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Your HammondTurning Back the Pages for a Glimpse Into theHistory of Its First Half-CenturyLast week in this column devotedto turning back the pages of Hammond’s history during the past fiftyvears. a word picture of this regionwhen it was a vast wilderness, was drawn. Hammond and its environs were peopled with Indians fifty years ago; only a few brave people lived here, willing to overcome the rawness of nature and look forward to a busy city, now soadvantageously located.Who were these people, you ask quite naturally?The O. H. Hammond Packing company, we are told was thenucleus around which all Hammond moved. But even before it wasbuilt here, Ernest and Caroline Hoh-man had settled here and purchased 40 acres of land at a hundred dollars an acre. Theirs was the tract be-tween the river and the Michigan Central tracks. To the Hohman home, a log cabin, north of tna river came a number of men engaged in building the packing house, among them were Marcus M. Towle, JamesBooth and Frank Miller.Another early family living near the state line on the south side of the Michigan Central tracks was Joseph Drackert who with his little family chose this region for their home. In 1901, however, Mr. Drackert died leaving a son, GeorgeDrackert, and two daughters, Mrs Chas. Mayer and Mrs. Christ German, well, known here.About a mile north lived Lewis Norman, who for years worked in the slaughter house and later went into the milk business It fell to Mr. Norman to drive Hammond’s first milk wagon.In 1885 the Hohmans had some new- neighbors August and Theodore Ahlendorf, who purchased their land from Marcus Tow-te. William Sohl, popular grocer of the region kept a grocery store in those early days. The Sohls had five children including Henry W. Ernest W. Louise, Hattie and Alice. The Sohl hometract consisted of 40 acres and waslater subdivided into the Sohl addition. The Sohl and Hohman families, among the earliest people of Hammond, then known as State Line, were connected since Mrs. Wm. Sohl and Mrs. Caroline Hohman were sisters. Mrs. Cynthia. Wood Sohl of Whiting, is one of the living members of the popular Sohl family.In 1874 Fred R. Mott came to State Line to live with his mother, brother and sister. This young mar was interested in the packing company and was employed there. After a few years, Fred Mott married Emma Hohman. In 1888 Miss Emma Mott, sister of Fred, became the brid* of Louis Hohman.ors,tur€roleT1of Imortrar a ndnovpereveiof 1 T thrc deli ordlt; wh( covlt; is tFAAenjlt;BrorowO*newsrasdive
Newspaper Details
Hammond Lake County Times
Hammond, Indiana, US
Wed, May 17, 1933
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Hammond P.
IN, USA 14 Feb 2019
Other Publications Near Hammond, Indiana
Hammond Times
Hammond Lake County Times
Hammond Whiting Evening Times
Hammond Gary Evening Times
