CAPT. D. E. HAMMOND
A Noted Cape Cod Life Saver,Rescued
24 Persons from Drowning
Capt Darius E Hammond of Chatham has a record of saving 24 persons from drowning,yet he wears no medals,for he takes life saving as a matter of course.
Capt. Hammond has always followed the sea.He was born in Chatham and at the age of 10 shipped as cabin boy of the fishing schooner Abbie,bound to the Grand Banks.He followed the fishing fleet for eight years,then going into the coasting trade with Capt Ebbin Harding in the schooner George W Moore.
"All this time," said Capt Hammond "I saved every cent possible and in 1861 was able to buy a schooner for myself."
Her name was the Village Belle.
"On my first trip, anchored in the harbor of New Haven,a whale boat filled with soldiers was struck by a heavy squall.I thought it would blow the mast out of my craft and we were dragging anchor.The whaleboat suddenly turned over and spilled the soldiers into the water. I ran forward,slipped the chain,shouted for the crew to break out the mainsail,ran aft, grabbed the wheel,and kept the schooner up for the fast sinking men.We had a hard time for the wind kicked up a nasty sea,but in just ten minutes from the time I saw that the boat tip over we had those 11 soldiers down in the cabin bringing them around,and every one lived.
"That was May 25, 1861,and I never got even a letter of thanks from the government.

The next time I saved two lives. I was anchored between Chester House landing and Hadder landing in Connecticut. I was working on the rigging,forward,when I heard a splash and cries from the ferryboat. I saw a man and a woman tangled up with a horse and a wagon drifting down stream. I jumped into the dory and pulled out into the stream.Now, you bet, I had a hard job getting those two out of the water and clear from the team,but I did and landed them safe on the Chester side of the river.
"I learned afterward that the horse had taken fright on the ferry and backed off in midstream.
"I never learned the names of the couple I rescued,and never got so much as a 'thank you'.
On August 28, 1864,I was at anchor in Orient, Long Island when a small sloop came in from outside.Just as she round to I heard the cry 'Man over-board'.
" I jumped into my dory and pulled for a man who was floundering in the water. When I reached the sloop the man had sunk.
" I shouted to the man on board to throw the bluefish drail and I would try to get the body before the sharks did.
"I watched until I saw bubbles come up, then threw the drail and the second shot caught him in the shirt and I pulled him aboard.
"That was a Tuesday afternoon at 6 o'clock, and he did not come up until Thursday morning at 11 o'clock, and I worked over him about all that time.
"That man was Mit Russell of South Manchester, Mass.
"On August 29,1865,while sailing down the Connecticut River, I found two men clinging to the bottom of a rowboat.I did not have much trouble in saving them, but had to turn around and take them back to land, and they never even told me their names or said 'Thank you' for the job.
"On October 15,1869,while at harbor in New Bedford harbor. I was awakened about two o'clock in the morning by the shouts of a woman calling for help. I pulled on a a pair of trousers and rushed on deck just in time tos ee a small boat,bottom up,go floating by with two men clinging to it.You bet I was not long getting my small boat over the side and jumping into her. Then I pulled for the poor fellows on the boat. I had a hard time getting them into my boat,for both men were exhausted and so frightened I was afraid they would upset me, but I managed to get them in and landed them on Child's dock. No names;no thanks.
"But the worst experience I ever had was on the morning of August 28,1888. I was leaving Hyannis harbor. The wind was blowing hard and in streaks. Just as I got about halfway to Bishop and Clarks lighthouse I noticed a small catboatbeating back into Hyanis.By the looks of the man at the wheel did not know how to handle her,as she had too much sail and was laboring in bad shape.
"Suddenly the boat made a lurch and went over.
"The place where the boat turned over was full of rocks and shoal water,but when I saw three women and children in the water I told the man at the wheel to hard down and run for the people in the water. Never mind the rocks and shoul water;either one of those lives is worth more than the old hulk of this craft.'
"I jumped into the skiff and when the schooner rounded to I pulled into the fighting mass of nine drowning people. I told them to hold on to the sides of the skiff but not to dare to try and get in as that would swmap her and we all would be drowned.
"I saved five, and Daniel Hathaway of Hyannisport came down with his little catboat Avis and saved two.There were two drowned , a boy and a girl.
"I only know three of those I saved,George Barbard and William H Lewis of Boston and Stella Hallett of Hyannis."



Publication: Hyannis Patriot; Date: Feb 24, 1908; Section: None; Page: 4

additional information courtesy of RJensen in the forums
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Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915
Name: Darius E. Hammond
Titles & Terms:
Event: Marriage
Event Date: 10 Jul 1856
Event Place: Chatham, Massachusetts
Gender: Male
Age: 21
Marital Status:
Race:
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Marriage Registration Year:
Marriage Registration Place:
Estimated Birth Year: 1835
Father: Calvin Hammond
Father's Titles & Terms:
Mother:
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Spouse: Helen M. Clark
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Marital Status:
Spouse's Father: Samuel Clark
Spouse's Father's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Mother:
Spouse's Mother's Titles & Terms:
Record Number: 15
Film Number: 1433014
Digital Folder Number: 4279214
Image Number: 00567

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Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915
Name: Darius E Hammond
Titles & Terms:
Event: Marriage
Event Date: 19 Jan 1902
Event Place: Chatham, Massachusetts
Gender: Male
Age: 66
Marital Status: Widowed
Race:
Birth Date:
Birthplace: Chatham
Marriage Registration Year:
Marriage Registration Place:
Estimated Birth Year: 1836
Father: Calvin Hammond
Father's Titles & Terms:
Mother: Deborah Eldridge
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Spouse: Lydia E Allen Hammond
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Marital Status: Widowed
Spouse's Father: Eastur Allen
Spouse's Father's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Mother: Tabitha Kelley
Spouse's Mother's Titles & Terms:
Record Number: 82
Film Number: 2057535
Digital Folder Number: 4332427
Image Number: 00151
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1880 United States Federal Census
Name: Darius Hammond
Home in 1880: Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1835
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)
Spouse's Name: Helen M. Hammond
Father's birthplace: Massachusetts
Mother's birthplace: Massachusetts
Occupation: Master Mariner
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
Darius Hammond 45
Helen M. Hammond 43
Calvin D. Hammond 23 son
Stillman W. Hammond 18 son
Carrie B. Hammond 12 daughter
Myra G. Hammond 10 daughter
Susie W. Hammond 3 daughter
Hannah G. Hammond 1 daughter
**
1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Darius E Hammond
Home in 1900: Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Age: 62
Birth Date: Jul 1837
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relationship to head-of-house: Head
Father's Birthplace: Massachusetts
Mother's Birthplace: Massachusetts
Spouse's Name: Helen M Hammond
Marriage year: 1858
Marital Status: Married
Years married: 42
Household Members: Name Age
Darius E Hammond 62
Helen M Hammond 62
Stillman C Hammond 37 son
Hannah G Hammond 21 daughter
Bethiah Crowell 72 Boarder
**
1910 United States Federal Census
Name: Lydia E Hammond
Age in 1910: 68
Estimated Birth Year: 1842
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Father's Birth Place: Massachusetts
Mother's Birth Place: Massachusetts
Spouse's Name: Daris E Hammond
Home in 1910: Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Female
Household Members: Name Age
Daris E Hammond 74
Lydia E Hammond 68
**
additional information courtesy of greyfox in the forums.