Running Them Through the Sluice Box: Continuing to Filter the Records for Anna & Robert

Hydraulic Placer Mining, ca 1935.
Image courtesy of the Denver Public
Library Digital Collections, Denver,
Colorado. 

Have you ever seen how a sluice box works?

The sediment is poured into the top, and water runs over it, like a stream. This allows for the larger, heavier pieces of earth to be retained in the different sections, and the smaller sediment to eventually be washed away. 

This seems to me the next logical step as I search for Anna & Robert Hamilton of Breckenridge, Colorado. They arrived here during a mining boom, and I've been “panning for genealogical gold” for several months.

In past posts, I've explored the 1900 and 1910 U.S. Federal Census records for the family; I've examined my original source, and created some initial questions I wanted to ask. I think it is time to pause, and reassess my timeline and research strategy on the Hamilton’s. We already know quite a bit about the first few years of their marriage, so let’s take a look at all of that, and outline what we don’t know.

Going back to that “original source.” Sandra F. Mather, PhD authored They Weren't All Prostitutes and Gamblers; The Women of Summit County from 1859 to the Turn of the Century. (Summit Historical Society, 2009). In the ending chapter, Dr. Mather introduces us to Anna (Sadler) Hamilton and her husband Robert. Anna kept a journal, and those were examined in order to compose this chapter. From this text, I began to create a timeline of Anna’s life.

• 2 Sep 1862, birth, Grundy County, Illinois
• 1870, census, Vienna Township, Grundy County, Illinois
• 1880, census, Vienna Township, Grundy County, Illinois
• 1884, teacher’s certificate issued, Grundy County, Illinois
• 11 Feb 1885, marriage, Grundy County, Illinois to Robert Hamilton
• 1885, Colorado state census, Summit County, Colorado
• 13 May 1885, property, purchased a horse in Summit County, Colorado
• Jul 1885, illness, Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado
• 1888, property, owned mining claims in her name, Summit County, Colorado
• 1904, property, sold mining claims
• Probably before 1915, death

Although property records can be excellent to utilize, it is not necessary to reside on the land, or in the area, of the property in question. It is possible that Robert purchased this land on her behalf… and a million other “what if’s?” Because I do not have a solid chain of evidence, I am summarizing that I essentially lose Anna’s trail in 1885 when the Colorado State Census was conducted.

However, Robert’s timeline does provide more clues…

• Cal 1857, birth, Canada
• 1880, census, Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado
• 11 Feb 1885, marriage, Grundy County, Illinois to Anna Sadler
• 1885, Colorado state census, Summit County, Colorado
• 1909, residence, Oxford, Nebraska (per newspaper article in Summit County Journal)
• 1910, property, Denver, Denver County, Colorado
• 7 Feb 1911, property, Summit County, Colorado (per newspaper article in Summit County Journal. Language of article implies that he resided on his ranch, as well.)
• 1912, property, Denver, Denver County, Colorado
• 8 Aug 1913, residence, Weld County, Colorado
• Abt 1915, residence, Denver, Denver County, Colorado
• 1916, property, Summit County, Colorado

A couple items to note:


The article dated 1909 indicates that Mr. Hamilton, his wife and children were visiting Summit County at the time from Oxford, Nebraska, where he operated a highly successful “large stock farm.” This is the only indication I have that the Hamilton’s ever had any children.

Also, the 1911 article indicates that his ranch was “down the blue,” a local term indicating the Blue River. This could have meant north of present day Silverthorne or south of the Town of Breckenridge. If he went north, he still would have been in Summit County for several miles, but going south means either Park or Lake Counties, depending on how far he went. If he went south, it would have made more sense for him to do business in growing Leadville, rather than coming back to Breckenridge. 

Here is what I do not know:

1. Robert’s actual birth date and location. I have an estimated year based on other record sources, and a country. His father, William, was born in Ormstown, Quebec, in 1830, and arrived in the U.S. in 1881, well after Robert’s birth.
2. Death dates and locations for both Anna and Robert. Anna’s father, John, was listed in The History of Grundy County, Illinois (Munsell Publishing, Chicago. 1914. Pages 896-897); and this text indicated that Anna had already passed at the time of printing. I have absolutely nothing to give me an idea of when Robert may have died.
3. Did Robert and Anna have any children? If so, where and when? 
4. How long were they in Nebraska? Did Robert stay in the cattle industry? He easily could have moved his operation to Colorado and had success.

There appears to be a good deal of information on other member’s of their families… The Sadlers' in Illinois are fairly well documented, as is one of Anna’s brothers that became a politician in Colorado. The Hamilton’s are also represented well. I have been able to track down descendants from both families and inquired if they knew anything of either Anna or Robert. All that has been confirmed was that they existed. Nothing more. 

Next steps.

• I am going to follow a bit of my own advice, and look into Livestock Brands for both Nebraska and Colorado. There is a chance that I can at least identify Robert’s residences.
• Vital records from family members in Illinois and Canada may provide clues, as well.
• Religious sources may be helpful here, also. My first goal will be to determine the Hamilton’s religious preferences while here in Breckenridge. The options in 1885 were fairly limited, and I happen to know that historic records have been preserved fairly well. Even if I cannot pinpoint a particular denomination, it will not take long to examine the available materials, and at the very least, exclude that as an option for more information.

Just a bit more on the parents…

Robert’s father was born in Ormstown. Anna’s father was born in Ormstown. Robert’s mother’s maiden name was SADLER. Anna’s maiden name was SADLER. Both families eventually had connections to Grundy County, Illinois.

Coincidence?

Oh, I don’t think so!

[Sandra F. Mather, PhD., is the author of at least ten books, all discussing the history and geology of Summit County, Colorado. She is a volunteer for both the Summit Historical Society and the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance.]

Panning for Gold in the 1910 Census: Robert & Anna Hamilton

Famous Breckenridge miner, Barney
Ford, depicted in statue with his pan.

Since Breckenridge was built on the Colorado gold rush of 1859, I thought that “panning” for the Hamilton’s in the census records was a good way to describe this search. You see, most of the men who came here to “strike it rich” never did so. They spent hours and hours on their hands and knees, sorting through gravel, silt, and dirt to find that precious piece, that one little nugget that would turn the tide, that would lead them to a world of riches.

And that, my friends, is a really cool analogy for genealogy. It just is.

Aren’t we all digging for that one resource, document, photograph, source that will lead us to the next level in the family chart, the next volume of information on an ancestor?

Here I am, on hands and knees, digging through census records, looking for any hint about Robert and Anna Hamilton. If you have missed the previous posts on this family, please refer back and read through what I have already done. When you’re ready, here is my attempt to find them in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census.

A Brief Review

• Robert Hamilton (abt 1857, Canada – ?)
• Anna Jane Sadler (2 Sep 1862, Illinois – prob bef 1914)
• Married 11 Feb 1885 in Grundy County, Illinois
• Moved to Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado by April 1885 when the Colorado State Census was taken.
• Diaries of Anna (Sadler) Hamilton were found in the Colorado State Archives and place the family in Breckenridge through 1887.
• 1888: Anna owned mining claims in Breckenridge in her name.
• 1904: Mining claims were sold.
• 1909: Breckenridge newspaper lists Robert and Anna Hamilton “and family” as visitors to area, indicating that they were once residents and now living in Oxford, Nebraska as “successful” ranchers.
• 1910: Deeds in and around the City of Denver, Colorado, held by Robert Hamilton (unconfirmed)
• 7 Feb 1911: Robert Hamilton “owned Ranch ‘down the Blue"’”, Breckenridge newspaper, a common expression for referring to a particular section of the Blue River in Summit County.
• 8 Aug 1913: Robert Hamilton purchases residence in Weld County, Colorado.
• 1916: Last known mention of Robert Hamilton, again in Denver, Colorado (residence)

Let the Searching Begin

Based on this summary timeline, I will begin the 1910 Census search in Denver, Colorado. In 1902, Denver County was created, so this is the first federal census in which the City of Denver is listed as a part of Denver County. Before 1902, it was a part of Arapahoe County. The same action also created Adams County, meaning that the original Arapahoe County was split into three sections. Because this action was still relatively fresh in 1910, I will be evaluating all three counties to ensure a reasonably exhaustive search has been conducted. Once again, I will be using the HeritageQuest Online database, made available through my local library system.

My initial search is for Robert Hamilton, 1910 Census, Colorado. Robert would have been about 53 years of age at the time of this census.

• Two results were supplied for Denver County, and none for Adams or Arapahoe. Both indicated white males, 45 years of age (too young), one born in Canada and one in Ireland.
• The man born in Canada is listed with wife Grace, 35 years of age, born Illinois; and three daughters: Ruth, Clarisa and Helen. At ages 14, 9 and 3 respectively, they are all listed as born in Nebraska, which does not jive with the timeline I've already created. The oldest would have been born in 1896, and as far as we know, they were still likely in Breckenridge, or at least Colorado. Certainly, Robert and Anna could have lied about their ages, or just been unaware of their actual birth dates. This Robert Hamilton is listed as a Live Stock dealer. Due to the birth locations of both Robert and Grace listed in this census, and the stock/cattle association with his occupation, this entry will be kept on the *maybe* list.
• The Irish born Robert Hamilton is listed with his wife, Martha, and three daughters: Gladys, Evaline and Winifred, all born in Colorado. He is listed as an Auditor in an office.

Knowing there are many ways to abbreviate “Robert”, the next step is to conduct a search with a broader scope for his given name. I tried all the different formats of Robert I could think of. Zilch.

An “advanced search” was then conducted, looking for “Hamilton” in just Denver County. 112 Results were supplied, which were then sorted by age. Looking for anything similar to Robert and Anna in their perspective age ranges (53 and 48); once again, the search came up empty. I conducted the same process for both Adams and Arapahoe Counties. Combined, those counties were able to produce 2 results. Guess what? No matches.

Moving on… Anna’s Turn

Beginning with the simple search: Anna Hamilton, 1910 Census, Colorado: two results, one at 40 years of age, born in Germany; and the second at 35 years, born in Kansas. The 40 year old woman was a hotel keeper, listed as head of household, with two children, but only one living with her, with a last name of Schafer. From what I know of Anna, this situation seems unlikely. The younger is listed on a page that is very difficult to read, but I was able to make out “widowed”, and her parents were listed as being born in Kansas. Too far of a stretch from the Anna I’m looking for.

A quick look at all of those in Colorado with the last name of Sadler (Anna's maiden name) resulted in only 12 results, none of which were anything close to Anna, Robert, or any potential children.

Knowing that her father, John Sadler, lived until 1914, I also identified his household in the 1910 Census, in Grundy County, Illinois. Just to be safe. He was residing in Vienna, widowed, with his son Harry and family.  A search in this area for Anna Hamilton, Anna Sadler, Robert Hamilton, all proved to be fruitless. I also searched for Robert Hamilton, between the ages of 51 – 59, for the entire state of Illinois. Again, nothing.

I need to eliminate Grundy County all together, so my next attempt was "Anna" (no last name at all), 1910 Census, Illinois. I searched Grundy County first, with 46 results, again, sorted by age. One entry popped out at me, that of Anna Handlon, age 47, born Illinois. It's a stretch from Hamilton, but hey, it's about as close as I've gotten so far. Taking a look at the details shows this woman as a widow, with no children, and her parents being born in Germany. No go.

In order to limit the possibilities, I added Anna's age range to the given name search: 41-50. From here, I conducted a county-by-county exam of all the possibilities that came back. I got a little stirred up when I found a Anna HANILTON in St. Clair County. Was it her? Of course not.

(How many ways in one blog post can I find to say, “I got nothin’?”)

Back to the Mountains

Because of the connection to property in Summit County in 1911, a search of that area was required.
Summit Country provided two Hamilton’s: Harry T (29 years) and John S (31 years). Neither are quite young enough to be Anna and Robert’s children. Harry’s mother is listed with him, by the name of Mary, born in Pennsylvania. John is identified as a boarder in a Robinson household (the town of Robinson no longer exists), and has an occupation of electrician in a mine.

And Now? The Plains.

Nebraska. My last hope.

The newspaper account we have of the families visit to Summit County was printed in the Summit County Journal (Breckenridge) on Jul 24, 1909, on page 5.




A town in Furnas County, Nebraska, Oxford dates back to December of 1878 when the first settler’s were granted the “final receipts” for land on the eastern edge of the county. (General History of Oxford, Nebraska. Oxford, Nebraska official website. www.oxfordnebraska.com/history. Accessed 12 Dec 2012.)
Trying to leave my search as broad as possible, I ran “Hamilton” in 1910 Nebraska. Furnas County had four people listed: Charles, Eames, Edward and Sadie. None were close in age to either Robert or Anna, nor were their birth locations similar. Again.

*sigh*

I adapted the search for “Robert Hamilton” in Nebraska and seven counties were listed. In the 1900 Census, I found a Robert Hamilton and his wife, Clara, living in Douglas County, and they are still there in 1910. This time, I can see that his wife was born in Wisconsin, and her parents in New York, so given the geography, I am officially omitting this family as an option.

Once again, nothing else came close. My original looks at Oxford indicated that the town crosses county lines, into Harlan County. A specific look at records from that county resulted in young men, Charley and John. No go.

The Geography

It seems to me that they traveled a fairly distinct line across the states. From southern Illinois, to south central Nebraska and west to central Colorado. The went back and forth a bit, over time, but they seemed to remain in that general corridor.

Created using Google Maps. Ancestral Journeys, 2012.

Since it appears that Anna died around 1914 sometime, the next piece of my search will have to stray away from census records. Since Robert Hamilton has proven to be relatively common, and since I do not know any of the children’s names, I believe there to be better ways to continue this journey through the middle of our country.

Where in the US are the Hamilton’s?

But then, Robert was born in Canada. So perhaps they are not in the U.S. at all... 

Did You Hit the Ad's?

One of the joys I find in genealogical research is digging through historic newspapers. It's fun! Yes, we can gain a great deal of insight and real life experiences of our ancestors from these incredible resources, but there is more. Scanning the headlines, reading the quick notices, the short articles; all of that comes together to create an astonishing experience  placing yourself in that moment in time.

Summit County Journal, Breckenridge, Colorado.
1 Sep 1917, Page 8.

One thing I make sure to look for in newspaper searches is the advertisements. Have you stopped to investigate these as genealogy source? Just this advertisement for the Rogers Furniture & Undertaking Company from Breckenridge, Colorado tells you so much information: location, what they did, note the Proprietress is Mrs. J. GOUGH, and the year the business began. Knowing what I do about Breckenridge history, the date given of 1880 makes sense; the town was created in 1859 and by 1880, it was thriving. Now I know where else to look: 1880 Federal Census, 1885 Colorado State Census, cemetery records (because they acted as Undertakers and Funeral Directors), etc.

Consider the other aspects as well. As a business, they were doing well enough to afford a reasonably sized advertisement in the local paper, but not well enough to get it on the first page (it was found on page 8). In 1917, Mrs. Gough felt confident enough in her role to list herself as the "manager"; or was it that she felt a feminine touch was necessary in this particular industry?

Try a series of dates to learn more!  We can use Robert "Bob" Lott, former resident of Breckenridge, as a fantastic example. When he passed away in 1913, his friends in the community gathered to give him a proper headstone, in the "Pauper Section" of Valley Brook Cemetery. His headstone was so fascinating, it absolutely demanded more attention:

Copyright Jen Baldwin, Ancestral Journeys, 2011.

Although there is little mention of Mr. Lott in standard newspaper articles of the time period, and even less in community historical documents, there are a lot of ad's. I have learned that he went from catering - delivering meals to your home - to owning his own restaurant, partnering with at least three other men in town of varying degrees of status and luck, finally moving back to his original spot in town, where he ran a successful steak house for several years. He was the only African American living in Summit County, Colorado at the time of his death (per his obituary). Just from the newspaper pieces alone, I have been able to establish a decent timeline of his adult life, leading to further investigation. I hope to someday have his life story; where he came from, and how he ended up in the mountains of Colorado. His is one story of our community that deserves to be remembered, and its up to me, since he left no descendants. 

I have to wonder: Oysters or "Rocky Mountain Oysters"?
Summit County Journal, Breckenridge, Colorado.
5 Jan 1907, Page 5.

Have you gained invaluable data from newspaper articles? Do you have one to share? Please let me know! Leave a comment or a link, and I'll be sure to connect with you. 

Ghost Tales

I thought it was appropriate for Halloween to contribute a few thoughts on ghosts. These are all courtesy of our friends from Summit County, Colorado, 1903 - 1919. Enjoy.




Breckenridge Bulletin, 6 Apr 1907, page 1

Breckenridge Bulletin, 21 Apr 1906, page 2

Breckenridge Bulletin, 27 Apr 1907, page 6

Summit County Journal, 19 Jul 1919, page 4

Breckenridge Bulletin, 14 Mar 1903, page 2