Name/Title
Letter from James Alexander Hamilton to Alexander Hamilton IIIEntry/Object ID
HHV 005.33Description
Letter from James Alexander Hamilton to Alexander Hamilton IIISubject
Alexander has been very sick, Father implores him to stop taking medicines and pills, steamboat business, the [Material/Natural] Safety, The Eurika/Eureka? (boat?), Bridgeport Rail, stocks, farm business, horsesSubject Person/Organization
James Alexander Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton III, George Lee SchuylerSubject Place
* Untyped Subject Place
Madrid, Spain, Washington, DC, NevisCollection
Hamilton CollectionTranscription
Transcription
My dear son
Your letter to me of the 6’t and 10’t Aug’t / gave us all the greatest pain you had been desperately / sick _ among strangers _ and in the extremest danger of / your life _ your head fever was broken but you was / very much reduced anxious to return to Madrid / a long hard drive night and day and I have / feared a relapse _ All these things press coupons us / at all hours night + day. We look of course / with trembling anxiety for the arrival of the / next steamer which will be here by the 18’ [more] / entirely _ you will be still [??-en] for a long / time I pray to cease taking medicine _ let / you [??] by regular and gradually [??] / [??-tain] all your [afflictions?] but eating and that / indulge that frequently but sparingly at first _
You had a strong [concentration? - unsure] but the [app–iation?] / with Dr. [??] + Uncle Phil has by inducing / you to take frequent doses done you irreparable / injury _ This illness may [renew?] you / I beg you as you return your health to throw away / all your Pills + the medicines you do / not require them _ Be particular in informing / me how you are I pray God to bless and / [pr??] you /
[END OF PAGE 1]
To us _ by the way speaking of exercise for health / you have never informed us whether the Box with / the saddle was ever received. You ask me / to inform you of the progress of my enterprises / with the [salary???] _ The [Material/Natural?] safely has / been employed with occasional [interruption] from [need] / of repair + for i March to the term on the Bridgeport / Rail (and once in [touring] by [???] she made $1750) she / made on that Route I think 7000 in six months under / my disadvantage She is very slow and not in any / other respect an inviting boat. Which proves how / [In-??] the arrangement made by George was _ / The Eurika for which we paid 12000 will be / completed on the 15 [??] + probably commence on the same / [??] on the 18 17t. If she should be rapid which / is believe she will do a great [bump?business?] as she / will like the up as well as the down passengers + / freight so that Robert thins she will make / 20,000 a year She will cost it is supposed / in all alone $45.000 I am a little uncertain / what my interest in her is but I have it in / [contemplation] of the [routes] an expectation and / if that route is secured (operations are now / in progress to the end) to offer to take and / pay for an half of her and consequently to / receive an half of her profits which [would?] / be for 8 to 10.000 a year_ I will pay for this / half say $23.000 with if I make the purchase / either by a sale of my B & [L] RR stock 600 / at $35 or by money to be earned a [??] or / on this farm The [talk?] I would [p?p?] as my / stock will probably go up to 50 in a year /
[END OF PAGE 2]
Or two _ However all this is very uncertain I know not what R + / Gs [Dub—?] may be [when?that] only [unde—and?] would be the advantage / of so much [ready?] to keep the [alley] in the [extensive?] operations /
We have an other [hazard?] which should we not succeed that / is to [??] the [aff—?] of the [Here—line?] R R by which we will / [secure?] the [Porte] and be [fi–? Go–?] in its stock with little / now but which will be brought up to 40 or 50 if we succeed.
To do this we have been under the [??---ity] of assuming its / debts (well [secured?] [term?] + which pays 7% total) to the amt / of $45.000- There are many responsibilities _ But which in / the present very easy State of the market we can man - / age _ should I get the [g–?] [--l-l?] in the Eureka Sen - / [tind?] to give much of my attention to her _ I shall probably / go to Washington this winter to [persuade?] R + Gs intent and / also to pass the [Cl–?] of the [l–eees? By [Fr— spi–?] / [??] [?] 1800 at least is to the [last?] I have been / spoken to by some [cl–nels] to go + have to / attend to this business. Time will soon / settle all these matters. My [cause?] / with Crugers which you know was received by [illegible, wax seal] / -cillen in my [favor?] was [later?] with [Carl?] of [E–?] has [illegible, wax seal] / been argued and will be decided in OCtober / Robert + [Morris?] + [Griffin?] think there is no doubt of my / success. The farm is doing well altho the People / are not altogether satisfactory. The Proceeds are in - / creasing + will increase and we are careful as to / clothing groceries + wages living alone altogether for its / [prudence?] _ I am now [driving?] [Soricks?] continually /
The 2 year old his brother + mate will be [allowed?] / this fall and we hope to drive the two full brothers / during the winter he us now in my use and is / a very serviceable horse He is large but very un - / gainly The fi–?ly [^ yearling] is very fine The best I think / of the [two?] _ We are all well but all / very anxious about you
God bless you [d–?]n Dear Boy I [hu–t?] / this will find you in health /
Your affectionate father JAH
[ADDRESS]
John Miller Esq. 36 [pl?]
US Despatch Agent
No 13 Henrietta St, Covent Garden
London
To.
Alexander Hamilton Esquire
Secty of Legation of the US
Madrid
[REVERSE OF ADDRESS]
From Papa
Sept 13h
Rec’d Octr 10th
[POSTMARK - red ink]
12 N N 12
OC 2
18 illegible
[POSTMARK 2 - red ink]
J OC
1843
[POSTMARK 3]
PAIDTranscriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
EnglishOther Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
Former NumberOther Number
H 867Created By
cmonaco@hudsonvalley.orgCreate Date
October 17, 2025Updated By
cmonaco@hudsonvalley.orgUpdate Date
October 17, 2025
