Uncle Tommy Hamilton -- Another Ripe Sheaf Gathered In.

Uncle Tommy appears to be the brother, Thomas, mentioned in these Hamilton obituaries. All of them older siblings to Robert Marshall Hamilton. 

Uncle Tommy Hamilton, so long of Kingston and Sandcreek church, took up his abode in that better country on last Wednesday evening. The time of his departure was at the setting of the sun, when the shades of evening were drawing their curtains closely down. It was a befitting time for a glorified spirit to be welcomed into that land of eternal day, that land we have so often heard him talk and pray about in bygone days. He was one of the purest of earth, and lived and died without an enemy. He lived his full four-score years, being 82 at the time of his death. He came to this country about the year 1825, was one of the founders, or charter members, of the Sandcreek (now Kingston) church, was ordained an elder in 1830, and remained in that position over 50 years, until the Master said “Come up higher,” We think we can see many of those of the old Sandcreek church, who have gone before, welcoming him on his arrival. Uncle Tommy was always a welcome visitor to their homes while here below, and we have no doubt they all hailed with delight his coming to dwell with them in that Heavenly home.

Miss Eliza Hamilton. "their history, so far as application to her sex, was her’s."

Thus a newspaper obituary writer determined Miss Eliza Hamilton's seventy-year life be summed up by reading her brothers' obituaries that had appeared there earlier. Her "died" notice was published February 16, 1900 in the Greensburg Standard, Indiana newspaper.

Miss Hamilton was sister to Cyrus and Thomas Hamilton, early prominent pioneers to Decatur County Indiana. I posted information about them in 2010. My ongoing investigation of the Hamilton/Morgan connection has been greatly helped by the obituary collection nicely indexed and available from the Greensburg, Decatur, Indiana County Library.  Thank you so very much to the folks at Gene Alogy! 

Obituary, Cyrus Hamilton, 

[August 27, 1879, Decatur News]

Cyrus Hamilton was born July 14, 1800, on McBride’s creek, in Burbon (now Nicholas) county, Kentucky; was married to Polly McCoy on the 22^nd of February, 1822, and with his wife and his brother James E. and family, left the home of his boyhood to find, and found a new one in the then unbroken wilds of this county. On the 11^th of March succeeding they arrived at the locality  since so well known as their hospitable homes, where both made a permanent settlement, and which has been their home ever since. In March of last year he was seized with disease of the kidneys and bladder, from which he was a terrible sufferer, with only fitful relief, until Tuesday last. (August 19^th) about 1 o’clock when death came to his relief. 

Of the many early settlers of this county few have been better known to their citizens—for more actively and [illegible]  connected with her moral and social development. A Christian man—one of the “Sandcreek” (Kingston) Presbyterian church; an ardent temperance man, and a radical abolitionist, from the very inception of those movements, he assisted in the organization of these societies throughout his section of the country, —addressing the people thereon wherever he could get listeners.Though not an orator—not so much as a ‘speaker’ —he was a fine talker, and never failed to interest those who would hear him—though often his remarks feel upon prejudicial ears and he had to wait long for the fruits of his sowing. Those ears, however, and he lived to rejoice in the end. 

Mr. Hamilton came of a long lived race. In the years 1822 and 23 his mother, widow with four sons and eleven daughters emigrated to this country; four were then married, the others single; all but one lived till just past middle age and four of the daughters—Mrs. Sally Donnel, Mrs.Minera Donnell, Mrs. Jane Lowe and Miss Eliza Hamilton—and three of the sons James E., Thomas and R. M., are still living. Mother Hamilton lived to up in the seventies and the two sisters and a brother who settled here lived to a still greater age. Cyrus was the father of six children and about twenty five grandchildren, and he was the first death in his own or his children’s families. 

 For forty-seven years and seven months lacking three days, “Uncle Cyrus and Aunt Polly” had traveled the path way of life together, whether sharring its joys, together buffeting its misfortunes. He has been called home, she, bowed by age and disease, can tarry but a short while ere the winged messenger shall call for her. Funeral services were held at Kingston on Wednesday afternoon, and attended by a large concourse of relatives and personal friends of the deceased; sermon by the pastor, A. T. Rankin. —Standard.

These Hamiltons are family to Garrard Morgan's sister Mary "Polly" Morgan who married R. M. [Robert Marshall] Hamilton mentioned above. 

My own great great grandmother Eliza Ann Hamilton Morgan, married to Garrard Morgan, doesn't yet appear to be connected to these Hamiltons. Both groups immigrated to Indiana from Nicholas County, Kentucky. Eliza Ann is the daughter of James Hamilton, who is the son of John Hamilton. 

Thus far I haven't found any Roberts mentioned  in that family ancestry. Decatur County, Indiana information about Robert Marshall Hamilton, indicates he descended from a line of Roberts.

Hmmm!  Much still to do.

“Here lies a Christian wife, a Christian mother and a Christian neighbor.”

Mary Morgan Hamilton (sister to Garrard Morgan 1806 - ? ) is grandmother to  Mary and Walter Rankin.

OBITUARY 

[ February 8, 1884, Greensburg Standard]

Mrs. Mary [Morgan] Hamilton:

Mary Hamilton, wife of Robert Marshall Hamilton, died at 4:30 o’clock Saturday afternoon last, at the family residence four miles northeast of this city, after an illness of over three years of consumption, in the 72^nd year of her age. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Monday at the residence, conducted by Rev. A. T. Rankin, after which her remains were laid to rest in the Hamilton burying grounds in the Kingston cemetery.

“Aunt Polly” was a sister to the late Captain James and Gerrard Morgan, two well known and popular citizens of this county in former years. She was born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, and with her widowed mother, Mrs. Sarah Morgan, and three brothers and a sister, emigrated to this county in 1823. They settled on the east part of the farm now owned by R. R. Cobb, one mile east of this city, which remained the family home until after the marriage of all the children and the decease of the mother.

At this backwoods home, on the 25^th day of Sept., 1834, Robert M. Hamilton and Mary Morgan were united in marriage, and at once made their residence on the farm that until death thus separated them has been their pleasant and happy home. Here were born to them six children, one of whom died in childhood, another about a year ago in his young manhood, while the other four reside in the neighborhood—all of them respected members of society.

In her early youth  [while growing up in Kentucky] “Aunt Polly” made profession of her faith in Christ and connected with the Christian church. Sometime after her marriage [in Greensburg, Indiana] she transferred her membership to the Sandcreek (new Kingston) Presbyterian church, in which communion she continued until her decease, bearing witness through her long life to that Faith that sustained her to her long afflictions and was her comfort in her hour of dissolution.

Let her epitaph be written. "Here lies a Christian wife, a Christian mother and a Christian neighbor." O.T. (February 8, 1884 Greensburg Standard)