John E. Hamm
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Doctor John E. Hamm was an American US Army colonel, doctor and later politician, diplomat and industrialist.
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[edit] Early life
John E. Hamm was born 31 May 1776 in Kent Co., near Dover, Delaware.
His father and grandfather were both members of the Kent Co. Delaware Committee of Observation and Inspection during the American Revolution.
He moved to Ohio in 1808, at the end of the 10 years required for his administration of his father's estate.
[edit] Medical and Military Career
John Hamm earned his medical degree from Medical College of Philadelphia (which, after being know under various names, eventually became part of the University of Pennsylvania).
He went on to practice medicine in both Dover and Philadelphia.
During the War of 1812 he held the rank of Colonel and was in charge of the hospital that treated the wounded from the Battle of Lake Erie. He was also at the Battle of the Thames.
He practiced and taught medicine in Zanesville, Ohio and Chillicothe, Ohio, and operated a pharmacy in Zanesville Ohio.
When the State Capital was in Zanesville he became a member of the first Board for the Examination of Physicians and Surgeons in the State of Ohio.
[edit] A Democratic or Democratic-Republican Politician
Both his father (John Hamm Sr.) who was a political adherent of Caesar Rodney and his maternal grandfather Immanuel Stout were involved in politics and government.
He first became involved in Ohio politics when the State Capital was at Chillicothe, and moved with it when the Capital changed to Zanesville, then moved back to Chillicothe when the State Capital returned there. During much of that time he was a member of a branch of the Ohio Legislature (he was a member of the Ohio Senate the 2d time it was in Chillicothe).
After he returned from Chilicothe he served a term as Mayor of Zanesville.
He appears to have been a member of the Van Horne faction of the Democratic-Republican party at that time.
He later was head of his own faction in Ohio politics.
[edit] Marshall of Ohio
Following his service in the War of 1812 (actually while the conflict was still active), he was appointed Marshall of Ohio.
He was in charge of the taking of the US 1820 Census in the State of Ohio.
[edit] Diplomatic career
He was appointed Minister to Chile under President Andrew Jackson.
He negotiated the first US trade treaty with Chile, under which our representative to that country was elevated to the rank of Ambassador.
[edit] Pioneer Ohio Industrialist
In 1815 he and his father in law, Gen. Isaac Van Horne, founded the White Glass Company of Zanesville, Ohio. This type of company was notoriously difficult to maintain as an enterprise, however White Glass Co. existed well into (and in some form well beyond) the 1820s through several owners and under several names.
The White Glass Company is perhaps best known for producing (now highly collectible) Bottles.
[edit] Sources
Y Bridge City "The Story of Zanesville and Muskingum County, Ohio". Norris F. Schneider, The World Publishing Co., 1950.
Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: 1956
Index of US Marshals 1789-1960. Virgil D. White, Waynesboro Tenn: National Historical Publishing Co., 1988.
"Hamm and Allied Families". Joseph M. Brumbley Sr., Wilmington DE: 1981, 380 pp.
