| Notes |
- Alexander Hamilton's in-law, John McCutcheon, farmed next lot to Alex, in Saugatack, 1870.
- PART ONE, Canada:
. Alex's birth year conflicts with his brother Richard L Hamilton's verified DOB as 1836 APR 20th.*
Note1: As supported by Ontario Census of 1861, 1870 & 1881
& brother Richard Hamilton's Wellington County Death Certificate.
Saugatuck Allegan Co., Michigan, gives Alex's DOB as 1837.
"Though but eighteen years old, he assumed the care of the family' (1855 father dies, minus 18 years = born 1837).
Witness:
. This Certifies that the rite of Holy Matrimony was celebrated between
Richard Hamilton of Acton & Jane M McCutcheon of Erin Township
on Thursday Jane 24th, 1861 at Hugh McCutcheons
by Rev. Joseph Munsworth, Congregational Ministries, Georgetown.
Wit: Stewart McCutcheon, Alex Hamilton.
Ref: Bible of Jane Matilda McCutcheon Hamilton.
. 1861 March, Flamborough W Twp., Wentworth Co, Ontario, Canada:
Richard Hamilton, Age 26, b 1835, Carpenter, born Upper Canada, frame house 1.5 stories.
Alex Hamilton, Age 23, b 1838, Nursery Agent, born Upper Canada.
. 1870 Jun 25 Census, Saugatuck, Allegan Co., Michigan: Alexander 33 y/ 1837, B Canada, Nursery man; Sophia, 1846, Ohio & Blanche Hamilton, age 1, b Michigan.
. Sister Hadassah Hamilton McCutcheon & family live beside Alex Hamilton.
. 1880 Jun 24 - Saugatack, Allegan, 1910 Census Van Buren, MI., gives DOB 1837
. 1900 Census Van Burren, MI. gives DOB 1836 Oct. Date of emigration to Michigan remains consistent at 1864.
In the c.1895 photo, Richard & Alex appear to be a similar age, but not enough to say if Richard is actually the elder.
* Photo taken with Hamilton siblings at Erin, Ontario about 1895.
. Obituary: Dies after lingering illness
Alexander Hamilton formerly of this place & who lives in Ganges for a number of years before moving to Bangor, where he has resided ever since, died at his home, Monday Oct 10 & was buried from the house Wednesday of this week.
Mr. Hamilton was widely known as a a nurseryman & had many personal friends in this vicinity. He was born Oct 1, 1836 & his well lived life was an example to his neighbors wherever he lived. The large number of flowers sent & the crowds of friends who attended the funeral from far & near indicates the esteem in which he was held. The remains were laid to rest in the Arlington Cemetery at Bangor.
. 1985 Illustrated Atlas of Saugatuck, Allegan Co., Mich. shows A. Hamilton's property is beside his brother-in-law, Sam'l Wanner. 40 acres each, two concessions from Lake Michigan. The school house was situated on the neighbours connecting the backside of Alex Hamilton's property.
. 1910 May 6 - Acton, Ontario - Rev. T. Albert Moore, D.D. was undergoing treatment in the hospital a few weeks ago ... Dr. Moore is the fourth of Acton's sons, that we know of, to receive a coveted honor, thee of whom were at one time members of the same Sunday School class: Rev. Dr. Chas A Cook, of Spikane, Wash.; Rev. D. J. E. Farmer, of Dekalb, Illinois & himself. Rev. Dr. James Hamilton, of Grand Rapids, Mich., is the other. Perhaps there are more. The Free Press has much pleasure in extending hearty congratulations to its former editor.
Newspaper clipping with photo of T A Moore included.
Ref: Acton Free Press. Newspaper clipping was found in the Bible of Ella Hamilton Walker, the niece of of a James Hamilton. For a paper over a hundred years old, the clipping appears in excellent quality.
1892 BIOGRAPHY.2
. ALEXANDER HAMILTON. This gentleman is one of the influential & respected residents of Ganges Twp., Allegan County, residing on section 20. He is extensively engage in fruit-growing & the nursery business. He was born October 3, 1836, in Halton County, Canada, to James & Rebecca Hamilton.
Our subject began working out at the age of seventeen, at the death of his father.
Note2: If Alexander was born in 1836 + 17 years, means James Hamilton died 1853 (or more likely in 1854, owing to the conflict here of Alexander's date of birth. - PJA.
He was the oldest son at home & help to educate his younger brothers & sisters. He completed his own education after the age of 21 years [i.e. about 1857 or 1858.]
In 1864 he came to Michigan, locating at Benton Harbor on a small fruit farm, where he made good financial success, but lie a great many people in that city, he wanted to go West & after taking an extensive trip in different Western States, came to the conclusion that Michigan was a good enough State for him & so, in 1866, came back to this State & located in Allegan County; here he now resides.
Here Mr. Hamilton has given his attending to fruit-growing & the nursery business. He has been very successful in this line of of pursuits & has an orchard 1,000 trees now bearing. He raises annually 100,000 peach trees for market & until about 1880 all was raised on his farm in this county. The greater part of his nursery is now situated near Grand Rapids, Kent County. His largest sales are in this county & he sold one year 100,000 trees within a radius of ten miles of his own home. His trees & fruits are of the choicest varieties & he is visited by customers from all the counties around. He is well liked for square dealing & his genial manners & he has secured a competence as a result of personal industry & good judgement, put forth in a field wisely selected.
The original of this biography was married on 26th of May, 1868, to Miss Sophia Ensign. Mrs. Hamilton is a native of Ohio & one of 14 children born of Horace & Lucinda Ensign, natives of Massachusetts. Nine of this family are yet living. They are Caleb, Electa, Lysander, Sophia (Mrs. Hamilton), Cora, George, Hattie, Summer & Denning. Our subject & his amiable wife are parents of 5 children:
Blanche, the wife of A. G. Robinson, Maude, deceased, Alice, Harry & Willie.
The parents of this family are members of the County & Mrs. Hamilton is a member of the Congregationalist Church. In politics, Mr. Hamilton votes for the man he think best qualified for the position, irrespective of the party.
Ref: Portrait & biographical record of Kalamazoo, Allegan & Van Burren Counties, Michigan. Printed 1892, Chicago.
. 1864 Alex Hamilton had gone to (Ohio) & Michigan to work. Did Alex Hamilton visit with cousin Daniel T. Lawrence was then living in Ohio & who was also a tree farmer? - PJ Ahlberg 2013.
. Michigan Naturalization Records, Allan Co., Michigan, Box 1, Folio, Page 322 (*no date noted). *
. THE SAUGATUCK & GANGES POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 30 Sept 1871, at the village of Douglas, Alexander Hamilton - Director. In Mar 1880 Alex. was the again the Director of the Society.
. ILLUSTRATED ATLAS OF ALLEGAN CO. MICHIGAN, Published 1895) Ganges: PEACH BELT NURSERIES:
We make a speciality of growing healthy, hardy Peach Trees of the surest bearing & most profitable market varieties. We also have now growing in these nurseries of the best money-making kings, a large stock of Currant & Gooseberry plants, 2 year old Grape Vines, 2y old Asparagus Plants, nursery grown Blackberry & other Berry Plants. In addition to the above we can furnish in small quantities at bottom prices, a fine stock of young & thrifty apple, Pear, Plum & Cherry Trees. Call or address: A Hamilton, Ganges, or J C Maynard No. 156 W Bridge Street, Grand Rapids.
. 1855 several thousand baskets of peaches -mostly Crawfords - were being shipped to Chicago annually. The fruit was sold for three dollars per bushel; the peaches were then peddled by street vendors for ten cents each. The great Berrien County peach boom came to an end with refrigeration.
Ref: May/June 1993 issue of Michigan History. - . -
- PART TWO, Michigan News:
. 1880 March The Saugatuck & Ganges Pomological Society
The society was organized Sep 30, 1871 at the Village of Douglas...2 western town of Allegan Co....Treasurer: Alexander Hamilton. The Charter members numbered 85.
. The Lake Shore Commercial Record Newspaper, for the Saugatuck-Douglas, Michigan Area, Pub. every Saturday morning:
1 Jun, 1882 - Dec. 31 Meeting of the Saugatuck & Ganges Pomological Society, Douglas, Masonic Hall. An essay will be found on the 5th P. of this paper from the pen of A Hamilton, on varieties of peaches to plant. It was read before the last meeting of the S G Pomological Society & is a most excellent article. ... Mr. Hamilton read a paper on varieties of peaches to plant, which caused considerable discussion & brought out some very desirable information. Summary of article:
When peaches are scare as they were this year, almost any kind / quality will sell at remunerative prices, but when they are plentiful as last year, only the very choicest will well: The most remarkable of these trees: The Reeks peach ripens with the Amsden & Alexander, a third larger, quite beautiful. The Ensfield peach ripens a few days after the Hale's Early: it does not rot as that variety usually does & has been shipped sound without any special attention year after year;
The Lewis Chili ripens between the Early Rivers & the Early Crawford. size & general outside appearance resembles the Hale, but the flesh is more sold & creamy white & parts from the pit freely. It is valued chiefly on account of its early ripening. The Bandle peach is very large, high colored, round, yellow peach, ripens a few days before the Early Crawford & sold last year for $3 a crate, other peaches were scarcely paying expenses. The Purday peach is a marvel of wonderful size, surpassing beauty & unequalled excellence & ripens a few days before the Late Crawfords. Last year $3 to $5 / basket, other good peaches were selling at 50¢ /basket. One tree yielded 25 baskets last year.
. 1882 Jan 27 - The essay read by Alex. Hamilton at the last S & G Pomological Society meting, which appeared in the COMMERCIAL soon after, has been republished in many of the leading papers of the state.
. 1882 Sept 29ch yielded him 176 Bushels. & still some farmers are discontented with their crop, Mr. H. however, is quite happy over his good fortune.
. 1883 Jul 22 - Pomological Society (Saugetuck & Ganges) meets last Saturday each month in Masonic Hall, Douglas. H Bird Jr. Sec. J F Taylor, Pres.
. 1884 Jan 11 - Saugatuck. Of the 30,000 peach trees grown & purchased by A. Hamilton, Peach Belt, 5,000 including 20 Kinds, are still for sale.
. 1884 Feb 22 - Mr. A. Hamilton is in receipt of some 5 bushels of Tenne? seed grown peach pits.
1884 May 16 - On the way to Mr. A. Hamilton's early Monday morning, we noticed that Dr. Brunson is putting up a new house on his farm in this twp.
. Peach Belt Clippings. A. Hamilton's trees arrived in good shape on Saturday evening.
1884 Sep 5 - Walter but Little Ahead.,- G W Wanner budded, at the Peach Belt Nursery, for A Hamilton, 26, 516 peach trees in 12 days of nine hours each, which would be an average of 2,455 for each ten hours work. The wood was taken out of buds & each one inserted as soon as removed form the stick of buds. Gilbert Desser did the tying. John Hones, a boy 14 years of age, put, 1,030 to 1,200 per day & did it nicely. Saugatuck township has made a good record this year & there are still 2 nurseries yet to be heard from.
. 1885 Feb 13 - Pomological Points. Feb. Meeting, re-elected A Hamilton.
. 1885 Apr 24 - Mr. Hamilton has returned from a business trip to the State of Ohio.
. 1885 May 5 - A. Hamilton, who has been at Johnsville for 3 weeks, returned home Tuesday.
. 1885 May 15 - Peach Belt Pick Ups, Frank Augustine went to Johnsville, Saturday to work Mr. Hamilton's farm three.
. 1885 Aug 28 - Jimmie Hamilton of Johnsville, is visiting his Uncle Alexander.
. 1886 Jan 29 - Alexander Hamilton, of Ganges, dropped in to shake hands with the printer this week.
. 1886 Feb 12 - Pomological Meeting, Douglas, Sat. Feb 6, at 2 p.m. Elected VP. A. Hamilton.
. 1890 Jan 17 - Alexander Hamilton visited Grand Rapids this week on purpose to confer wit the promoters of railroad from Gr to Benton harbor. Mr. Hamilton was told that the new company was disposed to favourably consider a crossing of the Kalamazoo R at Saugatuck, but the CL*MR had secured such land ...Mr H. was further informed that if the projected road was built that operations would begin not later than the first of next August.
. 1890 Feb 21 - Over a year ago Alexander Hamilton wrote the C&WMR in regard to building a side track from some point on their line into the peach section of Ganges Twp. He called their attention to the large shipments of fruit made each year from that section, but his letter was unheeded. Mr. Hamilton has lately rec. a replay indicating their willingness to favorable consider the side track matter. The people of Ganges, however, are not now to be waned from the the more important project of a lake shore Rd. by & by when the Grand Rapids & Lake Mich. Rd. gets in more practicable shape...
. 1890 Mar 17 - The people of Ganges have already begun the work of securing subscriptions to furnish the right of way for the GR & Lake Mich R. ...Alex Hamilton & Hutchinson were summed to GR this week to confer with those who have the project in hand. ... to cross the Kalamazoo River at Saugatuck ferry, Village of Douglas, then branch off to the S. 7 W through the Twp. of Ganges between the Hooter & Chase roads.
. 1891 Jan 23 Jan - S G Pomological Society, Masonic Hall, Douglas, last Sat., Elected A Hamilton VP for Ganges. Membership fee was fixed at 50 cents.
1891 Feb 13 - Peach Crop. AH, one of the big fruit men of Allegan Co., says there least 1,500,000 baskets of peaches now in sight in his section incase the buds all get through. He claims to have made a personal canvass of the big orchards.
. 1894 Jun 7, Muskegon, West Michigan, fruit Growers meet here Jun 14 -15. Executive committee consists of Walter Phillips, A. Hamilton. Afternoon Session, The cause of the decline in the price of fruit, by Alexander Hamilton, Ganges.
. 1894 Jun 14, Among the Fruit Growers R M Kellogg of Ionia says the prospects for fruit in that locality are very promising. Grand Rapids grapes were retarded by the frost, but not materially injured. Alex Hamilton of Ganges, Allegan County, is a large fruit grower in that locality. A. Hamilton stayed at the Wierengo Hotel, Muskegon.
. 1894 Jun 15 - "The cause of the decline - the price of fruit" appear red by Alex Hamilton of Ganges ... like other things, are usually cause by over production takes place when there is more produce than is required. Under consumption when times are hard & money is scarce & Common & poorer people are unable to purchase what fruit they need & pay a good price for it. At present a large portion of our people are unable to buy fruit.The western Michigan farmer cannot afford to buy peaches here at a pice that would afford us a profit while he is obliged to sell his wheat for 50¢ a bushel."
The low prices of farm products was given as one cause of low prices for fruits. The Legislation decreased the supply of paper & metallic money. ... The judge urged fruit growers of Mich. to plant potatoes to compete with the world. The speaker replied to Alex Hamilton of Ganges, who thought the judge had criticized his paper on the cause of fruit prices. One swallow doesn't bring summer, one one financial mismanagement is not the sole cause of our present depression.
Ref: Muskegon Chronicle Daily, published Jun 21,1894.
. 1895 Mar 7 - Grand Rapids, the West Michigan Fruit Growers Association elected as treasurer, A. Hamilton, of Ganges. Ref. Grand Rapids Herald.
. 1898 Feb 10 - Grand Rapids, Held at County building Feb 15-18, Long Fruit Institute of Farmers' instate assoc., Evening spearer A. Hamilton. Feb 18th: San Jose scale, whence it was brought in fruit shipments from Chile. Great effort were made to kill it. The only effective means was by fumigating the trees by covering them with tents & inflating the tents with certain deadly gases. The pest hen was noted in NJ. a Hamilton of Bangor said the Ganges & Naugatuck Pomological Society had condemned the Santa Jose Scale Law by resolutions.
Ref: Grand Rapids Herald.
. 1898 Jun 16 - Mich. Horticultural Society at the court house, Thus & Fri., Jun 23 -24: "Why I do not like the Mich. Scale Law & in what respects I would have it Amended" AH of Bangor.
Ref: Muskegon Chronicle.
. 1899 Aug 12 - Douglas, Mich. State Horticultural society were held her yesterday. Afternoon session, "How should our frozen orchards be treated?" Alexander Hamilton of Bangor.
Ref: Grand Rapids Herald.
. 1889 Dec 12 - State News: Alexander Hamilton the Peach Belt Nursery, Ganges, his just received from Green County, Tenn., a carload (459 bushels) of natural peach seed. This is the first carload of peach seed ever shipped into Michigan.
Ref: Muskegon Chronicle Newspaper: Jackson Citizen Patriot Newspaper
. 1900 Jun 21 - Newaygo July 11-12, Summer meeting of Mich. Sate Horticultural Society. Varieties of Peach Not Likely to Be Injured by Leaf Curl, A. Hamilton, Bangor. . - .
- PART THREE:
. BIOGRAPHY.2 1912
A. Hamilton & Sons. The firm A. Hamilton & Sons is widely known & it is the proud privilege of Horace & William Hamilton not only to carry on the business which their father's enterprise created & made to flourish, but to have received from him a heritage beyond price in the memory of his spotless & kindly life & the influence of his nobility of character.
Alexander Hamilton was the second son of James & Rebecca (Lawrence) Hamilton, both of whom belonged to prominent families in Ireland & England, respectively, the former to the Scotch Irish branch of the Hamilton family, of whom the Duke of Abercorn is the head as far as titles & dignities are concerned, while the latter was the youngest daughter of Captain Richard Lawrence, related to the Lawrence-Townley-Widdrington families of England. Mr. Hamilton's grandfather above named was a United Empire Loyalist, which gave to him the same standing in Canada & England that our revolutionary sires have in this country; & the sons & daughters of the U.E.L. are as proud of their lineage as are the S.A.R. & D.A.R. of America.
James Hamilton, the father of Alexander, was born in County Tyrone, near Strabane, Ireland & came to Canada in 1828. Shortly after immigrating he was married to Rebecca Lawrence. In Ireland he had been engaged in linen weaving, but immediately on coming to Canada took up farming & later went into the real estate business. He was successful in both these ventures & might have become a wealthy man if he had not placed too much confidence in his friends & wreaked his own fortune by going security for others. At his death there was nothing left for his wife & family of 7 children, all of whom were under age.
It was in this crisis that Alexander Hamilton's sterling character made itself evident. Though but eighteen years old [1855], he assumed the care of the family & until the day of his death none of them ever went to him in vain for assistance of any sort. His devotion to his mother was particularly beautiful & even when the others were able to contribute to her comfort he never yielded his privilege of being the first to bear burdens in her behalf; & this even when hard times often made it difficult to provide for his own family as he wished.
Mr. Hamilton was 27 when he first came to Michigan in the spring of 1864, [= born 1837*] as he was born October 3, 1836, in Halton County, Ontario. Within a week of their arrival he & a friend (Lewis Williams) prepared to plant an orchard & nursery on a 20 acre plot of ground where the city of Benton Harbor now stands; but the price of land rose with remarkable rapidity, going from 80 to 200 & $50 per acre in a few months, so Mr. Hamilton decided to sell here & look elsewhere for a home & a suitable place for his proposed industry.
In December 1865 he went to Missouri but no liking that country soon returned to Michigan & in the spring of 1866 commenced in a small way the nursery & fruit growing business in western Allegan county. The demand for trees by local planters rapidly increased & in order to supply his growing trade Mr. Hamilton established branch nurseries at Hart, Grand Rapids, Schoolcraft & Kent City. In 1896, to be near a good shipping point, he moved to Van Buren county & settled just outside the corporation of Bangor. Here he developed the extensive business which was operated at the time of his death under the firm name of A. Hamilton & Sons. During the period of his business career Mr. Hamilton was instrumental in helping to organize the Saugatuck & Ganges Pomological Society & was also for years an active worker in the Western Michigan Horticultural Society. He had early realized the possibilities of the fruit industry in his section of the state & devoted himself to the development of the country, not merely to promote his own profit, but with the broad-minded intention of improving general conditions.
It was in 1866 that Mr. Hamilton made the acquaintance of the young lady who on May 26, 1868, became his wife. This was Miss Sophia C. Ensign, the daughter of a prosperous farmer living near Bryan, Ohio & at whose home the wedding was celebrated. The children of their union were Blanche A., Cecelia M., Alice R., Horace E. & William L., all of whom are living except Cecelia, who died in infancy.
It was Mr. Hamilton's privilege to successfully work out the plan of his life, but the competence he acquired for himself resulted in material prosperity for many others. It is a question, however, if even the impetus he gave to the valuable industry of fruit growers in this region can compare with the good he did by merely being what he was; a man with absolute integrity of soul, indomitable will, high courage & great patience, tempered by tenderness & humor; a man who exemplified the Golden Rule & made his life one lone "confession of faith."
Research & transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - - [1]
|
1837 - 1910 (73 years)