Ernie Hammer is a long time Kiowa County Press contributor. This story is written by Ernie’s Aunt Liz, Elizabeth Katherine (Hammer) Smith Benatti, based on her memories and family research. The story begins in Germany with Oswald Hammer and Margarethe Marie von Barsewisch, Liz’s parents. Liz passed away at the age of 104. She was living at the Kohart Home in Kit Carson at the time of her death. Part 27 can be read here.

Pap Hammer

Oswald stayed in Colorado Springs much of the time.  He knew nothing about farming; nor did he want to learn.  His preaching days were over.  He left his post office clerk job in Colorado Springs for Denver’s head post office in the west to become an interpreter and translator; then on to Washington D.C. where he held a similar position.  He also had to teach apprentices the how of interpreting and translation.  This position he resigned soon because of the climate in Washington D.C.  He got pleurisy.  The pleurisy became so painful with each breath; he was not able to continue his life in Washington D.C.

His life on the farm, what short time he stayed, was very unpleasant for all.  He would ride his bike out to the farm 17 miles of rutty or sandy trails until he came to the farm demanding care, food and rest.  When he was recuperating the older boys would ask for help.  He would either try and get hurt, or just say, “I’m not learned on that part of farming.”  So often it was unpleasant so mother had the boys hitch the teams to wagons, load the bicycle on one of the wagons and send him back to town, where the boys picked up some more of their father’s findings.

Often when Greta had business in Colorado Springs for all day, she would take Fritz and Gerhart, then leave Oswald at the homestead to guide and help with the agenda for the day.  Oh, what a mess, even as she drove in sight of the place, she could see part of the disaster - cows were in the corn.  Mother Greta was becoming very vexed and entering the house she heard the organ music.  For an instant she held the hand of the screen door and bowed her head and with hands over her head she entered the house.  There was Oswald singing to high heaven and the big boys, Martin, Paul and Ted, seated on the floor to the right of the organ.

Margarethe said not much.  Looking at Oswald, “What goes on?” and never wasting a breath continued, “Oswald you have time to ride your bike back to town yet tonight.”  Then, looking sternly at the boys, “Now notice the time, start from there and do your work.  Ted, you chase the cows from the corn patch and put them in the cow corral even though it is early”.  The little ones now were helping Fritz and Gerhart with the unloading and unhitching the team.  

In the meantime, the two girls were given the job of piling up the music sheets and books and putting things right in the room.  Pap, however, feeling no rejection at all came up with, did things not go well. “We better get the children together – today at this time where shall we pray, under the trees?  Or perhaps in the cool cellar where you can enjoy a glass of buttermilk?”

Just then Greta turned to him and said, “Oswald, why do you come out and never understand that work on a farm must go like any other job but longer, sunup to sundown.”  And she stared at him shaking her head.  After that the discussions were in German.  As time went by, they gave each other the silent treatment over the next years with only a few harsh or brief messages carried from letters received from Germany, or a bit of farm news from farmer neighbors he’d meet at the corner of Nevada Ave. and Colorado Ave.  

Next week – Pap Hammer (continued)

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