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- The Hamilton Family
For many years the family name "Hamilton" was subject to controversy, between the Scotch and the English, the Scotch claiming it as of Scotch origin, while the English claiming it as of English origin. But research shows that the family name, "Hamilton" is an Old English name. The oldest form of which was known as "Hambleton". The full significance and meaning of the name "Hambleton", was derived from the business the family was engaged in at that day and time.
"The enclosure where wethers are kept". Now; "Wethers", means a special grade of lamb, within a large enclosure, a "Hambleton", in our day and time, we might say, a special breed of lamb, in a corral. In that day and time, family surnames were adopted from places and things. The business of this family, being "Wethers", that was the family surname selected.
Research
Research by H.A. Deferrari, PHD, during the late 1800's, came across an old English document dated, during the year of 1273, which mentions the names of a William De, James De, Alexander De, Robert De, -Hambleton, etc. The prefix "De", "Van", "Von", "La" all mean about the same thing, from or of. This name was first pronounced as "Hambleton". There is a custom among some English speaking people to drop the "H", it is silent, it then sounds as "Ambleton", some years later it was pronounced as "Hamilton" and is written as such to this day and time.
The facts, dates and general information, as herein given, are as near correct as foreign and domestic records are obtainable, through research during 1868, by Albert Stagg, Paterson, N.J., W.M. Clemens, New York City, 1900, H.A. Deferrari, 1890, Martin & Allardyce, Philadelphia, P.A. 1910. The researchers started in this country(United States), from the "NICK-NAMES", that the name "Hamilton" had been subjected to in the Netherlands, for the past two hundred hundred and fifty years. Ending in the province of North Brabant, in the Netherlands, ending with one; James Hamilton, in the business, that was easy to "NICK-NAME".
Prefix: "DE" - English & French
"VAN"- Dutch
"VON"- German
"LA" - Spanish & Italian
The records reveal, that during the late eighteenth century, that one; James Hamilton, his wife and children, left England for Belgium and the Netherland, for the purpose of prospecting to establish an export business, he settled in the Province of North Brabant, in the Netherland, because of it's grazing land and cattle raising, his business being meat and meat products, for export purposes.
In some rural sections of European countries, higher education faculties were lacking, the natives finding it hard to pronounce the names of some foreigners, therefore they adopt the habit of nick-naming. So that for many years the name "Hamilton", was lost, due to nick-naming:
The first was "HOM", meaning "HAM"
The second was "HOMMOCKER", meaning Hammaker
The third was "HOMMATER", meaning HAM-MET-HER
The fourth was "HOMMATERMON", meaning HAM-MET-THE-MAN
The fifth was "HOMMETMON", meaning HAM-MET-THE-MAN
The researching, by the four different parties started by tracing the "NICK-NAMES", right back through the past years, to find the original name. Which was lost due to nick-names, marriages, the female members, descendants of James Hamilton, loosing their maiden name, due to marrying Holand natives, while the male members, allowed themselves to be known by the nick-name; so that during the course of many years, the original name became forgotten.
It was while using the nick-name that Peter Hamilton and his wife came to the United States, under the name of "Hommetmon". The immigration officials, at the port of entrance, translated and recorded the name as "Hammeetman". We should bear in mind, that this family history, concerns the origin of Peter Hamilton and his descendants in the United States and in no way concerns the descendants of Alexander Hamilton connected with American history.
Peter Hamilton
Peter Hamilton, was born during the year of 1820, in the province of North Brabant, in the Netherlands. Peter Hamilton, was married while living in the Netherlands, to Gertrude Veneman, 1842.
Peter Hamilton and his wife, came to the United States of America, arriving in New York City, during the year 1845. From New York City, they went to Passaic, N.J. where they joined relatives. During the same year, Peter Hamilton moved to the River Road section of Clifton and Paterson N.J. where he became a tenant-farmer, establishing his home in a small farm house on the Paterson side of the city line along the Cedar-Lawn road.(Then known as the Weasel Rd, River Rd, Cedar-Lawn Rd, now known as the McLean Blvd.)
During the years of farming, Peter Hamilton, leased land in that section across the river into Bergen County at Donker-Hook,(Meaning Dark Corner.) Also in Clifton where the Clifton High School now stands.
At times he carted fruits and vegetables to the old Fulton Market in New York City, to Paterson Markets and to the Old Central Market in Newark, N.J., which was a long building from Broad Street to Mulberry Street which was built over the old Morris Canal.(Now known as the Boulevard. 1964) (Next to the Public Service Building, Newark, N.J.)
About 1867, Peter Hamilton, having given up farming, moved to the North side of Paterson, N.J., purchased property at #52-54 North First Street in the old North Ward.(First Ward)
That dwelling was built back from the street in the center of the plot. His oldest son, Job Hamilton, now a General Contractor and Builder, erected a one-story building on the front of the property at the street line. In this building, Peter Hamilton, established the first grocery store in that section and conducted it as such until his death. After the death of Peter Hamilton, his widow, Gertrude Veneman Hamilton, conducted the grocery store until her death about 1887.
After the death of Gertrude Veneman Hamilton, the oldest son became the executor of this property and later sold this property to a newly organized congregation of a Christian Reformed Church. That congregation removed the Old Homestead and started to build a large church building on the entire property. Before they did so, Job Hamilton removed the little store building from that property to another property he owned. About twenty years later, that Church Building was destroyed by fire, then they built a Church Building at another location. (Haledon Ave.) The Congregation sold the North First Street property to one of it's members and he built a brick building for manufacturing purposes, on that property, that building still remains until this day, 1964.
Shortly after Job Hamilton, executor of the Hamilton property, sold that property, he purchased a three-story French roof house at #57 Jefferson St., corner of North First Street, one block West of the original Hamilton property and moved the Grocery store building placing it at the rear of the corner property facing North First Street. The Grocery store was conducted as such by Mrs. Job Hamilton and her daughter, Cornelia Mary Hamilton, for a few years. Job Hamilton had this corner building raised three feet higher from the side walk, remodeled the second and third floors to accommodate the Clergyman and his family, already called by the Congregation of that new church. Remodeling the first floor to accommodate Walter Claypool, Dentist and his family. All those transactions between Job Hamilton, the Congregation and others, was that of a business nature only. he had no connection with the Congregation.
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1821 - 