Kentucky:  A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 3rd ed., 
1886. Allen County.

REV. MORDECAI F. HAM was born in Allen County April 30, 1816, and is a 
son of William and Jennie (Williams) Ham, natives of Spartanburgh 
County, S. C.  They came to Kentucky early in the present century, 
probably about 1806, and located on Trammell's Creek, in what is now 
Allen County.  William Ham died in September, 1844, aged sixty years.  
His wife, who was a distant relative of Roger Williams, survived until 
1862; her age was eighty-four years; she was the mother of eleven 
children, nine of whom lived to be grown.  James Ham, the father of 
William Ham, was of English descent, and by occupation a farmer.  Rev. 
M. F. was born and reared amid the scenes and labors incident to farm 
life.  The boy was the man in embryo; he early developed a love for 
books; he read voraciously and incessantly; his sole aim seemed to be to 
acquire an education.  Books were scarce, and the school terms of the 
country were of short duration, but young Ham set himself to work 
assiduously, giving all the time possible to his studies, and thereby 
became well versed in the English classics, and also obtained some 
knowledge of the Greek language.  November 24, 1836, he married 
Elizabeth J., daughter of William and Sarah (Neal) Dearing, who were 
natives of Virginia, and were among the pioneer settlers of Warren (now 
Allen) County; they died in 1855 and 1847 respectively.  Rev. M. F. Ham 
professed religion February 19, 1837, and in March following united 
with the Baptist Church, in which he has since been an active member.  
In March, 1843, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry by 
Elders Witherspoon, Evans, Brunson and William Spillman, and during the 
forty-two years of his ministerial duties he has met with wonderful 
success.  He estimates that he has baptized over 2,000 persons, and that 
through his labors no less than 3,000 persons have been added to the 
church.  Throughout his ministry he has prosecuted the work of the 
Master with a zeal commensurate with the importance of his mission. His 
preaching is characterized by simplicity and earnestness, and from the 
inexhaustible treasury of the Word he sought to bring forth "things old 
and new."  Father Ham, though now in his sixty-ninth year, is hale and 
stout, and ministers to his charge with undiminished zeal and success.  
He is a zealous and untiring advocate of the temperance cause, and the 
sledge hammer blows dealt by him against the liquor traffic have done 
much to abate the evil.  In politics, Mr. Ham was originally an "old 
line Whig," but of late years he is a Democrat.  He takes little 
interest in political affairs.  He has all his life been a hard worker, 
and now superintends the cultivation of a farm of 400 acres, which he 
owns.  He has two brothers and one sister, living, viz.:  James and L. W. 
Ham and Assenith Dodson, and three surviving children: Sarah J. and T. 
J. Ham, and M J. Coleman.

Ham Williams Neal Dearing Witherspoon Evans Brunson Spillman Dodson 
Coleman 
=
Spartanburgh-SC VA Warren-KY

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/allen/ham.mf.txt