George Francis Hammond

  General Notes:

George Francis Hammond was one of the fine fiddle players in Kershaw County, South Carolina. His fiddle was made by Cecero Denton, who was a master craftsman with his pocket knifr. Yank Hammond would be away from home sometimes two or three days playing for a dance in Camden, South Carolina. And at times he would return home very full of sprits. One night of January 26, 1891, his wife heard a moan outside the house and went to see what it was. There was Yank on his horse, half frozen. His boots were filled with water and frozen to his feet. The horses main and tail were frozen. His wife Nancy Denton Hammond took him in the house and began to thaw him out. He was so near death from this ordeal that he promised God that if he would let him pull through, he would never take another drink. Written in his family Bible in his own writing is:
"I George Francis Hammond taken my last drink on January 26, 1891."

George married Nancy Elizabeth "Nannie" Denton, daughter of William Cox Denton and Mary A. Copeland, on 19 Oct 1879. (Nancy Elizabeth "Nannie" Denton was born on 19 Feb 1862 in Kershaw Co., SC, USA, died on 19 Dec 1929 in Kershaw Co., SC, USA and was buried in Beaver Creek Baptist Church.)