One of the early citizens of Washington County, Alexander Hamilton was a fascinating man – with four wives and nine children!  Mr. Orval Baylor has given us a marvelous look back into the history of Washington County – so thankful for the articles he wrote in the early 1930’s!  My husband rented property in this very area from the Hamilton family in 1979-1980, before we married.  I’m sure these modern day Hamilton’s are descendants of Alexander!

Alexander Hamilton, born January 6, 1788, died November 7, 1878.  Harriet Edelen, born 1791, married A. Hamilton February 19, 1811, died March 13, 1823.  Theresa Jarboe, born 1796, married A. Hamilton January 4, 1825, died September 6, 1825.  Elizabeth S. Smith, born 1804, married A. Hamilton November 21, 1826, died March 31, 1834.  Lucinda Hayden, born 1815, married A. Hamilton June 2, 1835, died March 30, 1845.  May they rest in peace.  St. Rose Catholic Cemetery, Washington County, Kentucky.

from Pioneer History of Washington County, by Orval W. Baylor, September 27, 1934

In browsing through the records of Washington County one frequently comes upon the well-known name, Alexander Hamilton.  Sight of the name causes the observer to think of the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, and the man who was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr.  What relation, if any, was Washington County’s Alexander Hamilton to the man who handled the financial problems of our country’s first administration?

Washington County’s Alexander Hamilton was born in Maryland, in 1789, and when he was eight years old (1797), he was brought to Washington County, Kentucky.  Alexander’s father was Thomas Hamilton, descendant from a prominent English family.

Thomas Hamilton married, in Maryland, Ann Hoskins, and in the spring of the year 1797, he brought his wife and eight children to Washington County.  The family settled on the waters of Cartwright’s Creek and Parker’s Run, about 6 miles from Springfield, and on the road from Springfield to Bardstown.  The land is now owned by Mr. Ollie Barber, and a large brick dwelling house now stands on a hill overlooking the road and the site where the log cabin, in which Thomas Hamilton and his family lived, was built in 1797, and where it stood until a few years ago.

Thomas and Ann Hoskins Hamilton were the parents of the following children, towit, Richard, Elizabeth, Thomas Hoskins, Alexander, Lloyd, Lucy, Ann, Benjamin, and Edward.  Of these, Richard died unmarried, leaving his property to his mother and brothers and sisters; Elizabeth married Clement Hill, son of Thomas Hill, in 1798.  They lived near Lebanon and were the parents of 17 children.  Webb says, “The descendants of Clement Hill are in excess of those of any other of the early Catholic emigrants to the State.”  Thomas Hoskins Hamilton married Elisur Clements.

Alexander Hamilton, son of Thomas and Ann, married four times.  1st, in 1811, Harriett Edelen; 2nd, in 1824, Theresa Jarboe; 3rd, in 1826, Elizabeth Smith; and 4th, in 1835, Lucinda Hayden.  By his four wives he was the father of four sons, and at least five daughters.  The sons were Richard, Thomas, L. Alexander and Robert.  The daughters were Martha, married Alexius Craycraft; Catherine married Columbus Tong, and probably second, James A. Jarboe; Ellen, married William Smith; Lucinda H. married G. D. Robertson; and another, name unknown, married R. B. Montgomery.

Alexander Hamilton lived and died in the neighborhood where his father settled in 1797.  He was appointed “surveyor of the road from Hills Mills to the Ball Knobs on Cambron’s Road leading to the mouth of Hardin’s Creek” in 1813.  He was for a number of years a Justice of the Peace for Washington County, which office he resigned in February, 1843, to become Sheriff of the county.  He lived to be 90 years of age and died in 1878.  His last days were spent with his son, Lloyd Alexander, on the road from Springfield to Bardstown, a short distance east from Frederickstown.

Watch for more information on Alexander Hamilton at a later date!