William H. Hammond

WILLIAM H. HAMMOND, a resident of Kansas since 1901, is manager of the Grovier Produce Company of Great Bend and has also had an extensive experience in the creamery business in this section of the state.

Mr. Hammond was born January 7, 1879, near South Bloomingville, Hocking County, Ohio. His father, John Hammond, of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, was reared in Hocking County and spent his active life as a modest farmer. He died in Union County, Ohio, in 1893. The maiden name of his wife was Eliza Johnson, a native of Hocking County and of an old Ohio family. They were the parents of nine children, and the six still living are Frank M., William H., Charles R., Sarah, Blanche and Grace. The first five are all residents of Great Bend. Sarah is an employe in the office of the Great Bend Tribune and Blanche is the wife of Claud Barriklow. Grace is the wife of Roy A. Miller, of Santa Monica, California.

William H. Hammond grew up near Marysville in Union County, Ohio, and received most of his education in Unionville Center. Until he was about grown he alternated between the work of the home farm and the public schools. His experience in farming was the most practical knowledge which he brought with him to Kansas in November, 1901. He first went to work at Great Bend as an employe of the Merritt Creamery Company, and some of his duties consisted in feeding the pigs at the creamery. He was employed five years there, and then being ambitious to make the most of the experience he took a course in buttermaking at the Iowa Agricultural College at Ames. He returned to assume the position of buttermaker with the Great Bend Creamery. Later for two years he was manager of the Hoisington Creamery Company at Hoisington, and on returning to Great Bend became identified with the Grovier Produce Company as assistant manager. For the past five years he has managed that business and has made it one of the live concerns of its kind in Central Kansas.

Likewise he has identified himself with the substantial interests of Great Bend and is always a willing worker on any community project. He joined the Commercial Club some years ago and in the spring of 1916 was chosen finance commissioner of the city, an office he still holds. He is not a politician and politics had no part in his election as commissioner. He was reared under republican influences at home and cast his first presidential vote for William McKinley. Fraternally he is a Master Mason, Knight of Pythias and Elk and a member of several insurance orders.

Several years ago Mr. Hammond erected a comfortable home at the corner of Eighth and Baker streets. He married in Barton County December 29, 1903, Nellie Mitchell. Mrs. Hammond was born in Great Bend, daughter of George and Mary (Trethaway) Mitchell. Her father, who served as a Union soldier with a Pennsylvania regiment, came from that state to Kansas as a pioneer and for many years has been a house carpenter and contractor. He is now living at Hoisington. Mrs. Hammond's mother at her death was survived by two daughters and four sons. Mr. and Mrs. Hammond have one child, Marvin.

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