Biography of John Hamman, pages 935/936/937.  History of DeKalb County, 
Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.



John Hamman



	John Hamman, who for many years has been numbered among the most 
enterprising and influence citizens of Smithfield township, DeKalb 
county, Indiana, was born on December 29, 1851, on his father’s farm in 
the northeast quarter of section 16, this township.  He is a son of 
Thomas Sr., and Elizabeth (Shuyler) Hamman, a prominent pioneer family 
of Smithfield township, who are represented on other pages of this 
work, in connection with the sketch of the subject’s brother, Thomas 
Hamman, therefore they will not be referred to farther in this 
connection.

	John Hamman was reared on his father’s farm and was educated in 
the common schools of that neighborhood.  On attaining manhood’s years 
he was given, some material help by his father, who assisted him in his 
first farming operations.  Situated as he was, some young men would 
have leaned all the more on a father’s kindness and indulgence, and 
possibly have stultified their own usefulness and limited their own 
sphere of activities.  Not so with John Hamman.  He at once threw 
himself energetically into the active affairs of life, took advantage 
of the opportunities before him and, with keen foresight, unstinted 
energy and the exercise of sound common sense, entered upon the task of 
clearing, draining and improving the one hundred and twenty acres of 
land on which he is now living in section 9, Smithfield township, and 
which corners on his father’s farm.  That he has made the proposition a 
paying one is a matter of common knowledge in the community where he is 
known.  He has always managed his affairs according to the most up to 
date ideas and never hesitated to adopt new methods when their 
superiority over old ones has been demonstrated, and he hesitates at no 
innovation when he believes it to be a step forward.  In later years 
Mr. Hamman has bought more land adjoining his original farm and is now 
the owner of two hundred and twelve acres in sections 16 and 17.  After 
he had his land all cleared, paid for and thoroughly tiled and 
improved, he continued his habits of thrift and industry, and instead 
of a debtor, he eventually became a creditor.  Realizing and 
appreciating what had been done for him and knowing what a little 
assistance often means in the accomplishment of anything, Mr. Hamman 
has been of material help to others in their efforts to buy farms and 
improve them.  He has loaned money where he deemed the request for it a 
worthy one, has allowed his debtors every advantage consistent with 
sound business methods, and in this way has been an important factor in 
the development and progress of the community.  He is generally looked 
upon as one of the successful and substantial farmers of DeKalb county, 
enjoying a wide acquaintance throughout this section and has enjoyed 
for many years the highest esteem of all who know him, this being 
accentuated by the fact that he never oppresses the worthy debtor of 
ceaseless industry, wise economy, careful foresight and habits of 
investigating thoroughly every proposition before deciding upon his 
course of action.

	On March 15, 1883, Mr. Hamman married Lydia Rohm, the daughter of 
Simon and  Mary (Harsh) Rohm.  After finishing the common schools Mrs. 
Hamman was student in the high school, in the normal school at 
Waterloo, and about 1878 began teaching school, being employed at 
school No. 10 in Smithfield township, No. 1 in Grant township, and 
again at No. 10 in Smithfield.  She is a lady of refinement and 
culture, and possesses to an eminent degree those qualities of mind and 
heart, which win and retain warm friendships.  To Mr. and Mrs. Hamman 
have been born two children, Ezra Clyde and Effie Teresa, both of whom 
are at home.  Mr. Hamman is a man of high ideals and his support is 
given unreservedly to those movements which are for the advancement of 
the community, morally, educationally, socially or materially, and he 
is deserving of the splendid success which has characterized his 
career.



Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com