James Hamilton (abt. 1675 - 1735)

Born about 1675 in Londonderry, Ireland

Husband of Rebecca (Stewart) Hamilton — married 1699 in Ulster, Ireland

Descendants

Died 10 May 1735 at about age 60 in Worcester, Massachusetts Bay, New England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Wendy Hamilton [send private message]

Biography

James Hamilton

Wife: Hamilton DNA project states wife as "Rebecca (or Margaret)". Spelling of Rebecca taken from Solome book.

Most of source per book authored by Solome Hamilton in 1819: Genealogy of the Hamilton Family, book printed in 1894 and available on amazon.com. Some sources, including will, are attached.

Children also included Lemuel and Adam (not entered). They are believed to have died young or have been disfranchised from the family as they are not mentioned in the will.

Birth date listed as 1670 in AGBI record. This makes him a bit old for child-bearing years (50) but his wife was younger. Subsequently used birth date listed in Hamilton DNA project "abt 1675" but another source not known for this.

Year and location of death from Solome's book Genealogy of the Hamilton Family. The will of James Hamilton was dated 5 April 1735 and proved on 16 May 1735 in Worcester. He mentioned his wife Rebekah, his children, Thomas Hamilton, Mickel Hamilton, John Hamilton, Frances Hamilton, and his brother John Hamilton, and his cousin Samuel Callhoon.^[1][2]

James' will also mentions a cousin Samuel Callhoon as an executor. I couldn't find this cousin but there is a Judith Hamilton with brother James who married a Calhoon.

When did the Hamiltons come to the US? Is this James related to Alexander Hamilton? 1) Dr John B. Hamilton says the first Hamiltons that came to this country came as POWs and were landed in Boston by the brig John and Sarah in 1562; that one of the four brothers, Robert, died in Boston; another brother, James, settled in Worcester, Mass. But that is not known for certain. It is this first James that Alexander Hamilton the president is probably descended. In fact, our James in this profile did not come till more than 60 years after 'that first James' came to this country. So we know there was more than one Hamilton family lineage. It's not showing up on the profile but a Hamilton in this line is known to have paternal halogroup I2a.

2) Per documents on ancestry, James emigrated in 1718 from Ireland to Massachusetts per U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, Extracted from DONOVAN, GEORGE FRANCIS. The Pre-Revolutionary Irish in Massachusetts, 1620-1775. Menasha, WI: George Banta Publishing Co., 1932. 158p., Ancestry.com. U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010., Original data: Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012.

3) Solome's book states "about 1719." "Among the town offices the name of James Hamilton is first mentioned in 1723, Thomas in 1730, Michael in 1744, John in 1743." (Solome's book).

DNA

Haplogroup I2 family.

Sources

1. ↑ "Probate records v. 1 1731-1739, 1778-1814, 1863-1870" database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9Y5-BDLV  : 1 February 2024), Film# 00774407, Worcester, Massachusetts, image 100-101, Vol 1, Page 161-162.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Worcester County, Probate Files, 1731-1925," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892N-JZXG : 11 August 2014), Worcester > Case no 26663-26742, Hamilton, Eliphatlet-Hamilton, William, 1731-1881 > image 165 of 1017; Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Boston.

• Godfrey Memorial Library, comp., "American Genealogical-Biographical Index" (AGBI) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.

Original data: Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library. 15 Apr 1907, 9152 This lists birth location as Mass which doesn't seem right and birth date five years earlier.

This person was created through the import of Geer.ged on 25 September 2010.