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Regina Hammett papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-015

Scope and Contents

Papers of M. Regina Combs Hammett, author of "History of Saint Mary's County," including her research notes for the book.

The bulk of the collection contains raw research materials related to an unfinished manuscript about St. Mary's County's one-room school houses, which often include identified photographs, copies of land records, and notes from 19th Century sources.

Regina Hammett also described hundreds of photographs, and an index to these photographs is available here: http://library.smcm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mss-015-photo-index.pdf. Much of the genealogical material relates to her own family lines (Hammett, Wilkinson, Redman, Evans, and Combs), as well as St. Mary's County residents who moved to North Carolina, and George Butler P. Taylor of Ridge. She also copied many historical maps related to St. Mary's County, had a complete set of St. Mary's County "7 1/2 Minute" USGS Topographic maps, and also photocopied every page of Benjamin Tippett's mid-19th Century Surveyor Ledger which contained a map.

Several dozen books were added to the Library's Maryland collection, and small manuscripts were added to MSS 014 Collection on Maryland and St. Mary's County.

Dates

  • 1831-2010

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open without restriction.

Historical Note

Marion Regina Combs Hammett was born on January 10, 1930 in Callaway, Maryland, the sixth of seven children. She was valedictorian of Saint Michael's High School in Ridge, Maryland. Regina married Michael Hammett in 1949 and they raised five children in Ridge. She earned her Associates degree in 1964 from St. Mary's College of Maryland and spent much of her early teaching career at her home parish of St. Michael's Elementary School in Ridge. She returned to St. Mary's College to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a state teacher certification in 1972, and then returned to teaching at Frank Knox Elementary School.

Regina Hammett was a life member of the St. Mary's County Historical Society for decades and served as the editor of its publication, The Chronicles, from 1984 to 1985. She was invited by the St. Mary's County Board of Commissioners to write a history book about St. Mary's County to commemorate the County's 350th anniversary. The resultant book, "History of St. Mary’s County, Maryland, 1634-1990" was first printed in 1984 and has been re-printed several times since then, with a revised edition published in 1991. The book is carefully researched, well-footnoted, and serves as a ready reference for County history. Hammett received St. Mary's College of Maryland's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006, with then President Maggie O’Brien stating, “Nothing can now be written on any aspect of St. Mary’s County without first checking into Regina Hammett’s book.” She was the County's official historian from 1988 until her death in 2010.

Extent

9 Linear Feet (7 boxes, 1 oversize box, and 16 oversize folders)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Papers of M. Regina Combs Hammett, author of "History of St. Mary’s County, Maryland, 1634-1990" including her research notes for the book, materials related to an unfinished manuscript about St. Mary's County schools, hundreds of identified photographs, maps, genealogical files, and topical files.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Family of Regina Hammett, 2014.02

Processing Information

Much of Regina Hammett's research material related to St. Mary's County schools was well-organized and the folders had meaningful labels. These folder titles are preserved in this collection. However, one additional box of school materials was donated to the college after the collection had already been processed, so the school materials are kept in sequential order on this finding aid but are not always in susquential order in the physical collection. Some genealogical files were also in folders. The rest of the material was largely unorganized, and the unorganized parts of the collection was processed at the item level.

Author
College Archivist Kent Randell. Additionally, Carson Fehner and Madeline Mann processed much of the School Series. Mary Gmaz, Leah Keller, Clara O'Shaughnessy, Ellen Dahl, and Ariana Neely described and processed the Photo Series (index available here: http://library.smcm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/mss-015-photo-index.pdf). Curtis Barclift assisted with the Topical and Genealogical series. 2014-2015.
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the St. Mary's College of Maryland Archives Repository

Contact:
Calvert Hall
St. Mary's College of Maryland
47645 College Dr.
St. Mary's City MD 20686-3001 United States
240-895-4196