Early History of Hammond Family

The land of Mattapoisett, being part of the original Plymouth County, has a deep and rich history rooted further back than the first Thanksgiving. Some explorers’ records of the area date back to the early 1600s, with many European settlements speckling the landscape throughout that century.

One of those settlements belonged to the Hammond family, a lineage that runs complete with the history of the town.

“The Hammonds are one of the oldest families of the original Plymouth Colony,” said Seth Mendell of the Mattapoisett Historical Society. “When they came down, they settled down along the Mattapoisett Neck area of town.”

But the history of the Hammonds does not begin in Mattapoisett. According to genealogical records compiled in Burke’s Landed Gentry, Vol. I, “The family of Hammond is of considerable antiquity in England, and it probably may have derived its origin from a branch of the Norman House of St. Amand.” The first known instance of the family could date back to the days of William the Conqueror in 1066, when the name may have been “Hamon” or “Hamond.”

It wasn’t until almost 700 years later that the Hammonds would establish themselves as one of the first families of Mattapoisett.

The first definite historical reference to Mattapoisett dates back to 1640-1641. Governor Bradford had surrendered the majority of the land of Plymouth Colony to free men who were looking to establish European settlements in the area. Mattapoisett was divided into 16 parcels of land, three of which were immediately purchased and settled by the Dexters, the Barlows and the Hammonds.

“I think the Hammonds were actually the first to purchase their land near the river,” said Mendell.

Branches of the Hammond family had been established in the New World dating as far back as 1607 in areas near Virginia and Maryland. In 1632, William Hammond arrived in Boston and settled in Watertown. Two years later, the rest of his family immigrated to America.

That same year, another part of the family settled in Massachusetts, consisting of Elizabeth Penn Hammond, widow to William of London (who never set foot in the New World), and her children Benjamin, Elizabeth, Martha and Rachel. While nothing is known about her three daughters, Benjamin would eventually beget the specific branch of the family that ultimately settled Mattapoisett.

Benjamin Hammond chose to settle in Sandwich, where he met and married his wife, Mary Vincent, in 1650. They would go on to have several children, among them: Samuel, John, and Benjamin, Jr.

In 1680, Benjamin’s sons Samuel and John relocated from Sandwich to Rochester, which encompassed the present-day town of the same name, as well as sections of Mattapoisett and Marion.

It was at that time the Hammond family purchased their parcel of land in what was known to the Native Americans as “Mattapoisett,” a word that was said to mean “a place of resting.”

The Hammonds did anything but rest once they established their homestead. Samuel would go on to become a founder of the First Church of Rochester, located in what is now Marion.

In the process, he settled four of his own sons in the area: Seth, Josiah, Barnabas and Jedediah. The land was once owned by Hugh Cole of Swansey, who purchased it directly from “King Philip,” or “Metacomet,” as he was known to his Native American brethren.

Samuel’s brother, John, eventually became a public official, acting as representative to the Province Court.

“The Hammonds really got the ball rolling in town as far as getting things established,” said Mendell.

Benjamin Hammond, Jr. was appointed official special surveyor for the town of Dartmouth in 1723 and was responsible for over half of the 500 drawings of the lands of Rochester, compiled into a single volume that is still available at the Plymouth County Courthouse. It is this Hammond and his family who are the namesakes of Hammondtown area of Mattapoisett.

In the 20th century, though, the Hammonds have played quieter roles in their communities and have spread to all corners of the country.

“My grandfather came over [from England] around the early 1900s,” said Bill Hammond of Lakeville. “He was a glassblower out in Sandwich most of his life.”

“We have relatives in Boston, out in Ohio, and California, I think,” said Cape resident Carol Hammond. “We even have a chef in the family who lives on Nantucket.”

In the grand scheme, members of the Hammond clan dot historical records of all sorts.  From sea captains to farmers, town clerks to Revolutionary War figures, the Hammonds have played vital roles in the formation of Mattapoisett as a settlement and were pivotal in the creation of its history.

By Eric Tripoli

37 Responses to “Early History of Hammond Family”

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  1. Cameron Hammond says:

    Hi Mr. Tripoli,
    I have been searching through my family history and have found that I am relate to Elizabeth Hammond and she is my 9th Great Grandmother. If you have any other information on the Hammond Family it would be greatly appreciated if you could share it.
    Sincerely Thankful,
    Cameron Hammond

  2. hammond says:

    I am Ernest Martyn Hammond born 1928 at Coventry.England. I have researched my family back to 1745 possibly in suffolk.England They lived mostly in Stourbridge Staffordshire.England.Some had the middle name of Cheveley which is a village in Suffolk near Newmarket

    • Richard Jackson says:

      My mom was Kathryn Hammond Jackson. Her dad is from New Market, Maryland, USA. Do you know if the Hammonds of Westchester County, New York, USA and related to the Hammonds of Annapolis, Maryland and New Market, Maryland, USA?

  3. Sally Katharine Hammond says:

    My grandfather, Elton Foster Hammond, was born in Mattapoisett February 4, 1896 to Amy Hammond and her husband, name unknown to me–he left for California shortly after my grandfather’s birth. EF Hammond grew up in Mattapoisett, attended West Point, and became a career officer in the US Army; he served as signal corps officer under Patton during World War II, led the signal corps in the Korean War, and retired as a Brigadier General after that war. He married Georgina Leather of Fall River and they had 3 children: Elton Foster junior, Georgina Mathews then Lamb, and Diane Wick. EF Jr had 4 children (me, S Katharine Hammond; my sister Mary Louise Komornicka; Elton Foster III; and Paschal Strong Hammond); each of his sisters had 3 children. I could include more about my siblings, cousins and nieces and nephews, but not sure how much information you would want or you already have. I am a Professor of Environmental Health Sciences and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.

    • Richard Jackson says:

      Are you related to my cousin, Michael Hammond, Professor of Languages, at University of Arizona?
      My mom’s name at birth was Hammond. Her dad was from New Market, Maryland.

  4. John Michael Hammond says:

    Our 4th Great-Grandfather, Charles Hammond, was born during March 1777 in Newton, MA, leaving to travel south around 1798. He married Clarissa Mathews of VA in Rockingham (Richmond Co), NC, during June 1799. They arrived in Oglethorpe County, GA, near Lexington soon after having their first child, Mary (aka Polly), in 1800 & second, our 3rd G-GF William Whitlock, in 1803. Charles’ Father was Enoch Newton Hammond born in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America during 1734. His lineage from there is John, born 1696 in Newton, MA; Thomas, born 1666 in Cambridge, MA; Thomas born 1630 in Lavenham, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom; and (we believe) Thomas E. Hammond, born 9 January, 1585 in Long Melford, Suffolk, and passing 30 September, 1675, in Newton, MA. Am always looking for distant cousins should anyone have anything to share with this or if I may be of help with related searches. Stay well all.

    • heather escoe says:

      Some how i am related to William Hammond born 1630 Lavenham,Suffolk,England Died October 20, 1678,Newton MA (small pox). Im like the 14th generation so its so confusing. I have some stuff my uncle put together

      • John Michael Hmmond says:

        Believe our William was Thomas’ father, Heather. Info shown is William Hammond, 1543–1589. Marriage: about 1566 in Suffolk, England, to Mary Bolles b.1543

        Please email your phone # to cousin.acolyte09@icloud.com and will call you ASAP. Thank you for the reply.

      • John Michael Hammond says:

        Believe our William was Thomas’ father, Heather. Info shown is William Hammond, 1543–1589. Marriage: about 1566 in Suffolk, England, to Mary Bolles b.1543

        Please email your phone # to cousin.acolyte09@icloud.com and will call you ASAP. Thank you for the reply.

    • Scott Hammond says:

      Hi John Michael
      I’ve been researching my Hammond family background from most recent back to the late 1700s and early 1800s.
      The scarcity of records in the southeastern portion of North Carolina has made that somewhat difficult. You may already know this but SE North Carolina seems to be a major spot for the Hammond name. The counties of Columbus and Braden have a large amount of Hammond families, The small town of Fair Bluff is the epicenter of the growth.
      I have not great, but good info back to Roland Hammond, born in NC in the 1792-1794 timeframe in Columbus County but his forebears may have entered NC through the port of Wilmington. I think his father was Paul Hammond, who’s born in 1769 and along with his father, I think, Charles Hammond, born 1750 migrated from the Rochester area to SE North Carolina. I show Paul Hammond living until 1840 and Charles Hammond living until 1820. I believe Paul continued to live in the Columbus County area but may have moved to Bladen County. (Bladen location is less than 25 miles from the Columbus area)
      If you have the info on Paul and Charles, and maybe their lineage or know a good contact I would appreciate the info.
      Through FamilySearch, it appears that Charles Hammond (1750-1820) was the son of Archileus 1709-), grandson of Seth Hammond (1683-1738) and great grandson of Samuel Hammond 1656-1728, I don’t yet feel comfortable that that info is 100% correct.
      What’s kind of wild with my family research is that my major family lines, Hammond, Bullock, and Ford families, all settled in a 30 mile diameter area starting in the 1700s, and never married out of that circle for 200 plus years.
      My Bullock ancestors came into Jamestown area in the 1630’s and migrated to NC in the mid 1700s. The Ford family seems to have come ashore in SC and migrated up the Pee Dee River basin to the area around Lake View SC.
      I look forward to any information you might be able to share.
      Thanks
      Scott Hammond
      703 517 1971
      ascotthammond@gmail.com

  5. Alfred Hammond III says:

    Ugh, English? Well I’m Alfred Hammond III, my father Alfred Hammond II did a DNA test courtesy of Ancestry and has literally 0.0% English DNA (THANK GOD ALMIGHTY!!!) We are of Irish stock, with the Hammond name in Ireland PRE-DATING the Norman Conquest, likely originating during Ireland’s 300 year “Viking Age”. I’ve been trying to find information on any Irish Hammonds that immigrated to the US during, if not, prior to the Potato Famine. Many of our Irish Hammond great grandparents settled in New England, primarily, but not limited to, the Providence, Rhode Island area, as one o’ my great grandpappy’s had settled elsewhere – Connecticut. We live currently in Anne Arundel County, Maryland – & there was during the 17th to early 20th centuries a large Hammond populace in the county. No idea of any relation. Shoot, we might be DISTANTLY, & I mean DISTANTLY related to the English Hammonds via a SUUUUPER distant Norse relative that carried his Norse name to Normandie around ~700-~900AD. Maybe.

  6. John says:

    Ohio Hammond here

  7. Robert Doughty says:

    My name is Robert Doughty; I live in Redmond, Washington. My 4th great grandmother is a Jedidah Hammond who marries Nathan Norris (Rev War Soldier) in Winthrop, Maine, June 26, 1785. The marriage certificate does not show her parents. There’s no evidence her surname is anything but Hammond, not a widow or anything like that. The couple will reside in Wayne, Maine at least forty years, raising eight children in Wayne. I’ve spent hours, turning into days, attempting to find Jedidah’s parents. With the name Jedidah, I suspect she is likely related to the Hammond Clan in the Rochester, Massachusetts area as there are at least three girls named Jedidah there. The birth date of my 4th great grandmother, Jedidah Hammond, is unknown; however, she was likely born between 1753 (death age 90 on her gravestone) and 1761 (age 77 when she made a deposition in 1838 for her husband’s Rev War pension). She is NOT the Jedidah Hammond, born 1756 in Dartmouth, daughter of Seth Hammond and Elizabeth Lombard, because she marries a George Handy in New Bedford six years AFTER my 4th great grandmother, Jedidah Hammond, marries Nathan Norris in Winthrop, Maine. (Unless of course, the Jedidah born 1756 in Dartmouth IS my 4th great grandmother, then I have to find ANOTHER Jedidah Hammond to marry George Handy) So, what I need help with; is there another Jedidah Hammond, born about 1760, a daughter of one of the Hammond sons in the Rochester, Wareham, Marion, Mattapoisett area. The Hammond son would likely be born about 1735 or 1740 to have a daughter Jedidah born about 1760. Any clues are very much appreciated. I’m happy to share my Hammond research so far. Sorry for the length of this diatribe. Such a wonderful Hammond history here to with many blanks to be filled.

    • Michael Joseph Mayhew says:

      My mother was Jean Elizabeth Hammond, a daughter of Carlton Hammond of Sidney, Maine not far from Winthrop, nor Belgrade, Maine. The first of the Hammond line (from Benjamin who came over from England with his mother Elizabeth Penn Hammond) that moved up to the Augusta Sidney/Winthrop Maine (then MA) area was Paul Hammond. (In 1634 Elizabeth Penn Hammond, widow of William of London with three daughters Elizabeth, Martha, Rachel son Benjamin came on the ship Griffin landing at Boston Sep 18, 1634. From Benjamin who married Mary Vincent and settled in Sandwich Massachusetts.) (II) Benjamin, son of William and Elizabeth (Penn) Hammond, was born in 1621 in London, England, died April 27, 1703, in Rochester, Massachusetts. He married, in 1650, Mary Vincent, born in 1633, in England. She died in 1705, in Rochester, Massachusetts. He settled in Yarmouth, in 1643, removed to Sandwich, Massachusetts, before 1675, and to Rochester, 1681.
      (III) Samuel, son of Benjamin and Mary (Vincent) Hammond, was born in 1655, at Sandwich, Massachusetts, died 1728, at Rochester, Massachusetts. He married, 1680, Mary Hathaway, of Dartmouth, one of the founders of the Congregational church at Rochester, lived at West Neck, Rochester, Massachusetts, 1680.
      (IV) John, son of Samuel and Mary (Hathaway) Hammond, born October 4, 1701, in Rochester, died at Falmouth, Massachusetts. He was a private in John Beackett’s company in the revolutionary war. He was town clerk in 1736, in 1737 selectman and assessor in 1756, pew holder. He married Maria Greene, of Falmouth, Massachusetts.
      (V) Paul, son of John and Maria (Greene) Hammond, born September 20, 1740, died March 5, 1822-23, at Sidney, Maine. He married, February 27, 1766, Anna Davis, born 1753, at Falmouth, Massachusetts, died November 5, 1835, at Sidney, Maine.

    • Richard Jackson says:

      I am 75. My mom was Kathryn Hammond Jackson and was born in Tarrytown, NY. Her dad is from New Market, Maryland, near Anne Arundel County. I have HAMMOND cousins in Arizona and CA., as my grandfather’s son settled in CA after having served in the Korean War. Although I lived and had my career in White Plains, NY where
      I identified multiple Revolutionary War Ancestors on my maternal grandmother’s side, surname: Leonard, I currently live in Lynnwood, WA.

    • Paula Bryant says:

      George Handy was married to Mary Potter from 04/07/1776-her death in 1808. As there is no evidence of a divorce, it’s problematic for him to have married the Jedidah Hammond born in 1756 in 1791.

  8. Robert Lindsay William Hamon says:

    My fathers’ sir name was Hamon, born on Sark 1913, of a large family. He and his brothers and sisters were sent to Canada to work on farms when their parents died. I don’t have the names of all of them and even if I did know I don’t know where they are and if they are still alive.

  9. Robert Lindsay William Hamon says:

    How the Hamon’s got ‘mixed up’ with ‘William the Conqueror’ I’ll never know !?1.

    • Max Hammond says:

      HI Robert,
      The Hamon name is from Normandy (Originally Danish). Supposedly the Hamons were cousins of William the Conqueror who accompanied him onto English soil at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Some of those names were Hamon Dentatus, “with the Teeth”, Hamon Senechel or Dapifer, “the Steward”, and Robert Fitz-Hammond, (son of Hamon).

      Max Hammond
      max.hammond@reagan.com

      • Max Hammond says:

        Max Hammond seems to be a common name. 4 in my family. Could you share more on the Norman connection please?

  10. Chris says:

    GREAT article, thank you! I’m so grateful that New Englanders keep up with their history because it’s the landing spot for all of us! And it’s as awesome as an October Fall leaf-peeping roadtrip!

    Hi all HAMMON & HAMMOND relations. I am working on all the Hammond trees from England and would love to swap info with you if you would be interested! Chris my_skeletons@yahoo.com

    • Bob Doughty says:

      My 4th great grandmother is Jedidah “Hammon” as written by the clerk who registered her marriage to Nathan Norris in Winthrop, Maine, June 26, 1785. I cannot seem to connect Jedidah to the Hammond’s in the Rochester, Massachusetts area. Perhaps Jedidah is one of your England Hammon’s? Jedidah’s birth date is debatable. She died in Wayne, Maine, June 9, 1843. Age 90 is engraved on her gravestone, calculating to a birth year about 1753. However, Jedidah also made a deposition in 1838 to claim her husband’s Revolutionary War pension. In this deposition, Jedidah she says she is age 77, calculating to a birth year of about 1761. I’d be interested to know if your Hammon kin have any girls named Jedidah, born between 1753 and 1761. doughtybobmail@aol.com

      • Charles William Ray Jr says:

        I have one Jedidah 1703-1728 in my tree. Married to Joseph Turner.
        She is the daughter of Samuel James Hammond 1655-1728 and his wife Mary Hathaway 1665-1728.
        Samuel is the son of Benjamin “Immigrant” Hammond 1621-1703 who married Mary Ann Vincent 1633-1706.
        I’ve traced my Hammond family back to Thomas Hammond Sr and his wife Grace Thomas. Not stoping there, I went back to Raoul “l’Angevin, from Angers France born 935ad-?
        I linked 26,000 names so my tree is pretty full.
        Samuel James Hammond also had a so named Jedediah 1690-1759 born in Rochester, Plymouth, Mass. He was also known as Jedidah!!!

        • Lynne Choate says:

          My tree goes back to Benjamin Hammond also. I would love to know more about your tree going back to 935ad!! How can I contact you? I can be reached at lchoate730@gmail.com

        • Jeannine Achauer says:

          Hi, we also descend from Samuel the son on Benjamin. From Samuel going forward it is Thomas to Benjamin to Zoath, to Zoeth, to Reuben, to Zoath, to his daughter Charlotte. Charlotte was my father’s grandmother. I would be very interested in seeing your tree. You certainly have taken it back a very long way. My sister, Jalaine, and I are avid genealogists. Thanking you in advance your very, very distant cousin, Jeannine Achauer.

  11. Kris Steffen says:

    I would like to now if anyone has the book called “The Hammond Family of Streamville, by Shirley Cox, published in 1999. I would like to know if there is any information on the Hunter/Larsen Family in New South Wales, Australia

  12. Judy Hammond Harper says:

    I descended from the Hammonds of Pulford England. Anyone have any info? Would really appreciate.

  13. Loren G. Lisboa says:

    Well, I am new to all of this, but my Grandmother was Lucy Hammond Mercer, (daughter of Percy W. Hammond & Mabel J. Hutchins) born in Danielson, CT 1899, who from what I can see was related to Elizabeth Hammond and her children, widow of William Hammond, London, Kent, England, who came to Plymouth in 1634 on the vessel Griffin, that brought many colonists, Including Rev. Thomas Hooker, over the year before. I am currently researching my Hammonds connection to Roger Williams as we were always told we were descendants of his as well somehow. Would appreciate any ideas.

  14. K Michelle Hammond Doar says:

    I’m hoping to find someone who can help my find the true line of my Hammond line. Lots of details I’m not sure of. William Jerry Hammond is my great grandfather

  15. TH says:

    Hi everyone. Some familiar names here from Familytreedna Big Y and Ancestry I match with. My paternal line is from a West Virginia branch, Greenberry Hammond (1829-1869), his father Robert Hammond 1797-1838?) was in Ohio before. Robert Hammonds father seems to be a bit of a mystery, but looking at the 29 Thruline matches on Ancestry his father appears to have been Timothy Hammond (1770-1832) whos other son said he immigrated from Ireland. Further back it gets pretty hard to discern. One thing for certain is I match other Hammonds on my Big Y test, primarily, and other Norman family names. The other thing is my Haplogroup is for Certain from Denmark originally, and found it’s way to England.

    Please let me know if any of this is ringing any bells with anyones research.

    I’d highly encourage any other males, or women with Hammond males to do a Big Y test on Familytreedna and join the Hammond surname group.

    Thank you,
    -TH

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