NOAH HAMMOND

REVEREND NOAH HAMMOND

From the Hammond Genealogy

Rev. Noah Hammond, born at Newton Mass. Feb. 14, 1717, died at Coram. L.I. N.Y. Nov. 14, 1774. He married first Anna Baker, 2nd Lucretia (Calkin) b. 1732, d. April 17, 1773. He died of small pox. The inscription on his grave stone at Coram L.I. reads "In memory of Rev. Noah Hammond Minister of the Gospel and Paster of the Baptist Church of Christ in Coram, who was born Feb. 14, 1718.and departed this life Nov. 4., 177h in the 56th year of his life." The gravestone of his 'wife Lucretia who is buried beside him, bears the following inscription, "In Memory of Lucretia wife of the Rev. Noah Hammond who departed this life Apr. 7., 1773 in the 41st year of her age".

About 1745 a breach occurred in the church in the North Parish of New London (now Montville Conn.) under the pastorate of Rev. David Jewett and among the seceeders were Isaac Hammond his wife and their son Noah. They were known first as Congregational Separatists, but in 1748 a great revival occurred and the Howard Baptist Church was organized near the town site of New London, and Noah Hammond was ordained Elder with Zadoc Damon as Deacon. An attempt was made to erect a church, but the building was never completed, and the society was soon united with the earlier one, over which Elder Hammond was called to preach and Zodiac Daemon became Deacon of the United Churches.

Elder Hammond preached at other places also, and was soon called to Long Island where he was invited to preach to the society founded at Coram in 1749. Here he built a church over which he presided until his death, He traveled all over the southeastern portion of New York and Northern New Jersey preaching the Baptist doctrine and gathering church societies. The building which he erected was used by the British as a stable during their occupation of Long Island, during which time the Hammond's and others were finding refuge in Connecticut. After the evacuation of the British, the sons of Rev. Noah Hammond returned to Coram and the building was used as a church again until 1847 when it was taken down and removed to Port Jefferson where it was converted into a dwelling house. It is said that the old floor showed the marks of the horse's hoofs until the building was removed.

Priest Hammond as he was often called was a man of more than ordinary ability as a speaker was, fluent and convincing in his arguments. He was fairly educated and in addition to his ministerial labors he kept a school at Coram. Mr. Lewis Edwards of Middle Island, a gentleman (now 1902) aged over 90 years, whose mother was one of his pupils, relates many interesting anecdotes of Rev. Noah Hammond and the ancient meeting house. His descendants have been essentially religious, and a very large percentage of clergymen are found among their number. The families have been universally large, and his descendants have become very numerous, probably far exceeding in numbers those of any other Hammonds of the same period.

The will of Rev. Noah Hammond dated June 15, proved Nov. 18, 1774, is on file in the Surrogate's office at Riverhead L.I. (Vol.27 p.235) In it he mentions daughter Betsey, sons Noah, Elisha, Joshua, Ezra and John, they and each of them paying to their sisters Eunice, and Lucretia three pounds apiece. My son Daniel having received his part of my farm. It is not known just how many were children of the 2nd wife.

The children were -

Betsey

Noah

Elisha, born 1746

Joshua

Daniel, born March 1., 1750

Ezra

Lucretia. born 1755

Eunice

Lois

Isaac, born Oct, 17) 1763

John, born March 22, 1766

(Hammond Genealogy pages 273, 274, 275.)