Laurens Hammond
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons13

Laurens Hammond

American engineer and inventor (1895–1973)

Laurens Hammond (January 11, 1895 – July 1, 1973) was an American engineer and inventor. His inventions include the Hammond organ, the Hammond clock, and the world's first polyphonic musical synthesizer, the Novachord.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Laurens Hammond (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Jan 11, 1895, died Jul 3, 1973.1

Companies

Early life and education

  • Date not recordedÉcole alsacienne3
  • Date not recordedCornell University3
  • Date not recordedCornell University College of Engineering3

Youth

Laurens Hammond was born in Evanston, Illinois, on January 11, 1895 to William Andrew Hammond and Idea Louise Strong. Laurens showed his great technical prowess from an early age. His father, William, took his own life in January 1897, ostensibly due to failure of the First National Bank of Illinois, which he had founded. Upon her husband's death, Idea, who was an artist, relocated to France with Laurens to further her studies, and the family spent the next eleven years in France and Germany.

University and military service

Hammond studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University, and was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He graduated with honors in 1916. When the United States entered World War I, Hammond served with the 16th Regiment Engineers (Railway), American Expeditionary Force, in France. He rose to the rank of captain.

From Wikipedia’s article on Laurens Hammond (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: organ builder, patent inventor.5

Hammond left his position as president of his company in 1955, and retired from the company in 1960, at the age of sixty-five. During his life he held 91 patents. He was married to Roxana Scoville, and had one daughter. He died in Cornwall, Connecticut on July 1, 1973, aged 78.

In 2017 the Laurens Hammond Museum was founded in Kielce, Poland as a division of the Museum of Toys and Play.

From Wikipedia’s article on Laurens Hammond (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornJan 11, 1895, Evanston6
  • DiedJul 3, 1973, Cornwall7
  • CitizenshipUnited States8
  • ResidenceEvanston9

Awards

  • 1940John Price Wetherill Medal10 11

Sources

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