| 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.)
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