Great Scot: The star of Hamilton’s legacy began in Scotland. Matthew Murphy / cropped
From the first few notes from a piano, the audiences of another sold out performance of Hamilton are reminded of the main character’s tough start in life.
The man who would go on to be the Treasury of the State had come from nothing, born on the tiny Caribbean island of Nevis to a married woman of half-British and half-French Huguenot descent.
The fourth son of Laird Alexander Hamilton of Grange, Ayrshire, James A. Hamilton had moved to the West Indies to become a merchant and set up his business on the island of Saint Kitts.
Alexander was born out of wedlock and his father left him and his younger brother, also named James, when they were young.
His year of birth is debated, in later life Hamilton would only give his age in round figures, but some historians believe he was most likely born in 1755.
It is thought James A. Hamilton decided to ‘spare’ Alexander’s mother the charge of bigamy after her husband in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands planned to divorce her on the grounds of adultery and desertion.
Rachel Faucette returned to St. Croix and raised her three children, one by husband Johann Michael Lavien until she contracted yellow fever and died in 1768.
With her widow taking hold of her possessions, the young orphaned Hamilton had nothing of his mother left, yet a friend managed to purchase some of her books and returned them to the young boy, who was thought to be 13 at the time.
It was perhaps this act which would propel Hamilton to study at King’s College, later known as Columbia University and ultimately to become a founding father of the United States.
Alexander Hamilton was a founding father of the United States. Hamilton: An American Musical has brought the story of the half-Scot’s tale to life, and while the musical doesn’t dwell too much on his early years, his achievements have inspired a new generation. Breaking records set by both Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Hairspray, the West End production of the musical has amassed 13 nominations following its debut in December 2017. Jamael Westman, who plays Alexander Hamilton, and Giles Terera, who plays his rival Aaron Burr have both been nominated for best actor in a musical at the awards which take place on April 8.
It’s not the first time Hamilton has dominated at awards ceremonies. In 2016 with a record 16 nominations, Hamilton won 11 Tony Awards including best musical, just shy of the record set by The Producers which stands at 12.
Lin Manuel-Miranda, who starred in the the musical on Broadway in the titular role, has won a Pulitzer and a Grammy for penning the music, lyrics and book of the show.
The musical tells of the struggles the American founding father faced, which is sung and rapped throughout to hip-hop, R&B and pop music and is performed by a cast predominantly made up of people of colour.
Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury to George Washington, played by Obioma Ugoala Matthew Murphy / cropped
The style of music and casting of non-white actors has highlighted the rich tapestry of cultures that make up the United States as people made their way to what was then the 13 colonies in search of a better life.
In fact, the line ‘immigrants, we get the job done’ during ‘Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)’ is often met with rapturous applause by audiences during performances.
The fact that Hamilton’s roots began in Scotland may be of no surprise, after all numerous Scots and Scots-Irish emigrated to America to seek a better life and flee conflict which was taking place in the United Kingdom at the time.
Hamilton’s lineage of the Hamiltons of Grange originated with Walter de Hamilton, who founded the Cambuskeith branch of Clan Hamilton who held lands in Edinburgh by a charter from Robert III of Scotland given between 1390 and 1406.
While Alexander’s father James did leave him and his brother, they did write and he would sign his letters ‘your very affectionate father’.
The last Laird of the Hamiltons of Grange, who held the title from 1774 until his death in 1837, was Hamilton’s first cousin, who was also named Alexander.
Alexander’s devoted wife Elizabeth helped maintain his legacy. Matthew Murphy / cropped
Yet with Hamilton, the name was established in the States following his marriage to Elizabeth Schuyler and their eight children, carrying the Scots name through generations to come.
While Alexander had a difficult start in life, he achieved many things before his death in 1804.
He founded the United States coast guard, began The New York Post newspaper, was an influential promoter of the U.S constitution and as the first Secretary of the Treasury, he was the main author of the economic policies of the George Washington administration.
As the son of a Scot, he would have great influence in the early years of the United States and in years to come, his story would be told across the world through the medium of song.
