This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: DeeDavidson97 Surnames: HAMILTON Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.chautauqua/5439.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: The community started by Mrs Harris was called "Africa" noted in Conquest of Chautauqua Co NY are several more families of the early Blacks here; including One of the most famous cooks of early Jamestown was ANN HAMILTON, a woman of large proportions, and an ebony skin. The excellence of her cooking was heralded outside the bounds of Jamestown. From the 1840's to the 1870's she was the culinary queen of the village. Such old families as the HALLS, MARVIN'S NEWLAND'S BUTLER'S and ALLEN'S employed her for special occasions. We have no knowledge of her antecedents, nor where or how she attained her marvelous skill; Her husband was a gigantic Negro known as "OLD HAM" and because of his great strength, he was much employed for heavy work that was beyond the strength of ordinary workmen. The conquest of Chautauqua by Arthur Wellington Anderson, former County Historian ** added notes, in 1850 Ellicott census, Ann HAMILTON age 39 born Virginia, husband JOHN HAMILTON ae 40 born VA son WILLIAM HAMILTON b NY is 9 race B in 1860 both William and John are gone from census data in 1870 only 1 HANNAH HAMILTON is a black woman in Ellicott, age about the same as ANN who cooks for parties and weddings;birthplace listed now as NY gone by 1880 Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.