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Facts and Events
| Name |
William Hamer |
| Gender |
Male |
| Birth[2][3] |
1750 |
Maryland |
| Marriage |
|
to Mary _____ |
| Immigration[1][2] |
1796 |
Dayton (township), Montgomery, Ohio, United StatesHe came to Dayton with the very first party of settlers to arrive on the site on April 1, 1796. |
| Occupation[2][4] |
1796 |
Dayton (township), Montgomery, Ohio, United StatesMethodist minister or Methodist lay preacher |
| Death[2] |
1827 |
Dayton (township), Montgomery, Ohio, United Statesaccident while traveling |
References
- ↑ Dayton Daily News. (Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States).
13 May 1934.
au: Howard Burba
ti: David Lowry Was a Grand Old Settler
http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/lowry.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Edgar, John Farris. Pioneer life in Dayton and vicinity, 1796-1840. (Fairborn, Ohio: Cincinnati Branch Library, 1973).
Originally printed in 1896 so this text is out of copyright.
http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/page/page/1523179.htm
CHAPTER II.
THE SETTLEMENT AND THE FIRST SETTLERS.
During the winter of 1795-96 forty-six men agreed to settle in Dayton in the spring of 1796. When the time came to start only nineteen responded, and they set out in three sections, two overland and one by water.
William Hamer, who owned a wagon and two horses, had charge of one section. He was born in Maryland about the year 1750, and moved west with his wife and children in 1792. He and his son Solomon, who was then sixteen years old, built a flatboat, in which the family descended the Ohio River to Cincinnati, and then used the lumber in the boat to erect a house. Here they lived until they started for Dayton in March, 1796. With him on this trip to Dayton were his wife, Mary; his children, Solomon, Thomas, Nancy, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Polly; and Jonathan and Edward Mercer. The party was somewhat delayed, and was the last of the three to reach Dayton.
Mr. Hamer, who was a local Methodist preacher, has the honor of being the first minister of the gospel to live in this place. He evidently was of the opinion that he should be known by loud speaking, as it is said he could be heard three miles at family prayers.
Mr. Hamer located on a quarter-section of land, east of the town, known recently as Tate's Point, now owned by William Focke & Sons, the butchers. It was at this home that a son was born, December 9, 1796, and in honor of his being the first white boy born in the settlement his parents named him Dayton. Of his children. Nancy married William Gahagan, who came here on the pirogue; Elizabeth married William C. Lowry; Sarah married David Lowry, in 1801, and lived on Mad River, near the mouth of Donnell's Creek. They were about the first to settle in Greene County. Polly married Joseph Culbertson, of Miami County, and Dayton Hamer married Catharine Haney, and moved to Illinois, and from there to California, where he died. William Hamer, Jr., married Hannah Culbertson, and moved to Indiana; Susan married a Mr. Krider, and Ruth a Mr. Wagoner. Ellen never married. Mrs. Elizabeth Croy, of Sidney, Ohio, and Mrs. E. E. Berkdoll and Fletcher Lowry, of Dayton, are the only living grandchildren of William Hamer. Mr. Hamer's wife, Mary, died at their home, August 9, 1825, and he died in 1827 from an accident received on his way to Cincinnati.
After reaching Dayton with Mr. Hamer's party, Jonathan and Edward Mercer, with all their worldly possessions in the panniers of one horse, went on up Mad River several miles, and located on prairie land that is now in Bath Township, Greene County. They were the first white people to settle there. It was an exposed position and they were twice driven to Dayton for safety during the first two years.
- ↑ Brien, Lindsay M. (Lindsay Decker Metcalfe). A genealogical index of pioneers in the Miami Valley, Ohio: Miami Co., Montgomery Co., Preble Co., and Warren Co., Ohio. (Dayton, Ohio: Colonial Dames of America, Dayton Circle, 1970)
66.
Entry on William Hamer and family
- ↑ .
This article appeared in the Bicentennial Issue of the Dayton Daily News, Sun., July 4 1976
Dayton’s first families
Exploits of city’s founders weren’t fully recorded
By Carol V. Roberts
full text available on www.daytonhistorybooks.com
Hamer came to Dayton with his wife, Mary, and their 6 children and the Mercer brothers - Jonathan and Edward. William and Mary had 3 more children after arriving in the Dayton area.
- .
Dayton Daily News, November 19, 1933
DISTILLING IN THE EARLY DAYS
By Howard Burba
Hamer was a miller and made corn whisky as well.
- .
GRACE CHURCH, Dayton, Ohio
by Charles F. Sullivan text on www.daytonhistorybooks.com
Wm. Hamer and Rev. John Kobler preached. Hamer held Christian classes from at least 1798-1811.
- .
Dayton Daily News, March 30, 1932
A Tabloid History of Dayton
By Howard Burba text on www.daytonhistorybooks.com
First Preacher—Rev. William Hamer of the Methodist denomination. He came to Dayton with the first party of settlers.
First Birth—David Hamer, son of William Hamer, Methodist minister, born on site of Dayton in December, 1796.
First Mill—An old-fashioned “tub mill” was built by William Hamer to grind corn. It stood where Monument av. now crosses Patterson blvd. and water for operating it was brought across from the mouth of Mad river by means of a little race.
- .
History of Dayton, Ohio 1889 text on www.daytonhistorybooks.com pages 34 and 37
The original settlers of Dayton were the following persons and their families : William Hamer, Solomon Hamer, Thomas Hamer, George Newsom, William Newcom, Abraham Grassmire, John Davis, John Dorough, William Chenowith, James Morris, Daniel Ferrell, Samuel Thompson, Benjamin Van Cleve, James McClure, John McClure, Thomas McClure, William Gahagan, William Van Cleve.
In March, 1796, they left Cincinnati in three parties, led by William Hamer, George Newcom, and Samuel Thompson. Hamer's party was the first to start; the other two companies left on Monday, March 21st, one by land, the other by water. Hamer's party came in a two-horse wagon over the road begun, but only partially cut through the woods, by Cooper in the fall of 1795. The company consisted of Mr. and Mrs. William Hamer and their children, Solomon, Thomas, Nancy, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Polly, and Jonathan and Edward Mercer. They were delayed and had a long, cold and uncomfortable journey.
- .
Early Dayton text on www.daytonhistorybooks.com mentioned a number of times in chapter 1
- .
DAYTON, A MANUFACTURING CITY
by Charles Sullivan text on www.daytonhistorybooks.com
Hamer was in the 3rd party of settlers of Dayton.
- .
Dayton Daily News on July 4, 1976
15 brave clans ‘laid claim’ to Dayton in 1796
An ebullient 9-year-ood, Mary Van Cleve, jumped
from family boat to shore – and a city was born
By Carl V. Roberts www.daytonhistorybooks.com
- .
ODELL'S
DAYTON DIRECTORY AND BUSINESS ADVERTISER.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED A SKETCH OF THE
HISTORY OF THE CITY.
DAYTON:
PUBLISHED BY JAMES ODELL, JR.
1850.
WILLIAM HAMER’S place of nativity is unknown. He was probably from Maryland; as he is known to have had relatives in that state. At the time of his removal to Dayton, he was between forty and fifty years of age, and married. He resided on the farm now owned by the Tait family, on the Springfield Turnpike, three miles from town. He was well known as the local preacher of the Methodist persuasion. The principal settlements of those attached to that form of worship being upon Mad River, service was usually held at this house. His descendants were Solomon, then a lad of fifteen or sixteen, who left this vicinity in 1815; Thomas, who married here, and died November 30, 1820, [p. 9] at the age of 30; Nancy, who married William Gahagan, by whom she had several children; Mary, who married William Loury, who resides three miles north of Dayton; and Sarah, who married _____ Loury, who lived upon Mad River.
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