Benjamin Van Hammack (1870-1949)

Martin Ray Hammack's father was Benjamin Van Hammack (1870-1949) and his mother was Georgia Samantha Baughman (abt.1877-? sometime after 1930). They were married in 1898.

In 1900 (according to the US Census report) they lived in Fort Lick, in Webster County, WV with 2 of their children. They had a total of 5 children: Martin Ray (1893-1968), William B. (1899-?), Ernest (1901-1982), Delta Ellis (1904-1993), & Elsie (Carr) (1907-1996). I do not have birth or death certificates for any of them.

According to the 1920 US Census report they lived in Otter, in Webster County, WV. Ernest, Delta & Elsie were still at home with their parents and my grandma, Sylvia and her brother Harry and Georgia's father, Morgan Davis Baughman (77 year old widower) resided with them as well. Sylvia was almost 4 years old and Harry was almost 1 year old.

This photo must have been taken at that time because Grandma couldn't be much more than 4 here. She is with Elsie Carr.

I am not sure which is which but this is Delta & Elsie in 1953.

The back of this photo said "Everett, Clyde, Roy and Aunt Elsie." These were her children with her husband Van Buren Carr 91901-1995). They were married in 1924. Everett was born in 1924. Clyde was born in 1927 and died in 1995. Roy was born in 1929 and died in 1968.

I am not sure if this photo belongs with this group or not since this Elsie was married to Van Buren not a George. I've checked both parent's siblings and found no Elsie but did find a George Hammack??? So anyway I'm including it here, just because I think the back of the postcard is interesting...

The back of this postcard was marked up but best I can tell these are George and Elsie's children. here is the back:

I show this only to say this is what I can decipher it says..."Dear sister and brother, here are our children. They are perfectly natural, not good looking but we love them all the same. We started home the Sunday you all were home but the rain ??? us before we got half way so we stopped at one of George's brothers..."(I can't read the rest.) You have to flip it around to see the signatures (at the top currently) ..."from Geo. and Elsie ???" (I can't read the rest.)

Do you think they really felt their children were ugly or was that their way of saying they did not get them all gussied up for this particular photo????