Mary HAMILTON ²

   Another name for Mary was Polly.⁵

  General Notes:

Although the Allens had no children and are thus probably of only passing interest to most Hamilton descendants, they are of special interest to me because my second great-grandparents were enumerated in their household in the 1850 census. Indeed, the tax lists suggest the possibility that Eliza C. Lair, my second great-grandmother, may have lived with them as early as 1841, which corresponds to the time when her mother was suffering from a fatal illness and her father was in financial straits. The Allens should be important to all Hamilton descendants, though, because they were the care givers to Hannah Henry Hamilton, the matriarch of the family, in her final years.

Samuel and Mary attained a measure of wealth and prominence in Wayne County, considerably more than the other Hamilton children, as can be seen from the tax list entries for Samuel. Apart from William, who died young, Mary was the only Hamilton child to have remained in Wayne County her entire life.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Deed: 1821, Wayne County, Kentucky. ⁵

Dated 29 Oct 1821, Recorded 4 Apr 1822, Bk C:318
Samuel and Polly Allin [sic] were among the grantors of land that had been owned by Charles Hamilton, Dec'd, to the Trustees of The Methodist Episcopal Church. See Events under Hannah Henry Hamilton for details of this transaction.

2. Deposition: 1845, Wayne County, Kentucky. ⁶

Deposition given in connection with the application of Hannah Hamilton for a pension on account of the service of her husband, Charles Hamilton, in the Revolutionary War.

Per Bork: "Wayne Co., Ky., 24 December 1845, personally appeared Mrs. Mary Allen, age 59, states that she was a member of the family of Charles Hamilton and remained his neighbor until his death for about 18 years. States she heard him and his family, read his discharge as a Revolutionary War Soldier, and that she saw the family depository in which he kept his discharge and other papers and was present at the time his house was burned and recollects that none of the papers were preserved."

[It seems odd Mary did not state she was a daughter of Charles and Hannah Hamilton. When I first read this, I thought she may have been a collateral relative who had lived with the family for a time. Perhaps it was hoped the government would have the same impression and that the deposition might have more weight as a result. Note that this deposition was given more than 6 years after the application for pension was initiated, suggesting there were multiple denials and refilings with additional supporting evidence.]

3. Letter: 1853, Wayne County, Kentucky. ^{7 8}

The following is believed to be a transcription by Edna Stockton of a letter from Mary Allen to her brothers and sisters in Indiana. The transcriber's note states: "This is a copy of a letter written by Samuel and Mary Polly Hamilton Allen to her brothers and sisters in Indiana. As you see, it was sent to James and to be passed to the others -- John and family, Joshua Whitaker and wife (Hannah Hamilton) -- possibly Dolly Hamilton, wife of Taylor Hickman and William and his wife Betsey. This is an unsubstantiated tradition."

While I have a copy of the original letter and would read some passages differently than Edna, I have deferred to her reading because she worked from the original whereas my copy is poor, and also because the differences are not significant. In this rendition of the transcription, I have included blanks in lieu of the spacing which Edna seemed to use to indicate there were some words that couldn't be made out. Note that while Edna apparently had difficulty in deciphering the date of this letter, it seems clear it was written in 1853 inasmuch it is evident it was written after the death of Hannah Hamilton.

The letter reads:

"Monticello Wayne Cty Ky Jenery 3 1833/1853?

Dear brothers and sisters i now imbrace the opertunity of writing a few lines to _____ you __________ the mercy of god. we are still in the land of the living tho we are agetting old and frail but we thank god it is as well with us and we are safe if these lines should reach your hands they may find you all well. we have had a very warm fall and winter. there has bin a great deal of rain and high winds and very little cold. it was very warm and raining this morning until about nine oclock and then it turned cold and it is asnowing very hard.

Abner Jones has moved to the arkansasses and we received a letter from him. he has settled in Benten county. Charles has moved to the arkansasses. __________ a year ago and John Hayes received a letter last monday from Charles Lewis ___ wife _______ that Charles _____. he tooke the fever and only lived four days after he was taken sick and their oldest daughter has bin very low with the same fever but was getting better.

we heard from brother Charles Hamilton and brother Joseph and they and their famileys was well. we have not heard from brother Andrew since he rote about the death of his wife and other friends. what few friends you have in _____ Hannah Henery _____ brother Joshua Whittaker if he knows _____. William Henery leaves tonite to move to Arkansas(?) and the name of the post office __________ can rite to him. she wants to move very bad.

my dear mother never received any portion for fathers services in the revolutionary war tho she imployed several men to try and git it for her but they never succeeded. She often grieved and shed tears. She said she was to much trouble and had no way to recompense us for our trouble. we begd her not to trouble herself about that not for a moment for we were willing to take care of her and i did i was able to take care ____ through all of her affliction tho i lost my helth very mutch with fegague by night and by day for my dear mother and several years never out of her room and a grate deal of the time confind to her bed. Samuel affered Abner Jones one hundred dollers to take care of mother one year till i would recover my helth _____ would not.

So we never thought any more about the pention till this winter. There was a man at our house. he said it was our rite so _____ the claim _____ same as if mother was alive. he said that it would be a _____ case for several had tried that would make it more deficult. we never had anything to with the case mother always managed it herself __________ a grate deal of trouble and expence but _______ he would make the work and if the suit went well and if not it would cost us nothing. so ____ him to make the trial whether he succeeds or _____. and I thought I would rite to all my brothers and sisters to know if we succeed in getting anything to know he claims part and I want them to rite to me __________ this letter is desined(?) for all my brothers and sisters in the Indiana _______ them all to see it is too many ___ expense. _____ to be remembered _____ and all their families i must bring my letter to a close but still remains your brother and sister untill death.
Samuel and Mary Allen. __ to all _____ brothers and sisters in the Indiana farewell rite soon __________ visiting _____ got a _______ visit."

Mary married Samuel ALLEN on 21 Feb 1805 in Wayne County, Kentucky.¹ (Samuel ALLEN was born on 16 Feb 1785 in Virginia ^{2 4} and died in 1868 in Wayne County, Kentucky ^{4 9}.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Allen, Samuel and Mary "Polley" Hambleton. Surety, William Hambleton. Married 21 Feb 1805 by Nicholas Loyd. Endorsement on Bond, 'consent of father of Polly approved by the oath of William Hambleton.'" ¹