The name of William’s father was a mystery but it was thought that he was born in Scotland. However, it seems he was actually born in New Jersey. As I was browsing Ancestry.com in April 2019 I stumbled across a picture of a page entitled The Hamilton Family, pg. 291. It’s from the book by J. Percy Crayon, Rockaway Records of Morris County, N. J. Families, (Rockaway, N.J., Rockaway Publishing Co., 1902).
One of the Benjamins on the page matched up with Tim’s Benjamin Hamilton. And at long last the mystery was solved! William’s second wife, Nellie Hurd, is the name of Benjamin’s previously unidentified mother. And the line now went back 3 more generations to the Scottish ancestor.
William Hamilton 1756-1824 (Revolutionary War)
Stephen Hamilton ?-1759 (died in the Battle of Ticonderoga, French & Indian War)
John Hamilton c.1681-1747
Gov. Andrew Hamilton c.1651-1703 (Governor of colonial New Jersey, Tim’s 7th-great-grandfather)
Tim’s 4th-great-grandfather, Sgt. William Hamilton, son of Stephen Hamilton, was born c. 1756 in Hanover, New Jersey, and died November 1824 in Morristown, New Jersey. He married (as his second wife) c. 1778, Nellie Hurd, who was born c. 1762, daughter of Josiah & Hannah (Brown) Hurd.
William had married (as his first wife) 5 January 1775, Elizabeth Rogers, who was born c. 1757 in Morristown, and died there in childbirth 27 July 1775, daughter of John & Hannah (Mack) Rogers.
Elizabeth & William were the parents of:
1. an unnamed child, born and died on 27 July 1775.
Nellie & William were the parents of six children:
1. Elizabeth Hamilton, born 19 April 1779, died 8 October 1853 in Hornbrook, Pennsylvania. She married 5 April 1800 in Chester, New Jersey, James Shores, who was born 5 February 1769 in New Providence, New Jersey, and died 5 March 1837 in Hornbrook.
2. Silas Hamilton, born 14 February 1781, died c. 1854. He married (as his first wife) 23 July 1805 in Morris, New Jersey, Deborah Hurd, who died c. 1819.
Silas married (as his second wife) 21 September 1820, Abigail Ayers, who died in February 1869.
3. William Hamilton, born 20 February 1783, died 14 June 1855. He married 20 September 1808, Phebe Baldwin, who was born c. 1783, and died 18 January 1861.
4. Sarah Hamilton, born 15 April 1788, died in March 1862 in Degolia, Pennsylvania. She married 13 March 1814 in Morris, Silas Drake.
5. Jane Hamilton, born 9 October 1790, died 23 April 1860 in Ludlowville, New York. She married 4 November 1810 in Morris, Joshua Jennings, who was born 7 June 1787, and died 28 June 1854.
6. Benjamin Hamilton (Tim’s 3rd-great-grandfather), born 27 December 1792 in Roxbury, New Jersey, died 28 July 1880 in Ischua, New York. He married c. 1813, Rachel Gardner, who was born 23 April 1797 in Byrum, New Jersey, and died 18 June 1877 in Ischua.
Last Revised: 13 October 2024