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| Mrs. Martha Hummel, E. Allan Hampton, Edith Hampton, Carrie Hampton, Mrs. Hannah Hampton. |
The Hampton family have lived in Frackville for many years. Ethan and Hannah Hampton were listed as living at 18 South Balliet Street on the first census taken in Frackville in 1880. An amusing story is remembered when Mr. and Mrs. Hampton and children, Joseph, Lloyd, Lenora, Ethan Allan, John and Harriet came up from Mahanoy Plane. They packed their valuables in a small black satchel and the children argued as to who was going to carry this satchel. They all walked to Frackville from Mahanoy Plane and, when they arrived here, they discovered that no one had the valuable black satchel which contained their life's savings! The black bag was left in Mahanoy Plane, and they had to go back to retrieve it! Mr. Hampton was a Quaker and it was against his faith to join the armed forces but he and his brother fought in the Civil War, and Ethan saw action at the three bloodiest battles of this war, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, and Antietam. Mr. and Mrs. Ethan Hampton were the paternal grandparents of Miss Edith Hampton who resides at 119 South Nice St.
The Hummel family have lived in Frackville for many years. Moses and Martha Hummel and children, Cora, Carrie, Charles and Irwin were listed as living on Balliet Street on the second census taken in Frackville in 1890. A sad story is remembered here because Moses Hummel was killed at the "Plane" in 1886 when he was 41 years old. Through the efforts of Rev. T. J. Bower of St. Peter's Reformed Church, several of the younger children were placed in the Bethany Home. Mrs. Hummel was one of the founders of St. Peter's Reformed Church. This church was organized on July 29, 1890, when the Rev. T. J. Bower, then located in St. Clair, and a number of Reformed people of town assembled in the home of Franklin Brown. The Rev. Bower was elected missionary in charge; Jonathan and William Roeder, elders; Lewis Miller, Adam Reed, Franklin Brown and James Roeder, deacons. A hall on Frack Street was rented, and the congregation worshipped there for almost two years.
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| Edith, Verna, Mr. and Mrs. E. Allan Hampton. |
This was known as Houghton's Hall and is now the Hartman Building. The Sunday School was organized in August 1890 with the following elected as officers: Lewis Miller, superintendent, and Jonathan Roeder, secretary. The Women's Aid Society was also organized during the same year. In the spring of 1892, a lot was purchased from William Haupt on the east side of South Nice Street and on May 6, 1892, ground was broken for the foundation of a new church. The cornerstone was laid on June 5, 1892. Ministers who participated on this occasion were the Revs. Robert O'Boyle, 0. H. Strunk, and A. R. Bartholomew and Bower, assisted by Revs. S. S. Kohler, O. H. Strunk and A. R. Bartholomew, took part in the service. The Rev. Kohler preached the sermon. This church was later dismantled and a new church was built to the rear of this site. Mr. and Mrs. Moses Hummel were the maternal grandparents of Miss Edith Hampton.
E. Allan and Carrie Hampton have lived in Frackville for many years. Mr. Hampton was carpenter at East Bear Ridge Colliery. His hobby was wood carving, and I admired many hand-carved items which he made. Handmade wooden rolling pins, trays, cutting boards, cradles, tool boxes and baby rattles were some of the items beautifully carved. He made the gavel presented to Mr. W. R. Trautman when he was a 33rd degree mason and also the gavel presented to Mr. Drumm, Superintendent of the Frackville Schools. The gavel presented to the Grand Master of the Blue Lodge in the State of Pennsylvania and two gavels presented to the president and vice- president of the State Police of Pennsylvania were also handmade by Mr. Hampton. No two gavels were alike. The hardwood floors in this house were designed and laid by Mr. Hampton and are the finest I have seen. Each room of the house has a different designed hardwood floor. Mr. and Mrs. E. Allan Hampton were the parents of Miss Edith Hampton.
Miss Verna Hampton was born in Frackville and attended the Frackville Schools. She graduated in 1917 and then attended Beckley College at Harrisburg. She first taught at Brockport, Penna., for several years before teaching Frackville Schools. She taught all subjects in the Commercial Course and in later years taught Gregg Shorthand. She was director of the Tri-Hi-Y Club for many years before it was combined with the Hi-Y Club sponsored by Mr. Charles Wagner in 1949. At the age of three months, Miss Hampton was stricken with spinal meningitis and was slightly handicapped. She was very prolific in her crochet and embroidery work. Many of these items are displayed throughout the house. She travelled extensively throughout the United States and has a beautiful collection of bells which she collected as she visited each place. These are on display at her home. Miss Verna Hampton passed away on February 3, 1970.
Miss Edith Hampton was born in Frackville and attended the Frackville Schools. She graduated in 1920 and attended Bloomsburg State Teachers College. She taught the elementary grades in the Frackville School District, her first class consisting of 66 pupils of the fifth and sixth grades in the Lincoln School. She recalled shopping with her grocery basket at the A&P Store which was located on the corner of Balliet and Frack Streets at that time. She has motored and travelled through every state in the United States except Alaska and has collected many souvenir spoons from each place visited. These spoons are displayed in her living room which is tastefully furnished with furniture purchased from Weaver, the furniture man, who was located at 25 South Lehigh Avenue many years ago. In 1974, Miss Hampton was presented with an oil painting which was painted by Rev. West for 65 years of perfect attendance in the Sunday School of St. Peter's United Church of Christ.
I have the yearbook from 1920, and the Prophecy of the Class of 1920 read: "Edith Hampton, a very demure girl, will become a distinguished school teacher because of her ability in that line." And she has!
Miss Edith Hampton is now enjoying retirement in the home that has been in her family for the past 76 years at 119 South Nice Street.