HAMMACK: Of Smithfield and Walton Districts.
William Hammack and his wife, Sarah, daughter of Wiley Ashley, of Colonial families of Virginia, were married in Kanawha County, year 1822, came to Pocatalico and settled near the mouth of Johnson Creek, about the year 1825. The names of their four sons and four daughters: St. Clair (by the family pronounced Sinkler), Sylvester, John, Andrew; Susan, Rebecca, Cynthia and Catherine. All married young and made home farms in Pocatalico Valleys.
St. (lair married Catherine Phillips of lower Poca, November 24, 1840. Their children whom we can name, are Meredith, Martin, and William Wiley Hammack.
William Wiley Hammack was born May 28, 1854; engaged in public school teaching early in life, taught ten terms in all; took active part in all the first teachers institutes commenced in the counyt about the year 1880; married Dicy Paxton, daughter of John and Mary (Vineyard) Paxton. Win. Wiley and Dicy made their lifes home farm on part of th~ ancestral lands on Poca above the mouth of Johnson Creek; they reared three sons and five daughters whose names are as follows: Henry Lewis, William Clinton, John St. Clair, Laura May, Mary Blandis, wife of Bert E. Summers, near Smithfield line; Lucy Elton, wife of Homer Stump; Eva Susan, wife of Harvey R. Carper, and Mary Octavia, wife of Clary S. Carper.
We have no information on life of Sylvester, John and Andrew, sons of William and Sarah (Ashley) Hammack.
Susan, daughter of William and Sarah Hammack, became the wife of Feter Hammack, the nephew of her father who arrived here a young man from Virginia. Peter and Susan, his wife, made their home on Johnson Creek where they lived a long and useful life. Susan was for thirty years the efficient midwife serving all the surrounding country, the nunibers to whom she gave first aid, that arrived to robust manhood or womanhood testifies her efficiency. Of the children of Susan and Peter, we can name, John, Perry and Elizabeth. Perry Hammack was elected and served one term as county assessor, 1904 to 1909. John and Perry owned and operated a sawmill located on Johnson Creek about the year 1900. On an unfortunate day, Perry, working at a log on the carriage while the circular saw was in motion, kicked at a clamp or pointed fastener on top of the log to bend it out of the way of the advancing saw-teeth and his foot struck in such a way that it was seized by the saw-teeth and severed at the ankle joint. This is why he was known as the lame man when he was making his campaign.
We have no information as to the careers of Rebecca and Catherine, (laughters of William and Sarah Hammack.
Cynthia Hammack, daughter of William and Sarah (Ashley) Hammack, became the wife of Presley Vineyard, senior, and mother of his ten children. See Vineyard.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 536-537
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999
