Talk:Thomas Hammond (regicide)

Thomas Hammond in Maryland?
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 * Thomas Hammond in Maryland?

The famous Maryland historian and genealogist, Harry Wright Newman, K.C.L, F.A.S., has discussed a question which has perplexed Maryland historians for many years: was the Col.Thomas Hammond (c1600-p1666/Anne Arundel Co, MD) who migrated from England to Maryland in 1655 the Lt.Col.Thomas of the New Model Army who "aggressively engaged in the trial of Charles I, [but] faltered at the crucial moment by refusing to sign the Death Warrant" (H.W.Newman, ANNE ARUNDEL GENTRY, pg.188-9)?

By 1655, Col.Thomas Hammond was found with his sons Thomas (b.c1640) and John (1643-w1707/Anne Arundel Co, MD) living quietly as Quakers perhaps tired of war. Maryland Historians have posited that Col.Thomas was in fact a regicide who apparently staged his death in England.

It is odd that Col.Thomas' son John by the late 1680s left the Quakers and entered military service, rising from Captain (1691-4), to Major (1694-8), to Lt.Colonel (1698-9) to Colonel (1699-1707) to Maj.General of the Western Shore of Maryland (1707) by the time of his death in reportedly good health. If true, these appointment is ironic as it was done by the Royal Governor, Seymour, acting in the name of restored Stuart Kings.

If this is going to be mentioned -- and I am not at all sure that it should -- than a online footnote is enough. The reason why I think that this is based on speculation is because, at the time he is supposed to have faked his death he had no way to know that Cromwell would die that year (he had been in good health for a man his age) and he died suddenly. Why would a man who was part of the ruling elite feel the need to fake his own death.? If his death had occurred after Cromwell's death then there might be more justification for it. His case is not like that of the other regicides where there is some documentary evidence to support it and their reason for hiding in America was self explanatory. -- PBS (talk) 17:28, 5 December 2013 (UTC)