Today is an anniversary I should have remembered, not just as a fan of the musical, but because I may have a common ancestor with the victim: 220 years ago today, on 11 July 1804, Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton.[1] One of my brick walls is the parents of my sixth great-grandfather Maurice Hamilton (b. ~1754, Virginia; d. 1819, Kentucky). Maurice's parents remain a mystery to me; I’ve concentrated my personal family research on more recent questions, saving older generations for another day.
But it was a Hamilton family question that brought me to this field of work. According to family lore, a Hamilton father disowned two sons for “going west” and returning with Native American brides. As the story goes, my second great-grandmother Sherilda Frances Hamilton (b. 1855, Indiana; d. 1939, Indiana) was not the daughter of the couple who raised her, but rather, their granddaughter. Curious about that question, I hired a professional genealogist who specializes in Indiana records to research the issue. When I received the research report with initial findings, I realized that with the right education and training, I could also work as a professional genealogist.
After receiving a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University, I launched my business. That’s not the end of education for a professional genealogist; like many professionals, genealogists continue their education through webinars, conferences, and meetings. Because I may seek certification through the Board for Certification of Genealogists (“BCG”), I also enrolled in a ProGen study group.[2] Over fifteen months and under the mentorship of a certified genealogist, our small cohort is studying the texts “Professional Genealogy,” edited by Elizabeth Shown Mills, and “Genealogy Standards,” by the BCG.[3]
Recently, we focused on proof arguments, which state a research question, may state the conclusion up front, and then make an argument for that conclusion using evidence found through research. I chose my family’s Hamilton story, and focused on identifying Sherilda Frances Hamilton's mother. Using some of the sources found by the professional genealogist I had hired and finding more, I put together an argument that I think disproves that family lore.[4] There are still some gaps and further research may prove me wrong. But for now, I’m satisfied with the outcome.
The research also highlighted one of the ugly facts in my family history: my fifth and sixth great grandfathers were both enslavers, with names of enslaved people documented in their wills and estates. Today, I entered those names in the 10 Million Names Project (https://10millionnames.org/). I hope my contribution helps others find their family histories.
If you have a family history research project that might benefit from professional assistance, please contact me.
[1] Thanks to Thomas MacEntee for his Facebook post flagging the anniversary. Thomas MacEntee (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10229626097209633&set=a.2554435093072 : viewed 11 July 2024).
[2] Board for Certification of Genealogists (https://bcgcertification.org/ : viewed 11 July 2024). ProGen Study Groups (https://progenstudygroups.com/ viewed 11 July 2024).
[3] Elizabeth Shown Mills, editor, “Professional Genealogy” (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2018). Board for Certification of Genealogists, “Genealogy Standards,” second edition (Nashville: Ancestry.com, 2021).
[4] I'm attaching the proof argument to this post. For this assignment, we were instructed to not use any DNA results. Because the DNA would have been inherited from Sherilda, matrilineal DNA tests could help further the inquiry.
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