Person:James Hamilton (211)

Statement of James Hamilton

"I, James Hamilton, was born in Tyrone County, Ireland, 2 Sep, 1748. My original progenitors came from Stirling, Scotland. Three brothers, at the time of the Great Rebellion in Scotland, landed in the north of Ireland. My grandfather's name was James Hamilton. He died aged eighty-five years and six months. He lived in the village of Glen Garland, in the parish of Donagheady, County Tyrone, six miles from Londonderry and seven from Strabane. The name of my mother's father was James Laury, and of my mother's mother, Jean Bell. They lived in Coleraine. I landed in Philadelphia, 9 Oct, 1771, after a passage of seven weeks and three days from Londonderry."

Besides the small paper given above, James left a journal of his life to hi eldest son, William, who, before his decease, gave it to his son John; but unfortunately it was lost with much valuable data, and no one now is living who remembers its contents.(1897)

[Note: found in an old desk in 1880, sixty-eight years after his death. Mr. John H. Sale of Lexington, Virginia; http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/a/m/William-D-Hamilton-KY/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0751.html]

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 GenForum.

   1. JAMES3 HAMILTON (JAMES2, JAMES1) was born 02 Sep 1748 in Glennagoorland, Donagheady Parish, Tyrone County, Ireland, and died 19 Jan 1812 in Botetourt County, Virginia. He married JANE (GALBRAITH) GILBREATH Abt. 1776 in Berkeley, Virginia, daughter of THOMAS GILBREATH and MARGARET. She was born Bet. 1753 - 1754 in At Sea, and died Aft. 1791 in prob. Botetourt County, Virginia.
   
   Children of JAMES HAMILTON and JANE GILBREATH are:
   2. i. WILLIAM4 HAMILTON, b. 25 Dec 1777, Berkeley County, Virginia; d. 08 Mar 1839, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
   3. ii. MARGARET HAMILTON, b. 15 May 1780, Botetourt County, Virginia; d. 01 Nov 1865, Jackson, Monroe County, Missouri.
   4. iii. GALBRAITH HAMILTON, b. 29 Sep 1782, Botetourt County , Virginia; d. 18 Jun 1857, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
   iv. ELIZABETH HAMILTON, b. 19 Dec 1783, Botetourt County, Virginia.
   v. JAMES HAMILTON, b. 20 Jan 1784, Botetourt County, Virginia; d. 1850; m. RACHEL THOMPSON; b. 30 Jul 1812; d. 30 Sep 1882.
   5. vi. ISABELLA HAMILTON, b. 13 Feb 1786, Botetourt County, Virginia; d. 04 Feb 1866.
   6. vii. JOHN HAMILTON, b. 09 Jun 1789, Botetourt County, Virginia; d. 07 Aug 1872, Locust Hill, Virginia.
   7. viii. JANE HAMILTON, b. 23 Sep 1791, Botetourt County, Virginia; d. 09 Apr 1880, Vermilion County, Illinois.
   
   http://genforum.genealogy.com/hamilton/messages/10980.html

2. ↑ Family tree maker. (MyFamily.com, Inc., c2003).

   HISTORY: James Hamilton was the first member of this branch of the family to land in America. He landed in Philadelphia 9 Oct, 1771. With him on this voyage were his brothers John, the eldest, and Samuel. The three young men were well educated and evidently had sufficient money with them to provide an ample economic start in their
   new home. James had been educated in Londonderry, Ireland and wore the "gentlemen's costume of the period". He married and settled in Berkeley County, VA. A few years later they decided to move to eastern Tennessee and they had ample funds to secure the equipment necessary. While on the way, the horses became disabled so they finally settled in Botetourt County, VA. They purchased land on the James River and erected a beautiful home, still standing, and thus established a fine estate. It is obvious that he must have had finances beyond the income from his personal efforts in order to acquire this estate. He obviously inherited a considerable sum of money from his family in Ireland. He went to school in Londonderry seven years, and was especially proficient in mathematics. He also attended dancing school while there. When he arrived in Philadelphia, he was attired in the gentleman's costume of the period - knee breeches, with buckles, ruffles, etc. In personal appearence, he was
   of medium size and had blue eyes and fair complexion. A few years after their marriage the young couple made preparations to remove to eastern Tennessee. They set out from Berkeley County, but their journey was continued no further than Pattonsburg in Botetourt County, where the horses becoming disabled , they were forced to stop. They then decided to remain there, and purchased land on the James River about a mile below the town. He was a school teacher, farmer and was considered the best surveyor in the county at that time. His final words when he died were spoken to his son John, "I feel that I have a building above, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." The following paper was found in an old desk in 1880, sixty-eight years after his death. Mr. John H. Sale of Lexington, VA, the finder, carefully preserved and restored it to the family. "I, James Hamilton, was born in Tyrone County, Ireland, 2 Sep, 1748. My original progenitors came from Stirling, Scotland. Three brothers, at the time of the Great Rebellion in Scotland, landed in the north of Ireland. My grandfather's name was James Hamilton. He died aged eighty-five years and six months. He lived in the village of Glen Garland, in the parish of Donagheady, County Tyrone, six miles from Londonderry and seven from Strabane. The name of my mother's father was James Laury, and of my mother's mother, Jean Bell. They lived in Coleraine. I landed in Philadelphia, 9 Oct, 1771, after a passage of seven weeks and three days from Londonderry." Besides the small paper given above, James left a journal of his life to hi eldest son, William, who, before his decease, gave it to his son John; but unfortunately it was lost with much valuable data, and no one now is living who remembers its contents. (1897)
   
   http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/a/m/William-D-Hamilton-KY/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0819.html