DR. SILAS HAMILTON CHAPTER

National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

Jerseyville, Illinois

     Dr. Silas Hamilton Chapter, NSDAR, was organized in Jerseyville, Illinois, on November 20, 1963 with fifteen charter members.  The Chapter was named for Dr. Silas Hamilton, a dedicated physician, and a native of Tinmouth, Vermont, who died in Jersey County in 1834.  In his will, he bequeathed “Four Thousand Dollars for the establishment of a primary school.”  This school was built at Otterville, Jersey County, in 1834.  In 1870 the original building was razed and another stone one was erected upon the same site.  The latter structure has been widely known as the first free school in the State of Illinois.

     Immediately west of the schoolhouse is a monument erected according to the provisions of the will of George Washington, a slave purchased as a young child by Dr. Hamilton and later freed by him.  So far as is known, this is the only monument ever erected by a freed slave to his former master.

     Hamilton Memorial School was used until 1971 as an attendance center for CUSD #100.

OUR PATRIOTS AND SPOUSES

Phineas Ayers (Ayars)                NJ        Sarah Barrett

Albert Banta                              NJ        Madelena VanVorhees

Jonathan Cooper                       PA        Eleanor English

Francis Cullum                           MD       Susannah Northcraft

Nathaniel Dickinson                    NH       Caroline Cummings

John Ely                                    NJ        Phoebe Allison

George Eskridge                        VA        Elizabeth Robinson

Henry Fuller Sr                           NC       Catherine

William Godbey                          VA        Zannah

George Green(e)                       NC       Lucy Jones

Nathan Hamilton                        MA       Ruth Wheeler

James Haskins                           VA        Mary Sanford

Benjamin Heath                         NH       Dorothy Willey

Edward Jackman                       PA        Sarah Barnett

Lawrence Killebrew                    NC        Elizabeth Bullock

George Kissinger                        MD, PA Elizabeth

Robert Lorton                            VA        Tabitha Ganaway

Andrew McCormick I                  NC       Catherine Adams

John McDow                              SC        Catherine Caryl (Carroll)

John McEver                              PA        Margaret Collins

Bezaleel, Myrick                         MA       Sarah Russell

James Patterson                        PA        Nancy Ann Doran

Louis Pelletier de la Houssaye     LA        Charlotte Pellerin

Allen Ramsey                             PA        Barbara Decker

Phillip T Russell                           VA        Elizabeth Stewart

John Seward                             NJ        Mary Swezey

Peter Staats                              NJ        Susanna Middlesweet

Aaron Teachenor                       NJ        Elizabeth

William Thaxton                         NC       Sarah Gravitt

John Thompson                         VA        Winifred Brickey

William Varnum                          MA       Sarah Colburn

John Weisner                             NC       Margaret Collins

John Pugh Williams                     NC       Judith King

Further information—please contact:

Judith Steinman Borger
Carolyn M. Brown  

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Web page last updated October 3, 2009

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