Henry Patrick Hammel
Henry Patrick Hammel
Key Facts
- Full Name
- Henry Patrick Hammel (also recorded as "Patrick" in early records)
- Born
- January 1, 1856 — Jamesville, Rock County, Wisconsin
- Died
- July 1, 1926 — Bancroft, Cuming County, Nebraska (age 70)
- Parents
- Owen Hammel (c. 1817–1858) & Ann King (c. 1809–1887)
- Siblings
- James (older brother), Mary Elizabeth, Mary Anna
- Spouse
- Elizabeth "Lizzie" Mary Long (1865–1934); married October 26, 1885
- Children
- 7 (4 sons, 2 daughters survived; 1 daughter died in infancy)
- DNA Status
- Validated — matches through daughter Rose Anna Hammel Fuller 🧬
Henry Patrick Hammel was the fourth child and younger son of Owen and Ann Hammel. His older brother James, born in New York c. 1849, was the firstborn son; Henry arrived in Wisconsin less than two years before their father's death. Henry would grow to become a "Pioneer of Burt County"—a Nebraska farmer who worked the same land for over forty years. His 1926 obituary memorializes him as one of "those sturdy pioneers who have paved the way for the builders of a nation."
His story bridges the Wisconsin origins of the Hammel family to their permanent settlement in Nebraska, where he raised seven children alongside his wife Lizzie Long. Crucially, his marriage record of 1885 provides explicit documentation of his parentage: "Owen Hammel" and "Ann King"—confirming the connection to the Donaghmoyne parish in Ireland across generations.
Part I: A Wisconsin Childhood (1856–1876)
Henry Patrick was born on January 1, 1856, in Jamesville, Rock County, Wisconsin—though as with other early Irish records, "January 1" may represent a default date indicating the year rather than the precise day. He was the fourth child of Owen and Ann Hammel, and their younger son—his older brother James had been born in New York c. 1849 before the family moved west.
He was just two years old when his father Owen died on June 11, 1858, leaving his mother Ann a widow with four children: James (age 9), Mary (age 5), Henry Patrick (nearly 2), and infant Mary Anna (8 months). The 1865 guardianship records list him as "Patrick, age 11"—using his middle name, which appears in several early documents.
"He was born at Jamesville, Wisconsin, January 1, 1856, coming to Burt County at the age of twenty and living on the home farm south and east of Bancroft until the spring of 1920, when he moved to Bancroft."
The 1860 census, taken when Henry was four years old, shows the family in Center Township, Rock County. His mother Ann is listed as a widow, and Henry appears as "Patrick"—a naming practice that would shift over time as he came to use his first name "Henry" in adulthood.
By 1870, fourteen-year-old Henry (now listed by his first name) appears with his mother and siblings in Brooklyn Township, Green County, Wisconsin. The family had relocated from Rock County, perhaps using proceeds from the 1865 farm sale to John Loudon.
Part II: The Nebraska Pioneer (1876–1920)
Coming to Burt County
In 1876, at the age of twenty, Henry Patrick Hammel left Wisconsin and followed his family to Nebraska. He settled in Burt County, establishing himself on farmland "south and east of Bancroft" that he would work for the next forty-four years.
His mother Ann had already relocated to Nebraska by this time, settling in Tekamah with her daughter Mary Anna. His sister Mary Elizabeth had arrived in 1875 and would marry Edwin Bucklin in 1878. The Hammel siblings thus reunited in Nebraska, creating a family network across Burt and Cuming counties that would persist for generations.
Marriage to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Long
On October 26, 1885, Henry Patrick Hammel married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Mary Long at Lyons, Burt County, Nebraska. The marriage record is a crucial genealogical document, explicitly naming his parents as "Owen Hammel" and "Ann King"—providing direct documentary evidence linking Henry to his Irish-born parents.
Lizzie Long was born May 20, 1865, in Garrison, Iowa, making her nine years younger than Henry. She came to Burt County as a young woman, where she met the thirty-year-old farmer. They would be married for over forty years until Henry's death in 1926.
"She came to Burt county when a young woman and on October 26, 1885, she was married to Henry Hammel, also a Burt county pioneer, who preceded her in death in July, 1926."
Seven Children
Henry and Lizzie were blessed with seven children—four sons and three daughters—though one daughter died in infancy. By 1900, the census recorded that Lizzie had given birth to seven children, with six still living.
Children of Henry Patrick Hammel & Elizabeth "Lizzie" Long
Life on the Farm
For over four decades, Henry worked his farm southeast of Bancroft. The 1900 census shows him as a 44-year-old farmer with wife Lizzie (35) and children including Anna, William, Alice, Harry, Frank, and Albert. By 1910, the family remained on the farm, with Henry listed as 54, working his own land.
In the spring of 1920, after forty-four years on the home farm, Henry and Lizzie moved into the town of Bancroft itself. The 1920 census captures them there: Henry (65) as a farmer, Lizzie (55), with their son M.G. (23) still at home.
Lizzie's obituary provides a touching detail: "For many years the Hammels lived on their farm, 4 miles southeast of Bancroft, later moving to Bancroft, where they had since resided."
Part III: "Pioneer of Burt County Passes Away" (1926)
Henry Patrick Hammel died at three o'clock on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 1, 1926, at his home in Bancroft. He was seventy years old.
PIONEER OF BURT COUNTY PASSES AWAY
Henry Hammel of Bancroft, passed away at three o'clock Tuesday afternoon, July 1, 1926. He was born at Jamesville, Wisconsin, January 1, 1856, coming to Burt County at the age of twenty and living on the home farm south and east of Bancroft until the spring of 1920, when he moved to Bancroft.
He was united in marriage to Lizzie Long in 1885, to which union were born seven children, one of them preceding him in death. He was laid to rest in St. Joseph's cemetery, July 5. With his passing the community has lost another of those sturdy pioneers who have paved the way for the builders of a nation.
He is survived by the widow, Mrs. Lizzie Hammel, four sons, William, Harry, Frank and Albert, two daughters, Mrs. Anna Fuller of Walthill, and Mrs. Alice Grimes of Douglas, Arizona, and one sister, Mrs. Mary Bucklin of Bancroft.
The obituary's final line is genealogically significant: "one sister, Mrs. Mary Bucklin of Bancroft." This confirms that Mary Elizabeth Hammel Bucklin (Episode 2) was still living in 1926, and explicitly documents the sibling relationship. Mary would survive her brother by less than one year, dying in April 1927.
Henry was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Bancroft, on July 5, 1926, with a Catholic funeral service. His pink granite headstone, still standing, reads simply: "HENRY HAMMEL / 1856 — 1926."
Lizzie's Later Years
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Long Hammel survived her husband by nearly eight years. She passed away at her home in Bancroft on March 28, 1934, at the age of 68 years, 10 months, and 8 days. Her funeral was held at Holy Cross Catholic Church with Rev. Father Quinn officiating—the same Father Quinn who had officiated at Mary Bucklin's funeral in 1927.
Lizzie was buried beside Henry in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Her obituary provides important genealogical details, including her maiden name (Long), her birthplace (Garrison, Iowa), and confirmation that she left "twelve grandchildren." Her obituary also mentions she had "a brother, George Long, of Inavale, Nebr., and a sister, Mary, of Garrison, Iowa."
DNA Validation
Henry Patrick Hammel's descendants have been DNA tested and validated as part of the Donaghmoyne Network research. Matches have been confirmed through his daughter Rose Anna Hammel Fuller:
These DNA matches confirm the sibling relationships documented in the obituaries and provide biological evidence supporting the hypothesis that the Wisconsin Hammel family shared common ancestry with the Chicago Hamall family (Henry and Mary McMahon).
The naming pattern is noteworthy: Owen Hammel (Wisconsin) named his younger son "Henry Patrick"—the same first name as the Henry Hamall whose descendant settled in. This cross-use of names was common among siblings honoring each other, suggesting Owen and Henry Hamall may have been brothers.
Research Notes
The "Patrick" to "Henry" Name Shift
In early records (1860 census, 1865 guardianship), this individual appears as "Patrick." By 1870 and in all subsequent records, he appears as "Henry." This likely reflects the common Irish practice of using middle names interchangeably with first names. His marriage record of 1885 identifies him as "Henry Hammel," and this is the name used on his gravestone and in all obituaries.
The January 1 Birth Date
As noted in Episode 1, "January 1" dates in 19th-century records often represent a default entry indicating "sometime in this year" rather than an actual New Year's Day birth. Henry's obituary states he was born "January 1, 1856," but this should be understood as "circa 1856" unless corroborating evidence is found.
Connection to Sister Mary Bucklin
Henry's 1926 obituary explicitly names "one sister, Mrs. Mary Bucklin of Bancroft." This provides documentary proof of the sibling relationship between Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Episode 2). The fact that both lived in Bancroft and both were buried in Catholic cemeteries with Father Quinn officiating suggests they maintained close family ties throughout their adult lives.
Timeline
January 1: Born at Jamesville, Rock County, Wisconsin to Owen Hammel and Ann King (date may be approximate)
June 11: Father Owen Hammel dies; Henry is approximately 2 years old
Census: Listed as "Patrick" (age 4) with widowed mother Ann and siblings in Center Township, Rock County, Wisconsin
Listed as "Patrick, age 11" in mother Ann's guardianship petition; family farm sold to John Loudon
Census: Now listed as "Henry" (age 14) with mother and siblings in Brooklyn Township, Green County, Wisconsin
Emigrates to Nebraska at age 20; settles on farm "south and east of Bancroft" in Burt County
October 26: Marries Elizabeth "Lizzie" Mary Long at Lyons, Burt County, Nebraska; marriage record names parents as Owen Hammel and Ann King
Nebraska State Census: Henry (29) and Lizzie (21) appear in Leslie Precinct, Wayne County
Mother Ann (Nancy) King Hammel dies; buried Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Nebraska
Seven children born: Anna (c.1886), William (c.1888), Harry (c.1890), Alice (c.1891), Frank (c.1893), Albert (c.1895), and one daughter who died in infancy
Census: Henry (44), Lizzie (35), and six children on farm in Everett Township, Burt County; Lizzie reports 7 births, 6 living
Census: Henry (54), Lizzie (44), still farming in Everett Township with several children at home
After 44 years on the farm, Henry and Lizzie move into the town of Bancroft
July 1: Dies at 3:00 PM at home in Bancroft, age 70; buried St. Joseph's Cemetery July 5
April 12: Sister Mary Elizabeth Hammel Bucklin dies in Bancroft
March 28: Widow Lizzie Long Hammel dies at home in Bancroft, age 68; buried beside Henry in St. Joseph's Cemetery
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