Merrill Rigsby Hammons Sr

MERRILL R. HAMMONS

A native of Ohio, Merrill Rigsby Hammons, Sr., grew up in Garrard County, Kentucky.  He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in agriculture in 1953.  In 1972 he received a Masters degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University.  He was recognized by the U. K. College of Agriculture as the Mammoth Cave Area Outstanding Alumni.  He has served as secretary and on the Board of Directors of the State Agriculture Alumni Association.  Mr. Hammons received an outstanding University of Kentucky Alumnus award for his significant contributions to Kentucky agriculture in 2003.

He moved to Simpson County in 1955 to manage the Southern States Farm Store.  Later he worked as a salesman for USS Agrichemicals.  During his tenure with USS Agrichemical, he also worked in the district and regional offices.  He later worked for Miles Farm Supply and was a certified crop advisor.

Mr. Hammons has served on various committees and held several offices for the Simpson County Extension Council.  Additionally, he has been the Chairman of the Simpson County Agriculture Development Board.  Mr. Hammons was the first chairman of the Committee for Tobacco Settlement Fund of Simpson County.

He was an active member of the Franklin First United Methodist Church and has served on various committees and boards for the church. For the past 45 years he has served as the Sunday School Superintendent and Sunday School Secretary.  An active community member, he was a charter member and first president of the Franklin Optimist Club.  He was a scout master for the Boy Scouts of America and served on the Board of the area council.  He served two terms on the Franklin City Council and three terms on the Electric Plant Board and the County Ambulance board.

Other honors received by Mr. Hammons include the Simpson County Extension Council award for Leadership in Agriculture; and in November, 2002, the Franklin-Simpson Chamber of Commerce chose him to receive its plaque “Contribution to Agriculture Leadership.”  In 2004, he received the award for “high scholarship and outstanding achievement or service” from the Gamma Sigma Delta Agricultural Honor Society of the University of Kentucky.

He was a Army Veteran. He was an active member in the American Legion and the VFW in Franklin. As part of his service, he drove the van to transport veterans to the Veterans Hospital in Nashville, TN.  He has been recognized for driving over 5000 volunteer miles.  He was the adjutant for Post 62 and District 3 of the American Legion s.  He also served on the Boys State Recruitment Committee for the Kentucky American Legion. He was a member of the AmVets.

He was the son of the late Merrill and Nell Hammons.  Survivors include his wife, Ruth Hammons, of Franklin, KY., his children Mary Hammons of Bowling Green, KY., Merrill Rigsby Hammons, Jr. of Brownsville, TX., and Margaret Hammons of Chicago, IL, sisters Leila Hammons of Lancaster, KY., Ann Brogli of Lancaster, KY., and Jean Ratcliff of Walton, KY, and brother William Hammons Lancaster, KY.