Sarah Howard Thomson Hamilton (1770-1842)

Sarah Hamilton's daughter, Susan Thorn, bequeathed the miniature portrait of her mother “in a square frame” to Mrs. Mary Moore.¹ Its whereabouts are unknown. We are left to form a picture of Sarah Hamilton, or Sally as her husband and her sister Mary Veazey referred to her, from remarks about her in their letters. Although she lived to be 72 years old, it seems that her health was delicate, and she may have also suffered from depression.

Born March 16, 1770, Sarah was the daughter of Reverend William Thomson and his wife Susanna Ross. Her father was the Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Carlisle from 1761-1768 as well as charges in Huntingdon and York. In 1773, he was inducted into the charge of Cecil County, Maryland.²

There is no indication of where and when Sarah met James Hamilton. Hamilton’s brother Thomas wrote to his sister in Ireland on August 21, 1786 about their “brother’s matrimonial connections.” James, he wrote, “was married in May last to a Miss Thompson in Maryland, a niece of the late General (William) Thompson. She is a handsome and agreeable lady. I’ve since frequently dined with her and her sister at my brothers.”³

Sarah was married for seven years before her first child, James, was born on November 16, 1793. The birth of James was followed by a daughter Mary in 1796, Adelina in 1799 (who died in March 1800), Susan in 1801 and Emmeline in 1805.

Sarah’s husband was away from home frequently while attending courts in various county seats in Pennsylvania. He wrote to his wife on October 9, 1802 and addressed her as “Dear Sally.” He wrote that he had purchased land which:

“will in itself be a fortune for your children…I wish to provide handsomely for the children although I have no idea to make them rich, who may in the common state of children, give me little thanks. I feel much distressed at the weak state of health you are in for some days. Everything must be done to preserve you in spirit and [health.] No persons wishes can be stronger than mine on that subject. P.S. Have you dried the apples."⁴

Mary Veazey (Sarah’s sister)⁵ wrote to a friend from Essex Lodge in Sassafrass, Maryland on September 23, 1807: “When you write, continue still to mention the state of health of my dear sister—you say she looks better and promised to write—poor Sally, she promises without meaning much.” In May 1809, James Hamilton wrote to John Brown that “Mrs. Hamilton is about a mile from town for a week past for the benefit of her health at our farm…”⁶

Judge Hamilton died in 1819. Sarah was left with son James, aged 26, and daughters Mary, aged, 23, Susan, aged 18 and Emmeline, aged 14. Fortunately, the Judge left the family well provided for, and her niece’s family, the Parker’s, lived only a few houses away.

Almost nothing is known about Sarah’s life after her husband’s death except for odd bits of information in the Parker family letters. Episcopal Bishop White was in Carlisle in 1821. Maria Parker wrote to her husband on August 17 that there was a confirmation class of thirty, and that Sarah Hamilton held a tea in the Bishop’s honor at her home.⁷

In May 1823, Sarah went to Philadelphia to consult a physician about daughter Emmeline’s health.⁸ Three months later Emmeline died of a severe illness. She was 18 years old. One can imagine Sarah’s grief. Three weeks after Emmeline’s death, her sister Mary wrote to her brother James that “although Mama is not quite well yet, there has not been any change for the worse, but I think for the better in her.” She said that her mother was riding that afternoon, but when she tried to persuade her mother and sister Susan to ride over to Chambersburg, they refused.⁹

Sarah’s daughter Susan married Reverend John Van Eppe Thorn in Flushing, New York in August 1824.  Sarah must have been overjoyed when Susan and her husband returned to Carlisle so he could take up the post as pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church. 

Mary Hamilton’s health was delicate, and caused her mother much concern. In a letter from Mary to her brother James written from Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1830, she refers to her cough and night sweats. In 1831, Mary and her mother were travelling. Sarah wrote to her son James from Savannah, Georgia reporting that Mary was weak, and they were on their way to Philadelphia and would likely stay with their relatives, the Creighton’s.¹⁰ Less than three months after this letter was written, Mary Hamilton died.

Sarah was 61 years old when Mary died. James lived at home with his mother, and their needs were taken care of by their servants. Daughter Susan lived close by, and the Parker’s and friends were of comfort to Sarah. Ever the attentive son, James wrote to her from Baltimore on April 18, 1839, telling her: “Do not fatigue yourself about the house but let things take care of themselves, only have the yard shut at night and the fires put out.” ¹¹

Sarah Hamilton died on December 28, 1842 and is buried in the Hamilton plot in Carlisle’s Old Graveyard.