ROBERT HAMILTON
BEDFORD COUNTY, PA
ALLEGANY COUNTY, MD

MURDERED?

Robert Hamilton was born in Pennsylvania between 1785 and 1794.  He was the son of Jonathan Hamilton and Mary Gordon.  Robert is found as head of household, living near his father in Southampton Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in the 1820 Pennsylvania Census.  Robert was probably married to Elizabeth Willison by this time.  As early as 1824, court records show Robert as a resident in Allegany County. The 1830 census shows Robert and family living in Allegany County Maryland, Flintstone District.
By 1838, Robert is dead.  An article appearing in the April 14, 1838 issue of the South Branch Intelligencer, a weekley newspaper of Hampshire County, Virginia (West Virginia now), notes the following:
"ANOTHER MURDER - We learn from the Cumberland, (Md.) papers that another man by the name of Twigg - a brother to the unfortunate man who put an end to the life of Mr. Robosson, a few weeks since, has been committed to the Jail of Alleghaney(sp) county, under a charge of murder.  The Advocate informs that the individual killed was named R. HAMILTON, a resident of Flintstone District in that county.  He was in Old Town at the time on a visit, when Twigg assailed and murdered him.  The matter will undergo legal investigation in a week or two."
No court documents have been found on this case except for the warrants issued by the Allegany County, MD Circuit Court at its' April, 1838 sitting.  The warrants were for both witnesses and for jury members.  The name of this Twigg appeared as both Simeon and Simon.  Just to find this much required more than one visit to the Maryland Archives in Annapolis.  Simeon/Simon Twigg, brother of Sala Twigg and great great grandmother, Savilla Twigg, was not prosecuted for the murder for he was arrested a year later for assaulting another cousin.

At the time of his death in March of 1838, Robert Hamilton was indebted to many local businesses, primarily for shoemaking supplies.  He frequented the inns on the Baltimore Pike and must have lived some distance from the Pike for he sometimes spent the night.  One of his debts was incured at the Inn of J. Huddleson on the Baltimore Pike, where Robert spent the night on numerous occasions, always providing for the good care of his horse as well as for himself.  Robert was no different than many others of his day.  He mainted a tab at the businesses he frequented and paid off these bills with the products of his own talents.  It seems that Robert was a shoemaker but he also raised corn, wheat and rye.

John Piper, Jr. of Flintstone was the administrator of Robert's estate.  All debts were paid but there seems to be no record of any distrbution of the remainder of the estate to Robert's heirs.  Perhaps there was nothing left to distribute.

Elizabeth was the  daughter of William Willison, Sr. and Elizabeth Farmer and the grandaughter of JEREMIAH WILLISON.  All census records indicate that Elizabeth was born ca. 1797 in Maryland.  She died in 1870 after the census was taken.  Her age at that time was listed as 73.  The 1850 and 1860 census records indicate the same year of birth.
Elizabeth would have grown up on her father's farm which was located on both sides of the Mason Dixon Line, on the waters of Flintstone Creek in Southampton Twp., Bedford County, Pennsylvania and in Allegany County, Maryland..  Neighbors on the Maryland side of the farm were primarily her aunts and  uncles.  In Pennsylvania the neighbors were the Wigfields.  It has been noted that the Farmer Family lived on part of the Wigfield Farm.

Robert Hamilton and Elizabeth Willison had the following children:

William Alexander Hamilton, 1822-1875

Sampson Hamilton, born 1825, married Mary unknown and had these children:  Elizabeth, Letha, Patrick and Annie.

Matilda Hamilton, born ca. 1827, in Maryland.  The sons are all listed in the 1870 will of their mother, but no girls are listed.  Matilda is listed as an heir of Jonathan Hamilton of Bedford Co. Pa., in an Allegany County chancery case, filed in 1852 against these heirs.  Matilda is listed in the 1850 and 1860 census as living with Elizabeth Hamilton. Matilda could be the widow or wife of another child.

Levi Hamilton, born February 1830 in Pennsylvania, married Malvina Wolford, and lived along the Baltimore Pike, just east of Cumberland, Allegany Co. Md.  Levi was a blacksmith.  He is buried in the Mt. Pleasant UM Church Cemetery with his wife.
Levi and Malvina had the following children:

Lewis Hamilton - born ca.1834 in Maryland. 1850 census-living with mother.....appears in Mother's 1870 will.  Lewis may have died in 1889.  There is a will filed in the Allegany Co. Md. Orphans' Court, dated 8/5/1889 for a Lewis M. Hamilton.  All is left to his wife, Sarah H.  There is no wife listed for Lewis in the 1860 census but the 1870 census shows Margaret unknown as the wife.  The following children are listed on the census records: George Washington Hamilton - Born ca. 1835 in Maryland.  This was the youngest son.  When his mother died she left George her mare and cow.  All other property was to be divided between her 5 sons.  George was the only one who got something extra.  George was living with his mother in 1850.  In 1860 he was listed as head of household, farmer, Flintstone District, living next to his brother, William Alexander, and his mother, on the Warrior Mountain Farm.  The 1860 census lists the wife as Martha F. and the children as follows:     George Washington Hamilton was married to Mary
    Harwood, in 1872 when daughter, Isabelle, was born.
    Mary had to be a cousin, daughter or grandaughter of
    Mary Hamilton Harwood, George's aunt and
    daughter of Jonathan Hamilton.
    George and his family were living in the Oldtown district by
    the time the 1870 census was taken.  Children of George
    Washington Hamilton and Mary Harwood are as follows: *******************************************************************

JONATHAN HAMILTON
BEDFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA