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Ancestors and Descendants of
Michael Hammes, Jr & Margaretha Hammen
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m. 21 May 1946
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| Birth |
2 Nov 1946 |
Keokuk County Hospital, Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa  |
| Death |
25 Oct 1956 |
Auto/Train Accident, East of Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Burial |
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| Birth |
2 Nov 1946 |
Keokuk County Hospital, Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Death |
25 Oct 1956 |
Auto/Train Accident, East of Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Burial |
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Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Birth |
20 Feb 1948 |
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| Death |
25 Oct 1956 |
Auto/Train Accident, East of Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Burial |
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Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Birth |
22 Jul 1949 |
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| Death |
25 Oct 1956 |
Auto/Train Accident, East of Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Burial |
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Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Birth |
9 Aug 1950 |
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| Death |
25 Oct 1956 |
Auto/Train Accident, East of Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Burial |
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Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Birth |
4 Nov 1953 |
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| Death |
25 Oct 1956 |
Auto/Train Accident, East of Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Burial |
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Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Birth |
16 Jul 1955 |
Keokuk County Hospital, Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Death |
25 Oct 1956 |
Auto/Train Accident, East of Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Burial |
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Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Birth |
16 Jul 1955 |
Keokuk County Hospital, Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Death |
25 Oct 1956 |
Auto/Train Accident, East of Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa |
| Burial |
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Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County, Iowa |
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| Photos
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 | Funeral of the eight children of Richard and Ruth Hammes - 1956
Taken during the funeral of Ronnie & Donnie 9 yr old twins, Karen 8, Linda 7, Gary 6, Rosemary 3, Vicky & Ricky 1 yr old twins. The church could not hold all those attending. Notice all the people standing outside the church. Photo taken by Herbert I. Peiffer. |
 | Funeral of the eight children of Richard and Ruth Hammes - 1956
Photo taken by Herbert I. Peiffer |
 | Funeral of the eight children of Richard and Ruth Hammes - 1956
Photo taken by Herbert I. Peiffer |
 | Funeral of the eight children of Richard and Ruth Hammes - 1956
Starting with the priests at the left, you can see the procession of all the caskets to the cemetery. Ronnie & Donnie 9 yr old twins, Karen 8, Linda 7, Gary 6, Rosemary 3, Vicky & Ricky 1 yr old twins. Photo taken by Herbert I. Peiffer. |
| Histories |
 | Eight Children and a Train
The story of the tragic death of the eight children of Richard and Ruth Hammes in a car/train accident in 1956. |
| Albums |
| Eight Children and a Train (5)
The story of the tragic death of the eight children of Richard and Ruth Hammes in a car/train accident in 1956 |
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| Notes |
- BIRTHS
Sigourney Couple Have Second Set Of Twins
SIGOURNEY -- Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hammes of Sigourney, Iowa are the parents of twins born here, a boy and girl,
This the couple's second set of twins. They have two boys, 8 years old. The boy and girl were the first twins born at the Keokuk County Hospital.
SOURCE: The Cedar Rapids Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Friday, July 22, 1955
- FEW ON MEMORIAL DAY CARRY BURDEN OF RICHARD HAMMES
BY DAN PERKES
SIGOURNEY (AP)—The mournful wail of a train whistle rebounded off the rolling green hills surrounding this small southeastern Iowa town.
Richard Hammes, 49, swung his head toward the direction of the sound and murmured, “They’re blowing the whistle longer ever since the children…”
His voice trailed off in a whisper as he remembered a day back in October, 1956, when his world almost stopped. Among all who remember on this Memorial Day, few carry tragic recollection of the weight borne on Richard Hammes.
On October 25, four years ago, Mrs. Hammes was driving the family automobile toward a country schoolhouse when it collided with a Rock Island freight train at a blind crossing just northeast of their
home.
In the car with her were the Hammes’ eight children, 9 year old twins Ronnie and Donnie; Karen, 8; Linda, 7; Gary, 6; Rosemary, 3; and Rickie and Vicky, 1 year old twins.
SEVEN OF the children were killed outright in the crash. The eighth died a short time later at the county hospital in Sigourney.
Mrs. Hammes survived one of the worst traffic accidents in Iowa history.
More than a year later, the birth of a son, Myron, helped the Hammeses forget a bit about the tragic past.
They worked hard at rearing their son and building up the family business – wool, fur and hide buying and farming.
Then tragedy struck a second time.
Mrs. Hammes, 41, died last April 18 of a heart attack just before the scheduled birth to what would have been the Hammes’ second child of their new family.
“The doc said her heart was just too heavy with grieving about the children. It had to give.” Hammes said in a faltering voice. “She kept the grief all to herself. She never talked about what happened.”
HAMMES RECALLS the past like a man awakening from a frightening dream and wondering whether what he dreamed about could be real.Explained a sister, Mrs. Cleo Conklin:
“He doesn’t understand why he should have to bear it all. We don’t understand either. The answer is with God.”
Hammes, his neighbors say, has been making remarkable recovery for a man whose large family, once his life, has been cut down.
“Richard is a very strong man—both mentally and physically. That helps” one neighbor remarked. Hammes, his shock of red hair now flecked with gray, has found much of his gallantry for living in faith and prayer.
He finds solace from his sister-in-law, Sister M. Paulette of Pius XI high school of Milwaukee.In one of her most recent letters to Hammes, she wrote: “It seems being able to weep is the way God arranged it so that we poor mortals can get some relief from pain or sorrow.”
“….We look to God with trust and say, ‘You know best, God, your will be done. But please, God, don’t take any more—at least not for a long time.’ "
HAMMES ALSO finds solace among other members of his family, his friends and associates, all of whom are frequent visitors to the nine-room Hammes farmhouse.
Occasionally, Hammes, once nicknamed “Jolly Richard” joins in the laughter and merriment around the work shed or home. His mouth smiles. His eyes don’t.
He smiles most when he’s around his son, a sprightly 2 year-old. Hammes perhaps is a bit more doting than the average father.
“He’s going to take over the business one of these days. You’ll see” he said quietly. Then his eyes glistened with tears as he added:
“Ronnie would have been the fur buyer. Donnie the wool buyer…”
The sound of the train whistle carried over the lush hills to Sts Peter and Paul church, a small country parish located at Clear Creek, about 10 miles east of the Hammes place on Highway 92 about three miles east of Sigourney.
Next to the church is a small graveyard. Here the children and Mrs. Hammes are buried. Grass already has spread thickly over the youngsters large single grave. Tulips planted atop it are blooming.
A NEWLY-DUG mound next to the children’s is a poignant reminder of the latest tragedy in the life of Richard Hammes.
Perhaps Hammes finds some peace of mind in tranquil words inscribed on a memorial to the children in the same graveyard. They read:
“Now the Lord says, a voice is heard in Rama; it is Rachel weeping to her children and she will not be comforted for none is left; but thus He reassures thee: Sad eyes, weep no more; to their own possessions thy children shall return.” (Jeremiah 31:15).
SOURCE: Iowa City Press Citizen, Iowa City, Iowa, Monday, May 30, 1960
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