Hammer, M. R., Dr.

HAMMER, DOOLY, SPARKS, HACKNEY

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 11/17/2008 at 11:42:27

HAMMER, M. R., Dr.; Physician and surgeon; Sec. 21; P. O. Newton; born in this county in 1853; he is a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk; he commenced practicing medicine in 1875; he is a promising young physician, with a rapidly growing practice, the result of promptness and attention to his customers, coupled with a practical knowledge of his business; he is the only physician in this county a native born son of the soil, and the sixth physician of his name in the United States. He married Miss Emma DOOLY in 1876. ~ "The History of Jasper County" (Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1878), 547.
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Marion R. Hammer, M. D., of Newton. The genealogy of the Hammer family, traced to the original emigrant in the United States, is as follows: In the early part of the eighteenth century, the progenitor of the family in America, who was a German by birth, immigrated to Bucks County, Pa. His son, Abraham, was born in that county in 1731, and in 1760 moved to North Carolina, where his children, four sons and three daughters, were born. The second of his sons, Isaac, was born in North Carolina, in 1764, and migrated to Tennessee, where were born by his first wife, Jesse, Elisha, Aaron and Jonathan; by his second wife, Lydia, Henry, Charity, Rachel, John, Nathan and Laban; by his third wife, Hannah, William, Joanna, Delila and Isaac A. Afterward he removed to Indiana and settled in Huntsville, where he died.

Elisha, second son of Isaac, was born in North Carolina, May 1, 1789, and died in Iowa, May 21, 1847. His children, eleven in number, were all born in Jefferson County, Tenn., and were Mahlon, Seth, Henry, Jesse, Ira, Aaron, Elisha, Isaac, Susannah, Polly A. and Lydia. Jesse, the fourth son of Elisha, was born in Jefferson County, Tenn., October 4, 1820, and died at Richland, Iowa, September 2, 1873. He was four times married, and was the father of six daughters and eight sons. The two eldest, Aaron T. and John H., were by his first wife, and were born in Jefferson County, Tenn.; the other children were all born in Jasper County, Iowa. Those by his second wife were Elizabeth L., Marion R. (subject of this sketch), Samuel L., Jasper F., Martha J. and Mary E.; by his third wife were Alta E. and Etta N.; and by his fourth wife, James C., Frank V. and Jesse M.

The Hammers, back to the first representative of the family in this country, have been identified with the Quaker faith, although the later generations have drifted away from that church. In 1846 the father of our subject came to Jasper County and settled in Kellogg Township, where Marion R. was born January 26, 1853. At the age of eighteen years, he entered Hazel Dell Academy, at Newton, where he studied for ten terms. He then entered a Quaker school at Lynnville, and there spent two terms, during the former of which he was one of the assistant teachers in the institution. During the winter of 1873-74 he taught school at the Hammer Grove schoolhouse, in Kellogg Township, and in the following winter taught in the public schools of Rock Creek Township. In the winter of 1875-76, while teaching in Buena Vista Township, he also studied medicine, and in March 1876, he commenced the practice of that profession at Adamsville, Iowa.

The marriage of Doctor Hammer occurred October 22, 1876, and united him with Mary E. Dooley, of Adamsville, a native of that place. Soon after his marriage he entered the medical department of the Iowa State University, but did not graduate. In 1878 he went to Reasoner, Iowa, where he conducted an extensive practice until the spring of 1880. In the fall of that year he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons of St. Joseph, Mo., but soon afterward there was a revolution in the college and he, with about fifty other students, left and entered the Northwestern College of that place. From that institution he was graduated February 17, 1881.

Returning to Jasper County, the Doctor commenced the practice of his profession at Newton, where he now resides. For two years he served as Health Officer of Newton, and was a member of the Jasper County Medical Society from 1879 until 1884. He filled the Chair of Physiology in Kings Medical College, of Des Moines, from 1885 until 1889, resigning on the 6th of March of that year. He is the founder of the Hammer Genealogical Society, and was its first President and is now serving in that capacity. Socially he has been identified with the Knights of Pythias and the United Workmen, and is a demitted member of the Masonic fraternity. He has engaged in practice in various places in Jasper County, and came to Newton the last time in September 1892. In January 1893, he was appointed Physician to the Jasper County Jail. He has been prominent in the Order of Knights of Labor and was its Master Workman for one term, but declining a reelection, his wife was chosen in his place. They are the parents of two sons: Marion R., Jr., who was born in Jasper County, Iowa, August 27, 1878, and Jesse Marion, who was born in Plymouth County, Iowa, October 18, 1884. Portrait and Biographical Record, Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, IA Page 283.
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Hammer, Dr. Marion R.

The life history of Dr. Marion R. Hammer, prominent citizen of Newton, Jasper County, is one of romance and tragedy. Born in this county, the son of very early settlers, his career has been one of strenuous action and full of human interest; but, being endowed with sterling qualities, he has successfully met and overcome many obstacles that would have defeated the purposes of others less courageous. Determining early in life to become a physician, he let nothing stand in the way of his ambition and after years of toil and self-sacrifice he attained the end sought for, becoming a successful practitioner, honored among his fellows. From this position he was stripped of all honors and subjected to such humiliation and disgrace as falls to the lot of a convict, then, to be pardoned by the governor, restored to citizenship, and again win back success and honor. He clearly belongs to that class of men made of the stuff that does not bend easily and who refuse to be downed by untoward circumstances, who, in fact, being natural fighters, thrive on opposition.

Doctor Hammer traces his ancestry back to Aaron Hammer, who was born in Celacia, Germany, from which country he immigrated to America in 1725, settling in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in which county his son Abraham was born in 1731. He adopted the Quaker religion and became a worker in that faith and the next three generations of Hammers adhered to the same. His son Isaac was born at Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina, in 1764, whither the father, Abraham, had emigrated with his family. Elisha, son of Isaac, was born in North Carolina, May 1, 1789, and at an early age moved with his parents to Tennessee, settling in Jefferson County. He was a miller and owned a mill on the historic stream of Lost creek. He was a minister of the Friends church. His family consisted of ten children, of whom, Jesse, the father of the subject was fourth in order of birth. In 1846 the Rev. Elisha Hammer sold his mill, loaded up his earthly belongings and drove overland to Iowa, bringing his wife and six sons, four of whom were married, and they brought their families, also two daughters. The Rev. Mr. Hammer came along, leaving but one member of the family in Tennessee. The Hammers wintered in Richland, Keokuk County, Iowa, where the father taught school. In the spring of 1847 Rev. Elijah Hammer came to Jasper County and settled in the neighborhood of Hammer's Grove and there he organized the Friends Church and became its first pastor, serving without pay, and there he continued to reside until his death, in 1847, and he was buried at Pleasant Plains. He was a useful man and accomplished much good wherever his lot was cast. He was a Whig and a strong Abolitionist.

Jesse Hammer, father of the Doctor, was born October 4, 1820 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. There he grew up, received what education he could in the rude schools of those early days and there he married, his wife dying in early life, leaving him with two sons. In 1846 he joined his father, who decided to leave that country since he was opposed to slavery and his views had been resented by his neighbors, and they all came to Iowa. He settled in Jasper County and was destined to become quite prominent and influential. Here he married Margaret W. Sparks, daughter of John R. Sparks, who owned a flour mill at Lynnville, of which mill Jesse Hammer later became miller, operating the same successfully for a number of years. He later became miller of Doctor Warren's mill near Oskaloosa. He was owner of two hundred acres of land in Newton Township. He was elected the first sheriff of Jasper County, but refused to serve. His marriage with Margaret Sparks was the first of record in this County. His brother Seth was the first recorder of the County, having been elected in 1846 or 1847; another brother, Elisha, was captain of Company G, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, in the Civil War.

Jesse Hammer was married four times, his first wife having been a Miss Hackney, of Tennessee, and they were married in Jefferson County, Mr. Hammer's wedding suit having been cut out by Andrew Johnson, later President of the United States, who lived in the adjoining County. By his second wife, Margaret Sparks, was born Dr. Marion R. Hammer, of this sketch, he being their oldest child. In all, Jesse Hammer was the father of fourteen children. John R. Sparks, mentioned above, was not only known as the proprietor of the mill at Lynnville but he was also a large landowner, and at one time paid the largest tax of any one in Jasper County. He was prominent in the early industrial life of the County, having established the first flour mill, the first saw mill and the first carding mill in Jasper County, all being erected near Lynnville. Two sons of his, William Henry and Matthew T., uncles of the subject, were soldiers in the Civil War, having served in the Fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry; they were captured at Tunnel Hill in 1864 and incarcerated in Andersonville prison, where they died. The death of Jesse Hammer, father of the Doctor, occurred on September 2, 1873, at Richland, Iowa, whither he had gone on a visit.

Dr. Marion R. Hammer, the immediate subject of this sketch, was born January 26, 1853, about a quarter of a mile north of the Amboy schoolhouse in Kellogg Township. When he was eight years old his mother died, and his early education was neglected, in fact, at the age of fifteen he could scarcely read or write, but early in boyhood he had shown a preference for the medical profession and would not permit anything to turn him from his course, and he consulted with Dr. I. A. Hammer, a brother of his grandfather, as to the proper course to be pursued and was informed that he must obtain an education, so the boy set about to do so. Saving his earnings by working out on the farm, he attended school ten terms at Hazel Dell Academy and at Lynnville three terms. He also taught one term in the Lynnville Academy and three terms of public school in the County. In 1876-7 he entered the Iowa State University and took his first course in medicine. He studied assiduously and made a brilliant record in his studies, both in the academy and the university, and thus well equipped he began the practice of medicine at Adamson Grove in 1877. Later he located in Reasnor. In order to further fit himself for his calling, in 1880 he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at St. Joseph, Missouri, taking the prescribed course of medicine. Before he had finished there was a split in the faculty of that institution and a number of professors and students seceded and established the Northwestern Medical School. Of the seventy-seven students in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, more than fifty went with the new college. Doctor Hammer being one of the number and he graduated fourth in a class of twenty-seven on February 17, 1881. He was elected vice-president of the Alumni Association of the last-named institution. Following his graduation, he came to Newton, locating here in March 1881. In the spring of 1884 he went to Kingsley, Iowa, and taught in the schools there for three terms. He was first principal of these schools for one term. He was appointed professor of physiology of King College in Des Moines, which position he held for four years, and he lectured for two years on diseases of children in that college. In March 1881 he was graduated from the King Eclectic College. He taught the branch of physiology in the Newton College for seven or eight terms. As a teacher he gave the utmost satisfaction in all capacities.

On October 22, 1876, Doctor, Hammer was united in marriage with Mary Emma Dooley, the daughter of a Jasper County farmer, and to this union two children were born: Marion R., Jr., born August 22, 1878, is practicing law in Newton; Jesse Marion, born at Kingsley, October 18, 1884, is farming in Jasper County and is an optician.

In the year 1912 Doctor Hammer was so unfortunate as to become embroiled in a quarrel with a young man of Newton which resulted very disastrously, for a time checking his career, and bringing much sorrow into his life. Doctor Hammer's own story of the trouble follows: the two men in question met on the public square and after a few bitter words the Doctor's opponent struck him five times in quick succession, the fourth blow knocking him to his knees; while he was still on the sidewalk, the fifth blow knocked him into the street, some distance from the curbing. His opponent then followed him up and as he approached Doctor Hammer drew a sheathed knife from his pocket and struck him with the knife sheathed, but his assailant continued to rain blows upon the Doctor's head and shoulders. The latter's opponent was a much younger and larger man, twenty-eight years of age, six feet and one inch tall and weighing two hundred and forty pounds, while the Doctor was forty-eight years old and weighed but one hundred and fifty pounds at that time, and was but five feet seven inches in height. Believing that his life was in danger and not being able to cope with his opponent unassisted, he unsheathed his knife and cut him several times or until his assailant desisted from his attack. For this he was arrested, tried and convicted of attempted manslaughter, before Judge Bishop, who was appointed to hear the case and on Friday, March 1, 1912, was sentenced to serve three and one-half years in the penitentiary. The case was then appealed and was sustained by the upper court, and on April 22, 1902, he was taken to Fort Madison by Sheriff Hook and Deputy Agnew, who showed him every possible courtesy. During the first ten months of, his term in prison he was a messenger man or "lumper," and as such was allowed freedom to go to all parts of the penitentiary; the last twenty months he was gate-keeper at the lower gate and was outside the walls every day. His wife remained faithful during his trouble and never ceased in her efforts to work for his pardon.

A petition containing over three thousand names, being one-third of the voters of the County, was presented to the governor, together with petitions from persons from various states of the union to the number of four thousand. The latter names were secured through the editor of the Blue Grass Blade, the Rev. C. C. Moore, of Lexington, Kentucky, who interested himself in the case and espoused it. These seven thousand names were presented in a petition to the governor, asking for his release, and after the men who had been most interested in his prosecution and conviction had joined in the petition, the governor acted upon it, and on September 12, 1904, the Doctor's sentence was commuted to take effect on September 15th, three days later. He had received eight months off for good time. He came back to Newton on the same train, which had carried him to prison, reaching home on the 22nd of that month, just two years and six months after leaving home. When the train upon which he was returning arrived at the local station he was met by a delegation of five hundred persons, who tendered him an ovation, assuring him that they believed he had been wrongfully sentenced. On April 18, 1905, Doctor Hammer was restored to citizenship by the governor. The Doctor docs not believe that his case was properly handled by his attorney. After his return home he again took up the practice of medicine, in the same office in the Myers block, which he had retained during his absence; in fact, this has been his office since 1885. He has been very successful since his return home, enjoying a large and growing practice, and he has sent his son, M. R. Hammer, Jr., through Drake University. Doctor Hammer is independent of his practice, but he continues it because of his liking for the work. He owns a good farm near Kapple Station, as also does Mrs. Hammer. He has served as health officer of the city of Newton for two years, and he has been physician to the County jail for four years, all told; at the present time he is assistant physician to the County. He has been president and secretary of the Jasper County Eclectic Society of Physicians and Surgeons, and in 1910 he was elected vice-president of the Jasper County Medical Society. He was president of the Ringsley Medical Society and president of the Teachers Association of that institution. While confined at the state penitentiary he formed a medical society and was made its president. It consisted of five other physicians. At present he is a member of the Jasper County Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He is a demitted member of the Masonic order, Lebanon Lodge No. 127, at Lynnville, Iowa. He is also a demitted member of the Knights of Pythias. He belongs to the Pioneer Lodge, Des Moines Homesteaders. Politically, Doctor Hammer was reared a Republican, became a Democrat, afterwards embraced the Greenback theory, and later became a Populist, and is now a Socialist. He voted for Belva Lockwood for President, and is an ardent supporter of woman's suffrage. While he has always been an abolitionist, he is an uncompromising Confederate, and is in possession of the only Confederate flag in Jasper County. Religiously, he was reared a Quaker (Friend), became a Methodist, then a Universalist, later an infidel and now a confirmed atheist. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 529.