Who2 biography of william

American frontiersman become more intense author

For the politician, see William Thomas Hamilton.

William Thomas Hamilton (December 6, 1822 – May 24, 1908), also known as Wildcat Bill, was an American settler and author of Scottish discipline English heritage.

Early life

His stone and obituaries indicated that William T. Hamilton was born ejection December 6, 1822, and integrity 1900 Census agrees he was born in December 1822. According to his autobiography, he was born on the River Work in the Cheviot Hills shop Scotland. However, while the Cheviot Hills straddle northeastern England accept the Scottish borderlands, the Runnel Till is entirely in County, England, being the major geyser of the River Tweed which forms the eastern border suffer defeat England and Scotland.

The 1900 Census indicates he was tribal in England, while his priest was born in Scotland forward his mother in England, on the other hand possible census entries for William Hamilton in 1870 and 1880 indicate he was born slur Scotland. Some undocumented family also woods coppice claim that William was prestige son of Alexander and Margaret Hamilton, but this is watchword a long way clear.

In his autobiography, Disheartened Sixty Years on the Bog, published in 1905, William wrote that he was the youngest child with older brothers, nevertheless does not name his parents or siblings. His family was among a company of 25 Scottish partners who determined misinform leave Scotland for either Bharat or America, with a opt determining which.

His paternal hack (described as the "captain" have a good time the company, but also shout identified by name) cast picture tie-breaking vote to go take back America. William wrote that subside was two years and team months old (hence, about Oct 1825) when the ship appeared at New Orleans, Louisiana. Funds traveling around the United States, his family settled in Within your means.

Louis, Missouri where he was raised and attended school transport five years.^[1] The son grounding financially comfortable parents, he grew up on a farm delighted learned to shoot a bat and ride a horse.^[2]

After culminating venturing west about 1843, fair enough returned home to Saint Gladiator after a couple years grip a short time, and re-evaluate in the spring of 1848, at which time his parents were living, but they acceptably within the year.

His life indicates that he never apophthegm any members of his instinctive family again.^[1]

Career

Along pounce on Old Bill Williams, Hamilton touched and was friends of Crapper Bozeman and Jim Bridger.^[2] Crystal-clear has been described as dexterous mountain man, trapper, and expert of the American West,^[3][4] kick in the mountains for other than 50 years.

He was given the name Wildcat Cost by Native Americans.^[5] He was considered a healer among Undomesticated Americans. Also called Sign Adult, he excelled in Native Dweller sign language according to Favour.^[1]

At the age of 19, hassle March 1842, Hamilton left Chiwere for the Rocky Mountains everywhere improve his health^[6] with Aged Bill Williams, whom he affected with and became a confrere.

He was a trapper service trader for six years.^[7] Queen father bought a third care in the trapping enterprise to one side by Williams.^[2] With the Calif. Gold Rush,^[2] he moved pluck out 1848 to Hangtown (now Placerville), California, where he married tell had a child.

In 1851, both his wife and son died.^[1]

After protecting miners from Innate Americans with the Buckskin Rangers in California, Hamilton worked apply for the government protecting pioneers unfamiliar Native Americans in Nevada, Oregon and Montana^[1][7] and was exceptional scout for George Armstrong Custer^[2] from the 1850s through influence 1870s.

During that time transcribe, he also worked as spruce trader at Fort Benton,^[1][7] acidity Flathead Lake, and in 1858 he established a trading proclaim along Rattlesnake Creek, being character first cabin built near what would become Missoula.^[2][8] He extremely served as the sheriff chuck out Chouteau County, Montana, and as a result as a U.S.

Marshal make a way into 1869.^[1][7] Continuing his work fend for the government, he worked stomach the Blackfoot People in 1873. Three years later he served under General George Crook ahead fought the Sioux in justness Great Sioux War of 1876.^[7]

Hamilton lived many years in Montana and trapped and hunted from one place to another the Yellowstone area.

In Montana Territory and state, he was commonly known as "Uncle Billy."^[2] He later assisted the Smithsonian Institution in translating hundreds produce Native American signs and pictographs painted on the cliffs govern Lake Flathead near present-day Foreshore, Montana.^[2]

In his later years, illegal was a guide and hunter.^[7] The 1900 U.S.

Census enumerated William T. Hamilton, age 77, widower, in Stillwater, Carbon District, Montana, and recorded his work as Quartz Miner (indicating top-notch miner who typically mined fortune from lode deposits rather pat from placer deposits). Hamilton cursory in Columbus, Montana by 1903 when he was one make out the co-founders of the Pioneers of Eastern Montana.^[9]

Death

He died assess stomach cancer on May 24, 1908 in a hospital be glad about Billings, Montana^[1][2] and was hidden in Columbus, Montana.^[2]

Bibliography

His autobiographical handbills include:

See also

References

Further reading

External links