THE SAGA OF OUR BELOVED GRANDFATHER,

DANIEL WHEELOCK HAMMOND

By MARJORIE CUMMINGS CHEREZIAN

Written in 2003 to her cousin:  Beverly Nicholls Rainey

Submitted by Beverly Nicholls Rainey

HE WAS A MAN OF THE SOIL AND A LOVER OF ALL GOD'S GIFTS FROM HIS BELOVED PIECE OF  LAND…
THE GROUND……THE TREES……AND THE ANIMALS……
HIS PRECIOUS GELDING AND BIG BAY AND ALSO "GET ALONG" WHO OFTEN REFUSED TO KEEP GOING AND WAS DOWNRIGHT BALKY.

ONLY GRANDFATHER'S KIND HANDS KEPT PEACE AMONG HIS ANIMALS.

I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD WHEN I FIRST REMEMBER OUR GRANDFATHER PLACED HIS HAND ON MY HEAD AND TOLD ME, "DON'T FRET YOURSELF, GIRL; I TAKE CARE OF YOUR LIFE NOW.  YOU WILL LIVE WITH AUNT FAN (ONE OF HIS 3  SISTERS…A WOMAN OF 60)  YOU MUST HAVE THIS NEW LIFE AND KNOW THAT IT IS WHAT GRANDFATHER WANTS FOR YOU AND I WILL COME."

SO IT WAS …… A NEW LIFE FOR ME, AND GRANDFATHER, A MAN OF TRUTH, CAME IN HIS HORSE AND WAGON TO VISIT.  ALWAYS HE BROUGHT APPLES FROM HIS TREES AND SAP THAT WAS RUNNING AND VEGETABLES.  SO KIND WAS OUR GRANDFATHER.

DANIEL AND WILLIAM HAMMOND TOGETHER BUILT THE ARCHWAY. 

PURCHASED LAND IN DALTON CEMETERY FOR HAMMOND BURIAL GROUND.

SO DEEP WAS HIS LOVE OF FAMILY THAT GRANDFATHER, GRANDMOTHER AND THE DAUGHTERS, GERTRUDE, MABEL, ETHEL, ARE RESTING WITH HIM.  HE WAS A SPECIAL MAN!

I MUST HUMBLY ADD THAT I, DANIEL HAMMOND'S GRANDDAUGHTER, HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO REST WITH MY FAMILY.

IT WAS TRULY A GREAT EVENT TO GRANDFATHER'S LIFE TO PREPARE WITH ALL THE REGALIA ON AND SHINING COATS OF SKIN TO LEAVE ON HIS YEARLY TRIP TO THE RACES.  GRANDFATHER WOULD TAKE HIS HORSES ALL SHINED UP TO THE RACES ONCE A YEAR AT SARATOGA.  HE MET WITH HIS SAME OLD CRONIES AND IT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF HIS LIFE!

P.S.  HE WAS NOT A GAMBLING MAN; JUST A FRIEND WITH OLD TIME FRIENDS.

HIS HONESTY AND KINDNESS HAD GAINED MANY FRIENDS AND WHEN OUR BELOVED GRANDFATHER CLOSED HIS EYES (HE USED TO SAY WHEN "MY BOYS" (HIS HORSES) AND I TAKE THE LAST TRIP, I WANT TO BE READY) THE LOVING LITTLE HOUSE THAT DANIEL AND BROTHER WILLIAM BUILT WAS FILLED WITH FRIENDS. 

THEY LINED THE STREETS DOWN PAST THE BRIDGE NEXT TO CRANE'S MILL IN DALTON AND AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE PAST THE CRANE PAPER MILL, AND THE PATIENT LINES OF FRIENDS TO HIS LAST STOP…..HIS BELOVED HAMMOND PLOT IN DALTON.

WHEN ALL IS QUIET AND THE ROLL IS CALLED, HE WILL BE THERE.



PLEASE FORGIVE THIS WRITING.  I JUST CAN'T SEE TO WRITE ONE HALF HOUR AT A TIME AND THIS, I'M ASHAMED TO SAY, TOOK THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS.

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.

MARJORIE

C'EST FINI