Samuel Hamilton was born in Ballykelly, Northern Ireland.
He immigrated in 1846 from Northern Ireland at the height of the Irish potato famine (1845-50) which devastated the primary food crop of Ireland and caused the death of almost 11 % of the Irish population.he went to New York, where he met and married Elizabeth Fagen in 1849. She was the deeply religious daughter of Northern Irish immigrants.
Seeking his fortune in the far west, Samuel moved in 1850 to where his sister was in San Jose California and lived there for the next 20 years. Samuel was a blacksmith there.
In 1871, they moved to Salinas and within two years began to homestead a ranch near King City, California which unfortunately had relatively poor soil.[1][2]. He worked as a blacksmith in Salinas, Cailfornia. He was the father of nine children with his wife, Liza Fagen. They were still living in 1900.
From: Steinbeck Studies .Volume 15, Number 2, Fall 2004 .pp. 169-174 | 10.1353/stn.2004.0047.Steinbeck Studies
United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M6P9-CJB : accessed 07 May 2014), Samuel Hamilton, Castroville, Monterey, California, United States; citing sheet 185B, NARA microfilm publication T9.
"United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MDKD-2HW : accessed 07 May 2014), Saml Hamilton, San Jose Township, Santa Clara, California, United States; citing "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; p. 139, household ID 659, NARA microfilm publication M653; FHL microfilm 803065.
California, Great Registers, 1866-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VT69-SNT : accessed 07 May 2014), Samuel Hamilton, 07 May 1870; citing p. 16, Salinas, Monterey, California, United States; FHL microfilm 977080.
California, Great Registers, 1866-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VT6S-D5B : accessed 07 May 2014), Samuel Hamilton, 10 Oct 1892; citing p. 32, King City, Monterey, California, United States; FHL microfilm 977080.
"California, Great Registers, 1866-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VT6S-LXB : accessed 07 May 2014), Samuel Hamilton, 02 Jul 1896; citing p. 83, San Lucas, Monterey, California, United States; FHL microfilm 977080.
California, Great Registers, 1866-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VT6S-D5B : accessed 07 May 2014), Samuel Hamilton, 10 Oct 1892; citing p. 32, King City, Monterey, California, United States; FHL microfilm 977080.
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