Amelia Hamilton

David L. Hewitt is on the US census for Garland Penobscot county Maine in 1850 living with his older brother Hiram H. Hewitt. Amelia L. Hamilton does not appear on the 1850 US census for Garland. David Linn Hewitt and Amelia L. Hamilton were married on December 23, 1855 by the Reverend Leonard Hathaway in Garland, Penobscot Co, Maine.

Some time prior to 1857 and possibly before 1850, Amelia's father died. On November 14, 1857 her mother Abby Hamilton married Lewis Clement a farmer from nearby Corinth, Maine who had two children Judith and Lewis Jr.

On March 20, 1856 David and Amelia's son Frederick Lesley Hewitt was born in Garland, Penobscot Co. Maine. (Amelia was at about 6 months pregnant at the time she married David.) This appears to be a marriage of convenience to give the child his rightful name, as there is no record of David, Amelia and Frederick living together as a family unit.

Hiram H. Hewitt remains on the US census in Garland for 1860. However, David and Amelia do not appear on it.

Lewis Clement and his wife Abby, son Lewis Jr., Abby’s daughter Sarah D. Hamilton and grandson Freddie L. Hewitt are in the same household on the 1860 Corinth, Penobscot Co. Maine census page 371A.

Amelia Hewitt is away from home, single and living in a boarding house run by Charles Sherman and his wife Phoebe, along with her 28-year-old step sister Judith Clement and many other woman of their age group from Maine. (See US census for Somersworth, Strafford County, New Hampshire pg. 104 dated June 18, 1860 #313) They were employed as weavers in Somersworth, Strafford County, New Hampshire. There were three mills in Somersworth and four in South Berwick that all worked women and children about that time span. The Somersworth mills hired about 1200 weavers and the South Berwick mills hired even more. Apparently Amelia left Freddie in the care of her mother and stepfather so she could go to Somersworth to learn a trade and earn a living as a single mother.

When Amelia returned to Corinth; she opened up a Milliner's shop and hired her sister Sarah Hamilton as her assistant. Amelia established a home for her and Freddie and Sarah left home to live with and work for Amelia. (See comments on 1870 census.)

Sarah married Martin Stillman Guppy in Corinth on September 10, 1870. They had one son named Elmer who was born on June 12, 1872. She died in Garland on August 9, 1912.

On August 14, 1862, at 29 years of age, David Linn Hewitt enlisted into the United States Army; Company "A" 9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Fort Snelling, Minnesota as a private.

On August 24, 1865 David mustered out at the end of the war as a corporal and returned to Shakopee, Scott County, Minnesota.

Amelia was granted a divorce from David Linn Hewitt in her favor dated October 3, 1865. (Per David's application for a military pension.) Don't know where the divorce was granted, there is no record in Minnesota, I am still searching in Maine.

On October 11, 1865 David Linn Hewitt married Harriet C. Richardson in Shakopee, Scott County, Minnesota. Harriet Richardson was from Cooper, Maine. They had two daughters, Irene, Viola and one son, Dana T Hewitt.

I am investigating the possibility that The Worth family moved to Iowa in about 1860 and John Joined the 4th Iowa cavalry when the civil war started then they returned to Maine after the war ended. This is based on a photo of a child of John's taken in Iowa in 1860. As a child my grandmother Leslie May Hewitt told me that a friend of the family Gen. John C. Fremont led a wagon train from Maine to California bringing Amelia and Frederick Hewitt with him. As my grandmother was prone to embellish a tale or two I am willing to wager that she was really talking about family friend John C. Worth and most likely they used another mode of transportation (Trains were popular then).

John C. Worth age 44 his wife Marcia age 33 along with daughters Minnie age 15, Addie age 11 and son Stephen age 9 are on the 1870 Corinth, Penobscot Co. Maine census page 412B. On this same census on page 412A listed as head of household is Amelia L. Hewitt age 33 and her son Freddie L. Hewitt age 14. Living in the same household is Sarah D. Hamilton age 24. Here it is evident that Amelia Hewitt and the John C. Worth family were some how connected and they immigrated to California together.

It can be determined by the number of years in California as stated on the death certificates of John Worth and Amelia Hewitt that they both arrived in California in approximately 1873.

John Worth and his family settled in Los Gatos, Santa Clara Co. California where he was in the grocery store business.

Frederick Hewitt married John C. Worth's Daughter Addie Inez Worth on January 1, 1879 in Stockton, San Joaquin County, California.

The 1880 San Francisco, California Census lists Amelia L. Hewitt age 46 as head of household. Living in the household is Fred L. Hewitt age 24 son, Addie I. Hewitt age 22 Daughter-in-law, Josie Forbes age 28, a Milliner no relation but born in Maine, Daniel M. Watson age 28, A Leather Clerk, no relation also born in Maine and Walter Watson age 8 no relation born in Calif. Their address is listed as 612 Laguna Street, San Francisco, Calif. Amelia and Fred's occupations are listed as fruit dealers. They were also most likely running a boarding house as well.

In the 1900 Stockton, San Joaquin Co. census Fred Hewitt age 44 a Notions Store Owner is listed with his wife Addie I. age 41, son Harry L. age 20, son Clifford L. age 18, son Archie age 16, son Walter age 10, son Fred age 8 and Mother Amelia L. age 60. Amelia died on June 13, 1916 in Stockton California.

Jim Hewitt Jr

Great Great Grandson