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Son of the West Indies
On January 11, 1757, on the island of Nevis in the West Indies, Alexander Hamilton was born, the younger son of James Hamilton, a Scottish immigrant, and Rachael Fawcett, the descendent of French Huguenots. His parents never married, branding Alexander an illegitimate child. The family moved to St. Croix in 1765, but after just a few years James had left and Rachael had died. At the age of eleven, Alexander was without either of his parents and was nearly penniless.
Alexander Hamilton's early education on St. Croix primarily took place in the mercantile firm of Beekman and Cruger, where he worked as a clerk. Alexander wrote letters for the owners and tracked the firm's shipments and finances, learning about accounting, economics and international commerce. Sensing Alexander's promise, his employers and friends donated money to pay for his formal education om the mainland. Alexander Hamilton left the West Indies in late September 1772, never to return. |