March 1952 - June 1952

Charter Grand Knight of Robert W. Powell Council.

To learn about Jack Hamill is to learn the experience of Uniondale Catholics in the late 1940s: they worshipped at Our Lady of Loretto in Hempstead, and Knights of Columbus at that time belonged to Hempstead Council #1241. That began to change in 1949, when St. Martha's parish was established. Hamill was one of the early spokesmen who pressed for the need for a Catholic church to serve Uniondale's ever growing population. St.Martha's first church was a small white building on Uniondale Avenue which could only fit, at most, 170 parishioners. Hamill also served as a committee chairman for the drive to build the current St. Martha's Church building on Greengrove Avenue.

Hamill was one of 18 Hempstead council members who became part of the Uniondale Formation Committee, who ultimately became Powell Council's charter members, with Hamill becoming the charter Grand Knight. In June 1952 he retired to St. Cloud Florida, and transferred to a local council there in 1954.

St. Martha's original church on Uniondale Avenue

(to return to Wall of Worthies page, click on Jack Hamill's picture)