De Leon, Texas History

John Daniel Ham

John Daniel Ham was born on July 21, 1857 to W.A. Ham (1833-1893, Suggs Cemetery) and Margarett E. Ham (1836-1916, Suggs Cemetery) on his parents farm on Sweetwater Creek about ten miles southwest of De Leon.  He was the second white child born in Comanche County.  He was 24 years old when De Leon was founded and in early 1882 he opened De Leon’s second lumber yard on the northeast corner of Austin and Gonzales.

Around 1883, he and J.I. Campbell son of Cyrus Campbell, consolidated their lumber yards and Ham stayed on as manager.  This partnership continued until at least 1900 but, by 1905 Ham and W. C. Streety had become partners in the business under the name Streety and Ham Lumber Yard. By 1911 Campbell was the sole owner of the firm.  He operated the business until 1917 when he sold to C.G. Foust of Dublin. Mr. Ham had numerous other business interest in De Leon and it appears that he and Streety jointly owned a feed store.

Hattie Irene Shannon Ham

Ham was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church having served as a Steward of the church and as a Sunday School teacher.  He also was a Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge, Knights Templar and the Shriners.  He also served on the De Leon school board. He died on June 18, 1929.

He was married to Hattie Irene Shannon (1868-1946) November 10, 1887.  Both are buried in the Main De Leon Cemetery.

Below is the Ham home