Lemuel Olmstead Hammond was born in Vernon, Tolland County, Connecticut, the son of Eli Hammond and Olivia Howard.  The family moved and eventually ended up at Batavia, Genesee County, New York.  An interesting note about Lemuel's middle name of "Olmstead".  Eli's mother died when he was just 7 years old.  His father immediately remarried Eleanor Olmstead.  She must have been a good stepmother because son Eli then named his son "Lemuel Olmstead" in honor of her.

Lydia Richmond was born in Batavia, Genesee County, New York on 03 March 1811.  Her parents are unknown at this time.

Somehow they met, perhaps at a church function and were married on 02 May 1830.  I have found no record of their marriage as of yet, other than through some local histories, but I believe they were probably married in Batavia.

The first documentation I have on them after being married is the transcription of the Putnam Settlement Cemetery in Bethany New York.  In it is the tombstone of their first son.  It reads "Leverett Hammond, son of Lemuel and Lydia Hammond, died October 2, 1832, aged 1 year, 1 month."  We know that their next and final son, Charles, was born in Batavia on 21 March 1839.

The next documentation I found is a listing in a Genesee County New York county history, which states that Lemuel O Hammond was a Batavia town collector in 1839.  [Could this be some kind of tax collector, perhaps?].  In 1840, Lemuel is listed as head of household in the federal population census of that year.   In the household are a male age 30-39 (Lemuel), a female age 20-29 (Lydia), a male under age 5 (son Charles) and two other unidentified females age 15-19, and 20-29.   Perhaps these ladies were sisters of either Lemuel or Lydia.

In the spring of 1844, they decided to move to Michigan and ended up in Florence Township of  St. Joseph County.  I don't know exactly why they moved.  I do know that there was a general migration trend from New York to Michigan, which mostly had to do with federal lands being opened up for purchase.  Families often migrated together and that also appears to be the case here.  Two of Lemuel's sisters married Amassa Daniels.   Olivia was his first wife and when she died in 1831, he remarried her sister, Sophia Hammond.  In 1836, his family settled in Florence Township.   Reports about the good land must have gone back to New York, so that by 1844, Lemuel decided to move for a better life.  By the 1845 Michigan state census, they are listed as living in Florence Township, along with Amasa and Frederick Daniels.  On the 1850 federal population census schedule, they are still living in Florence Township.

In 1856, the family moved to Constantine.   In 1857 and 1858, I have found newspaper articles listing L.O. Hammond as a member of the "St. Joseph Co. Mutual Protection Association Against Horse Thieves".   He joined this organization for $1.00.  Interestingly, the membership fee in 1857 was $1.00.  By 1858, the fee was raised to $3.00.  Apparently horse thieves were indeed a problem and there must have been considerable expenses incurred in trying to retrieve the stolen horses of its members.   Also in 1858, L.O. Hammond is listed on the index to the 1858 St. Joseph County, Michigan Atlas as owning land in Constantine in sections 15 and 22.

 In 1860, his family is listed on the federal population census schedule in Constantine. Living in the household were Lemuel and Lydia, their son Charles, but also two twin girls Isabel and Arabel Richmond.  I believe that these girls are related in some way to Lydia, but I don't know exactly yet.   It is possible that their parents had died and Lemuel and Lydia raised them.   This is supported in that later in life, Arabel married Cephas Parker.   Their first son was named Lemuel, probably in honor of Lemuel Hammond, and their first daughter was named Lydia, probably in honor of Lydia Hammond.

Also at this time, a non-population agricultural census was taken.   Lemuel O. Hammond is listed as owning 120 acres of land.  He has 4 horses, 2 milch cows, 17 sheep.  During the past farming year, he harvested 200 bushels of wheat, 10 bushels of rye, 240 bushels of indian corn, 70 bushels of irish potatoes, 7 bushels of clover seed and 8 tons of hay.  He also made 95 pounds of wool, 5 gallons of molasses and 85 pounds of butter.

In 1866, their son Charles and his family moved to Minnesota and then Iowa.   But by 1870, Lemuel and Lydia are still living on their farm in Constantine.  Lemuel is listed as a retired farmer.  In December 1872, Charles and his family returned to Michigan, so that he could be near his parents and help them.  They lived with his parents until 01 May 1873, when they went on to Grandpa's 40 acres to care for it.  But on 12 July 1875, Lemuel passed away after a short illness at age 67.  There is no official record of his cause of death.  However, I did a search for other people who died in July 1875 in Constantine.  There was only one other death recorded and the cause of death was congestive chills (malaria).

After Lemuel passed away, Charles and his family and Lydia, moved to town [Constantine].  In 1880, the family is listed on the federal population census schedule in Constantine.  In 1882, the family moved into the little home north of the school house.  In the fall of 1887, Charles and his cousin Fred Daniels, went to California.  Charles' wife Aramintha and children stayed with Lydia in Constantine.  In 1889, they sold their place near the school and moved back to the old home across the river.  Then on 30 October 1892, Lydia passed away at age 81.

Lemuel and Lydia are both buried in the Constantine Township Cemetery, located on Centreville Road in Constantine.  A picture of their tombstone is on Lemuel's main family page.

They had two known children: