Schuyler Hamilton (abt. 1787 - abt. 1861)

Born about 1787 in Amherst, Virginia, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Susannah (Dotson) Hamilton — married about 1810 in Russell, Virginia, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 30 Sep 1861 at about age 74 in Ramsey, Wise, Virginia, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

Schuyler Hamilton Settlement Location: Site of home was in Ramsey about 100 feet west of the Depot, on the south side of Route 64.

Date: Built perhaps about 1810.

Owners: Schuyler Hamilton bought the land when that part of the County was included in the bounds of Scott Co. He willed it in 1861 to his sons, Lewis and Andrew Jackson. No account of their disposal is recorded in Wise County although the village of Ramsey is located upon this tract of land and it has been subdivided into lots and sold to various parties.

Description: The Hamilton House was considered a very good house for the early pioneer home. It was a two story, three room, hewn log house. One room on each floor in the front part and a kitchen built to the rear. It had a stone chimney, mud dobbed, at the end of the front part and facing West. The kitchen part also had a stone chimney at the back facing the mountain. The family cooking was done on this fireplace. The house had glass windows, yellow poplar blank floors and batten doors. It was ceiled overhead with yellow poplar planks. Clap board roof. The front of the house faced north and had a full length porch across the front. Up Clear Creek, at the site where the old Band Mill once set, was a one story, two room hewn log house that Lewis, son of Schuyler Hamilton, lived in. This house was small like many of the early log cabins and had puncheon floors, clapboard roof, batten doors and only wooden shutters for windows. Near by this house was another log cabin of about the same architectural design as the Lewis Hamilton house that was occupied by his brother John. These two cabins were probably built in he late eighteen forties or early eighteen fifties. The three houses have long since been torn away. No vestige of their foundations, chimney rocks, etc. can be found at the site. On Clear Creek, and near the last two mentioned cabins, was a small hewn log grist mill that was run by the Hamilton Brothers. It was an undershot wheel, short sluice way and mainly a corn mill although some wheat and much buckwheat was ground here. There was no Bolter for bolting the flour. This Mill was running during and after the Civil War, but the date it was started has not or cannot be established. Just south of the Lewis Hamilton house stood another small log building that was used by Schuyler Hamilton and his sons as a "Hattery". Nathan Hamilton later became known as the best Hatters in Wise County. In this Hattery they made both wool and fur hats. These fur hats were made of fox and coon fur. They were called "Smooth Casters" and were considered much better and lots dressier than the woolen hats and sold for $3.50. They were lined with choice tanned leather and sometimes with the better quality homespun cloth. The woolen hats were mostly lined with cloth, with a good leather sweat band. These sweat bands were usually made from the hides of wild animals, as the leather tanned from these was of much finer texture, thinner and softer than that of cow hides, although cow hide leather was used for this purpose too. The price of the woolen hats ranged from one to a dollar and a half. Both wool and fur hats were formed around different size wooden blocks that were called "Hat Blocks." An early as 1843, Schuyler Hamilton was taking hats to Bickley Mills, (at the present site of Castlewood), and selling them in exchange for other necessities and staples. The Hamilton Hats were well known and worn by most of the people for miles around.

Historical Significance: Schuyler Hamilton was born in 1789 and married Susannah Dotson, a daughter of Simon and Phoebe Hollingsworth Dotson. He settled at the foregoing place and lived there until his death in 1861 and was laid to rest in the old part of the Laurel Grove Cemetery at Ramsey. No marker was placed at his grave so the exact location is unknown. (The grave has since been located and marked). He preceded his wife to their final rest about ten years. To this union were born seventeen children, one set of triplets, two dying in infancy and the other fifteen children grew to maturity. Besides being a Hat Maker and farmer, Schuyler Hamilton was a Fifer (musician). He served as a Sergeant in the War of 1812 in Captain Neill's Company of Virginia Militia, enlisted at Lee County Courthouse, July 20, 1814 and served until January 31, 1815, when he was discharged at Norfolk, VA. He was a Judge in an election held at the home of Phillip Counts near Gladeville, October 5, 1836, along with four other early settlers to Superintend the separate election for Senator in the month of November next. He was one of the first Deacons of the Big Glades Baptist Church at Gladeville, elected May 1, 1847. Lewis Hamilton was born in 1825, died 1894-96. He was married to Susannah Hatfield of West Virginia. First settled at the foregoing place and later lived on Black Creek, Wise Co., VA. John Hamilton was born in 1835. Married Rebecca Wells, March 20, 1852. Rebecca Wells Hamilton was born 1835, died 1882. Neither of these two brothers took any active part in the political affairs of the county.

The Nathan Hamilton House

Nathan Hamilton was a son of Schuyler and Susannah Dotson Hamilton. He settled on what is now known as the Meade Fork of Bold Camp about 1840. Built with his own hands a two-story, five room hewn log house, later weatherboarded, ceiling it with whip-sawed poplar lumber. The house is two-story, three rooms down and two upstairs. Faces east, with porch on front. The building is in form "T" but the back is only one story. It was sold by John Hamilton, youngest son of Nathan, to Samuel Meade, about twenty-five years ago. Has been occupied by Meade since. To the north, about fifty yards, stood a building used by Hamilton for his hat shop. He was the only hatter to ever follow his trade in Wise County, and for many years about the Civil War days, made all the hats worn by the men in this section. Thomas Ally, who lives on Mill Creek, once wore one of the Hamilton hats. He made them narrow brimmed and square topped. Some of them weighted three pounds. Schuyler Hamilton was born about 1787. It is believed that he was born in Amherst County, Virginia.

Schuyler married Susannah "Sookey" Dotson about in 1810. There were 13 known children born to this union:

• Nancy Hamilton Beverly
• Phoebe Hamilton Huff
• Elizabeth Hamilton Vanderpool
• Nathan Hamilton
• Malinda Hamilton Stidham
• Sarah "Sallie" Hamilton Buchanan
• Lewis Hamilton
• Minerva Hamilton Dean
• Susannah Hamilton Huff
• Robert Schuyler Hamilton
• John D Hamilton
• Andrew Jackson Hamilton
• Nelson Hamilton

Schuyler and his family settled on a large tract of land in what is now present day Ramsey, Wise County, Virginia. Schuyler was a farmer and a hatter.

Schuyler is believed to have passed away on 30 Sep 1861 on the homestead in Ramsey, Wise County, Virginia. He was laid to rest at the Laurel Grove Cemetery in Norton, Wise County, Virginia.

Sources

• 1820 United States Federal Census 1820 U S Census; Census Place: Lebanon, Russell, Virginia; Page: 143; NARA Roll: M33_141; Image: 156

• 1830 United States Federal Census 1830; Census Place: Scott, Virginia; Series: M19; Roll: 200; Page: 16; Family History Library Film: 0029679

• 1840 United States Federal Census Year: 1840; Census Place: Russell, Virginia; Roll: 577; Page: 31; Image: 66; Family History Library Film: 0029692

• 1850 United States Federal Census Year: 1850; Census Place: District 54, Russell, Virginia; Roll: M432_975; Page: 332B; Image: 235

• 1860 United States Federal Census Year: 1860; Census Place: Wise, Virginia; Roll: M653_1384; Page: 367; Image: 373; Family History Library Film: 805384

• Family Data Collection - Births

• Family Data Collection - Deaths

• Family Data Collection - Individual Records Birth year: 1787; Birth city: Amhurst Co; Birth state: VA

• Family Data Collection - Individual Records Birth year: 1787; Birth city: Amhurst Co; Birth state: VA

• U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Source number: 708.003; Source type: Pedigree chart; Number of Pages: 1

• War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815

• Schuyler Hamilton Settlement

• Find A Grave: Memorial #20151124

Research Notes

• Birth Year: Sources vary on the exact year and location of his birth. The headstone that has been placed at his resting place lists 1787 as his birth year. However, this was a stone that was set several years after his death.
• Number of Children: Many accounts claim a total of 17 children born to Schuyler and Sookey. However, these additional children are not listed by name in these historical accounts. It is believed that they there were a set of triplets with two of the three dying in infancy and the remaining 15 surviving to adulthood. At this time only the 13 children listed have been confirmed from census, birth, death, marriage record, etc.