John L. Hamilton (1835 - bef. 1905)

Born 22 Aug 1835 in Loudon, Ayr, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

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Biography

A US passport application for John L. Hamilton survives in which his daugher Wilhelmina is included as a 14-year-old girl. The application is dated 18 December 1880 and granted 20 December of that year. There is no indication of where they planned to travel. But it does include the information that John L. Hamilton became a naturalized citizen of the US on 27 April 1868. He would have been 32 years old at that time.

John L. Hamilton is recorded in the 1870 Federal Census for the 9th District, 20th Ward of New York City, living with wife Margaret (age 33) and six children: Thomas S (?). (age 11, at school), Margaret C. (age 9, at school), Alexander (age 7, at school), William J. (age 4), Jane S. (age 2) and Agnes (age 1). The "William J." is almost certainly his daughter Wilhelmina. His occupation is given as carpenter. Thomas and his wife are listed as born in Scotland, and all the children in New York. Two quite elderly people of a different surname share the household, one listed as servant (though at age 88 this seems unlikely) and the other as carpenter (age 87, ditto).

He is again recorded in the 1900 Federal Census for the Borough of Manhattan in New York City at age 64. This time is wife is listed as the mother of seven children, of whom five were still living. John and Margaret are listed as having been married for 41 years. Their son Alexander, now age 36, shares their household and like his father is listed as a carpenter and builder. John and Margaret's other son, Thomas L., resided nearby as that household is listed next in the record. John is recorded as having immigrated to the United States in 1853, and Margaret in 1855.

His wife Margaret is recorded in the 1905 New York state census for the 11th Election District, Borough of Manhattan as head of household with no husband present. I have therefore used this date as a value for John's death.

Margaret is explicitly recorded as a widow in the 1910 Federal Census for District 1223 in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City. Margaret was then recorded as the mother of 7 children, of whom 4 were then living. This indicates that one of their children died between 1900 and 1910.

Sources

• Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950
• 1870 Federal Census for the 9th District, 20th Ward of New York City
• 1900 Federal Census for the Borough of Manhattan in New York City
• 1905 New York state census for the 11th Election District, Borough of Manhattan
• 1910 Federal Census for District 1223 in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City