I am Leonard David (Dave) Hamm, third son of Thomas Perry (Hully) Hamm and his wife Catherine.  Daddy was born in
Mulberry, Alabama in 1906; and my two older brothers, Donald Perry Hamm and Thomas R. Hamm, and I were all born in
southern California.

My father, Thomas Perry Hamm went to California in 1928, to join his 1/2 brother, “W.A.” McAuther, in the printing business in
the Ontario, California area.  Daddy had some years of printing experience prior to his move to California. Correspondence
between him and my yet to be mother convinced her and her parents to move to Californina as well, and also provided
employment for my Grandfather, Vane David Hotchkiss.  My middle name is from him.

I do recall many stories told by my father, and he would often tell of his journey in his Hupmobile across the Southern
California desert.  I believe that was when the road was wooden planks across the sand.  I also recall him saying that he could
have bought all of Palm Springs for dollars; but he also said that nobody had much money!

In the mid-1980’s, my wife spent many hours in the archives of the Mormon church located in San Francisco researching the
Hamm name. One of the interesting things she found out was that my grandfather’s name, Robert Solomon Ham, had only
one "M", whereas my father utilized two. Several months later we told Daddy of this discovery of the one “M”.  He recalled that
his father had been married several times and that his mother had added a second “M” to have a difference in her children
and all the others.

I do not believe that my father or mother returned to the Alabama area until 1965 when they visited me in the USAF in Texas,
and traveled on to the area of both their heritage.

I remember well Aunt “Ollie”, she was one of my favorites.  I do recall that Aunt Ollie visited us once in the late '40’s or early
'50’s when I was very young.  Every year at Christmas she would send Daddy a bag of "stone ground" corn meal, and
unshelled pecans.  This present was prized by both him and my Mother.  I remember Daddy telling of Aunt Ollie living in a
house with dirt floors, but he always emphasized that it was clean.

Aunt Ollie’s son was injured in a logging accident in Alabama in the mid ‘50’s, subsequently developed cancer and came to
Los Angeles, City of Hope (Duarte), for treatment.  I believe that she traveled with him for his treatment, and that was her
second trip to California.

I do not recall the dates, somewhere in the late '70’s or early '80’s, Daddy and Ma-ma traveled back to the deep south –
Alabama & Mississippi – for a trip; and Daddy found a potter that was in the same location as his fathers pottery shop. He
bought each of us a "spittoon" made out of the clay from there. I still have mine!

I have a video that a friend of mine made of my Mother telling the story of her and my Father’s life. Her mind was still strong
and accurate. I am currently getting it put onto a DVD.
February 27, 2006
This is a photo of the pottery spittoon purchased in the late 1970's or early 1980's and referenced above.
Dimensionally, it is about 7 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 inches tall.  It was probably made by the Miller
family who still operate a pottery business in the Sprott area -- now located a couple of miles north of
Heiberger, Alabama on Alabama Highway 5.
Marv Hamm's Genealogy Home Page
Dave Hamm

a few family recollections