Charles HAMILTON

  General Notes:

A Memorial Hymn:

In 1820, John Williams, son-in-law of Charles Hamilton, published a book of hymns, one of which was "occasioned by the death of Mr. Charles Hamilton, who died November 24, 1818". It reads:

"THE golden bowl is broken,
Which long on earth detain'd,
The body is forsaken,
The Soul its freedom gained.
No more the briny ocean
Shall bear thee on her breast,
Nor war, nor stern commotion,
Protract the hour of rest.

Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Secure the veteran lies;
His name to us is precious,
Bound in paternal ties.
His children round his table
United oft has been,
While he beheld with pleasure,
The pleasant plant so green.

The stranger, who was wand'ring
Without a house or home,
In him has found protection,
When to his house they come.
The int'rest of the pious,
Who spread the word of life,
To him was always precious,
Until the end of life.

He bid farewell to sorrow,
And on eternal wings,
He left this scene of terror,
To praise the King of Kings.
Soar'd up to endless glory,
To join the Heav'nly host,
And tell the pleasing story,
Which never will exhaust."

An account of Charles Hamilton's early years:

In the early 1900s, an article appeared in the Morgantown Truth, a weekly newspaper in Morgantown, Morgan Co., Indiana. It was written by Ben F. Kennedy, a teacher, and was part of a series of articles on the Hamilton family. I received a copy from Allene Schnaiter. Jan Vanetta appears to have read the later articles as well, for she speculates Mr. Kennedy was a descendant of Charles, for he often mentioned his Uncle James. Per Edna Stockton, Mr. Kennedy's source for information was James H. Hamilton, a grandson of Charles. I'm not sure who this would be. Edna's great grandfather, James H. Hamilton, was a son of Charles and died in 1861, so he doesn't seem to be the source. That James did not have a son named James. John Hamilton, however, another son of Charles who moved to Morgan Co., IN, did have a son, James, who died in 1909. Perhaps he was Mr. Kennedy's source.

This history of the Hamilton family is a hagiography, i. e., it is an idealizing and idolizing biography that is more associated with the lives of saints than with mere mortals. Although I am not convinced this history is anything more than the product of an active imagination, its antiquity commands respect, even from non-believers. Furthermore, oral history, no matter how suspect its accuracy, needs to be preserved. Memories, even though they may wander from the facts as they are passed down from one generation to another, invariably contain some elements of truth. On the assumption that Mr. Kennedy must have been privy to family stories that bore some resemblance to his melodramatic account, excerpts are reproduced below. My bracketed comments are interspersed. [See the memorial hymn, which suggests Charles himself may have loved to recount this story.]

"HISTORY OF MORGANTOWN, CHAPTER V . . .

Centuries ago there lived the Hamilton forefathers and mothers in Scotland. In the State of Inverness, near Loch Greran, and were heirs of Dunstaffnage Castle. In the land of Robert Bruce, those forefathers of Hamiltons were [can't read copy at this point, although the sentence ends with the partial word, "__dom"]. Being of noble ancestral stern that traced back nearly a thousand years, they were truly loyal to the noblest feelings that prompted Bruce to revolution. Yes it was the bold hardy sons of the mountainous hills and Lochs of dear old Scotland that struck sledge hammer blows for liberty from the King of England. So in the turbulant ages of Scotland the heirs of Castle Dunstaffnage were on the side of freedom.

[Dunstaffnage Castle is located 5 miles north of Oban on the west coast of Scotland. It is located at the mouth of Loch Etive. I have been unable to find a Loch Grehan, although the next large loch to the north that opens to the sea is Loch Crehan. The castle was a MacDougall stronghold until 1309, when it was seized by Robert the Bruce who then appointed the Campbell Clan as its hereditary keepers in the name of the Crown. Brodick Castle, further south on the Isle of Arran, is the castle normally associated with the Hamilton Clan.]

Ages passed on, still the noble ancestry of their renowned castle was prominent factors in Scotland's revolutions.

Down the cycle of time until near two centuries ago was born in the native hills of Scotland, Charles Hamilton. His father was a prosperous yeoman in the rural home not many leagues from the Castle. He was a true soldier and commanded in the revolutions of the patriots against oppression. It was about that age that Charles was born. He grew rapidly and manifested, to his people marks of promise. So he grew and became the idol of the family. At his maturity he took up arms in defence of his home and his family. The rolling, surging clash of arms to him was life and his ambition.

[Wholly apart from the specifics, it is not clear Charles was even born in Scotland. Although that is what most descendants, including me, believe, Pat Franks reports some of Charles' children stated in the 1880 census that he was born in Ireland.]

About this period he having read of the wilds -- "The Thirteen Colonies" of the new world; he was worked up to a state almost frienzy to sail to the new world beyond the sea. So a band of true and tried, hardy young soldiers formed a colony and arranging the shallops anchored in Loch Greran, thence to Castle Dunstaffnage, steered out into Loch Bay, took in supplies, raised sail, hoisting the [can't read] of Scotland, started across the Atlantic for America.

It was a stormy voyage. Old ocean was maddened by turbulent storms. Her crest was mountain high. The frail barks were toys on the madden billows, but on, on the land of the free. Six long months did the little vessel beat the wave, but alas all was safe, and the proud emblem of old Scotland was hoisted on an American shore.

When Charles Hamilton landed he readily took in the situation -- the clash of arms; the battle of the Revolution was to be fought to a finish. It was no time for the brave and noble Charles to stand still, but securing a soldier's arms he started to Boston, entered the Continental army and was in the deadly struggle during the war. In Washington's army he was recognized one of its most trusty and brave soldiers. In the battle of Bunker's hill, Concord, Lexington on to Long Island, camping at Valley Forge and Morristown; in the battles of Germantown and Trenton; with Washington at Brandywine Creek; in the great siege of Yorktown, and witnessed the surrender; saw Sir Guy Carlton embark and leave New York; was standing with hat in hand while Washington was delivering his farewell address to his army all, he witnessed.

[Although Edna Stockton cited #R4512, the rejected pension application of Hannah Hamilton, for the fact that Charles joined the Continental Army at Boston and served for seven years, I have not seen any such evidence therein. While the rejected pension application reveals a great deal about Charles' service in the War, unfortunately none of it can be reconciled with Mr. Kennedy's account. As Pat Franks has noted, by example, "if Charles was in Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778, that meant he must have traveled south to marry Hannah Henry on December 23, 1777, and rushed right back to join the suffering and hardships. It just doesn't seem too likely." It seems doubtful Mr. Kennedy had any knowledge of Charles' true service record. If he had, he would not have felt the need to embellish his record with all the famous northern battles, for the battles Charles actually participated in included some of the most important of the War. The actual record is every bit as impressive as the one provided by Mr. Kennedy.]

Coming out of the war with honors, he settled in North Carolina and married a lady by the name of Miss Hannah Henry and settling on a farm with his highly estimable American lady was soon rapidly accumulating property. To the happy union were born John, Andrew, Joseph, James, Charles, Polly, Nancy, Rebecca, Hannah, Sally, Dolly and two who died in infancy." [William, the eldest son, is unnamed.]

[End of Chapter V, History of Morgantwon, To be Continued.] ^{5 6 7 8 9 10}

  Research Notes:

Johnson Hamilton:

Johnson Hamilton, who appears in the records of Wayne County, would appear to be related to Charles in some way. Might he be an unidentified son of Charles and Hannah? Or, is he related in some other way, perhaps a younger brother or a nephew? As will be demonstrated below, he is probably not an unidentified son. But, he may lead us to Charles' siblings. [This Johnson Hamilton is reported to have been born 15 Nov 1773 in Falmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, his parents being Benjamin Hamilton and Martha Dammon. See http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=researchruth&id=I00475. Unfortunately, Falmouth Vital Records at the Falmouth Historical Society show that the Falmouth Johnson Hamilton died 4 Oct 1788.]

Johnson first appears in the 1810 tax list for Wayne County. His entry on the tax list bears the same date as entries for Charles Hambleton and John Hambleton, suggesting he lived either near them or with one of them. Johnson does not appear in the 1810 census as the head of his own household and he also does not seem to have been included in another Hamilton's household. Only Charles has an extra adult male in his household (age 16-26) and that would seem to be James H. Hamilton, born 1793.

Johnson was older than 21 in 1810, as one might have first thought since this was his first appearance in the tax lists. Johnson's daughter, Sally Ann Hamilton, married Samuel Owens in Wayne on 3 Feb 1825. Sally (Sarah) was born 18 Jun 1805 per records at http://www.gencircles.com/users/gmcflc/1/data/05105. The 1830 census puts Johnson in the 50-60 age bracket, which puts his year of birth as 1770-1780. Although he could have been born in the late 1770s and thus could be a son of Charles and Hannah, there is little room for him what with Sarah being born in 1778 and William in 1779. There is a little room between William (1779) and John (1782), but that would mean the 1830 census was in error and that he was omitted from the 1839 deposition by Joseph which appears was intended to name the four oldest children.

Since Johnson was older than 21 in 1810, he must have come to Wayne County after Charles and family moved there in 1802. If he was an older child, he could have married in Garrard County and initially remained behind when the rest of the family moved. But, no marriage or tax records for Johnson are to be found in Garrard. Where was he before 1810? (Note that in 1803, a tax entry appears for an Alan(?) Hamilton. Might he have been Johnson? But what of the intervening years?)

After the 1810 tax list, Johnson does not appear again until the 1822 and 1823 tax lists. His whereabouts in the intervening years is unknown. (Note that if he was a son of Charles and Hannah, his absence might explain why he did not join the other heirs in the 1821 deed to the Methodist Episcopal Church.) Johnson is missing from the 1824-1826 tax lists. He reappears in 1827 in the Otter Creek area of Wayne County, where no other Hamiltons lived, although that is where William Henry, presumed son of Joseph Henry, also lived. Tax lists through 1839 consistently show Johnson to be living in the Otter Creek area, then he disappears from the records.

Other Unidentifed Wayne County, KY Hamiltons:

Alan(?) Hamilton, 1803 tax list. (See above.)

J. Hamilton 1808(?), buried at Molen-Old Dibrell-Buck-Conley Bottom Cemetery.

Green M.(W.) Hamilton, who was married to Sarah Johnson on 15 Jun 1818 by James Lear. Surety was William Johnson. Possibly an older son of Johnson Hamilton?

Nancy Hambleton/Hamilton, who was married to John Davis on 4 Oct 1820 by J. Jones. Surety was Denny Hopkins. Possibly a daughter of Johnson Hamilton and a sister of Sabre(?) who married another Davis?

Sabre(?) Hamilton, who was married to James Davis on 26 Dec 1833 by John Jones. Surety was Samuel Hamilton. The only known Samuel old enough to have been a surety is Samuel C. Hamilton, son of John Hamilton, but this family had moved to Indiana years earlier. Could Sabre(?) and Samuel have been children of Johnson? The 1830 census for the household of Johnson shows a male age 30-40 in the household and a female age 20-30.

Daniel Hamilton, 1843 tax list. Name precedes Joseph Hamilton, only known Hamilton son still in Wayne County. Could he be an unidentified son of Joseph? Per Pat Franks, there is an unidentified son born about 1822, which fits Daniel's appearance in 1843.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Military Service: 1776-1781, South Carolina and North Carolina. ^{1 2 11}

Charles Hamilton enlisted in the 6th South Carolina Regiment on 15 April 1776. Ross cites Rolls of the South Carolina Continental Regiments, 1775-1783 (National Archives, M853). Allene Schnaiter obtained copies of his service records from the National Archives, which confirm this enlistment information.

[There were other Hamiltons in the 6th South Carolina Regiment. There is no other obvious connection to suggest they may have been related to Charles, but surely Charles had some relatives in the area. The other Hamiltons include Andrew, Jeremiah, James Sr., James Jr., and John. The latter three all served under Captain John Buchannan, suggesting they were related.

There is another Charles Hamilton listed in the Ross book, namely, one who enlisted in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment on 4 Dec 1775 and deserted on 2 Dec 1776. That our Charles was the Charles of the Sixth Regiment is established by the fact that Lt. George Duff and Captain James Duff, the officers under whom Charles served as an Orderly Sergeant per Hannah in her pension application, were also in the Sixth Regiment.

No record of discharge has been found. Hannah's pension application indicates he volunteered for an 18 month tour of duty and that during this time he fought in the Battle of Sullivan's Island. They married in December, 1977, apparently after this tour of duty. Hannah said Charles spent a lot of time after their marriage in the army, probably in and out as needed as a member of the North Carolina militia, and was in the following additional battles: Ramsour's Mill, Hanging Rock, Camden, King's Mountain (where he was slightly wounded), Guilford Courthouse and Eutaw Springs. A brief description of each of these battles follows:

Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, 28-29 Jun 1776: A successful defense of Charleston, SC and the first decisive victory for the Americans, which must have given heart to the signers of the Declaration of Independence the following week.

Ramsour's Mill, North Carolina, 20 Jun 1780: 1,000 Tories under Lt. Col. John Moore and Maj. Nicholas Welch were defeated after an attack by 500 militiamen under Col. Francis Locke and Maj. Joseph McDowell.

Hanging Rock, South Carolina, 6 Aug 1780: Patriots defeat Tories.

Camden, South Carolina, 16 Aug 1780: General Cornwalis defeats the patriots led by General Gates.

King's Mountain, South Carolina, 7 Oct 1780: Per the on-site commemorative plaque: "On this field, the Patriot forces attacked and totally defeated an equal force of Tories and British regular troops. The British commander, Major Patrick Ferguson, was killed and his entire force was captured after suffering heavy loss. This brilliant victory marked the turning point of the American Revolution." The Patriot forces suffered far fewer casualties, although the Lincoln County men suffered disproportionately. Per Hannah's pension application, Charles was slightly wounded and two of her brothers who fought were among those killed. (Moses Henry died in 1781 of wounds received in battle and John Henry was killed in battle.)

Guilford Courthouse, NC, 15 Mar 1781: A Pyrrhic victory by General Cornwalis over General Green which left the British army in shambles.

Eutaw Springs, SC, 8 Sep 1781: The last important battle in the Carolinas. An attempt by General Greene to destroy Colonel Stewart's army and end the British threat to the south. Although the Americans were forced to withdraw, the British were severely weakened. This battle set the stage for the Battle of Yorktown in Oct, 1781, which resulted in surrender of General Cornwalis.]

2. Deed: 1781, Lincoln County, North Carolina. ¹²

Dated 3 Mar 1781
Moses Henery to Charles Hamilton, 4 pounds for a tract of land on a branch of Crowders Creek estimated to be about 100 acres, being the full contents of a patent. Legal description references Gingles corner and line.

[Moses Henry died Jul, 1781 of wounds received in the Battle of King's Mountain Oct, 1780.]

3. Land Grant: 1789, Lincoln County, North Carolina. ¹²

No. 450, Dated 18 May 1789
45 acres on Crowders Creek for 4.50 pounds. Legal description references Gingles line.

4. Deed: 1791, Lincoln County, North Carolina. ¹²

Dated 3 Aug 1791
Charles Hamilton of "the County of Maddison in Kentucke Settlement" to Nathan Mendinghall of Lincoln County, two contiguous tracts of land on a branch of Crowders Creek abutting Gingles land for thirty pounds: (1) 100 acres, "being the full contents of a patent granted to Wm. Henry who dying intestate said land descended to Moses Henry his eldest son & heir at law who conveyed same to the said Charles Hamilton;" (2) 45 acres, "being the full contents of a State grant to said Charles Hamilton dated the 18th day of May, 1789."

5. Tax List: 1791-1796, Madison County, Kentucky. ¹³

1791, Adams' District: Hamelton, Charles; 1 white male 16+; 3 horses/mares.

1792, Adams' District: Hamelton, Charles; 1 white male 21+; 3 horses/mares.

1793: No listing found.

1794, Adam's District: Hamalton, Charles; 1 white male 21+; 2 horses/mares; 6 cattle.

1795, Adam's District: Hamelton, Charles; 1 white male 21+; 5 cattle.

1796, McNeely District: Hamilton, Charles; 120 acres, Paint Lick; 1 white male 21+; 3 horses/mares; 5 cattle.

[Other Hamiltons on the tax lists during these years, but in different tax districts, include John, Wm, Robt., Robt. Sr., Patrick and Andrew. It is not known whether Charles may have been related to these other Hamiltons.]

6. Tax List: 1797-1801, Garrard County, Kentucky. ¹⁴

[Garrard Co., KY was formed from Madison Co., KY in 1797]

1797: Charles Hamilton; 90 acres, Paint Lick; 1 white male 21+; 3 horses/mares.

1798: No Tax Book found.

1799, District 3 (Upper): Charles Hamilton; 1 white male 21+; 3 horses/mares.

1800, Upper District: Charles Hamilton, 99 acres, Back Cr; 1 white male 21+, 2 horses/mares.

1801, District 1: Charles Hamilton, 94 acres, Back Cr; 1 white male 21+; 3 horses/mares.

[For each tax year going back to 1796 in Madison County, Charles' land was noted to have originally been surveyed and entered in the name of Robt Henderson. That fact suggests all the entries involve the same parcel of land, even though they are described somewhat differently.]

7. Court: 1801, Wayne County, Kentucky. ¹⁵

June Court 1801
Chs Hamilton granted 200 acres.

8. Tax List: 1802-1809, Wayne County, Kentucky. ¹⁶

1802: Hambleton, Charles; 200 acres, harmons crk; 1 white male 16-21; 5 horses/mares.

1803: Hambleton, Charles; 200 acres, Beaver Cr; 1 white male 21+; 1 white male 16-21; 5 horses/mares.

1804: Hambleton, Charles; 117 acres, Beaver Creek; 1 white male 21+; 1 white male 16-21; 3 horses/mares.

1805: Unreadable.

1806: Hammelton, Charles; 117 acres, Harmon's Creek; 1 white male 21+; 4 horses/mares.

1807: Hamilton, Charles; 117 acres, Har Creek; 1 white male 21+; 5 horses/mares.

1808: Hambleton, Charles: 115 acres, Beaver C; no white male 21+; 4 horses/mares.

1809: Hamilton, Charles, 115 acres, Beaver Creek; 1 white male 21+; 5 horses/mares.

9. Court: 1805, Wayne County, Kentucky. ¹⁷

July Court 1805
"On the motion of Charles Hamilton it is ordered that he be exempted from paying County levies in future on account of age & infirmity."

[This explains the absence of a poll tax in certain years. If one knew the exemption rules, it might be possible to get a better fix on when Charles was born.]

10. Land Grant: 1807, Wayne County, Kentucky. ¹⁸

Hamilton, Char; 115 acres, Hammonds Cr; surveyed 10 Aug 1807; Book 17.

11. Census: 1810, Wayne County, Kentucky. ¹⁹

Charles Hamilton: 12101-11101

12. Tax List: 1810-1818, Wayne County, Kentucky. ¹⁶

1810: Hambleton, Charles; 115 acres, Harmond's Cr; either 0 or 1 white male 21+ [it appears that a 0 may have been overwritten with a 1]; 4 horses/mares.

1811: Hambleton, Charles; 115 acres, Harmon's Cr; 1 white male 21+; 4 horses/mares.

1812: Unreadable.

1813, Capt. Cooper's Company: Hambleton, Charles; 115 acres, H. Creek; no white male 21+ [it appears that a 1 was changed to a 0]; 5 horses/mares.

1814, Capt. Cooper's Company: Hambleton, Charles; 115 acres, Harmons Cr; 50 acres, Beaver Cr; 1 white male 21+; 5 horses/mares.

1815, Capt. Cooper's Company: Hambleton, Charles; 115 acres, H Creek; 50 acres, Beaver Cr; no white male 21+; 4 horses/mares; total value, $237.50.

1816, Capt. Geo Hall's Company: Hambleton, Charles; 115 acres and 50 acres; 1 white male 21+; either 2 or 3 horses/mares; total value, $397.50.

1817, Capt. John Garner's Company: 115 acres, H Creek; 50 acres, H Creek; no white male 21+; 3 horses/mares; total value, $340.

1818: Tax Book missing.

Charles married Hannah HENRY, daughter of William HENRY and Hannah TANNER, on 23 Dec 1777 in Lincoln County, North Carolina.^{1 2 9} (Hannah HENRY was born about 1753 in Pennsylvania ²⁰ and died in May 1850 in Wayne County, Kentucky ²⁰.)