ALLEN HAMILTON
PAPERS, 1814-1924


Collection #:
M 608

Table of Contents

User Information
Historical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Box and Folder Listing
Cataloguing Information

Processed by:
Ellen Swain
19 February 1992


USER INFORMATION

VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 15 manuscript boxes (6 linear feet)

COLLECTION DATES: 1814-1924

PROVENANCE: Gift of Mrs. Holman Hamilton, 220 Barrow Road, Lexington, Kentucky, 15 October 1982

RESTRICTIONS: None

COPYRIGHT: Held by Indiana Historical Society

ALTERNATE FORMATS: None

OTHER FINDING AIDS: None

RELATED HOLDINGS: A. A. Cole Papers (M 586, OM 263)

ACCESSION NUMBER: 82.1007


HISTORICAL SKETCH

Allen Hamilton (1798-1864) was an Irish emigrant who settled in Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, Indiana in 1820. There, he married Emeline J. Holman, the daughter of a prominent judge. In 1823, the family moved to Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana where Hamilton was appointed deputy clerk in the United States Land Office. An early founder of the town, Hamilton held such positions as Allen County Sheriff (1824-1826), postmaster (1825-1831), and county auditor, clerk, and recorder (1831-1838).

Hamilton's prominence in the county and later the state was due to mercantilistic and political endeavors. In the 1820's, Hamilton, in partnership with Cyrus Taber, established the firm Hamilton and Taber with the intent of capitalizing on Indian trade. The firm was prosperous and through such trade Hamilton won the trust and confidence of many Indians in the region, particularly Chief Richardville. In 1834 and 1838, he was appointed to the United States Commission to Negotiate Treaties with Miami Indians in Northern Indiana, and in 1840, he served on the Commission to Extinguish Indian Titles in Indiana. Hamilton was also the United States Indian Agent to Miami Indians from 1841 to 1845.

In 1851, Hamilton entered the Indiana political arena as a Whig delegate to the Indiana Constitutional Convention. He won election to the Indiana State Senate in 1859 and served one term. Until his death in 1864, Hamilton remained active in business as President of the Fort Wayne branch of the Indiana State Bank and of the Allen Hamilton National Bank in Fort Wayne.

Sources:
Brice, Wallace History of Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne: D.W. Jones and Son, 1868.
Pumroy, Eric, A Guide to Manuscript Collections of the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana State Library. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1986.


SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection, spanning the years 1822 to 1924, consists of fifteen manuscript boxes arranged by subject. Legal cases (1828-1924) comprise half of the collection and are concerned primarily with land grants. Title papers belonging to Hamilton and Taber, Phoebe Taber, and Charlotte A. Taber are also included. Correspondence between Hamilton and John Tipton, a militia officer, politician, and Indian agent, offers insight into Indian - settler relations of the day. Written during Tipton's service in the United States Senate, 1831-1839, these letters concern Tipton's efforts, first, to have a treaty negotiated with the Miami Indians; second, to have such a treaty ratified by the Senate; third, to make a profit out of such a treaty for himself and Hamilton by purchasing land or by providing goods to the Government with which to pay Indians. Indian agent General William Marshall is repeatedly referred to as a negative influence. Some letters refer to the appointment of Jesse L. Holman as a federal judge.

Also included are papers dealing with Tipton's estate as well as various deeds and land grants. Correspondence between Spear S. Tipton and Hamilton largely concern Tipton's difficulties in obtaining ready cash to settle his father's estate. The answer by Hamilton details the tracts of land obtained by Hamilton and Tipton as a result of the Miami treaty of 1834. The remainder of the collection consists of deeds, surveys, and land descriptions, as well as the estate and business papers of Hamilton, George C. Taber, and Stephen C. Taber. A ledger containing a schedule of town lots in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana (circa 1840s) and an autograph book comprise the final box.


BOX AND FOLDER LISTING

BOX 1: Legal Cases, 1828-1838
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Legal Cases, 1828-1829

2 Legal Cases, 1829-1832

3 Legal Cases, 1832-1833

4 Legal Cases, 1833-1834

5 Legal Cases, 1834

6 Legal Cases, 1835

7 Legal Cases, 1835

8 Legal Cases, 1835-1836

9 Legal Cases, 1836

10 Legal Cases, 1836-1837

11 Legal Cases, 1837-1838

BOX 2: Legal Cases, 1838-1843
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Legal Cases, 1838

2 Legal Cases, 1839

3 Legal Cases, 1839

4 Legal Cases, 1839

5 Legal Cases, 1839

6 Legal Cases, 1840

7 Legal Cases, 1840

8 Legal Cases, 1840

9 Legal Cases, 1840-1842

10 Legal Cases, 1842

11 Legal Cases, 1843

12 Legal Cases, 1843

BOX 3: Legal Cases, 1843-1850
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Legal Cases, 1843

2 Legal Cases, 1843-1844

3 Legal Cases, 1844

4 Legal Cases, 1845

5 Legal Cases, 1846

6 Legal Cases, 1847

7 Legal Cases, 1847

8 Legal Cases, 1847-1848

9 Legal Cases, 1848-1849

10 Legal Cases, 1849-1850

BOX 4: Legal Cases, 1850-1864
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Legal Cases, 1850-1851

2 Legal Cases, 1851-1852

3 Legal Cases, 1853

4 Legal Cases, 1853-1854

5 Legal Cases, 1854-1856

6 Legal Cases, 1856-1857

7 Legal Cases, 1857-1858

8 Legal Cases, 1858

9 Legal Cases, 1858-1860

10 Legal Cases, 1860-1863

11 Legal Cases, 1863-1864

12 Legal Cases, 1864

BOX 5: Legal Cases, 1865-1876
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Legal Cases, 1865-1868

2 Legal Cases, 1868-1871

3 Legal Cases, 1871

4 Legal Cases, 1871

5 Legal Cases, 1872

6 Legal Cases, 1873

7 Legal Cases, 1873

8 Legal Cases, 1873-1876

BOX 6: Legal Cases, 1877-1891
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Legal Cases, 1877

2 Legal Cases, 1878-1879

3 Legal Cases, 1879-1880

4 Legal Cases, 1880-1881

5 Legal Cases, 1881

6 Legal Cases, 1881

7 Legal Cases, 1881-1883

8 Legal Cases, 1884-1888

9 Legal Cases, 1888-1889

10 Legal Cases, 1890-1891

BOX 7: Legal Cases, 1891-1916
FOLDER CONTENTS

2 1 Legal Cases, 1891-1894

2 Legal Cases, 1894

3 Legal Cases, 1897-1899

4 Legal Cases, 1901-1902

5 Legal Cases, 1903

6 Legal Cases, 1903-1905

7 Legal Cases, 1906-1907

8 Legal Cases, 1908

9 Legal Cases, 1908

10 Legal Cases, 1910-1916

BOX 8: Legal Cases, 1920-1924; Hamilton and Taber Title Papers, 1846-1916; Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1835-1839
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Legal Cases, 1920

2 Legal Cases, 1922

3 Legal Cases, 1923

4 Legal Cases, 1924

5 Hamilton and Taber Title Papers, 1846

6 Hamilton and Taber Title Papers, 1858-1862

7 Hamilton and Taber Title Papers, 1863

8 Hamilton and Taber Title Papers, 1865-1866

9 Hamilton and Taber Title Papers, 1866-1867

10 Hamilton and Taber Title Papers, 1880-1916

11 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1835-1839

12 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1839

BOX 9: Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1839-1922; Charlotte A. Taber Title Papers, 1851-1862
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1839-1844

2 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1885-1895

3 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1898-1899

4 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1902-1903

5 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1904

6 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1904-1913

7 Phoebe A. Hamilton Title Papers, 1915-1922

8 Charlotte A. Taber Title Papers, 1851-1853

9 Charlotte A. Taber Title Papers, 1853

10 Charlotte A. Taber Title Papers, 1854-1856

11 Charlotte A. Taber Title Papers, 1856

12 Charlotte A. Taber Title Papers, 1857-1862

BOX 10: Charlotte A. Taber Title Papers and Court Proceedings, 1863-1886; John Tipton Correspondence, 1831-1839
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Charlotte A. Tabor Title Papers, 1863-1866

2 Charlotte A. Tabor Title Papers, 1866-1868

3 Charlotte A. Tabor Title Papers, 1871-1886

4 Charlotte A. Tabor Court Proceedings, 1856

5 John Tipton Correspondence, 1831-1835

6 John Tipton Co2rrespondence, 1836-1837

7 John Tipton Correspondence, 1838-1839

BOX 11: John Tipton Correspondence, Deeds, Estate Papers, and Land Contracts, 1826-1847; Taber -Coles-Holman Family Papers; Hamilton and Taber Correspondence and Wills, 1852-1878; Stephen C. Taber Correspondence and Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1862-1871
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Deeds Signed by John Tipton, 1835

2 John Tipton Correspondence, 1826-1836

3 John Tipton Estate Papers, 1839-1833

4 Spear S. Tipton Correspondence, 1836-1845

5 Tipton Deeds, 1840-1854

6 Tipton - Taber Land Contract, July 17, 1847

7 Enclosure Letter from Office of Indian Affairs, 1847

8 Taber - Coles - Holman Family Papers

9 Richard Holman Law Licence and Notary Public Licence, 1838

10 Stephen Coles Army Discharge, 1814; Land Grant (copy), 1825; Letter from Joseph Coles, 1840

11 James J. Hamilton, Jr. Receipt for Syrup for Consumption, 1814

12 Hamilton and Taber Descriptions of Property, 1843-1857

13 Allen Hamilton Letter and Deed to Cyrus Taber, 1852

14 Allen Hamilton, Cyrus Taber Wills

15 Samuel D. Taber Letter to Stephen Taber, 1857-1860

16 George C. Taber, Jesse Taber Loree Correspondence regarding sale of land in Logansport, Indiana for a federal building, 1902-1903

17 L.F. Loree, George C. Taber Correspondence regarding location of Post Office in Logansport, Indiana, 1902-1903

18 Stephen C. Taber Letter to Allen Hamilton, 1862; Stephen C. Taber Letter to A. H. Hamilton, 1878

19 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists , 1862-1869

20 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1870-1871

BOX 12: Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1887-1909; Certified Records of Ewing and Hamilton, Taber and Pollard Partition, 1863-1865
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1872-1878

2 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1879-1886

3 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1887-1890

4 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1891-1895

5 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1895-1898

6 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1899-1903

7 Stephen C. Taber Personal Property Assessment Lists, 1904-1909

8 Records of Partition - Hamilton and Taber, Heirs, 1864

9 Records of Partition - Hamilton and Taber, Heirs, 1865

10 Certified Complete Records of W. G. and G. W. Ewing and Hamilton Taber and Pollard Partition; Hamilton, Taber and Pollard Partition, 1863, part I

11 Certified complete Records of W. G. and G. W. Ewing and Hamilton, Taber and Pollard Partition, 1865, part II

BOX 13: Miscellaneous Lists and Correspondence, 1830's -1912; Land Descriptions, Surveys, Insurance, and Mortgages, 1830's - 1890's; Deeds, 1833-1919
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Miscellaneous Papers, 1830's - 1840's

2 Land Descriptions, 1865, 1877, 1886

3 Surveys, 1890's

4 Miscellaneous Letters, 1837-1912

5 Insurance, 1844-1853

6 Mortgages, 1835, 1836, 1867

7 Lists of Charlotte Walker's Lots in Fort Wayne, Indiana, n.d.

8 Correspondence Regarding Adames County Bank, 1886-1888

9 Burial and Disinterment Permits, 1870, 1906

10 Deeds, 1833-1838

11 Deeds, 1839-1840

12 Deeds, 1846-1854

13 Deeds, 1853-1883

14 Deeds, 1889-1902

15 Deeds, 1902-1919

BOX 14: Deeds, 1922-1923; Deeds, Surveys, Land Descriptions of Land Held by Miami Indians, 1823-1871; Land Grants, 1822-1836; Abstract of Title, 1865, 1873
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Deeds, 1922-1923

2 Deeds Held by Indians, 1836-1855

3 Deeds Held by Indians, 1855

4 Deeds, Surveys, Land Descriptions of Land Held by Miami Indians, 1823-1871

5 Land Grants for Michigan Road Lands, 1833

6 Land Grants, 1822, 1836

7 Abstract of Title, 1865, 1873

BOX 15: Autograph Book; Ledger, 1940's
FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Autograph Book

2 Ledger, 1840's


CATALOGUING INFORMATION

MAIN ENTRY: Hamilton, Allen, 1798-1864

SUBJECT ENTRIES: Tipton, John, 1786-1839

Tipton, John, 1786-1839--Estate

Marshall, William

Family records--Indiana--Allen County

Legal documents--Indiana--Allen County

Land titles--Indiana

Deeds--Indiana

Irish Americans--Indiana--Allen County

Indians of North America--Indiana--Treaties

Indians of North America--Indiana--Land transfers

Miami Indians--Treaties

Miami Indians--Land transfers

Postal service--Indiana--Logansport--Buildings

Autograph albums--Indiana--Allen County

Wills--Indiana--Allen County

Rochester (Ind.)

Allen County (Ind.)

Fort Wayne (Ind.)

ADDED ENTRIES: Hamilton, Phoebe A.

Taber, Charlotte A.

Taver, Stephen C.

Taber, George C.

END