FROM PAGE 917-18 HISTORY OF FULTON CO, IL PUB PEORIA, CHAS C CHAPMAN AND CO 1879
"COL. THOMAS HAMER was born in Union Co, PA in 1818.  His father, James
HAMER, was b in 1785, also in PA, and he was the son of James HAMER, of
Scotland, who settled in Northumberland Co prior to the Revolutionary war,
and was elected the first Sheriff of that county.  He married ELIZABETH
LYON and had 8 children, the eldest of whom was James.  James H was a
farmer, settled in Vermont, IL in 1845, and died there.  He was a very
generous man.  COL THOMAS HAMER received a thorough education in his youth,
besides being brought up at farm work; clerked in a drygoods and gorcery
store for several years; in 1847 was employed as clerk by Joab MERSHON for
two years, then entered partnership with Jas A RUSSELL and Richard JOHNSON
in the dry goods line, and prospered until the spring of 1851, when Jack
MATHENY plundered the store and set fire to the building, entailing a total
loss of $8,000.  He was then in partnership with E&P HAMER until 1861, when
the war broke out, and he organized Cos B and F, 84th ILL Inf, and was
commissioned Major.  He beat BRAGG in a race to Louisville, KY, and
afterward was engaged in pursuit of the same rebel general in a race for
Nashville; was wounded at the battle of Stone River, but next day after
receiving the wound he commanded so valiantly that his men gave him a gold
watch as a testimonial of his enthusiasm; his wound, however, compelled him
to resign.  He came home and finally recovered.  In 1864 he entered
mercantile business, which he followed until 1876, when he sold out to
AYRES and WHITNEY.  He has been Supervisor, and has been nominated three
different times for the Legislature by the Republican party, drawing the
full vote; has been delegate to every Republican county convention held
since he came into the State; and was elected President of the Annual Army
Reunion at Springfield.  In 1850 he married Harriet E JOHNSON, daughter of
Franklin JOHNSON, a native of NY.  Has had 6 children: two are living now,
namely, Wylie and Lee Ray.


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(© 1997 Carolyn Leverich Atkinson)