My Great Grandfather - Archie Hamilton

In 1998 I began to investigate my/our family tree. It really started when I discovered a tree posted on a genealogy site in the old AOL system. This tree was for my mother-in-laws family, the Crabtrees, of central Ohio. Her birthday was coming up and I thought a few printed pages and a few pictures in a binder would be a nice present. Her niece Karen, saw the binder and after looking through it she pointed out a few errors. She is an avid genealogist and has worked on the families for many years. She explained to me the importance of documentation to support ones findings.

By now most of us have seen the ads on TV for Ancestry.com and their “leaf” that pops up to tell you that they have found a tree or document that fits one of your entries in your online tree. Of course it sounds quick and easy, but many times these hints lack documentation. These can be dangerous and send you down the wrong tree branch in your research.

For the Kerr research, my 2^nd cousin Joan Mansfield, had already interviewed many of our relatives and provided a very sound base for me to start my Kerr family research. The same with Judy's family. Her cousin Karen Ver Wayne set me right by correcting some of my earlier errors and helping me with research technique and sources. All of the above is a prelude to what follows. The current state of my research into my Mother's family, the Hamiltons.

Archibald Hamilton

You know how they say that everyone has a relative that immigrated to this land we call America! Well for the Hamilton family it is Archibald Hamilton. Born in January of 1856 to James and Agnes Hamilton of Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland. By the census of 1880, Archie was living in Providence Rhode Island with his older brother John Hamilton who immigrated 2 years earlier. Archie and his brother James came into New York on the English ship Devonia. Archie was listed in the ships manifest as a laborer. On the same ship was a fellow Scotsman, William B Harvey, a stone cutter.

I have yet to discover why he traveled west, but by 1887 both Archie Hamilton and William Harvey are listed in the Denver City directory as stone cutters. After 2 years of working for others, William and Archie form their own company – Hamilton & Harvey Construction.

In 1891 at the age of 35 Archie marries 22 year old Isabella C Scott. Isabel as she was known was also born in Scotland but immigrated at the age of 4 with her parents James and Mary Scott in 1873. 1892 saw the arrival of Elizabeth 'Bessie' Hamilton followed in 1893 by my future grand father, William P Hamilton. Archibald D Hamilton, 1902; Isabella M Hamilton, 1903; and James A Hamilton, 1906 completed the family.

It was about the time of James birth that Hamilton & Harvey became Hamilton & Gillespie with Donald Gillespie buying out William Harvey. The 1910 Denver City directory list Hamilton & Gillespie located on 7^th Street near Santa Fe Ave.

Prior to my Uncle Bill Hamilton's death, he gave me a few pages of Hamilton history that he possessed. One item was a small pocket diary for 1908 which belonged to Archie Hamilton. While this diary has a 1908 calendar, dated notations inside says he was using it in 1910. Like most of us, having a small note book was more important to him than actual dates. The leather bound diary is 4 inches by 2 inches and would easily fit in the breast pocket of overalls. Here is a sample of figures that look like computations for projects for which he was bidding. This entry for J L Gray dated February 4, 1910 and 227.18 

and Kirchoff, B + stone, etc is his last entry.

At the end of February, he would go to Phoenix Arizona and after a stay of only two weeks, he died on March 12, 1910. On March 14^th he was buried at the Greenwood Cemetery in Phoenix.

Revisit to Dad's first job in Santa Monica

 This picture is from one of my first postings from March 2013 and has my dad Joe "JL" Kerr at the gas pumps of a service station in Redondo Beach, California in 1940.  While not part of his first job story, it is an interesting picture of the times.

Well, it seems like I left out an important part of the “Auto Laundry” story. My cousin Jim reminded  me about the story of what Dad went through to get his first job in California. I  looked in my OM Monk file and found his transcribed version of Dad's job hunt and added a rather long winded version of one of my job hunts.  Here it is as told by Dad's friend OM Monk:

"Seeing a Help Wanted sign at the Auto Laundry, JL inquired about the job. He was asked if he knew how to steam clean an engine? Of course he said yes, even though he had never steam cleaned anything. This answer seemed to satisfy the question and he was told to start the next morning. Now JL needed to figure out how to operate the steam cleaner. So he found another steam cleaning business and asked to watch the operation. A few hours of watching them fire up and use the kerosine burning steam cleaner and JL was ready for his first day of work."

And it seems that the apple does not fall far from the tree. I had a similar experience when I landed my first welding job. I returned from my job cooking hamburgers at Hamilton Stores in Canyon Village, Yellowstone Park in late September 1962. I had graduated the past June and returned to late to start at at our local Jr College, so I began to hunt for a job. My high school Mechanical Drawing teacher Irv Glushenko told me about a welding job with American Rolling that was run by a friend of his. I went for an interview and was hired. I knew how to arc weld and to gas weld, but he was looking for a Tig welder. I of course told him I could Tig weld even though at the time I did not know what Tig meant.

He surprised me by having me start that very moment by asking me to go with him to the welding supply house and help him purchase a Tig welder. Unknown to me was the fact that he had no welding equipment and one of my tasks would be to set up the welding shop. Luckily the salesperson was a hands on guy and he pretty much knew what was needed in the price range we gave him. He demonstrated the welder on some scrap aluminum and then handed me the torch. I was truly nervous but having seen that it was kind of like gas welding only with an arc, I proceeded to give it a try. After sticking the tungsten arc a couple of times I put down a short little bead and told my new boss that this piece should do the job.

I worked there until September 1963 when I enrolled in the Welding class at the Jr College so I could truly learn how to weld and prepare to get certified.

The Western Journey

OM cooking breakfast near Little Rock Arkansas

 A month after his 20th birthday, my dad JL Kerr set out on a life changing journey with his friend OM Monk.  OM was less than a month away from his 20th birthday.  They planned to drive their 1931 Chevrolet from Etowah Tennessee to California.  Along the way they would see those things in the West that came straight from their school books.

JL Kerr at the Grand Canyon

The site of Dad's first job after arriving in California.

Places like the Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, and the Mojave Desert.  OM took this picture of Dad standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon.  While not mentioned in his diary of the trip, OM loved to tell us about the fateful decision that was made while they were on the North Rim of the Canyon.  Looking at their map, they had a choice of roads to go Southwest to Los Angeles or due West towards San Francisco.  They agreed to let a coin flip decide -  Heads it is LA, Tails it is SF.  He always said that we were lucky that it was Heads.

On Sunday, April 2nd they were standing at the end of Wilshire Blvd looking out at the Pacific Ocean.  From his journal, OM wrote: "We drove hard all day today, Sunday, and came through Hollywood, down to the ocean front to watch the waves roll in.  The Oranges are very abundant and very cheap."  He continues: "Got a room at 711 Marine Street Sunday evening, and started looking for work Monday morning, April 3.  J. landed a job Thurs. and I try out for one on Friday."




This is the Santa Monica Auto Laundry that was JL's first job after arriving in Santa Monica.  It was a Mobil Oil gas station as well.  That is a new friend and OM talking as JL takes their photo.  The 1931 Chevrolet is also in the picture.

In less than a year, Dad and Mom would be married in Feb 1940 after meeting here at this service station.

Some Hamilton and Nye

1958 and a picture of the women on our maternal side of the family.  Marie and Faye Nye are sisters who both married in Colorado and Marie went farming in Idaho and Faye ended up in Southern California.  Virginia Grimm married Faye's youngest son Harold.  My mother Dorothy married Joe Kerr in 1940 and her sister Irene married Richard Kimball and after her divorce married John Johnson of Santa Monica.

This picture was in our front yard and the tree that was planted following completion of the house.

This is Faye's husband and my grandfather William Hamilton driving dad's Jeep.  I am on the hood and don't look to happy about it either.

Grandpa Hamilton was a cement contractor who had a passion for gold hunting.  He would spend weeks in the deserts of California prospecting.  I have never heard any success stories from him or my Uncle Bill.  He and grandma lived a few houses down the street from us in Redondo Beach in their retirement years.

Baseball and Mom

Allstar Sam Kerr and mother Dorothy Kerr

 Mom loved baseball.  She played Catcher on the girls baseball team at Santa Monica High School.  When I was 8 years old she encouraged me to try out for the Central Redondo  little league that played at Perry Park.  She usually attended every game in those early years.  But for some reason my second game in the Majors, playing for Banner Drug she was at home trimming her rose bushes that lined the driveway.  We lived close enough that during a game you could hear the announcer and cheers from the crowd.  You might not know what the announcer actually said but you could hear.  She was trimming away and heard a loud roar from the crowd and thought she heard my name.  When I got home, and she found out that at 10 years old I had hit my first home run she told my dad that she would never miss another game.  She held true to that through all 4 of us as we progressed through Little League, Pony League, Babe Ruth League and High School.

Jason Kerr, Grandma Kerr, Joshua Kerr

Living in Aqua Dulce from 1972 through 1978 Jason and Joshua played in the Canyon Country Little league.  And when she could, Grandma was there for them too.

Both Mom and Dad were very active in the Redondo Beach Little League operations.  Another example of the positive  neighborhood involvement that they both set for us as we grew into men with our own families.

Early Family Visits

My Grandmother Mollie was a frequent visitor.  Aunt Lu, Uncle Bob, Uncle Tom, and Aunt JoAnn brought Mollie with them in 1949.  My best guess is that these photos were taken as we were getting ready to take them all to the train station for their return home.  This was in front of our house on Carnegie Lane in Redondo Beach.

JoAnn and Tom Kerr

Uncle Tom, my brother Terry, and Mollie Kerr

Family visits

 My first trip to visit our East coast relatives was in August 1945.  I was not yet a year old.  Dad and Mom drove to Kentucky to visit with my ailing grandfather, Joe Kerr.  And of course it was a chance for them to parade me to all Dad's family.  As I got older, my memories are of the frequent visits by family to our house in Redondo Beach California.  I guess that by 1958 all of my Uncles and Aunts from Kentucky to Florida had paid us at least one visit.  Grandma Mollie Kerr would accompany most of the kin that traveled by train.  I don't remember her ever coming out by car.  This rather dark picture was taken at our friends Don and Mary Sidle's house.  Grandma Mollie is on the left, with Mary Sidle, then Aunt Lizzie Dew and Uncle Esco "Jake" Dew. 

  

It was always fun to have Aunt Lillian and Uncle Walter Young visit.  They would drive in from Tennessee and you never knew what kind of big car he would be driving.  Oldsmobiles and Buicks seem to come to mind when I think of Uncle Walter.  Of course a trip to one or more of the scenic wonders of California was part of everyone's visit.  This photo is of my Mom, Dorothy Kerr and my Aunt Lillian Young in one of the California Poppy fields around So California.

Birthday Party

I'm not sure about the date, so if anyone (Terry or Rachel S) remembers please let me know.  Mom made this cake for her little cowboy Sam on his 4th birthday.  A party with neighbor kids took over the back patio.  Aunt Snow and cousin Irene were also there.  I think this would be in May 1959.

Recently discovered photos

More scans of some "lost" photos and 35mm slides. 

The first one is my dad Joe and brother Larry at two different points of their life.  We have lots of stories and comments about what dad had taught each of us through direct tutalidge or by example of his actions.  Hard work, carpentry, mechanical, and barter were all important.  But the most important life lesson he passed on is helping others.  Growing up, both our parents were active in our neighborhood and first to help when they saw the need.  In our own whey, each of the four boys has demonstrated this same aptitude to our neighborhoods.  

Here are Sam and Larry on the Palm Springs Aereal Tram.

Mom and Dad before Terry and Jan's wedding.

Back on line

That makes two computers in the past 31 days.  New set ups are a %%#}{}%^^.  So here are a few scans from some of Dad's 35mm slides.  They are "as scanned".  Enjoy.

This is Sam Kerr, Uncle Tom Kerr, and Larry Kerr.  Not sure about the date, but I'd guess 1964.

Now we add our cousins Tom Kerr and Jim Kerr to the group photo.

Some Misc Stuff

We got to spend the weekend with our grandson Wyatt.  He is almost 3 going on 12.  Old enough this year to enjoy Santa Claus and Christmas.  While they were here, we took a trip down memory lane and perused our digital collection of photos.  So now I have a new task to sort my computer files so they do not look like my desk.  Plus, I know that I have many more photos that I have not scanned.  That will happen following this first project.  In the mean time - if you have any family photos that you would like to contribute to this blog, send them to me either as digital or physical.  I will return the physical photos after scanning.  Enjoy.

This is the earliest photo Christmas card I have.  I do remember that shirt with the Pheasant print.  Dad is in his Letter Carriers uniform.  This may have been his last year as a mailman since he moved over to the new Vehicle Maintenance Facility as a Mechanic in mid 1954.  Then a few years later he took the Building Superintendents position at the Santa Monica Main Post Office.

Dad's first post war Jeep.  It shows up in many of our early photos.  This was taken in La Verne, California.

More on the Hamilton / Nye family

 This is James Linn Eakins and Mary Eakins.

Mary Permalia Lamb Denbow Eakins was married to James Denbow who died in 1865 from injuries sustained during his fighting in the Civil War.  She then married James Eakins and after his death in 1899, Mary moved to Colorado to live with her grand daughter, Lura Weatherly Nye and Oscar Nye. Lura's mother was Viola Denbow Weatherly, Mary and James Denbow's daughter.

This is Viola Denbow Weatherly.  Below is a picture of the back of the art work which is written by Faye Nye Hamilton and also noted by Dorothy Hamilton Kerr.

Hamilton and Nye

 Dorothy Faye Hamilton Kerr

Birth 26 Aug 1920 

Death 09 Apr 1979

Faye Nye Hamilton and Larry Kerr - April 1966

Oscar Nye, Lura Nye, and Marie Nye

Best guess, about 1908

Hamilton Family Photos Continued:

A 4 generation picture of Lura Nye, Dorothy Hamilton Kerr, Faye Nye Hamilton and baby Jerry Kerr.  October 1944

 The war had everyone that could in uniform.  Here at the Santa Monica home of the Nye's were Grandpa William Hamilton who served in WWI, Richard Kimball, Bill Hamilton, and Joe Kerr.

From the timing of some of the other photos, I believe this one was also taken in October 1944.

A few Hamilton family photos

Not sure about the exact time frame, but thanks to recent facebook and linkedin searches I have been reconnected to some relatives from my Hamilton / Nye side of the family.  My first cousin Claudine and a cousin twice removed, Phil who always felt like a first cousin.  For the most part, it had been over 40 years since any significant contact with either of my cousins.  Whole families have grown up and apart.  Family members who were the glue of the connections die and the distances expanded between those of us left behind.  With all of it's pending faults, Facebook and other internet social media help to bind us together.

I will be posting a few of the "lost" Hamilton photos and negatives that I have scanned for sharing with our family and friends over the coming weeks.  If you want to know more about the photo than I post with it, leave a comment and I will get back to you ASAP.

Irene Hamilton Kimball and Richard Kimball

 abt 1943

Richard Kimball, Irene Hamilton Kimball, Oscar Nye and Lura Weatherly Nye.  Oscar and Lura are Irene's Grandparents.

I am back!

First, I would like to thank every person who served in the military.  With special gratitude to my relatives from all generations.

I have submitted my Ancestry.com DNA test vial and await the results.

WWII vet - my dad, Joe Kerr

Remembering Joe Kerr

Joe Lee “JL” Kerr, 94, passed away on Saturday, January 18, 2014. Born in Whitley County, Kentucky to Joe and Molly Kerr he lived most of his life in Southern California.

Joe was a passionate, hard working man who enjoyed life in many ways. His marriage to Dottie Hamilton in 1940 was followed by service in the Army during WWII. Joe soon entered service in the Santa Monica Post Office where he put his many mechanical skills to work, retiring as their Manager, Building Operations. Seemed like he could fix or build anything. His retirement was to work summers at the Friendship Flea Market and winter at his home in Morongo Valley, CA. He loved the companionship of the flea marketeers. “Everythings for sale, except the wife and kids, cause there is a law against that” was a favorite response when asked if an item was for sale.

Joe was very proud of his 4 sons, Jerry, Terry, Larry and Randy Sam. Randy was lost to him in 1983. After Dottie's death in 1979, Joe married Virginia “Chris” Greer in Indiana. This brought together two of Friendship's favorite families. Joe now included the Greer kids, Bob, Judy, Jane, Rick, and Sue as part of his family. With them and the growing numbers of grandkids and great grandkids his years in the 80's and 90's were full of love and family. After Chris's death in 2006, Joe lived with and was cared for by Larry and Andy. Their love and care gave him much comfort in his final years.

Every person he met will remember Joe for a special reason. Jeep enthusiast, electrician, plumber, mechanic, pack rat, huckster, builder, father, grandpa Joe, or friend. He has left us for now, and each of us is richer for having known him.

No services are planned. If desired, donations to your local Salvation Army would be appreciated.

 

2014 is coming

I can't believe 2013 is almost over.  The years seem to get shorter and shorter.  I made some wonderful additions to my family tree this year.  I made connections with a second cousin that I had not talked to in over 40 years.  His input will add even more to my Hamilton tree.  Another amazing find was a friend from my early off road racing days.  I have yet to talk to him but just knowing that he is well is enough until we do talk.  This is another 35 plus year connection.  I anticipate a positive year ahead and pray that all of my friends and family join me in celebration of 2014.

SEMA coming to Las Vegas

I am looking forward to reporting on the new products and cool cars coming up in a couple of weeks.  Small clips here but full reports on Las Vegas Motorsports News.  Http://lvmsn.sitnbullenterprises.com

Friday

Had a chance to start a new tree for some friends yesterday.  Starting with the 1940 census was fun and very productive in just a few ( 30 ) minutes.  Unlike the brick walls of the current family tree.  An example?  I found n

My friends parents and after hours of searching and page by page, line by line in sheets where they should be, I have yet to find my own parents.