Rosemary (Hammon) McMeekin
November 10, 2004
I contacted Jewell on a geneology internet site on my Hammon family. I was introduced to Charles by e-mail. We exchanged pictures and family information.
We have never met in person but I feel as though I have known Cousin Charles and Jewell for years.
November 30, 2001, Cousin Charles sent a letter he had written about the wonderful childhood memories of my dad and his family taking him in and treating him like a member of their family. My dad and his family lived in Seminole, Oklahoma at that time. When I received Charles' letter my dad was in a rehad hospital in Redding, California recovering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome. A disorder in which the body immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system.
My dad had limited range of motion to his upper extremities. I read Charles' letter to my dad. My dad got teared up and said that was such a nice letter. This letter brought such warmth to my heart.
The letter Charles sent is enclosed.
I gave a first time Hammon family reunion in Groveland, California, July 5, 2002. I shared all the pictures and family information I received from Cousin Charles and Jewell.
Cousin Charles and Jewell have enriched our lives.
Love,
Cousin Rosemary (Hammon) McMeekin
Attached letter from Charles Scott to Rosemary McMeekin
November 30, 2001
Dear Cousin Rosemary:
Jewell, the kids and grandchildren use email and their electronic equipment to keep in touch. That leaves me with doing it the old fashioned way.
My reason for writing is because of all the survivors of the Hammon family I probably had the most contact with your grandfather and his children.
I have great memories and some strong living feelings for my Uncle Jack. My mother, father, two brothers and a sister lived in Chandler, Oklahoma. It was about a four or five hour drive to Seminole.
Sometime in 1938 or 1939 my family moved to Seminole. It seemed that Uncle Jack had told us that there was work for a painter. We moved in with Uncle Jack and his kids for some time. I started to school in the fifth grade with your Dad and his family. It was a country school 5 miles north of Seminole and close to their home.
While exact details are scarce I remember that we had a large number of Indian boys and girls in the school. I also remember that several of them were close friends to your family.
Your uncles let me (I was considered a city boy and they nicknamed me "Big George"--today I would be called a wimp) go on their Friday night "all night possum and coon hunts." I remember the fires we made and set around. We could hear the hounds in the surrounding woods as they followed a trail and barked in ear splitting barks. Once they treed one of the wild ones we would make our way to the area where the dogs were and try to get the coon or possum out of the very top of the tree.
Sometime later my Dad got work with the old Carter Oil Company, (it started out as Carter--then Humble and on to Exxon) at a plant two miles north of Seminole and the same highway but three miles north of Uncle Jack. We lived in a camp with company housing. All the houses were exactly alike. The camp had many large pipes sticking up in the air to vent gas which was then lighted. It was so bright we played baseball at midnight under the gas flares!!!
I remember that JD as we called him had a paper route with the Seminole newspaper. He had an old Ford model A that he delivered papers in. I sometimes went with the boys on their deliveries.
It was great for me to be there with a big family. I remember they accepted me and my siblings. Somewhere in my mind I remember of having a billy goat around Jack's house that we finally slaughtered and ate...
Later we moved back to Chandler. After my father died I again, (I don't remember the circumstances) found myself back with the Uncle Jack by myself. Uncle Jack lived in the town of Seminole but was doing roofing for a builder in Tulsa. His boys roofed and I had the lowly job of hand sanding floors to prepare them for painting.
Every Saturday evening after work we would get into Uncle Jack's truck and go back to Seminole where we spent the weekend. After supper on Saturday night we would all go downtown. I spent my time at the western movies.
Later on the family moved to an old two story house next to a river on US Highway 66 east of Tulsa. We finally went to Prague, Oklahoma and worked for a builder there; I had the same job.
Later that year I was sent to live with Grandad Hammon near Mulberry, Kansas.
My Mother and siblings moved to Mulberry later and lived with Grandad. Mom and I packed up and went to Kansas City where she worked for Pratt and Whitney's aircraft engine plant during the war.
I haven't seen or heard from your side of the family since 1943 or some such date.
Of the children I remember "Peanut" although I couldn't have told you his actual name. Joyce, JD, Max and Kenneth. Wanda was a small baby.
Your Hammon family stock consisted of people who were honest to a fault, hard working and always willing to help family members who needed assistance.
I came to Texas in January 1949. I met and married Jewell in 1950. We've had a great life and I assure you that her family background tracks our family in many ways. I was close to her Dad; the feeling was mutual. When I first met her several of the tonwspeople told me that Mr. Moreland was the meanest SOB in West Texas with his cowboy hat and boots. It turned out he just looked that way--he was a loving pussycat.
Both of us want to thank you for the material you send us. I knew something about the family but it was about 75% incorrect. Memories are not that infallible.
When I was in office we made numerous trips to San Francisco. It was one of our favorite cities. Jewell always had me take her across the bridge and on to Muir Woods.
Let's keep in touch. I'm sorry if I ramble but that's my style.
Sincerely,
Charles Scott
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