public career that he rose
steadily from Captain of a "Troop of Horse" in 1694, that is,
the cavalry, the most romantic branch of the service in that
day, to Major General. With his genius for the military, it is
still an unsolved reason why his name was missing among the
youths and men of Anne Arundel County who fought in the
Nanticoke Indian War on the Eastern Shore and who received
compensation for their services in 1678. It is evident that at
that time he was still a member of the Quaker faith and
therefore had reservations against fighting the Indians.
On October 4, 1699, as Lieutenant Colonel, he was advanced to a
colonelcy to command all the military forces in Anne Arundel
County, and on July 17, 1707, Governor Seymour, the Royal
Governor, commissioned him Major General to command all military
units on the Western Shore. At this time he was fully sixty-four
years of age, but certainly still active and virile.
"Commissioned Major General of all and Singular Forces belonging
to the Militia within the six companies of the Western Shore in
this Her Majesty's Province, both of Horse and Foot Commanding
and Requiring the several Colonels and Commanders and other
Subalterne Officers, Soldiers and Troopers of the said Militia
to be in all Respects Obedient to your commands".
All during his activity in the defense of the Province and his
presiding on the bench in several courts of justice, he served
from 1692 to 1698 as a delegate to the Lower House of the
Assembly. He was then elevated to the Council by the Governor
and he presumably attended his first session as Major John
Hammond on June 4, 1698. He served continuously to the time of
his death.
The following obituary appears among the archives of St . Ann's
Parish:
"November 29, 1707: Then was Buried by the Reverend Mr. James
Wolton Rector of St. Ann's Parish The Honorable John Hammond,
Esq., Major Genll of the Western Shore of This Her Majesty's
Province of Maryland, and one of Her Majesty's Most Honorable
Councell, and Judge of the High Court of Admiralty in the said
Province".
He was buried on his plantation, but later his grave-stone was
placed in the church yard of St. Ann's in Annapolis. The
inscription reads: "Here lieth the body of Major General John
Hammond who departed this life the twentyfourth day of November
1707 in the sixty-fourth year of his age".
His last will and testament was drawn up on November 11, 1707,
in the presence of John Brice, Henry Pinkney and Elizabeth
Abrahams. It was probated in Anne Arundel County, on December 4,
following.
To his wife Mary he devised the dwelling-plantation "Mountain
Neck" of 250 acres, which was to be inherited by son Thomas upon
her death; also "The Addition", of 22 acres.
To son Thomas in addition to the parental plantation he was
devised "Heath" of 220 acres in the Patapsco where he was then
seated, "Wheatley Neck" of 100 acres, and Ð75 to be invested in
land.
To son John the plantation on the north side of the Severn where
he was then seated, "Swan Neck" near the Severn, "Horners" of
100 acres bought of Thomas Reynolds, "The Adventure" of 50 acres
and "Forked Neck" of 50 acres.
To son William the plantation on which he then dwelt, presumably
a portion of "Swan Neck", "Strawberry Plain", of 100 acres, "The
Addition" of 50 acres, and "Brushy Neck" of 50 acres.
To son Charles "Flushing" of 100 acres, "Deep Creek Poynt" of 50
acres, "Rich Neck" and 284 acres at the Patuxent, and "Hammond's
Forest" of 362 acres.
To his three sons John, William and Charles he devised all
houses, lots and the like in Annapolis Town.
To St. Ann's Church Ð10.
ExecutorsÑhis four named sons.
His original will with his signature is extant and was probably
written by John Brice. There are three blotches of red wax, one
beside his signature, but none can be detected as armorial
impressions.
The inventory and appraisement of his personal estate occurred
on December 11, 1707, and were approved by the widow, Mary X
Hammond, and the two sons, Thomas Hammond and Charles Hammond,
both of whom signed their names. The inventory showed a
plantation at Flussing, at Seeses Quarters, and "at John
Hammond". Among the items were one silver hilt sword and belt
valued at .Ð2, one silver headed cane, silver tankard and silver
plate, 12 long back leather chairs, six guns, dictionary and law
books, 22 negro slaves, one old boat 14 feet long, one boat 17
feet well rigged, two canoes, and one gallon of rum. The entire
personal estate was appraised at Ð I ,002/l l /6.
At an account filed on April 2, 1708, by John Hammond and
Charles Hammond, the value of the personal estate had increased
to Ð1,839/18/2. Dr. John Rattenberry who attended the deceased
in his last illness received Ð16/5/-, and .Ð35 were earmarked
for funeral charges. In all respects it must have been an
elaborate affair, presumably a State funeral to have cost that
amount. In that day it was always customary to serve "strong
liquid refreshments" at an interment. An account filed on August
8, 1710, by all four sons, showed a legacy of .Ð11 to St. Anne's
Parish '
His widow, Mary Hammond, survived him many years, dying in 1721.
Her will, dated April 4, 1721, was probated two days later. The
witnesses were John Unett, William Anglin and Anne Selby,
whereas Moses Maccubin and Cornelius Howard were present at the
probate. Her only heirs were her grandchildren, identified as
the children of her Roper daughter who married Cornelius Howard,
son of Captain Cornelius Howard.
To grandsons John, Thomas and Cornelius Howard personalty.
To granddaughters Sarah Howard and Elinor Howard personalty.
Residue of estate to grandchildrenÑThomas, Sarah and Elinor
Howard.
ExecutorÑJohn Beale and he to be guardian of grandson John
Howard and to see that he received a good education.
The administration bond was dated April 21, 1721, with Stephen
Warman and Vachel Denton as the sureties for John Beale, Esq.
Mordecai Hammond and Joshua George witnessed the instrument. No
inventory has been found and no administration accounts.
More About Major General John Esq. HAMMOND:
Burial: November 27, 1707, On His Plantation "Mountain Neck".
Record Change: October 10, 2003
More About Major General John Esq. HAMMOND and Mary HOWARD:
Marriage: Abt. 1668
Children of Major General John Esq. HAMMOND and Mary HOWARD are:
- Colonel Thomas Gent. HAMMOND, b. Abt. 1666295, d. 1725.
- +Major Charles Gent. HAMMOND, b. Abt. 1672, "Mountain Neck" On The Severn, d. November 23, 1713, (Anne Arundel), MD.
- Colonel John Gent. HAMMOND, b. Abt. 1675, d. February 09, 1741/42, (Anne Arundel), MD.
- Captain William HAMMOND, b. Abt. 1678, "Mountain Neck" On The Severn, d. January 29, 1710/11, St. Margaret's Westminster Parish.