RSS 1.0Alexander Hamilton/Early Canada Postal Collection 1775-1983, n.d. RG 699
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Alexander Hamilton was born in Queenston, Ontario, in 1790. He was the son of Robert Hamilton and Catherine Robertson (Askin). Robert Hamilton (1753-1809) was a successful businessman and office holder who established a store in Queenston around 1785. Alexander attended school in Queenston and Niagara before being sent to further his education in Scotland. Upon his return to Queenston he worked in his father’s business. Although the business had been very successful, Alexander's brother’s inexperience, a changing economy, and a delay in settling the assets of Robert’s estate caused the business to decline. Alexander’s business activities were interrupted by the War of 1812. During the War, he served as a Captain in the Niagara Light Dragoons, and in the Provincial Light Dragoons. He was present at many of the major military engagements in the Niagara Peninsula, including the retreat from Fort George in 1813.
After the War, Hamilton resumed his business activities. Burdened by debts incurred by him and his brothers, he tried to revitalize a milling business he owned with Charles Askin in Canboro Township. Unfortunately, this drove him further into debt and the business failed in 1817. His prospects improved in the winter of 1817-1818 when he was approached by William Smith about a business venture portaging the North West Company’s goods at Niagara. The Montreal firms of the North West Company were willing to lend money for the purchase of facilities. Competition was intense, with multiple companies seeking this business. The venture failed in 1821, when the North West Company amalgamated with the Hudson’s Bay Company and their route was no longer used for shipments. Hamilton and Smith were left with debts from the business, and Hamilton was forced to use the remainder of his money from his father’s estate, as well as his land, to pay the debt.
Hamilton actively sought public offices, becoming a Justice of the Peace in 1817. He acquired several other posts between 1821 and 1839, including Postmaster and Deputy Collector of Customs at Queenston, Surrogate Court Judge, and Sheriff of the Niagara District. The Post Office at Queenston became the first distributing post office in Upper Canada in 1802. Mail from a packet steamer was loaded onto several wagons and taken to the post office to be sorted, distributed, and forwarded. At one point, 18 clerks were employed to carry out this work. In 1820, Deputy Postmaster General Daniel Sutherland decided that the best way to route mail to and from the United States on the Niagara Frontier and west would be through Queenston. This would enable faster postal service to and from the packet ships at New York from overseas. Later that year, Sutherland appointed Hamilton postmaster of Queenston.
These public offices allowed Hamilton to restore his finances. Around 1833, he began construction of a mansion at Queenston, known as Willowbank. The mansion still remains, overlooking the village of Queenston and the Niagara River, and serves as an example of Classical Revivalism architecture. Alexander Hamilton died in Queenston in 1839.
Much of the collection consists of Alexander Hamilton’s correspondence and records during the time that he was Postmaster at Queenston. Some of his business correspondence and records are also included. Documents related to his role as Surrogate Court Judge and Sheriff of the Niagara District are included here.
Click here to view the Alexander Hamilton/Early Canada Postal Collection finding aidResearchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the Library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.
Recent Submissions
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Mail Bag. Embroidered with “Mail for Palatine Hill”n.d.Mail Bag. Embroidered with “Mail for Palatine Hill”. There is a large embroidered “S” in the middle of the bag.
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Land grant to Thomas Gardiner, Township of Wainfleet, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, 7 July 1809Land grant to Thomas Gardiner, Township of Wainfleet, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara. The land grant is for 200 acres in the Township of Scott, County of York, Home District, July 7, 1809. Signed by William Jarvis (Provincial Secretary to the Lt. Governor of Upper Canada); P. Selby (Auditor General); William Firth (Attorney General); and Sir Francis Gore (Lt. Governor of Upper Canada). Printed on vellum with writing in black ink, ribbon at the bottom and the hard seal displaying the Royal coat of arms.
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Land grant to Sarah Crumb, Township of Louth, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, 13 March 1806Land grant to Sarah Crumb, Township of Louth, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, wife of Brian Crumb and daughter of Isaac Vollick, a U.E.L. The land grant is for 200 acres of land in the Township of Townsend, County of Norfolk, District of London, March 13, 1806. Signed by William Jarvis (Provincial Secretary of Upper Canada); Peter Russell (Auditor General); Thomas Scott (Attorney General); and Alexander Grant (President administering Upper Canada). Printed on vellum with writing in black ink, vellum strip at the bottom and the hard seal displaying the Royal coat of arms.
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Land grant to John Robert Small, Township of Cornwall, County of Stormont, 8 March 1809Land grant to John Robert Small, Township of Cornwall, County of Stormont, Eastern District. The land grant is for one acre of land, with an allowance for the public highway, Town of Cornwall, March 8, 1809. Signed by P. Selby (Auditor General); Wm. Jarvis (Provincial Secretary to the Lt. Governor of Upper Canada); William Firth (Attorney General); and Francis Gore (Lt. Governor of Upper Canada). Printed on vellum with writing in black ink, ribbon at the bottom and the hard seal displaying the Royal coat of arms.
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Land grant to Jemima McIntyre, Township of Clinton, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, 17 May 1802Land grant to Jemima McIntyre, Township of Clinton, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, daughter of Daniel McIntyre, U.E. The land grant is for 200 acres of land in the Township of Beverly, County of York, Home District, May 17, 1802. Signed by William Jarvis (Provincial Secretary of Upper Canada); Peter Russell (Auditor General); Thomas Scott (Attorney General) and P. Hunter (Lt. Governor of Upper Canada). Printed on vellum with writing in black ink.
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Land grant to Catherine Cryderman, Township of Cornwall, County of Stormont, Eastern District, 27 May 1808Land grant to Catherine Cryderman, Township of Cornwall, County of Stormont, Eastern District, wife of Joseph Cryderman and daughter of Michael Cline, U.E. Loyalist. The land grant is for 200 acres in the Township of Finch, County of Stormont, Eastern District, May 27, 1808. Signed by William Jarvis (Provincial Secretary to the Lt. Governor of Upper Canada); Peter Russell (Auditor General); William Firth (Attorney General); and Sir Francis Gore (Lt. Governor of Upper Canada). Printed on vellum with writing in black ink, ribbon at the bottom and the hard seal displaying the Royal coat of arms.
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Indenture of bargain and sale between [Asahil?] Waterhouse, Thorold, Upper Canada, and T. Rose, Cambria, State of New York, January 8, 18281828-01-08Indenture of bargain and sale between [Asahil?] Waterhouse, Thorold, Upper Canada, and T. Rose, Cambria, State of New York, January 8, 1828. The rest of the document is blank.
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Land grant to Nicholas Bower, Township of Camden, County of Lenox and Addington, Midland District, 20 May 1811Land grant to Nicholas Bower, Township of Camden, County of Lenox and Addington, Midland District, son of Adam Bower, U.E. Loyalist. The land grant is for 200 acres of land in the Township of Reach, May 20, 1811. Signed by William Jarvis (Provincial Secretary to the Lt. Governor of Upper Canada); P. Selby (Auditor General); William Firth (Attorney General); and Sir Francis Gore (Lt. Governor of Upper Canada).
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Land grant to John Sencebaugh, Township of Wainfleet, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, 16 July 1827Land grant to John Sencebaugh, Township of Wainfleet, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, son of Christian Sencebaugh, U.E. Loyalist. The land grant is for 200 acres of land in the Township of Garrafraxa, County of Halton, District of Gore, July 16, 1827. Signed by S. Heward (Auditor General); D. Cameron (Provincial Secretary to the Lt. Governor of Upper Canada); John Beverly Robinson (Attorney General); and Peregrine Maitland (Lt. Governor of Upper Canada).
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Land grant to Elisabeth Merritt, Township of Wainfleet, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, 16 July 1827Land grant to Elisabeth Merritt, Township of Wainfleet, County of Lincoln, District of Niagara, wife of David Merritt and daughter of Christina Sencebaugh, U.E. Loyalist. The land grant is for 200 acres of land in the Township of Garrafraxa, County of Halton, District of Gore, July 16, 1827. Signed by D. Cameron (Provincial Secretary to the Lt. Governor of Upper Canada); S. Heward (Auditor General); John Robinson (Attorney General); and Sir Peregrine Maitland (Lt. Governor of Upper Canada). Printed on vellum with writing in black ink, ribbon at the bottom and the hard seal displaying the Royal coat of arms.
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List of Voters for the Township of Woodhouse, 18891889List of Voters for the Township of Woodhouse in the Electoral District of the South Riding of Norfolk, Polling District No. 6. Contains the full name, occupation, and qualifying property or residence, 1889.
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Report of the Select Committee of the Honourable the Legislative Assembly of the Province of CanadaReport of the Select Committee of the Honourable the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, on the Petition of the Toronto and Lake Huron Rail Road Company, Montreal, February, 1845.
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Certificate (debenture) from the Province of Ontario, Canada, in aid of the Port Dover and Lake Huron RailwayCertificate (debenture) from the Province of Ontario, Canada, in aid of the Port Dover and Lake Huron Railway. There are two certificates, both for $100, signed by A.P. Brown, Treasurer, and Benjamin Hopkins, Warden. Dated at Woodstock, County of Oxford, February 4, 1874.
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Map of St. Catharines, Merritton, Thorold, and Port Dalhousien.d.Map of St. Catharines, Merritton, Thorold, and Port Dalhousie. Some streets and lots are visible but not labeled.
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Diagram of lots in Con IV, Humberstonen.d.Diagram of lots in Con IV, Humberstone. Includes lot numbers and the owners’ names, n.d.
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“Glenridge” City of St. Catharines, St. Catharines Improvement Company Ltd.“Glenridge” City of St. Catharines, St. Catharines Improvement Company Ltd. A diagram of lots and lot dimensions around Geneva Street, Ontario Street, Dittrick Street and Willowdale Avenue. The right part of the diagram is missing, as well as the top left corner. This affects the text/diagram, n.d.
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The Ontario Gazette, 14 March 18681868-03-14An issue of The Ontario Gazette, 14 March 1868. The issue includes: Appointments, Government Notices, Proclamations, Application, and Miscellaneous Notices.
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Article clipping “An Imposing Scene at Niagara Camp"1899-07-03A clipping with the title “An Imposing Scene at Niagara Camp: Saturday was Review Day and people swarmed in from all points to see the sham fight”, July 3, 1899.
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Lists, 1839-1870 losses on the Great Lakes of Steamers built before 1868; list of wrecks on Long Point since 1864, Car Ferries of the Great Lakes1839-1870Lists, 1839-1870. Contains an alphabetical list of losses on the Great Lakes of Steamers built before 1868; a list of wrecks on Long Point since 1864, printed in the British Canadian, Simcoe; and Car Ferries of the Great Lakes.
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Canada Gazette, 31 March 18491849-03-31An issue of the Canada Gazette, 31 March 1849. Claimants for Rebellion losses, investigations into possible arson incidents, and crown lands are all mentioned in this issue.
