People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1895 — Edwin P. Hammond. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Edwin P. Hammond.

Edwin I’. Ilamuiond was born atßrookvilli), Ind.. Nov. 20,1835, When he was 14 years of as?e his parents moved to Columbus. Ind. lie attended the common schools and the seminary at Columbus. In 1854 he went to Indianapolis and engaged one year as clerk in a wholesale store. He then went to Terre Haute and read law with his half brother. Judge, afterwards. Gov. A. A. Hammond, and Hon. Thomas 11. Nelson. Passing an examination he was in 185(1 admitted to the senior law class of Asbury mow DePauw) university, from which he graduated, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. After another year spent in Indianapolis pursuing his law studies lie located in Rensselaer, opened a law office and soon found himself in competition with the lawyers there of that time" R. 11. Milroy, David Snyder, George Spitler, W. 1). Lee and L. A. Cole. In April. 18(11, the call of Lincoln for volunteers was to him irresistible. and he enlisted in Co. G, 9th lud. Of this company R. 11. Milroy was captain, G. C. Moody iirst. and Hammond second lieutenant. On promotion of Milroy as colonel of the regiment and Moody as captain. Ilammond was commissioned as first lieutenant of the company. lie served with his regiment in the three months’ service in tiie campaign In West Virginia, being engaged in the battle at Oarrack’s Ford, in which the rebel general Garnett was killed. At the end of that service lie resumed the practice of law in Rensselaer, and in Let., 2861, was elected to the lower, house of the legislature from the counties of Newton. Jasper and Pulaski. In Aug.. 1862. he reentered the army as captain of Co. A. 87 Ind. Vols. March 22, 1864, he rose to the rank of major, and Nov. 21. of the same year, to that of lieut. col. of that regiment. Sept. 19 and 20,1863, lie participated in the battle of Chickamauga, in which his regiment lost in killed and wounded over half its number. He commanded the regiment during the last year of the war, embracing 100 days of incessant fighting in the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta. He marched with Sherman to the sea. and back through the Carolines to Washington. At the close of the war he was commissioned by the president brevet colonel of C. S. volunteers. •• for gallant and meritorious service during the war.” as his commission reads. After tiie war he again took up the practice of law. In 1872 he was a delegate to tiie republican na-

tioual convention which nominated Gen. Grant for his second term as president. In March, 1873, Gov. Hendricks appointed him judge of 30th circuit, to which position he was elected in 0ct..1873, and again in 1878, without opposition. This position he held until he went on the supreme bench of the state. Speaking of his appointment to that position, a recent biographer says: “When Hon. William A. Woods retired from the supreme court bench to accept the appointment of judge of the United States court for the district of Indiana. Governor Porter appointed Judge Hammond to the vacated position. His commission bore date May 14, 1885. At the election in 1884 he was defeated with his party, and retired January 6, 1885. On the bench he was not only a suprise to many of his friends, even to some of those who knew him intimately, but also to some of his colleaguee. He did better than they expected; and when he retired from that bench he carried with him the confidence of the bar of the state in his integrity and genuine ability as a judge. His opinions are devoid of superfluous matter, clear and acurate in expression, and show an accurate grasp of the question involved." On retiring from the bench of that court he again resumed the practice of law at Rensselaer; but in November. 1890. he was again elected judge of the circuit court, holding that position until Aug.. 1892, when he resigned and formed a law partnership with the Stuart Brothers of Lafayette. In J une, 1893, Wabash college conferred upon him the degree of LL. I). After residing in Rensselaer for 34 years he lias become a resident of Lafayette. The biographer above referred to. says: "Judge Hammond is one of the most congenial and pleasant gentlemen one can meet. In all tilings he is theacmeof courteousness, but unostentatious, unaffected and unassuming.” Judge Hammond is strongly attached to the people at his old home in Rensselaer and makes frequent visits among them. He has been ati Odd Fellow since 1859, a Mason since 1864, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Union Veteran Legion. His family are his wife, Mary V. (Spitler); his son, Edwin P., J r.. now in the junior law class at the state university; his daughters, Louie, 1 (wife of William B. Austin,) Angela, Jean and Nina V.