Hon. John Hamilton and Mary Patterson

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Husband Hon. John Hamilton ^{1 2}

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           Born: 25 Nov 1754 - York (later Adams) Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 22 Aug 1837 1 3
         Buried:  - Mingo Cemetery, Union Twp, Washington Co, PA

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         Father: John Hamilton, Sr. (Abt 1713-1798) 1 2
         Mother: Florence [Unk] (Abt 1717-1800) 2

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       Marriage: 2 Jun 1796 3

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Wife Mary Patterson ^{1 3}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1837
         Buried:  - Mingo Cemetery, Union Twp, Washington Co, PA

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Children

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1 F Harriet Hamilton ^{1 3}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 19 Jul 1849 4
         Buried: 

         Spouse: David Hamilton, Jr. (1795-1886) 1 3 5
           Marr: 28 Dec 1820 4

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2 F Margaret Hamilton ^{1 3}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Parker (      -      ) 1 3

         Spouse: [Unk] Purviance (      -      ) 1 3

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General Notes: Husband - Hon. John Hamilton

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Of the children of John Hamilton, Sr., the only one who became a resident of Washington County, Pennsylvania, was John. He was born, most probably, in Adams (then York) County. He came west in 1783, and the year following purchased of Joseph McCollum a tract of land, "Milford," held by warrant from "Board of Property," and, subsequently, of a Mr. Jacobs, an additional tract adjoining, for which he secured letters patent in 1788-the whole tract lying on south side of Mingo creek, three miles from its mouth. Of these lands he retained possession until his death.
John Hamilton became high sheriff of the county in 1793, being the first chosen under the constitution of 1790. During the time he held this office, the troublous scenes of the insurrection transpired. While sharing in the general sentiment of opposition to the excise laws as unjust and oppressive, he used his influence, personal and official, to prevent this opposition from running into lawlessness and violence. Notwithstanding this, he was regarded with suspicion and subjected to an oppressive prosecution. His excellence of character, and the cruel injustice done him, are fully attested in the historical records of those times. Hon. H. M. Brackenridge, in his "History of the Insurrection," remarks: "The case of Sheriff Hamilton, one of the most estimable men in the western counties, was much more aggravated. . . . It can not but excite the liveliest indignation to read the details of this case." Hon. William Findley writes as follows: "John Hamilton, of Washington, is high sheriff of that county, and colonel of a regiment of militia in the Mingo Creek settlement; though a number of this regiment were known to have had an active hand in the attack on Neville's house, and were in fact considered the greatest promoters of the insurrection, yet he not only kept himself from those outrages, but endeavored, as soon as he heard of the design, to prevent the rendezvous at Braddock's Field. When he could not prevent this, he put himself at the head of his regiment, and was very instrumental in preventing further outrages from being committed. . . . He attended all the meetings for restoring order, and, living where he did, he merited higher approbation than if he had resided in Boston. Col. Hamilton was informed by a friend of the designs against him in time enough to make his escape, but, conscious of his innocence, he preferred traveling above thirty miles to where the judiciary then was, and presenting himself to Judge Peters, informed him that he had heard there was a charge against him, and requested to have it examined." After giving a detailed account of the subsequent events up to the time of his triumphant vindication, Mr. Findley adds: "Thus a man who was at the time sheriff of the county and a colonel of the militia, and who was in a part of the country and in circumstances where temporizing might have been excusable, was not only clear of any charge, but had merit, was illegally taken from the exercise of an office at that time of importance to the peace of the county, and without examination dragged down to Philadelphia in the winter by a military guard, paraded in a barbarous manner through the streets, thrown for some time into the cells, compelled to wear the word 'insurgent' in his hat, and then cast into prison, and after a long confinement admitted to bail. After this he was again required to cross the mountains to meet his trial, at which nothing was alleged against him."
That the popular sentiment fully approved Col. Hamilton's character and conduct appears from the civil honors which were immediately thereafter conferred upon him. In 1796 he represented the counties of Washington and Allegheny in the State Senate. In 1800 he represented in the same body the counties of Washington, Allegheny and Greene. In 1802 he was appointed, by Gov. McKean, associate judge of Washington county, but was shortly afterward elected a member of Congress, serving from 1804 to 1806. In 1820 he was again appointed associate judge, and continued in the office until his death. He was chosen a presidential elector in 1804, and voted for the re-election of Jefferson. In 1820 he was chosen, a second time, to the same position, and voted for the re-election of Monroe. Military offices were also filled by him almost continuously. Three several commissions, the first in 1786, were given to him as lieutenant-colonel of militia. In 1800 he was commissioned brigadier-general, and in 1807 "major-general of Fourteenth Division, composed of the militia of the counties of Washington and Greene."
In his personal appearance Judge Hamilton, or, as he was often called, "General Hamilton," was of medium stature, heavy build, inclining to corpulence, of benign expression of countenance, and scrupulously neat in dress, never appearing in public without the snow-white ruffles and ivory-mounted cane, which were so generally affected in those days by elderly men in official position.
It should be remembered that Gen. Hamilton was a zealous friend of the cause of education. He was one of the first board of trustees of Jefferson College when it was chartered in 1802, and in this position he continued over thirty years. In Smith's history of Jefferson College, mention is made of the appointment in 1805 of a committee "to transmit to Gen. Hamilton, then in Congress, an account of the state of the college, for the purpose of aiding him in soliciting donations." Besides being a courteous gentleman and a public-spirited citizen, Gen. Hamilton was also a devout Christian. He lived and died in the communion of the Presbyterian Church. [CBRWC, 60]

Of his family only two daughters survived the parents. These two daughters inherited the paternal estate.

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General Notes: Wife - Mary Patterson

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from Westmoreland Co, PA

1 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 694.

2 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 60.

3 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 61.

4 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 63.

5 —, History of Adams County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886), Pg 406.