John Hammond
John Hammond was a 17th-century figure known for his contributions to early American literature and politics. Born in the early 1600s and originally from England, he immigrated to the American colonies, spending significant time in Virginia and Maryland. In 1652, he was elected as a burgess in Virginia, but his political views and reputation led to a quick dismissal from this position. In 1656, Hammond published "Leah and Rachel: Or, The Two Fruitful Sisters Virginia and Maryland," a pamphlet aimed at depicting life in the colonies. Following his dismissal, he relocated to Maryland, where he briefly operated an inn but faced challenges during the Puritan takeover. After returning to England, he wrote pamphlets addressing the political struggles in Maryland. Eventually, Hammond returned to America, where he dealt with legal issues but managed to see some restoration of his reputation before his death in 1663, continuing to leave an impact through his written works.
On this Page
Subject Terms
John Hammond
- Born: c. 1610
- Birthplace: Unknown
- Died: March 1, 1663
- Place of death: Unknown
Biography
Very little is known about Hammond’s childhood, though it is known that he was born in the early 1600’s, and immigrated to the United States. He apparently spent many years early on in both the colonies of Virginia and Maryland. In 1652, he was elected to the position of burgess, and he was dismissed by the Assembly of Virginia almost instantly. While the dismissal was blamed on his poor reputation and behavior, it was in fact due to his unpopular political views.
In 1656, Hammond published Leah and Rachel: Or, The Two Fruitful sisters Virginia and Mary-land, a pamphlet which did its best to accurately portray life in the America. After his dismissal, Hammond moved to Maryland. While there, he opened an inn, a job that was also short-lived. When the Puritans took control of Maryland in 1655, Hammond once again found himself in an untenable position as innkeeper. Hammond returned to Virginia, and later slipped away to England.
When in England, Hammond took to writing pamphlets such as Hammond versus Heamans which covered the struggles in Maryland, and Leah and Rachel. Eventually Hammond returned to America, where he lived facing legal disputes and other such problems. Hammond continued to live in Maryland until his death in 1663, yet not until some of his reputation was restored in the courts.