A bit of Illinois history you might not know
Monday, Oct 2, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m not sure if we’ll be getting to politics today, so while I make up my mind about what to do, here’s something I didn’t know: Alexander Hamilton’s son William Stephen Hamilton served in the Illinois General Assembly…
Hamilton’s son later was a prominent legislator in the early days of Illinois statehood. The sixth child and fifth son, William was nearly seven when his father was killed in the duel.
Young Hamilton was accepted into West Point in 1814, but resigned three years later for unknown reasons. He then moved west, accepting an appointment as deputy surveyor for public lands. His career eventually brought him to Sangamon County and the newly-established settlement of Springfield.
One of the key issues in those early days of the county was the location of a seat, and Hamilton supported the bid of Sangamo Town, seven miles west of Springfield, the eventual winner. In June 1825, he reportedly executed a federal contract by driving 700 head of cattle from Sangamon County, first to Fort Dearborn in Chicago, then to Fort Howard in Green Bay – a trip of over 400 miles. He is said to have lost only one head on the drive.
In 1824, Hamilton was elected to the House in the Fourth General Assembly. During his term, he accompanied Gov. Edward Coles to Kaskaskia to welcome the Marquis de Lafayette, the Revolutionary War hero who toured the United States in 1824-25.
It would be the only elected office in Illinois for Hamilton, whom some consider an underachiever. One account states that Hamilton’s relatives said he was well-educated, and had read enough law for admission to the bar, but seldom practiced. Another source called Hamilton “a man of great intellectual powers” but “unsteady in his habits.”
- PublicServant - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 10:46 am:
Ah, the good old days. Now we pretty much have men of unsteady intellectual powers who are, unfortunately, all to steady in their habits.
- G'Kar - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 10:48 am:
Sometimes it is best to reflect on history and keep the world at bay for a little while.
Although they were not as famous as the Hamiltons, a few years ago I found out that some of my Mother’s family were among the earliest settlers of Central Illinois and are buried in Auburn. This is even more interesting as I am not native to Illinois, my parents moved here from out East when I was in 6th grade.
- Moist von Lipwig - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 10:52 am:
==“a man of great intellectual powers” but “unsteady in his habits.”==
*try not to be snarky to Rich, try not to be snarky to Rich*…
- Lefty Lefty - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 10:54 am:
We just went to see “Hamilton” last week–cool to learn an Illinois connection. According to that (the Chernow biography is on my booklist now), Lafayette and Hamilton were very close so Lafayette and the young Hamilton probably knew each other.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 10:58 am:
I’m a big fan of tidbits like this.
A founding father’s son served in our General Assembly.
It’s interesting, what folks set as a bar for others as achieving or underachieving, even when the measure is seemingly easy to make, in historic context.
My point in that is let’s then not diminish what he did achieve and how those achievements are of note for his own time.
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:02 am:
Never heard this one. I wonder if he ever crossed paths with young Mr. Lincoln.
Or young Mr. Madigan.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:06 am:
A cattle drive to Green Bay?
Go up there all the time.
It could still be done as long as you ensure frequent breaks at the Taco John’s along the way.
- Langhorne - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:08 am:
Didnt know LaFayette made it to illinois.
I have a 1789 certificate the french govt gave to members of the national guard, signed by LaFayette, and Paris mayor Bailly. Bailly was later guillotined.
- A guy - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:20 am:
No wonder Rich Miller loves this story:
= “a man of great intellectual powers” but “unsteady in his habits.”=
lol
- Tom - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:21 am:
My understanding was that he surveyed and layout Peoria. The street just north of main is Hamilton named after his father.
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:28 am:
Tom, I heard “Big Al’s” in Peoria is named after his father, too.
- Jimmy Jazz - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 11:55 am:
Readers interested to know more about Sangamo Town might consult this brief recap on Sangamon Link, the web encycloopedia of the Sangamon County HIstorical Society: http://sangamoncountyhistory.org/wp/?p=1405
Hamilton won election to the legislature on the promise that he would go to the state capital, Vandalia, and make it his town the new county seat. The story of how Sangamo Town lost to Springfield in the county seat contest was told in 1974 in A New Eden by veteran political reporter-turned-historian Robert P. Howard, and in James Krohe Jr.’s Corn Kings and One-Horse Thieves: A Plain-Spoken History of mid-Illinois, new from SIU Press.
- Colin O'Scopey - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:13 pm:
=“a man of great intellectual powers” but “unsteady in his habits.”=
This clearly must be a prerequisite for membership in the Illinois General Assembly.
- Steve Rogers - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 1:14 pm:
Wordslinger: No, Lincoln and Hamilton probably did not meet up. Hamilton left Illinois in 1827. Lincoln didn’t move here until 1831. Whether he met Madigan, that could be likely.
- anonymous - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 2:34 pm:
Lefty Lefty — it is unlikely Lafayette knew William as the Marquis had returned to France before William was born.
Coincidentally, though (or maybe not, I didn’t look into it too much), the town he established in Wisconsin is in Lafayette County.
- Nick Name - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 4:12 pm:
So whatever happened to Sangamo Town?
- Nick Name - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 4:15 pm:
Mr. Google to the rescue:
https://tinyurl.com/y786s82k
Among other things, “the bustling village of New Salem took away trade.” I hate it when that happens.
- Amalia - Monday, Oct 2, 17 @ 5:20 pm:
did he have children here? do we have Hamiliton descendants in our midst?
- Lynn S. - Tuesday, Oct 3, 17 @ 2:31 am:
“A great man” with “unsteady habits”? I’m thinking he had depression or PTSD, and possibly both.