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Historical records matching James Hamilton
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About James Hamilton
James Hamilton, son of William, studied medicine with Dr. Shippen in 1774. He fought in the battles on Long Island, around New York City, and across New Jersey where he was taken prisoner of war. He remained in South Carolina after the War where he married Elizabeth Lynch, daughter of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence from that State.
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/p/e/t/David-H-Peter-NV/G...
6. MAJOR JAMES23 HAMILTON (WILLIAM22, JOHN21, WILLIAM20, HANS19, WILLIAM18, HANS17, ARCHIBALD16, JAMES15, WILLIAM14, JAMES13, WALTER12, JOHN11, DAVID10, DAVID FITZWALTER9, WALTER FITZGILBERT8, GILBERT7 DE HAMILTON, WILLIAM6 DE HAMBLETON, ROBERT III5 DE BEAUMONT, ROBERT II4, ROBERT I3, ROGER2, FURLOF OF POUT1 AVDONCERE) was born 16 Sep 1757 in Leacock Twp, Lancaster Co, PA, and died 26 Nov 1833 in South Carolina. He married ELIZABETH LYNCH. She was born Abt. 1760.
Notes for MAJOR JAMES HAMILTON:
This Major received a Bounty Land Warrant, BLWT1010-400, issued 4/20/1796, 400 acres. In a letter from a William H. Hannum, 700 Frankline Ave, Columbus, OH, probably in the 1920's,the following is asserted that the Major James Hamilton: "a famous son of William Hamilton was Major or Colonel James Hamiton, the Hero of Yorktown" (from The History of Lancaster, PA, by H.M.J. Klein, I227), and from same, I325: "Colonel Hamilton, one of George Washington's aides."
Also, from DAR books (Vol 10, p305, Vol 26, p48): "James Hamilton was captain of Continetnal infantry when taken prisoner at Fort Montgomery. He received the British flag, surrendered by Cornwallis at Yorktown. He was president of the State Society of the Cincinnati when he died in 1833, at the age of 83".
James Hamilton, rose from the ranks to a high position in the army. He became the progenitor of a very distinguished family in South Carolina. William Hamilton died in January, 1782. His tender regard for his son James, who was with the army in the South, was shown when he wrote his will. He devised a farm to each of his sons, Hugh, William, John and Robert. At this time he did not know whether James was living or not, and fearing he might return to his home a maimed soldier, and unable to make a comfortable living, gave him two thousand pounds.
"This James Hamilton was born upon the parental farm in 1758, in Leacock township. He was probably one of the classical scholars of the Rev. Robert Smith at Pequea church. When the tocsin of war sounded at Massachusetts Bay, his heart was fired with patriotic zeal, before he attained his majority. On March 16th, 1776, he was enrolled as second lieutenant in Captain John Murray's company of riflemen in the Second Batallion of Col. Miles' regiment. He must have shown an aptitude for military affairs to an unusual degree in one so young to be placed in the line of officers. In his future career he demmonstrated the wisdom of the selection. He was in active service in the Jerseys and participated in the campaign there. He was in the hottest of the fight on Long Island, in August, taken prisoner, and not exchanged until November 2, 1777. For gallant conduct in this action, in September, 1778, he was promoted to a captaincy in the First Pennsylvania, commanded by Col. James Chambers (who subsequently married a Miss Hamilton). On December 10, 1778, he was promoted to Major of the Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Line, commanded by Col. Walter Stewart. In May, 1780, he commanded a detachment, and, as senior Major, he commanded his Battalion at Yorktown, which was in Gen. Wayne's command.
"After the surrender of Cornwallis, General Wayne, with his brigade, was sent to the relief of Charleston, and Major Hamilton was in service there when peace was declared. When there he met Elizabeth Lynch, sister of Thomas Lynch, jr., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, from South Carolina. They were married, and for years they lived upon his plantation on the Santee. For some time prior and at the time of his death he resided in the city of Charleston. Among other children he had a son James, who was born in Charleston, May 8, 1786, and became one of the most distinguished of the many prominent men of the Palmetto State. He received a collegiate education and graduated with high honors. His father had in view the profession of law for his son, but he preferred a military life and entered the army, serving with great credit as a major in the Canadian campaigns under Scott and Brown, in 1812. The battles there were the hottest and better contested on both sides than any other during that war. After the war he commenced the study of law with James L. Petigrew. For several years in succession Major Hamilton was chosen the chief officer in Charleston, which corresponds to that of mayor in northern cities. He displayed eminent ability in this position, which brought him into prominence. In 1822 he discovered the Vesey conspiracy to raise an insurrection among the slaves. In the same year he was elected to the State Legislature, where he at once distinguished himself as a debater. He was chosen a representative to Congress in 1824 and in 1826. He espoused the doctrines of free trade and advocated direct taxation. He believed in the dueling code, and was Randolph's second in his duel with Henry Clay, and second to Gov. McDuffie in his duel with Col. Cummings, of Georgia, and occupied the same position upon other similar occasions. He was a strong partisan of Gen. Jackson, and in 1828, when he became president, he offered him the post of minister to Mexico, with authority to negotiate the annexation of Texas. This he declined. He quitted Congress to become governor of South Carolina in 1830, at the interesting period when his State resolved to nullify the Federal tariff laws. He became a 'nullifer,' and was one of the ablest advocates of 'State Rights.' The war breeze aroused in South Carolina caused great excitement throughout the country, and was not entirely allayed until the compromise of Henry Clay was brought about, when Mr. Hamilton retired from public life, and devoted himself to the care of his plantation. In a few years he became ardently interested in the cause of Texas, to which he gave his personal services, and a large portion of his private fortune. In 1841, while Texas was an independent republic, he was her minister to England and France, where he procured the recognition of her independence. On the death of John C. Calhoun, in 1852, he was appointed his successor in the U.S. Senate, but declined the office for domestic reasons. In his effort in behalf of Texas he expended his fortune, and he became involved in pecuniary difficulties, which harrassed the latter years of his life. He was on his way to Texas to seek indemnification for his losses, when he perished by a collision between the steamboats Galveston and Opelouses, in the latter of which he was a passenger. With his usual courtesy he yielded his own change of safety to a lady among the passengers, to whom he was an entire stranger. His conduct was in sharp contrast to that of a prominent lawyer at Lancaster, who witnessed his wife's struggles in the Hudson river, at the Henry Clay disaster, without making a supreme effort to save her life. Mr. Hamilton was esteemed by his native State, as one of her greatest citizens. S. P. Hamilton, who resides at Chester, South Carolina, is a son. Governor Hamilton had a brother, Robert, who moved to the west, and it is supposed that Governor Hamilton, of Illinois, was one of his descendants."
Children of JAMES HAMILTON and ELIZABETH LYNCH are:
13. i. JAMES24 HAMILTON, b. 08 May 1786, Charleston, South Carolina; d. 15 Nov 1857, Gulf of Mexico.
ii. HANNAH MOTTE HAMILTON, b. Abt. 1790.
iii. ELIZABETH LYNCH HAMILTON, b. Abt. 1795.
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James Hamilton's Timeline
| 1750 |
September 16, 1750
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Lancaster, PA, United States
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| 1786 |
May 8, 1786
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Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
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| 1790 |
1790
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| 1793 |
October 22, 1793
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Charleston, SC, United States
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| 1833 |
November 26, 1833
Age 83
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Charleston, SC, United States
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