Alexander Hamilton was born on Nevis, an island in the West Indies in 1755*. He lived with his father James, his mother Rachel, and his older brother James, Jr. The family’s home faced the waterfront in Charlestown, the capitol. Alexander was born a subject of the British King George II. He would later join the American revolution against the King’s son George III.
Young Alexander Hamilton
Nevis was part of the slave, sugar, and molasses trade. Eight thousand slaves lived there with a population of only one thousand whites. Alexander witnessed the cruel treatment of both female and male slaves. It is not surprising that he later became one of the founding members of the first anti-slavery organization in North America.
Nevis
In 1765, James Hamilton moved his family to Christiansted, St. Croix. Not long after, he left the island. Alexander wrote to his father, but he never saw him again. Rachel and her sons moved into a two-story house. They lived upstairs, while she and Alexander ran a store downstairs.
Rachel had a library of thirty-four books. Alexander loved to read them. He read Shakespeare, Alexander Pope, and Plutarch’s Lives about Greek and Roman heroes. Alexander helped to educate himself by reading.
St. Croix
In 1768, both Rachel and Alexander became very ill. Alexander survived, but Rachel did not. All her possessions were auctioned. Fortunately, an uncle knew how important Rachel’s books were to Alexander. He bought them for him. A cousin of the boys became their guardian but died soon after. Alexander and James were on their own. James became a carpenter’s apprentice. While Alexander worked as a clerk for a trading company.
In October 1771, Alexander’s boss sailed to New York for health reasons. Recognizing Alexander’s intelligence, his boss put him in charge. Alexander shined. He took control, ran the business like a pro, and even confronted a ship captain he accused of cheating him. Alexander was only sixteen. Five months later his boss sailed home and Alexander was a clerk again.
It was likely that Alexander would have been a clerk for his entire life. But in 1770, a newspaper began publication on the island. Alexander wrote poetry and the Gazette published his poems. Alexander thought that writing could be a way to advance himself.
Then, something happened that would change Alexander’s life. A major hurricane swept through St. Croix in August 1772. The Gazette called it the “most dreadful hurricane.” Alexander wrote about it in a letter to his father. He said in part: The roaring of the sea and wind…the crash of falling houses, and the ear-piercing shrieks of the distressed were sufficient to strike astonishment into angels.”
The Gazette printed his letter. The islanders noticed. Businessmen raised money to send Alexander to an American college to receive the education he deserved.
George Washington and Alexander Hamilton
Alexander sailed to America his new home. One day, he would be a captain in the Continental Army; an aide to General George Washington; the hero of the Battle of Yorktown; and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. Alexander Hamilton became one of America’s greatest founding fathers.
Statue of Alexander Hamilton, U.S. Capitol
Images are courtesy of Wiki Commons
*Many recent historians accept 1755 as Hamilton’s birth year based on reliable evidence instead of 1757, the year Hamilton used.
