The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-30
II.

| John Adams on one occasion spoke Of
| Hamilton as 'the bastard brat ~ q Scotch
pedlar' Gouverneur Morris. when asked
TO speak at Hamilton's funeral. wrote In
his diary: Tho first point Of his biog-
raphy II that he was a stranger, Of llegiti-
mate birth; some plan must b. contrived
TO pass over this handsomely. He WAS in
discreet. vain and opinionated.' Hamil-
ton was too proud TO be vain. Otherwise
theee statements about him were all hut
literally true. and yet in modern opinion
they carry no discredit except to those
who circulated them To Hamilton's injury
in his own day.
Alexander Hamilton was born on the
small island Of Nevis In the British West
Indiee. January II. 1881. II 10 near 81
4 Christopher. or st. kits Both islands
were ~ they are to-day. under the same
local government Not far away IL ST.
Croiv which became a Danish possession
in 1913 Among the older stories 81 Ham
ilton's origin was one which made him a
/ son u the Governor Of an island Of the
| Danish West Indies.
| The general ignorance that exists
regarding HAmilton's origin and intimate
life has prompted me- says DR. HAmil-
ton. 80 publish fully all I know about
him. and in doing this must express my
Indebtedness to Gertrude Anterior. who
has made a conscientious hunt for ma
tarial with remarkable success The
conclusions are that Alexander Hamilton
was tho son Of James Hamilton. the fourth
son 81 Alexander Hamilton. Laird 81
Grange in the parish Of Stevenson. Ayr
shire. Scotland. The grandmother 81
our Hamilton on the father side was the
eldest daughter 81 Sir Rohsrt Pollock
The HAmiltons ~ Grange belonged to the
Cambuskeith branch Of the house Of
Hamilton. founded In the fourteenth cen-
fury hy Walter de Hamilton. the common
ancestor ~ all the Scotch and Irish Hamil-
IN families.
The mother 81 Alexander Hamilton
was Rachel Fswcett. daughter Of DR.
John FawcHtt. Hugienot eIiied after
the edCt 81 Nantes. or her tho author
say-.
she was born IN the island - Nevis and when
g'rl - barely sItsen vas fc-rei into . mar
rage with rich Danish Jew. one Michael Levine
for Lsveln,. VINO treated her cruelty The mar
',aE~ vas evidently ons ~ very great vnhAppi
ness from 'ho very beginning - that she WAS
FORGET 70 leave him and return 10 her mothers
/ roof
RI. vas IN I7sS or 80 Her mother from all
accounts although woman ~ rrest lovelin-~s
ani cham vas Ambitions and rnss;erfuI and had
trry decided idea. ~ her own regarding h~Y
ia rhirrs future ~he herself had bad mAtrf
-.orlA' 'roGbles ard hat s~parA,ed FROM her nus
band late IN ne after having had several children
but the mother ~ Hamilton ca me = long time after
The Others ana was hrnYght Up 10 uares,ful sur
rpuLfinEs later witnessing the family quArrels
uoIb'-ss N. influence ~ much Of this. coupled
Win me persuasion Of her mother I'D 20 the
alliance Nth . man much older than herself who
fnAlY r-aic ifs insuppor'AbIe She appears 90
have been brilliant and clever girl Who had been
given every educational advantage and accom-
p.ishr1-ht and had prom ted ~ her opportunities
ny Levine she had one son. Who Uas taken from
her by his father and for tims lived with him
srst a. ~ CroiI and AftervArd In Denmark. and
Il was M, until several years Af,srward that she
me- JAIME. Hamilton. 81 attractive Scotehman
~ much charm Of manner. IN the IVES, indie,
. 9TH whom she quickly fell In love Athous
- has been aid. her mother had parted from her
osl husband. 60 Was I'm possible owing 20 the dis
orderly condition OF legal affair In the provinces
for ire daughter 10 formally gs' her freedom from
~ p~rson Who has so ruined her life. ana al
though every attern ~ vas apparently made both
~ Hamilton and herself they seemed unable To
obtain any relief from the local courts. and lived
together until her deSth, which occurred Febri-
an e. i7sA, when she VAS ~ years old Its quite
'r'Is nat The courts Of ST. CToiI we're available
but fiis was q DANISH bAnd. ana Levine q
Dane and . man OF great local ina Ience which
as 4set against tneu 80 that their Efforts we're
'aNAr'ed
Alexander Hamilton vas born q year
after Rachel left her mothers house TO
live with James Hamilton. Levine then
q vorcod her In tho records Of the En-
Tor Court ~ 81 CrolI u appears that to
John Michael Levine GAweinI was granted
divprr" for abandonment Levine was
permitted 20 marry again. hut Rachel.
being 'ne d'f"udan' was not Tho facts
here Z ven uunr"rnlnR the origin Of AleXan-
der Hamilton v"r" established by Mrs
Alh"rrDn. Shp mad" = thorough search
~ c"urr and other records both IN the
Wet Indies and IN Copenhagen when
preparing 4 Frw II Haniltrn's Letters
for publication Mrs Atherton also found
..yIi"uc" 80 90" """ct that when Rachel
d'"i ~" Jeff -"y'rii slaves 10 her two sons
by lame IIHr..''pn rnm"ly. Alexander
and laiu"- lu. slaves Wer" -ub.e-
gu"n'ly ,Iluu"i hy Levine m -h.haf ~
her hwtliy n"E"tt"u herr. Peter Levine
Jam"s Hamilton does not appear 20
have been successful IN any pursuIt-