Peter (Hulme\Ham) Hamm Notes from Lois Jenkins (Clements researcher):
Peter HAMM was born abt 1750, died 26 May 1834 (St. Luke's Anglican Burials, died age 83). He married 9 Feb 1794 in Clements Township, Elizabeth Baker (Trinity Anglican Marriages -- she probably was a daughter of Christopher Baker, a Clements grantee). She was buried 27 Jan 1848, age 76 (Clements Anglican Burials).
Notes for Peter Hamm:
According to Merz: Hessians in Nova Scotia, he wa born in Aulenbach, Germany, sailed to America in 1781 as a Private in 3 Company of the Waldeck Regiment, was transferred to 5 Company in 1782, released at Flatbush, NY on 15 Jul 1783, was settled on the Waldeck Line in Clements Township. He appears on the Bear River Muster Roll in 1784 as one person; was granted Lot #12, 100 acres, on the Waldeck Line.
Children of Peter & Elizabeth:
1. Nancy, bpt 19 Apr 1795 (Trinity Anglican Baptisms), m. 10 Sep 1818 Jacob Weiland (St. Luke's Anglican Marriages)
2. Charlotte, bpt 25 Jun 1797 (Trinity), bur. 31 Jan 1862 (Clements) unm
3. Daniel, bpt 18 Aug 1799 (Trinity), d. 1 Nov 1868, Waldeck (Anna. Co. Deaths), m. Rachel Snider/Snyder.
4. Peter, bpt 11 Oct 1801 (Trinity), bur St. Edward's Cemetery, Clementsport, 10 Apr 1893 (Clements), m. 25 Aug 1831, Mary/Margaret PECK(St. Luke's - likely d/o Jacob Peck)
5. Elizabeth, bpt 8 Nov 1803 (Trinity), d. 3 Apr 1877(Clements), m Joseph Rawding
6. Possibly Mary, b. abt 1806 who m 1 Oct 1829 William Beals
-------------------- MY NOTES ----------------------
Some notes likely originated from the work of John H. Merz, a Hessian Loyalist Researcher who has written books on the subject and has been very helpful with my work on the Loyalist connections. Other notes taken from quick web searches on the subject of the Waldeck Service.
Waldeck Service (Prince of Waldeck's Regiments) Hessians came from six principalities. Amongst these were the soldiers of the Prince of Waldeck. (Peter was of the 3rd Regiment, initially, then transferred to the 5th, later on)
Britain signed treaties with the following German principalities6 to obtain the following number of regular troops to fight side by side with the British troops against the American rebels:
1) Frederick II, Landgrave of Hessen-Kassel 16,992
2) His son Wilhelm, independent Count of Hessen-Hanau 2,422
3) Charles I, Duke of Brunswick 5,723
4) Frederick, Prince of Waldeck 1,225
5) Charles Alexander, Margrave of Anspack-Bayreuth 2,353
6) Frederick, August of Anholt-Zerbst 1,160
Total Number of Troops 29,875
Because the largest number of troops were from Hessen-Kassel and Hessen-Nassau (19,414), the German soldiers were generally referred to as 'Hessians.' But in actual fact, as is shown above, the troops came from six different principalities. These soldiers were regular military units, bound by a loyalty oath and paid by their principality leader. There was no
personal bargaining with the British War Office, by the individual soldiers involved. Thus, the common designation of 'Hessian Mercenaries' for these troops is incorrect.
Now... HERE'S a longshot!
ON a website for Zander-Peppers Connections...
Peter Hamm, married Maria Louis Hilles, had a son, Johann Nickel Hamm, b. 13-Sep-1773, Aulenbach, Rheinland, Germany. Said Peter was the s/o Wilhelm Hamm. Maria was b. 21-Dec-1744, Aulenbach. She married, 2nd, to Johan Adam Mathes, on 23-May-1775, at Aulenbach. COULD this indicate Peter had been married in Germany, prior to coming to fight in the colonies at the behest of his 'prince?' Might his wife have married a 2nd time, feeling abandoned by Peter? Or, did the Peter SHE married die prior to 1775? He was born circa 1750 at
Aulenbach, Germany. He emigrated in 1781 from
Germany to American Colonies, possibly New York. He married
Elizabeth 'Bessie' Baker, daughter of
Christopher or Samuel Baker and
Mrs. Baker, on 9 February 1794 at
Trinity Anglican Church, Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada. Peter (Hulme\Ham) Hamm died on 26 May 1834 at
Clements, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Canada.