Austin Hammer was born May 6, 1804, in South Carolina to John and Nancy Hammer. He married Nancy Elston on September 7, 1826, in Wayne County, Indiana. Nancy Elston was born February 2, 1806, in Lexington (now Fayette) County, Kentucky, to Josiah Elston and Rebecca Lewis. Soon after their wedding they moved to Ohio, where they lived for three years, and then moved to Henry County, Indiana. Here they embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ and were baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church—in 1835. They then moved to Shoal Creek, Caldwell County, Missouri, where they had title to 180 acres of land. Austin and 16 other men were killed October 30, 1838, while guarding Haun’s Grist Mill, in eastern Caldwell County, Missouri, from mobs trying to burn it down. The Hammers had 6 young children at the time. A few weeks after the massacre at Haun’s Mill, the young widow took her 6 children to Pike County and then to Indiana to live with her husband’s family. Nancy Hammer was anxious to return to the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois, so a friend provided them the resources to go—and then supported them until they could take care of themselves. The family eventually made the trek across the plains to the great Rocky Mountains. Nancy Elston Hammer died October 10, 1871, in Smithfield, Cache County, Utah, faithful to her God to the end.

The following is an account of the Haun’s Mill Massacre as told by Austin’s widow and their son John.

A Mob Attacks

In the fall of 1838, mobs in the area were threatening to burn down the mill because it ground corn for members of The Church of Jesus Christ. “All the mills in that part of the country refused to grind for them as they were owned by the mob parties, hoping to starve them out.” Because of the threats, a few of the brethren volunteered to guard the mill. This they did for several days and nights as the mob kept repeatedly threatening violence. Finally the mob leaders agreed to meet with some of the Mormons to see if they could work out a compromise. On the day appointed, a fixed number of brethren were at the mill, hoping to work out a settlement and anxious to restore peace.

The mob party, however, did not make their appearance, but as the day was drawing to a close, a company of some two or three hundred strong partly sheltered from observation by the heavy timber near by; our brethren immediately hoisted a white flag. When the mob saw the flag they knew they had been discovered, they rode rapidly on lead by Baregard and Comstock. On their arrival at the mill one of them, without saying a word to our men gave orders for the men to fire, which order was obeyed. Their leaders then said, “All who desire to save their lives and make peace run into the blacksmith shop,” which was immediately surrounded by the infernal assailants who commenced firing between the logs as there was no chinking between them. They also fired through an opening made by sawing out a log for light. Several were killed in the shop, my father being one of them.

Several bullets were shot into his body, breaking both thigh bones. Some of the brethren thus shot down were dragged out into the yard that their murderers might have a better chance and more room to st[r]ip them of their clothing. All who had boots and coats were rifted of the articles. My father had on a new pair of boots that fit him tightly and in an effort to get them off he was dragged in his mangled condition. This cruel treatment must have caused him excruciating pain.

The brethren seeing that the mob party was so numerous and blood thirsty were useless to make any defence [sic]. Their only safety was to make their escape as best they could, which they did by fleeing into the woods or brush or where ever they could conceal themselves. When the mob had murdered all they found and robbed them of their clothing they retreated.

After darkness had come on the brethren who were hiding began to make search of those who had been killed and wounded. My father was found and carried into Haun’s house, where he died about twelve o’clock that night. During the night they kept up the search as best they could for in the darkness the wounded were found only by their groans. All that were found were taken into Haun’s house as soon as possible to protect them from hogs, which the woods were full of.

Blood Red Mist Arises

 While the men had gone to meet with mob leaders, Nancy Elston Hammer was home, anxious about what was happening.

At the time of this occurrence I was in my ninth year of age. I wish here to relate a circumstance which occurred at the time of this bloody deed was being enacted. I stood in the yard with my mother and Aunt York, my cousin, Isiah York and some of the smaller children of our two families. Our anxiety, of course, was great [as] to the fate of the brethren at the mill, knowing that Father and Uncle John had gone to assist in its protection, and to help those of our friends who lived there.

Looking eagerly in the direction of the mill, a crimson colored vapor like mist, or thin cloud ascended up into the sky, apparently as high as our eyes could see. Precisely from the place where we knew the mill to be. This angular Phenomenon like a transparent pillar of blood remained there for a long time, just how long I am unable to state, but it was to be seen by us far into the night. At that hour we had not heard of what had happened at the mill.

As quickly as Mother & Aunt York saw this blood-like token they commenced to wrong their hands and moan, declaring that they knew their husbands had been killed. Our uneasiness through that night was too great to describe. When daylight came my cousin rode to the mill to find out the facts of what had happened. On arriving he learned concerning the massacre and brought back word as quickly as possible. The following morning my cousin and myself went to the mill and found that the dead had been buried in the well. We found the hat of Uncle York with bullet holes in both sides showing he had been shot in the head.

Faith Endures Through Tragedy

Mob persecution continued after this tragic day. Eventually, the members of The Church of Jesus Christ were forced to leave the area—with only ten days’ notice. The family had one wagon and a blind horse to move them to Illinois. Most of the Church members were barefoot or wrapped their feet in rags to protect them from the frozen ground. John writes:

There was scarcely a day while we were on the road, that it did not either snow or rain. The nights and mornings were very cold for our unsheltered and exposed condition. It is a marvel to me to this day how we endured such fatigue without being disabled by sickness, if not death. But that merciful being who sheltered us, and gave us courage took us to our destination.

My mother seemed to be endowed with fortitude and resolution and appeared to be inspired to devise ways and means whereby she could administer comfort to her suffering children, and keep them in good spirits. Her faith and confidence had ever been great in the Lord, but now when all this weight and responsibility had fallen upon her, with no husband to lean upon, she felt indeed that God was her greatest and best friend. She realized that He, and He alone must be the deliverer of herself and her family. …

During the last years of her life her mind was much occupied in reviewing her long and useful life. In conversation with her children and friends, she expressed much satisfaction that she had acted her part so well and that the Lord had been merciful in giving her the light of His Holy Spirit, which had been a lamp at her feet, to direct her course safely through the dark perils of life.