Martha Harriett HAMILTON

     Martha Harriett HAMILTON, daughter of Unknown HAMILTON, was born circa 1750 in England.¹

There is much doubt as to her parents and siblings. Thomas Hamilton Abney wrote in an 1859 letter to his son, Alexander: "My uncle, after whom I was named, was killed previously at King's Mountain, where Colonel Ferguson commanded a company of British regulars and Torys, and which was one of the most sanguinary battle that was fought during the Revoluton, considering the numbers. We had a great many relatives in that battle, two or three killed and most of them wounded, Uncle Tom on the second assault on the breastworks. Captain [William] Hill, a nephew of my grandmother, commanded the company my uncle was in. He was in his sixteenth year."


John Chapman in his History of Edgefield mentions some Hamiltons that lived on Persimmon Creek not too far from the Abneys: "Captain John Hamilton and his brother Edward. These, however, did not come to Edgefield until after the Revolutionary War. Of this I am not right sure. Captain Hamilton was an officer in the British army, serving under his brother Col. Hamilton, who commanded a regiment in the left wing of the army at the Battle of Camden and aided greatly in the defeat of the Americans. These Hamiltons were Scotch, but they had been living in South Carolina—Lee, in his memoirs, says Norfolk, Virginia—engaged in mercantile pursuits before the war, but, unfortunately, took the wrong side in the contest, as many good men did. At their death they left very little property. I know of no descendants."^2,3

Martha married Samuel ABNEY Sr., son of George ABNEY and Unity Meredith, in 1770 in Edgefield District, South Carolina. They lived on Tosety Creek, off the Saluda River.⁴

Martha Harriett HAMILTON was Following the murder of Sam in the fall of 1781 Martha was left a widow with four young children and one more on the way. in 1781 in Edgefield District, South Carolina.

Martha Harriett HAMILTON widow of Samuel Abney, killed by Cunningham, received compensation for his military service in the amount of 8 pounds 15 shillings on 15 August 1785 in Edgefield (now Saluda) County, South Carolina.⁵

By her mark, Martha (X) Abney, widow of Samuel Abney and his Administratrix, on 29 October 1785 requested that Sam's payment for "Services done the State in Colonel Robert Anderson's Return" be delivered to William Hill. The original claim dated 7 July 1785 read "Mr. Samuel Abney Sen. his account of Militia Duty as private & Sergt. before, and since the reduction of Charlestown" [Charleston, South Carolina fell to the British on 12 May 1780] and amounted to sixteen pounds, one shilling and five pence sterling.⁶

Martha Harriett HAMILTON appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1790 in Edgefield County, South Carolina. The household was listed as one white male under 16 [Zachariah], four white females [Martha and daughters, Martha, Rebecca, & Dorcas] and one slave.⁷

Martha Harriett HAMILTON died in 1817 in Edgefield District, South Carolina.⁸

On 7 December 1817 Edgefield District Zachariah ABNEY applied for letters of administration on the estate of his mother, Martha Harriett HAMILTON.

Administrators of her estate were Zachariah Abney, Richard Coleman and Thomas Spragins. A sale bill was returned to Ordinary 16 Feb 1818, signed by Jno. Simpkins, OED. Buyers inlcuded James Chadwick, table; John Gregg, knives and forks; Zachariah Abney, hackle; Allen Patrick, pewter; Robert Abney, pewter; Moses Walton, plates; John Clark Senr., tinware; Thos. Walton, sundries; Richd. Coleman, books; Azariah Abney, yearling; Gilbert Smith, reel; James Coleman, horse; Patsy Davis, mare; Mark Black, chairs; Mary Abney, bed; William Kennedy, bed; Mrs. McClendon, bed; John Chapman, hay; John Worthington, negro woman & child; Zachariah Abney, negro man. 1818 accounts: paid Hugh Duffy. 1 Feb 1819 accounts: paid James Kennedy and Elizabeth Abney, John Maynard and Martha Davis, and Daniel Fore.