William Jacob Hummel, the Patriarch of the Hummel Clan out of upper-central Illinois, married Hazel Ruth Meyers (Nov. 18, 1895- April 1, 1987) [92] on Dec. 25, 1913. Hazel was the daughter of Charles E. Meyers (Mar. 21, 1870- Feb. 26, 1956) and Nora Shannon Meyers. William Jacob (known to everyone as W.J.) and Hazel lived on a Meyers farm (just a little over 1 mile west of Penrose corner) which had originally been a creamery (or milk farm). There was a spring house and the spring ran right through the basement. It was a very beautiful little farm known as, "Spring Valley Farm." W.J. had a slaughter house at Spring Valley Farm and slaughtered animals [beef & pork] for the meat markets which he had opened in Sterling, Milledgeville, Ashton and Polo. All were reasonably profitable business run by the family. W.J. and Hazel were long-time members of East Jordan United Methodist Church and were very active in the church. Hazel played the piano and organ and the whole family often sang together. They were also favorites at the church in singing duets. W.J. had a great tenor voice.(!) When the family was together Hazel played the piano and they all enjoyed singing hymns, and sang together beautifully. Hazel and W.J. had four children: Osborne known as Bud (Sept. 24, 1914- July 4, 2002) married LaVera Guess June 16, 1945. He ran the Sterling meat market before taking up teaching in the Sterling School District. Bud and LaVera had 3 children; Gregory William, Marcus Guess and Jeannie Kay. Walter Charles born Oct. 8, 1917 married Bessie Belle. He was shot down over the North Sea in World War II. They had one daughter Sharon Kay. **Leland Meyers** (Aug. 1, 1922- May 5, 2002) [80] married Lois Nadyne Stepp (July 7, 1923- Oct.7, 2000) [77] on June 9, 1940. Lois, known to everyone as Dee or Dee Dee, was the daughter of Charles and Mary Stepp {Steppenowski}. Leland, known as Lee, worked in the Milledgeville meat market before moving to Polo to run the Polo Meat Market & Locker Plant. Later he sold insurance, mostly with the Combined Insurance Company. He and Dee moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1975. They had five children. *Leland Meyers, Jr. (Butch) was born Jan 6. 1942. Growing up he worked at the meat market and set pins at the bowling alley which was right next door to the market. *Deborah Annette (Mar. 31,1946) married Steve Hunt on Aug. 13, 1966. They had two children, Suna and Ryan. Later, they were divorced and Debbie eventually moved to Surprise, Arizona. *Leonard (Lonnie or Len Charles) was born July 29, 1947. He and his wife, Lynne, are missionaries in the Philippines since 1988, working on the mission field with the poor for over 22 years. Lonnie is also a poet & writer. *Stephen Craig was born Feb.9, 1949. He and his wife, Anca, live in Glendale, Arizona. They have one son, Andrew. *Curt Allen was born May 6, 1952. He and his wife Margarita lived in Florida. They had 3 children, Stacy, Kerry and Mallory. Curt was killed in an automobile accident near Miami. Leonard (Lonnie) Carl, youngest son of W.J. and Hazel, was born Jan. 8, 1925. He died along with his fiancé when the plane he was flying crashed near the Hummel farm in 1946 just after the War. The first child of Lee and Dee Hummel, *Leland M. Hummel, Jr. (Butch), married Sandra Jo Abels on June 19,1965. They lived in Baileyville , Illinois and Butch worked in the computer area at MicroSwitch Division of Honeywell in Freeport . In 1967, he enlisted in the Air Force. He was stationed at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey for a year. On September 21, 1967 their first child, *Wendy Jo, was born at Fort Dix , New Jersey . Wendy was called "Little W.J." by her Great Grandmother, Hazel Hummel, who all her life was very sharp and had a great sense of humor. In 1968 Butch was transferred to Scott Air Force Base in Southern Illinois near St. Louis , Missouri . Here, their second child, *Marci Jean, was born June 13, 1970. Marci was named after her grandmother, Marcella Jeanette Abels. In 1971 they returned to civilian life in Polo, Illinois . They lived at *509 W. Mason Street until 1981 when they bought the house at *406 S. Franklin St. They lived on Franklin St. until 2008 when they built a home at *424 E. Dixon St., Polo, Illinois.Butch worked at National Manufacturing in Sterling and later returned to MicroSwitch where he worked until retiring. These jobs were all in computer operations. Both Butch and Sandy were bowlers and golfers as was Leland, Sr. who had several hole-in-ones in his lifetime. Butch was 5 times the Club Champion at Edgewood Golf Course. Sandy taught Pre-School starting the first 3 year old group in Polo. Later, she took full time work as Activity Director at the Villas of Shannon in Shannon , Illinois . She worked this job 15 years. It was at the Villas that Marci met her husband, the son of the director of nursing. After that Sandy worked at Dixon Pharmacy as cashier/clerk and purchaser for over the counter products until 2009 when the store closed and she retired. The girls grew up in the Junior Bowling Program, playing softball summers, being in Girl Scouts in their early years, taking swimming lessons, spending time with their grandparents and great grandparents and participating in community and school events. Their first child, Wendy, was active in sports. She excelled in bowling and fast pitch softball. When she was in 7th grade she was playing on the town traveling team. She was co-editor of the Marcolite, the school weekly page in the local paper. Because of this she had a pass to attend the Presidential Press Conference when Ronald Reagan was in Dixon , Illinois . Graduating with honors, Wendy attended Wartburg College where she majored in biology and religion. She spent a May term participating in an archeological dig in Egypt and Israel. The first semester of her senior year, she studied in Tanzania. After graduating from Wartburg, she spent two years on a musical mission team from Lutheran Youth Encounter. The first year was spent traveling with a West Coast Team. The second year she was with a team in India and Nepal. She then went to Creighton University in Omaha , Nebraska where in June 1993 she graduated from the 1 year RN Program summa cum laude. September 4, 1993 Wendy married Glenn Hall, the son of Dale and Louise Hall. They lived in Wheeling , Illinois for a year. Glenn was a social worker and Wendy was a surgical nurse at Highland Park Hospital . Then, they moved to Glendale , Arizona where Glenn is a social worker for the State of Arizona . Wendy was school nurse and taught vocational nursing for a year at Buckeye, Arizona . She was then a school nurse and finally became a surgical nurse in an eye clinic in Sun City. Wendy and Glenn have three children. Brianna Noelle was born December 6, 1997. She is a good student and was selected by People for People to spend a week in Washington D.C. in the fall of 2008. A select group of students from around the world visited and learned about historic events and places. She has participated in some dance, in school sports and in church and school organizations. Brock Matayo was born January 29, 2000. He too is a good student. He likes sports and does very well, looking forward to playing in school. Brant Michael was born November 17, 2003. Brant learns quickly and like his brother likes sports. All the children like to go to professional baseball and basketball games, the zoo and museums. They all, especially Brock, are very educated on animals, reptiles and dinosaurs. Butch and Sandy's second child, Marci Jean, was also an honor student. She started working at Daws Drug Store in Polo when she was 14 years old. She also was involved in many school and community events. After graduating, Marci attended pharmacy school at Drake University in Des Moines , Iowa . She graduated in December of 1992 and took a job in Kewanee , Illinois . On June 19, 1993 Marci married Brian Kenney, the son of Donna Fox Clagett and Carroll Kenney. They lived in the country west of Kewanee for 5 years. On November 11, 1998 their first child Emily Jean was born. At this same time they moved into a new home which they built on 31 acres just south of Lynn Center, Illinois. Marci and Brian's second child, Megan Nicol, was born December 26, 2001. Marci works as a pharmacist. Brian has his own plumbing business. As a child, Marci was noted for bringing home any stray animal she could find. Things have not changed much. They have 2 horses, 3 dogs, 4 guinea pigs and cats. Brian is on the school board. The girls play softball, basketball and volleyball attending the summer camps offered.
This is just a brief history of W.J.Hummel & the Hummel Clan. William and Hazel are buried side-by-side in the beautiful, peaceful cemetery of East Jordan United Brethren Church, Sterling, Illinois, ~ not far from Spring Valley Farm.