Samuel Dashiell Hammett (1894 - 1961)

Born 27 May 1894 in St. Mary's, Maryland, United States

Ancestors

Died 10 Jan 1961 at age 66 in New York City, New York, United States

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Biography

Dashiell Hammett is Notable.

Private First Class Dashiell Hammett served in the United States Army in World War I
Service started: 24 Jun 1918
Unit(s): 385 Motor Ambulance Company
Service ended: 29 May 1919

Technicion third grade Dashiell Hammett served in the United States Army in World War II
Service started: 17 Sep 1942
Unit(s):
Service ended: 6 Sep 1945

Dashiell Hammett was an American author famous for his hardboiled detective novels and short stories.^[1][2] He was one of "America's most influential authors of the 20th century."^[1] In his obituary in the New York Times, he was described as "the dean of the ...'hard-boiled' school of detective fiction."^[2]

Samuel Dashiell Hammett was the son of Richard Thomas Hammett and Anne Bond Dashiell.^[1][2][3] He was thirteen years old when he dropped out of school and soon began working for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.^[1][2] He enlisted in World War I in 1918, where he came down with tuberculosis and Spanish Flu and was discharged.^[1][2] While he was a patient in the Cushman Hospital in Tacoma, Washington, he met a nurse, Josephine Dolan, whom he later married 7 July 1921.^[1][2]

Between World War I and World War II he wrote five novels (Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, and The Thin Man) and more than eighty short stories.^[1] His work was popular in pulp magazines of the time, and most of his writing was originally published in serial installments.^[1] Sam Spade and Nick and Nora Charles were some of his most popular characters.

Though still ill from tuberculosis, he enlisted for service in World War II, where he contracted emphysema.^[1][4] Because of his association with the Communist Party USA, he was black listed and served five months in jail during the 1950s era of McCarthyism in the United States.^[1] This, and his very poor health, kept him from writing much later in life.^[1] He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 12, Grave No. 508.^[5]

Family and Personal Life

Dashiell married Josephine Dolan 7 July 1921 in San Francisco, California.^[2] They had two daughters, Mary Jane, b. 1921 and Josephine, b. 1926.^[2] Due to his tuberculosis, his wife was advised that she and the children should not live with him full time.^[2] She rented a home in San Francisco and although he continued to financially support the family, the marriage fell apart and they divorced.^[2] Other romantic involvements included Nell Martin, another American author, and a 30-year affair with playwright Lillian Hellman.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10} "Dashiell Hammett," FamousAuthors.org, blogpost (http://www.famousauthors.org/dashiell-hammett : accessed June 2023).
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10} Wikipedia contributors, "Dashiell Hammett," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org :accessed June 12, 2023).
3. ↑ Social Security: "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007", database, (Ancestry Record 60901 #12763736 : accessed 12 June 2023); citing Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007.
4. ↑ Military: "U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946", database, (Ancestry Record 8939 #5689831 : accessed 12 June 2023); citing National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 00241; Reel: 24.
5. ↑ Burial: "U.S., National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962", database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 2590 #2121107 : accessed 12 June 2023)

See also:

• Find a Grave, database with images, (Find A Grave: Memorial #438 : accessed 12 June 2023), Memorial page for Dashiell Hammett (27 May 1894-10 Jan 1961), citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA (plot: Section 12, Grave 508); Maintained by Find a Grave.
• 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census", database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 7602 #52782560 : accessed 12 June 2023); citing Year: 1900; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 24, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1466; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0576.
• 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census", database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 7884 #162539550 : accessed 12 June 2023); citing Year: 1910; Census Place: Baltimore Ward 19, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: T624_559; Page: 4b; Enumeration District: 0324; FHL microfilm: 1374572.
• U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
• 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census", database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 6061 #68000578 : accessed 12 June 2023); citing Year: 1920; Census Place: Baltimore Ward 19, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: T625_666; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 331.
• 1940 Census: "1940 United States Federal Census", database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 2442 #11478948 : accessed 12 June 2023); citing Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02645; Page: 66B; Enumeration District: 31-895.