Alfred H. "Fred" Hamel Alternate spelling Alford

Birth: Born around 1888 in Bremen, Germany.  

Family Information: Father of Margaret Hamel.

Married Florence Roe sometime after coming to the colony and before 1930.

He was step-father to her children - Robert, Warren, Walter, Frances and Lucille.  

Description:  

Pre-Colony History: He and Margaret were listed as new members in late 1928.  

Home in Colony:

Job in Colony: In July 1928 he was working with J. Armacost, Jr. in the mornings -- they took a load of ice in one of the trucks to the south part of Leesville-- then Hamel would go to the garage where he had charge of the repair work on colony autos and trucks while J. Armacost found work on the wood job.

In September 1928 he was on the college faculty along with: Lowell H. Coate - Superintendent and instructor in Sociology, Economics and Public Education; E.C. Bennett - English and History; Benjamin Roe - Scientific Agriculture; Guy F. Rogers - Mathematics; Eugene Hough - Psychology; F. Hamel - Spanish, German and Latin; Mary Erma Wilson - Voice and Piano; R.B. Snyder - Director of Orchestra, Wind and Stringed Instruments, Chorus and Ensemble; Geo. T. Pickett - Industrial Science; Daisy Daugherty - Domestic Science; Edna Mae Coffin - Manual Art, Sculpture and Architectural Drawing; Austin McLane - Journalism; Nell Rogers - Botany; Hope Shoemaker - Shorthand, Typewriting and Book-keeping; Mr. Daugherty - Intermediate Grades; Mrs. A.E. Bennet - Primary Grades; Esther Allen - Health and Hygiene; Mary H. Atworth - Librarian and Instructor in the Art of Expression; Anna Tabb - School Nurse, Dr. J.P. Kimmel - College Physician; Alice Pickett - Girls Counselor; Theodore Atworth - Oil and Watercolor Art; Alma Wilson Bell - Dramatic Art.

In April 1929 the print shop crew included Comrade Bridwell, his daughter Kathleen, Jean Enfield, Raymond, Zelma, Florence and Fred -- they made the wheels go round in the printshop, getting out all publicity for the Llano Movement that spreads to all five continents and the isles of the sea.

He was listed as a printer in the colony on the 1930 US Census. In April 1930 the print shop crew included Gleeser -- (editing, proofreading and making up both papers; Raymond, Jake, Mrs. Wilkerson, Fred and Florence Hamel -- all taking turns at linotype work, job presses and anything else that needed doing.

In July 1931 the veneer plant was going in full force with Johnny Dougherty, Long, Ole Synoground, Carl Bradshaw, George Jensen, Slaughter, Ray Bradshaw, Fred Hamel, Hoag and Roede on the job; as well as Bennie Brown, Jimmie Brown, Helen Joe Dougherty, Lucille Oberlitner, Rhea Mae Baldwin, George Maki and Jimmie Dix.

In 1932 he organized and taught the Junior Orchestra.  

Other Info: In February 1929 the colony orchestra consisted of Violins: Guy Rogers, William Bingham, Albert Wichmann, Warren Fread, Joseph Silberman, Rhea Baldwin; Flute: Clyde Mickey; Clarinets: Frank Rahn, William DeBoer, William Newman; Saxophones: Raymond DeFausell, Florence Roe, Arthur Goble; Trumpets: Louis Reodemeister, Benjamin Roe; Horn: Benjamin Couchman; Trombone: George Pickett; Tuba: Fred Hamel; Pianist: Mary Erma Wilson.

In June 1929 he, Anna Besse and Albert Wichmann rendered two German songs with feeling and spirit.

The family visited his wife's family in 1930, but they were thinking of Llano and expected to return before a great while.  

Post-Colony History: In 1934 Bernie Stevens wrote a column for the Colonist titled "Ozark Colony News". He had first visited the new site in October 1933 and was impressed with it's possibilities. Fred and Florence joined him at that location in February, 1934, along with four of the Roe children and definite organization plans were agreed upon and adopted.

The colony there was similar to Newllano, but it was decided that on the first of December every year, they would divide all available colony money, excepting necessary running expenses for the following year, between themselves. The work there was mostly agricultural after his arrival, though the sawmill had provided lumber and cash.

The Hamel family remained at the site at least through 1934, with both Florence and Fred sometimes writing a column about the Ozark colony for the "Llano Colonist" at times.  

Death:  

Sources: "Llano Colonist": July 28, 1928, September 15, 1928, December 29, 1928, February 16, 1929, March 2, 1929, April 13, 1929, June 15, 1929, April 12, 1930, August 2, 1930, February 7, 1931, July 4, 1931, December 10, 1932, April 14, 1934; US Census: 1930