ERNEST HAMMEL (d. 1919)

Notes from Two Rivers:
Ernst Hammel, a pioneer resident of this city died on Wednesday.
Deceased was 84 years of age. He came to Two Rivers in 1852 with
his parents and has since resided here. He learned the butcher's
trade in his father's market and for many years conducted a meat
market. For a number of years he was engaged in the fishing business
and operated a steam tug and large outfit of nets. He is survived
by a son, William, manager of the Two Rivers Delivery Company and
two daughters, Mrs. William Kahlenberg and Mrs. Frank Kaufman.
Manitowoc Pilot, Thurs., Dec. 18, 1919
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[Ernst Hammel]
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Old Timers
The Old Timers column will be continued as long as we find the persons who have
a vivid recollection of the early days and who are entitled to recognition as
Old Timers by having lived in this vicinity previous to 1856.
ERNST HAMMEL (sic)
Few of the "Old Timers" who settled here from the old country came over with
their parents. Ernst Hammel came to America from Germany with his parents and
four other children. Ernst was the youngest being 13 years of age. He says there
were 164 Germans and 800 Irishmen on the ship in which they came and it required
five weeks and four days to make the journey.
His father was anxious that the boys should have the advantage of the better
opportunities offered by the land of promise across the seas and desired that
the boys should embark on the journey alone, but they refused to leave their
parents behind them and so the father and mother came along. They reached here
in August, 1852.
After a year or two, Mr. Hammel's father engaged in the butcher business. He had
learned the trade from his father who likewise had fallen heir to it from his
father. As Ernst also learned the trade and his son, William, is now conducting
the same business and has sons who have acquired the trade; there are six
generations of butchers in the Hammel family.
Ernst worked in the fishing business a few years before he helped his father
conduct the meat market. There were two other butchers in town, namely, Henry
Nienstedt and Albert Kahlenberg when the Hammels began.
Oxen furnished much of the meat in the early days. Oxen were used without exception
in the lumbering operations. Mr. Hammel can remember of only one horse that could
be hired in town and that was owned by Philip Kurtz. Horses were scarce.
After his father's death, Mr. Hammel conducted the meat market alone and later
engaged also in the fishing business. He operated three fish tugs, the Commodore
Nut, The Carrie Currens and the Julia Hammel. About 10 years ago he sold out his
fishing business to Luebke Bros.
He continued to conduct his meat market a few years and about five years ago retired
from active life disposing of the business to his son, William. Mrs. Hammel, his
wife, died at the age of seventy-five. He is in excellent health and is a large and
powerful looking man. He has a "double" living on a farm 20 miles north of here by
the name of August Messman. He and Mr. Hammel are close friends. Mr. Messman looks
much like Mr. Hammel being also of large stature and is nearly the same age. For the
past month, Messman has been very ill. Mr. Hammel went up to take care of him and
nursed his "double" through the worst of his illness for over two weeks. He arrived
home a week ago.
Two Rivers Reporter, Sat., July 12, 1913
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WELL KNOWN OLD RESIDENT IS GONE
Ernst Hammel, Aged Eighty-Four Passed Away at His Home on Wednesday
Arrived Here in 1852
Served as Alderman and City Treasurer; Identified with Fishing Industry
After being confined to his home for several weeks with illness and
weakness incident to old age, Ernst Hammel, one of the oldest residents
and earliest settlers in Two Rivers passed away Wednesday at the age of
eighty-four at the home of his son, William. (photo)
Decedent came to Two Rivers in 1852 with his parents when a lad of 17.
He has resided here ever since. He early learned the butcher business at
his father's meat market and succeeded his father in the business. He
later engaged in fishing, operating three tugs, the Commodore Nut,
Carrie Currens and Julia Hammel. Selling out his fishing interests to
Luebke Bros., he again conducted a meat market, finally retiring from
business in 1908.
He held offices of trust and honor in the city serving three years as
city treasurer and later as alderman. He was also chief of the city Fire
Department for a tie. The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon at two
o'clock under auspices of the Masonic order of which he was long a
member. Services will be held at the lodge room. Mr. Hammel leaves a
son, William, manager of the Two Rivers Delivery Co., and two daughters,
Mrs. Frank Kaufman and Mrs. William Kahlenberg, besides a number of
grandchildren.
The Reporter, Thurs., Dec. 11, 1919