Hamilton, George M.
George Merton Hamilton (1920-1993)
Hinsdale, NH
George Merton Hamilton, aka “Tinker,” resided in Hinsdale, NH, with his wife Margaret during the 1950s. The bulk of his life, however, was spent in Vermont. While the Hamiltons history as a family of color in New England extends back to the early 1800s, George and his siblings in the 20th century were light skinned with blond hair and blue eyes. The Hamiltons at the turn of the 20th century navigated two worlds identifying at times as Black and as white on other occasions.
George Merton Hamilton was born January 9, 1920 in Brattleboro, VT, to Charles and Edna Hamilton. George’s father was Black and his mother was white. During the 1920s, George attended school in Brattleboro and the family resided at 3 Williams Street. By 1930, however, the Hamiltons moved to the small town of Guilford, VT, where father Charles rented a home and worked as an overseer of a private estate. George was 10 years old and had many siblings including his sister Florence M. (18), sister Marjorie M. (16), sister Bernice L. (14), brother Charles M. (8), brother Harral L. (7), sister Sylvia E. (4), brother Paul M. (3), and brother Frank M. (1). A white lodger, 12 year old Robert Avery of NY, also resided with the family.
Ten years later, the Hamilton family had moved back to Brattleboro, living on Elliot Street in 1940. Charles was a widower working for the government doing forestry work (possibly linked to the Hurricane of 1938). George M. Hamilton was 20 years old and single. He had an 8th grade education, as did his father and siblings, and was working as a wood chopper. In addition to his siblings listed in the 1930 census, the Hamilton family had grown to include Margaret (9) and Carl (7).
A year after the 1940 census, George M. Hamilton had moved out of his parents’ home and resided at 90 Harlan Barnes in Saxton River, VT, an incorporated village linked to Bellows Falls with a population of about 740. On his World War II draft registration card, George was described as white, 5’7”, with blue eyes, blond hair and a light complexion.
George Hamilton served in the army during World War II in both European and African theaters. Upon his return to Saxtons River, he married a local white woman named Margaret Edna Riendeau on January 17, 1946 in the Baptist Church. George was 26 years old and listed as white.
Within a few years, the Hamilton couple moved to Hinsdale, NH. The 1950 census records George as a 30 year old white male, working 68 hours a week as a farmer. His wife Margaret was 24 years old and at home with their 3 year old son Donald and 2 year old son Stanley (both born in VT).
The Hamilton’s lived in HInsdale for some time. Margaret Hamilton died in 1981. Four years later, George Hamilton retired from Wirthmore Feeds grain store in Hinsdale where he had worked as a grain miller. He was living at 138 Brattleboro Road where he remained until his death. George Hamilton died on December 20, 1993 in Brattleboro, VT and was buried at Poor Road.
SOURCE MATERIALS
Berkshire County Eagle, April 4, 1861, page 3- newspapers.com
Brattleboro Reformer newspaper, June 2, 1951; December 1993- newspapers.com
Find-a-Grave
Massachusetts Census, 1855- Ancestry.com
Massachusetts Vital Records, Deaths, 1881 - Ancestry.com
Massachusetts Vital Records, Marriages, 1868- Ancestry.com
New Hampshire Birth Records, - Ancestry.com
U.S. Federal Census, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940- Ancestry.com
U.S. Colored Troops Military Service Records- Ancestry.com
Vermont Death Records, 1993- Ancestry.com
Vermont Marriage Records, 1946- Ancestry.com
World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942- Ancestry.com
GENEALOGICAL SUMMARY
GEORGE MERTON HAMILTON was born January 9, 1920, in Brattleboro, VT, to CHARLES HAMILTON and EDITH (or ETHEL) HALEY. George married MARGARET EDNA RIENDEAU on January 17, 1946 in Saxtons River, VT. They had DONALD HAMILTON (b.1947) and STANLEY HAMILTON (b.1948). George Merton Hamilton died in 1993.