Biography of Otto Wilhelm Hammerschmidt

Otto was born on 20 January 1897 to parents Robert & Anna. His mother died May 1898; his father remarried Augustina later the same year. In the 1900 census (page 1 & page 2), age 3, he's living at 103 Linwood Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island, USA with his father & new mother, and sisters Martha (9), Gertrude (6), & Annie (11 months). By 1910 he's 13, still at Linwood Avenue, with brother Robert (8), sister Annie (11), & sister Martha's child Gertrude (3). In the 1920 census he's 22, a tinsmith with the Sheet Metal Co, living at Linwood Avenue with brothers Robert (18) & Walter (6), and sister Martha (20).

On Otto's WW1 draft card (6/6/1918) he's 21, tall, slender, with grey eyes & light brown hair, living at 103 Linwood Avenue, working for the Narragansett Brewing Co, Cranston, Rhode Island with his father Robert (chief engineer at the same brewery). Otto married Hilda Spurgeon on 15 October 1921 in Alameda, California. In the 1930 census Hilda & Otto are living at 101 Linwood Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island - Otto's parents are now at 103 Linwood Avenue.

Otto & Hilda had one son, Robert. In the 1940 census they're still at 101 Linwood Avenue with their son Robert (5).

Otto's WWII draft card (27/4/1942) gives his address as 101 Linwood Avenue, age 45, still working for the Narragansett Brewing Co. The second page of the draft card gives his height at 5'8", weight 170 lbs, hazel eyes, brown hair, light complexion, and notes he has scars on his left hip.

In the 1950 census Otto, Hilda & son Robert (15) are living at 749 W 98th Street, Los Angeles. Otto's a brewery coppersmith, Gladys a retired sales clerk.

Otto died on 6 November 1966 at Hemet, Riverside, California, where they had a mobile home.