John Hamilton of Carlisle, Nicholas County, Kentucky

Cumberland Gap from Wikipedia

Dr. Thomas Walker, a Virginia physician who became an explorer, discovered Cumberland Gap in 1750. A lot of hunters, like Daniel Boone, used the Gap to reach the Kentucky hunting grounds. The Gap was widened in 1796 in order to allow Conestoga Wagons to travel through.

After exploring this wilderness, Dr. Walker, brought back enthusiastic accounts of its beauty, its fertility, its possibilities. But it was Daniel Boone who really popularized this western paradise.

Upper Blue Licks was discovered in July, 1773 by Major John Finley, Col James Perry, James Hamilton, and Joshua Archer. After surveying several tracts and drawing lots, John Finley received the Upper Lick tract upon which he settled at a later date. The lots the other men drew are unknown.

“Before 1776 the State of Kentucky was part of Fincastle County, Virginia. In that year the Virginia Legislature divided Fincastle County and named what coincides with what is now all of Kentucky (Exclusive of the Purchase) 'Kentucky County.' In 1780 Kentucky County was sub-divided into Jefferson, Lincoln and Fayette. In 1785 most of the northern part of Fayette was cut off and called Bourbon County and extended to the Ohio river. In 1792 when Kentucky was admitted to statehood Bourbon was one of the nine counties that made up the Commonwealth.”

Whether our Hamilton ancestors traveled to Kentucky by wagon, or on flatboats, is not known.


They were, however, part of the establishment of Carlisle, Kentucky. In 1810 Samuel Kincart built a substantial brick house on his 200 acre farm along the great public road about 12 miles from Upper Blue Licks. The site of the Kincart home was later Lot #1 in the Town Plat of Carlisle (below).

Of the 139 original Lots sold in Carlisle, Kentucky in 1816, the following are of interest.
Lot, Purchaser, Amt.

No. 14., R. Hamilton, $61.00
No. 15., John Hamilton, $62.00
No. 37., J. J. Hamilton, $92.00

(To be continued.)
History of Nicholas County, compiled and edited by Joan Weissinger Conley, Nicholas County Historical Society, Inc., Carlisle, Kentucky, 1976, pages 152-5. FHL US/CAN 976.9417 H2c. Pictures and map from Wikipedia.
http://history.wdgordon.com/gordon30.htm