I. Another Era

~ ~ To say that Robert Franklin Hamilton was born on march 31, 1834, is true, but it does not say enough for us to appreciate this man and the era into which he was born and the 89 years that he lived.
~ ~ We must go back and look at history for just a moment. When Robert was born, Andrew Jackson, our seventh president, was serving his second term with Martin VanBuren as his Vice-President. He lived to see 23 other men serve as President of the United States.
~ ~ A strange condition prevailed in the year 1835. The U.S. Government was taking in more money than it was spending. President Andrew Jackson paid off the final installment of the national debt on January 8, 1835.
~ ~ In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico during the battle of the Alamo. In that same year the Colt revolver was first manufactured by Samuel Colt. This revolver became famous as the "six-shooter." Also during the same year the first phosphorus matches were patented.
~ ~ This was the era of opening the West, the sale of public lands, huge public construction programs of canals and roads, and "wildcat banks".
~ ~ In the following years, as new states were admitted to the Union, the question of slavery became an increasingly difficult problem for the growing nation.
~ ~ The United States of America was not quite 58 years old when Granddaddy Robert was born.

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II. A Marriage

~ ~ Two days before his 26 birthday, Robert Franklin Hamilton married Betty Ann Osteen on March 29, 1860. The young bride was 18. She was born August 23, 1841, and was the daughter of Thomas and Jane Osteen.
~ ~ Their first child was born January 18, 1861, and named William Orr Hamilton after his grandfather. Their second son was born March 31, 1863, and was named Thomas Lincoln Hamilton. It is interesting to note that he was name "Lincoln" after the President of the United States. This is an indication of Granddaddy Robert's loyalties at the time.
~ ~ The other children in the family and their birth dates are as follows: Elisha Hamilton, January 13, 1866; Serepta Jane Hamilton, January 24, 1868; Ilena Luneta Susana Furila Marguerita Rebecca Jane Betty Marilda Hamilton, July 18, 1869; Mary Tabitha Hamilton, December 18, 1872, Robert Caldwell Hamilton July 22, 1875, and Junia Mae Hamilton, October 17, 1878.

~ ~ On April 12, 1861 the Civil War began when Southern Forces shelled Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor. Thus began the war which took more American lives than any other war in history. The next four years brought the story of bloodshed, grief, and bitterness.
~ ~ "Granddaddy" Robert joined the Confederate Forces, but in time he found that his convictions and sympathies were with the Union. How does one go about changing sides during a war?
~ ~ Granddaddy , so the story goes, used the following plan. He stuck a stick in the roof of his mouth and made a wound to bleed sufficiently to convince his superiors that he was hemorrhaging internally. He was permitted to go home. A little while after being home, he contacted Union Agents and arrangements for him to join the Union Army were made.
~ ~Traveling by night he went to the predetermined location where he met Union troops and was enrolled. A copy of his discharge paper indicates that he enrolled on October 1, 1863. He was discharged August 16, 1865. A copy of his discharge is included .

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IV. A Minister

~ ~ After returning to civilian life following the Civil War, Robert Franklin Hamilton was called of God into the gospel ministry. He committed himself to much study of the bible. He became known far and wide in our mountain area as a very able bible preacher. Among the churches that he served as the pastor are : Crab creek Baptist, Holly Springs Baptist, Beulah Baptist, Pleasant Grove Baptist, Little River Baptist, Pleasant Hill Baptist, Cedar Springs Baptist, and Cross Roads Baptist.

~ ~ His preaching was heard in many places besides the churches that he pastored. He is also known to have preached at First Baptist Church of Hendersonville, Tuxedo Baptist, Mount Hebron Baptist, Double Springs Baptist and others.
~ ~ His last sermon was preached one Sunday afternoon at his home. He had the word spread round that he would preach his last sermon on a given date from his front porch. A large crowd gathered to hear his final message as a gospel preacher. Some of his hearers were on the porch and many more filled the yard and road leading to his house.
~ ~ As he began to preach and because of weakness, he was seated in a chair about two feet from the edge of the porch. However, before he finished his message he had gained inspiration and had received strength enough so that he walked up and down the porch and used his arms and hands for gestures to emphasize what he had to say. After his message he told the crowd, "Everybody stay for supper".
~ ~ Below is given a sermon outline used many times by Robert Franklin Hamilton. Although probably not original with him, he greatly enjoyed using this so that it became known as " Uncle Robert Hamilton's sermon on the A-B-C's of the bible.
~ ~ "Luke" , one of the mules Granddaddy Robert used on his farm, was his means of transportation in going to his various preaching points. Unless Granny watched him he might leave wearing the hat he wore while grinding corn at the mill he operated. Granny, described by one of her granddaughters as"fastidious", was concerned about how her husband looked. She felt he should wear his"gaitor shoes" when he went somewhere to preach. He was a humble man who often referred to himself as "scrappy-hatted bob Hamilton". He was a man of his word. He did not tell jokes unless it was on himself.
~ ~ Granddaddy Robert had a policy of not taking an offering for his preaching. If an offering were taken, he asked that it be used for some needy family in the community. He said often, " I farm for a living, and I preach because I want to".

Many couples came to granddaddy to get him to marry them including many of his grandchildren. The writer's grandmother was one of these. His usual fee for marrying a couple was one dollar.
~ ~ On one occasion he suffered a long, severe case of pneumonia. One of his granddaughters who had helped care for him during his three-week illness told him because she had waited on him, he would have to marry her for a quarter. He very quickly informed her that he was not "a quarter man".
Once he walked across the mountain to marry a couple, and following the ceremony, the man gave him a quarter for his services. Granddaddy returned the quarter to the man stating that his regular fee was a dollar. The man handed the quarter back to granddaddy. This is all that he paid. It is not known if this is all the money the man had or if this was all that he felt the service was worth.

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V. A Farmer

~ ~ Granddaddy Robert at one time owned a farm which he reported to have contained 640 acres. His home and farm were located on Jeter Mountain in Henderson County, North Carolina. It Is well to note that Henderson County was at one time a part of Buncombe County. Granddaddy's army discharge paper states that he was born in Buncombe County. This was that part of Buncombe which was cut off to form Henderson County.
~ ~ His farm was where the food for himself and his family was grown. Cows. Chickens, ans hogs along with corn, grain and vegetables provided food, solid meals.
~ ~ One evening, so the story goes, when the dog was sent to get the cows, one of the cows failed to come. The dog was sent again, but he came back without the cow. When the dog was sent the third time and followed this time, he went to a huge chestnut tree which was hollow. The tree was large enough for the cow to Get inside. This she had done, but she could not get out. It was necessary to get an axe and cut a large hole in the opposite side in order to get the cow out.
~ ~ One of granddaddy's mules, "Luke", was mentioned earlier in this little biography. The other member Of the team was "Duck" who had a much livelier disposition. Granddaddy preferred to ride "Luke" who had a more gentle nature.
~ ~ One spring Granddaddy rented "Duck" to a neighbor to be used in the neighbor's farming activities. A small tragedy occurred. "Duck" fell into a ditch and broke one of his legs, and he had to be shot. The neighbor refused to make any payment for the period of time he had used the old mule. Finally after waiting some time for payment and not getting it, granddaddy went and got the mule's bridle. "Well, praise the Lord! I got my bridle back," was his statement upon returning home.

~ ~ Granddaddy owned and operated a mill for many years. this was one of the old-fashioned mills turned with a water wheel. Since this was the only mill for miles around, the mill was a meeting place for neighbors and friends.
~ ~ When business was slack, granddaddy would sit back, close his eyes , and take a little nap lulled to sleep by the sound of falling water. When another customer arrived he would rouse up and get the mill running again.
~ ~ As granddaddy grew older, he dicided to find someone to run the mill for him. A man was located who could run the mill. The man and his family were allowed to move into a house near the mill.
~ ~ The man and his family were allowed to move in a house near the mill. The man performed his milling job satisfactorily. However, a strange circumstance prevailed: it was difficult to find the man home at night. One day one of Granddaddy's children discovered the reason for the man's absence at night. Up on the mountain above the mill he had a moonshine distillery in operation. Needless to say the man was dismissed at once from his job and ordered to leave by Granddaddy.
~ ~ William Orr Hamilton and his wife Louise, took over the mill and operated it for a number of years. Aunt Lou had a reputation of being a better miller than her husband.
~ ~ One of Granddaddy's granddaughters, Florence Staton, remembers helping at the mill in the winter when the water wheel would be frozen in the stream below it. Salt along with kettles of hot water were used to melt the ice so that the wheel would turn.

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VII. A Home-Coming

~ ~ About a year before he died Granddaddy suffered a stroke and his mind was never clear again. His health gradually declined over the following months On Friday, May 18, 1923, sensing that his death was near, he called to one of his Granddaughters, Ann Sentell Talley, and told her, " I don't want to die hungry." She asked him what he wanted, and he replied, " Buttermilk and apple pie". She prepared the apple pie and fed it to him along with the buttermilk. In an hour or so he was in another world.
~ ~ Some time before his death, Granddaddy had asked Sell Kilpatrick, The writer's Grandfather, to make his casket when he died. Essie Hamilton Kilpatrick, the writer's Grandmother secured black cloth and cotton with which she padded and covered the home-made casket.
~ ~ The funeral service was held on Sunday morning, May 20, 1923, at 11 O'clock in Holly Springs Baptist Church located near the Henderson and Transylvania County Line. Also prior to his death he had asked the Rev. Jim Gray tp preach his funeral. Rev. Gray was assisted by the Reverends John Sentell and Payton Corn.
~ ~ On that particular Sunday morning Willie Patterson had come from Greenville, South Carolina, with what was described as a "singing class" to hold an "all day singing" . The singers began singing around 10 O'clock. When Mr. Patterson saw the farm wagon approaching bearing the body of Granddaddy, he remarked, "Well, I see they are coming with Uncle Robert's body and we will have to shut off now". He had not known of Granddaddy's death until he had arrived from Greenville.
~ ~ Granny Betty Ann asked Mr. Patterson to arrange for the music for the service. Two young ladies sang. The singing class sang Granddaddy's favorite song, "On Resurrection Morning". Mr. Patterson commented that this was the deceased's favorite song.
~ ~ The small church building was packed inside an surrounded on the outside by two or three times as many people as were on the inside. Those on the outside listened through the open windows.
~ ~ Rev. Gray began the funeral message by saying, "well, Uncle Robert asked me to preach his funeral and to tell the people , "I'm in heaven".
One granddaughter described the service as " the saddest funeral I ever attended ". In keeping with the tradition which prevailed at the time, the casket was opened at the conclusion of the service and the friends and relatives permitted to file past for their last viewing of Granddaddy's body. A long period of time was necessary to permit all to pass by. There was no hurry. Many lingered for several seconds and wept unashamed. The long line included many converted under his preaching, received into the church, and baptized by him. There were those whose marriages he had performed. There were his neighbors and many whom he had helped and befriended, There were his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Also there all of the in-laws who had married some of his descendants. There were stooped, elderly white-haired men with long beards. Some of these "cried like babies" at being separated from their life long friend. His body was laid to rest in the little cemetery behind the church.
* * * * Granny Betty Ann survived her husband by almost ten years. She passed away February 20, 1933 at the young age of 92. Her funeral was also held at Holly Springs Baptist Church, and her body was laid to rest beside her husband's. The rev. Arnold Edney conducted her funeral service.

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