John Hammer

Based on subsequent information, John Hammer was born after 1755 and was said to have been from England. We seek defining information on his origins and path to Albany.

Sometime after 1790, he is said to have established a printing business in Albany with Thomas Smith Webb. At that time, Hammer was said to have been active in the Masonic "Lodge of Antiquiety" of London. He is said to have brought the seminal Masonic work from England to Albany in 1793. He was a member and officer of the Albany Masonic lodge and is said to have taught Webb and thought to have influenced Webb's Masonic adaptations. Perhaps he was in Boston with Webb at a masonic gathering in 1797. At that time, he was identified as the secretary of his Lodge.

In July 1796, he witnessed an estate-related agreement created in Albany.

In 1799, his house and lot in the first ward was assessed moderately. He also owned a lot located in the South End in conjunction with John Pye.

In 1800, his second ward household included only a man and a woman of Hammer's general age.

Traditional sources agree that Hammer came to Albany in 1793 and remained for seven years. After 1800, his name has not been recovered duiring our sweep of subsequent community-based records or from our latest search of IRS in June 2012. Our task is complicated by the existence of same-named contemporaries. Consequently, we move on for now still seeking information on his family life, Albany-specific activities, later life, and passing.

Sources: The life of John Hammer is CAP biography number 8326. This sketch is derived chiefly from community-based and Masonic resources - the latter being unverifiable at this point.