St. Clair County Obits

THOMAS F. HAMMOND

Thomas Fowler Hammond was born in Washing county, Ohio, Jan. 2, 1840 and departed this life July 21, 1922, aged 82 years, 6 month and (??) days. His friend and neighbors were greatly surprised to hear of his death for the day before he went to a s(?) and apparently he was as well as he ever was and about midnight he was stricken with hemorrhage of the brain and only lived a few hours.
At the age of four years he with his parents moved to Ritchey County, West Virginia, where he grew to manhood. At the age of 18 years he began teaching school, of which he was very successful. When he was twenty-five graduated from Washington University, Washington, D.C. At the age of 26 he was married to Mary Jane Cross, of Ritchey county, West Virginia. To this union eight children were born, five boys and three girls, James Levi, Walter Scott, Arnold Douglas, Jessie Eli Franklin, Thomas Randolph, Mary Elizabeth Nichols, Asenieth Bailey and Harriet Sophia Hammond. Four of the children with the mother have gone on before. He leaves four children, 39 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren to morn their loss.
In 1885 he moved to St. Clair County, Mo., where he remained until death. Uncle Tom, as he was better know was always free with his opinions a firm in his belief. He was fair and honest in all his dealings. His aim during this life was to elevate and to educate the minds of the rising generations. He always looked upon the bright side of life and always had a jolly word for everyone. He was always generous to his friends. Honesty and morals was his only religion.