Ambrose Hamon / Hammonds

[Revolutionary War Patriot Series, Part 1 of 12]

Born:  circa 1725, possibly in Virginia
Died:  1794 in Wilkes County, North Carolina

Service:  Patriotic Service & Civil Service

• Took oath of allegiance, 1779
  
• Juror, 1781
• Furnished sundries to the militia, 1782

Wife:  Ann

Children:

• John
• Mary, wife of Samuel Johnson
• Elizabeth, wife of John Amburgey
• Robert

Timeline:

 

circa 1725
Ambrose Hamon was born c1725, possibly in Virginia.

 

1747-1748
Virginia
Ambrose Hamon and his wife Ann appear in 3 deeds in Southam Parish, Goochland County, Virginia.  All of the deeds state that Ambrose was from Saint Margaret Parish, Caroline County, Virginia.  On 20 July 1747, Ambrose Hammon purchased 400 acres of land on the north side of the Appomattox River from Stephen Stone for £30.  On 25 January 1748, Ambrose and Anne sold 100 acres of this land to John Nelson for £20, and on 13 August 1748, they sold another 150 acres to Matthew Nelson for £20.  Both deeds of sale were recorded on 16 August 1748.

1760s
Virginia
Both of Ambrose and Ann’s daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, later applied for pensions based on their husbands’ service during the Revolutionary War.  On 24 January 1839, Mary stated that she was 78 years old (born circa 1760).  On 27 January 1853, Elizabeth stated that she was born in 1769.  Per the 1850 U.S. Federal Census, both Mary and Elizabeth were born in Virginia.

 

1770s
Sometime during the 1770s, Ambrose moved his family from Virginia to North Carolina.

[Note:  Wilkes County, North Carolina was formed 15 February 1778 from Surry County.  Ambrose appears in records for both counties.  Wilkes County and Surry County were part of Salisbury District until 10 May 1782, when Wilkes County became part of the newly-formed Morgan District.]

14 March 1778
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammon entered a claim for vacant land for 200 acres at the Great Falls on the Middle Fork of Roaring River.  A land warrant was issued on 16 December 1778, and the land was surveyed on 18 February 1779.  The land was granted on 24 September 1779 by Governor Richard Caswell.  The grant was presented in Wilkes County Court on 7 June 1780, and registered on 20 September 1780.

 

11 August 1778
Surry County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hamon entered a claim for vacant land for 100 acres on Bean Shole Creek.  This entry was transferred to J.T. Longino sometime prior to 10 October 1786.

31 December 1778
Surry County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hammon entered a claim for vacant land for 200 acres on Deep Creek.  A land warrant was issued on 12 February 1779, which was transferred to Richard Gentry on 10 October 1781.

19 February 1779
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambrous Hammon entered a claim for vacant land for 100 acres on a ridge near Mades Knob.  A land warrant was issued on 25 July 1782, which was transferred to Nathan Cox sometime prior to 19 March 1785.

6 September 1781
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammon was among those ordered to attend court on the first Monday in December as jurors.

1782
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambro. Hammons appears on the tax list for Capt. John Morgan’s District for 400 acres of land, 5 negros, 2 horses/mules, and 8 cattle.

11 January 1782
Salisbury District, North Carolina
Ambrose Hammonds was allowed £920 for sundries furnished to the militia.  The double holepunch in the voucher indicates that it was redeemed.

 

1784
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammons appears on the tax list for Morgan’s District for 3 poles and 206 acres of land.

1785
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambrose was a member of the Roaring River Baptist Church, appearing in the church minutes by 1785.  In February of 1789, he applied for and was granted a dismission for himself and his wife.  On 12 May 1791, Ambrose and Ann re-joined the church by letter.  On 11 June 1791, it was decided that Ambrose should be received in his former position as an Elder of the church.  Ambrose last appears in the minutes on 9 November 1793.

 

25 July 1785
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammon was among those ordered to attend the next court as jurors.

26 October 1785
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambros Hammons was “looked upon as suitable” to be appointed as justice of the peace.  He qualified as justice of the peace on 24 January 1786, taking the oath of allegiance & office, and would hold this position for at least 2 years.

27 July 1787
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hamon was the census enumerator for 2 districts, Capt. Nall’s and Capt. Johnson’s.  Ambrose’s household was counted in Johnson’s District as having 1 male over the age of 60, 1 female, and 5 negros.

1790
Surry County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hammons’ household in the 1790 U.S. Federal Census included 1 male under the age of 16, 1 male over the age of 16, and 6 females.

29 June 1794
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Ambrose Hamon wrote his will on 29 June 1794, and it was proved in court on 6 August 1794, indicating he died sometime during this summer.

In the name of God Amen I Ambrose Hamon of North Carolina and Wilkes County being much afflicted in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die doe make and ordane this my last will and testament that is to say

 

Principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in deserved Christian burial at the discretion of my executors nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate where with it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give devise and dispose of the same in the follow manner and form

 

Item first I lend to my beloved wife Ann Hamon my hole estate both real and personal during her natural life and widowhood to soport her and after her decease my hol estate to be equally divided between my four beloved children to wit my son John Hamon and my son Robert Hamon, my daughter Mary Johnson & my daughter Elizabeth Amburgey.

 

There is at present eight negroes to wit Old Lusey, Gemima, George, Jean, Bill, Little Luse, Sam or Samson, Simon.  I leave it to the discretion of my beloved wife to let them out to the use of the children in her lifetime as she sees fit to leave, and after her decease the hole to be divided between the above mentioned children and them that gets the sorriest choice of negroes let it be made up equal out of the stock and housel stuff, and if they can’t agree between themselves about dividing the estate my desire is that Col. Richard Allen & Benjamin Martain should assist in dividing of it.

 

In witness here of I have set my hand and affixed my seal this 29th of June 1794

Ambrose Hamon

 

Fun fact:  Ambrose Hamon is my 7th-great-grandfather three times over.  I can trace descent from him through his daughter Elizabeth, and twice through son John.

 

Sources:

• Goochland Co VA Deed Book 5, pp 298-299, 455-458
• Pension W5012 for Mary Johnson, Catalog.Archives.gov 
• Pension R174 for Elizabeth Amburgey, Catalog.Archives.gov
• 1850 U.S. Federal Census
• NC Land Grant Files, 1693-1960, Ancestry.com
• NC Land Grant Images, NCLandGrants.com
• Wilkes Co NC Deed Book A1, p 85, WilkesNCrod.org
• Absher, Wilkes Co NC Court Minute Abstracts, FamilySearch.org 
• Wilkes Co NC Court Minutes, 1778-1785, FamilySearch.org
• NC Digital Collections, Digital.NCdcr.gov
• NC Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, FamilySearch.org
• Minutes of The South Fork of Old Roaring River Baptist Church
• 1787 NC State Census, FamilySearch.org 
• 1790 U.S. Federal Census 
• NC Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Ancestry.com
  
  

Baker's Premium Bitters

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And the way that she drank it, ya think she might die
I bought her another, it vanished the same
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--"Cod Liver Oil" (Traditional)

Recently putting in random ancestors' names into Google to see what might pop up, I came across more newspaper ads for my 4th-great-grandfather Elijah Baker's Premium Bitters, among the earliest I've found yet.  In 1853 through at least mid-1854, they appeared in the Richmond Mail almost daily, changing themes with each passing month.  In spite of their wild claims, some of them are quite poetic, if overly dramatic.  Read on for a good laugh, and then place your own order - for just fifty cents a bottle, it's quite the bargain!


This first ad was printed in the paper 162 years ago today:

CHILLS AND FEVERS. --- No disease known to the medical profession is half so annoying as Ague and Fever, owing principally to the fact that the strongest medicines must be used to uproot and drive it from the system.  – One of these is quinine, the deleterious effects of which are known to all who have heretofore had to take it.  But since the discovery of BAKER’S PREMIUM BITTERS, which have never yet failed to prevent the disease, when taken in time, or to cure it in its worst form, most other remedies have been abandoned and they declared the only panacea for that disgusting malady.  As a proof of this, the Proprietor invites attention to certificates in his possession from those who have been cured, after the failure of all other remedies.  For all diseases of the stomach these bitters stand unparalleled, while in ordinary colds and coughs they invariably effect a speedy cure.  As a family medicine – and especially as a tonic, they have no equal.  Every house keeper should keep them on hand – and persons living in Ague and Fever districts should take them freely in the fall months.

January 1854:

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February 1854:

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March 1854:

MARCH -- Fickle, blustering, ever changing March – brings in her train, nervous affections of every variety, some of which were declared incurable for many years, even by the most skilful physicians. Among these, we notice NERVOUS HEADACHE, producing sick and nauseating stomachs, and incapacitating the sufferer for all profitable employments. An elderly lady in this city, whose respectability and veracity cannot be questioned, has given a certificate over her own signature, declaring that after suffering for ten years with violent nervous headaches, notwithstanding she had been treated by eminent physicians all the time, she never found any permanent relief, until she was induced to use Baker’s Premium Bitters, two bottles of which completed a cure of the disease. Other persons have used the BITTERS for the same disease, and with similar success. Does this not show, that the Bitters are all they are represented to be, and that the Proprietor has not attempted to humbug the people in his medicine. Where a remedy is offered for a disease, and the discoverer is known to be a responsible man, the public do themselves and him injustice, not to give it a fair and impartial trial. – These Bitter are purely vegetable, and may be taken without the fear of danger.

April 1854:

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May 1854:

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June 1854:

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Campens in Baltimore

A' mhuir tha i ciùin	The sea is calm
Tha i fiadhaich, tha i farsuing	It is wild, it is vast
Tha i àlainn, tha i diamhair	It is beautiful, it is mysterious
Tha i gamhlasach is domhainn	It is vengeful and deep
O ach sinn, tha sinn dall	Oh but we, we are blind
'S chan eil againn ach beatha	And all we have is life
Tog an seòl, tog an ràmh	Raise the sail, lift the oars
'Gus am faigh sinn astar ann	'Til we get up speed
"Cearcall A' Chuain" by Calum MacDonald & Rory MacDonald

On July 25, 1853 - 162 years ago today - my 4th-great-grandparents Heinrich "Henry" and Sophia Campen arrived in Baltimore City, Maryland on the Neptune.  According to the ship's passenger list, Henry was a 60-year-old merchant, and his wife Sophia was 58 years old - certainly past middle age for their day.  Traveling with them were two of their adult children, Catharine and Eduard.  The Neptune had departed from Bremen, but the Campens reported their last legal residence as Emden.

They were joining my 3rd-great-grandfather, John Campen, who had arrived in the U.S. about five years prior.  Henry and Sophia arrived just in time for the birth of their grandson, John's first son, Henry Cornelius Campen, on September 25, 1853.

Unfortunately, Henry only got the chance to enjoy life in his new country for two years.  The exact date of his death is unknown, but the records of the Baltimore Cemetery indicate that he was interred there on Christmas Eve in 1855.  This time, Henry just missed the birth of a grandson:  John's second son, my 2nd-great-grandfather, Louis W. Campen, was born the following month, in January of 1856.

Sophia Campen survived her husband by 17 years, passing away at the age of 88 on January 28, 1873.

CAMPEN - On the 28th of January, at three o'clk P. M., SOPHIA CAMPEN, aged 88 years, wife of the late Henry Campen, born in Emden Ost Friesland, kingdom of Hanover, but for the last twenty years a resident of Baltimore.		Mrs. Sophie Campen died yesterday, our good, elderly mother, grand- and great-grandmother, widow of the late Heinrich Campen, of old age in her 88th year of life. The grieving family asks for quiet sympathy.