Hamilton, Alexander
Secretary of the Treasury
(b. 1/11/1755* d. 7/11/1804)
Born on the island of Nevis, Leeward Islands. Attended King's College, now Columbia University. Married Elizabeth Schuyler December 14, 1780. They had eight children.
Commissioned in the artillery, fought in battles at Long Island, Harlem Heights, White Plains, Trenton, and Princeton.
He studied law and was admitted to the bar in New York. Elected to the Continental Congress 1782 to 1783.
Founder of the Bank of New York. Appointed first Secretary of the Treasury serving September 11, 1789, to January 31, 1795. He proposed the use of boats to control customs collections. Congress authorized a Revenue Marine of 10 cutters. This was the beginning of the Coast Guard.
In 1798 President Washington commissioned Hamilton Inspector-General of the Army. Hamilton opposed Aaron Burr in the election for Governor of New York. Burr was defeated and challenged Hamilton to a duel. Hamilton was wounded July 11, 1804, and died the following day at Weehauken, New Jersey.
Hamilton appears on paper money:
$2 Legal Tender Note of 1862
$5 Demand Note of 1861
$5 Legal Tender Notes of 1862 and 1863
$10 Silver Certificates, 1933 and later
$10 Federal Reserve Notes, 1928 and later
$10 Federal Reserve Bank Note, series of 1929
$10 National Bank Notes of 1929
$10 Gold Certificates of 1928, 1928A
$20 Legal Tender Notes, series of 1869, 1875, 1878 and 1880
$50 Legal Tender Notes of 1862
$50 Treasury Note, 6 percent interest, 1862
$50 Interest Bearing Note, 5 percent interest
$500 Interest Bearing Note, 7.3 percent interest,
1861
$1000 Gold Certificates, 1863, 1870, 1871, 1875,
1882, 1907, 1918
$1000 Federal Reserve Note of 1918
Hamilton appears on a mint medal (USM 201) as part of their Treasurer of the United States series. Dies were by George Morgan.
Hamilton appears on the Assay Commission Medal for 1957 (AC-101). The obverse die is the regular treasurer die.
bio: *ApCAB; *BDC; *BDEB; DAB; *Drake; EAB; Evans; Failor; Limpert; *NCAB 1; *TCBDA; WAB; *WWWA-H (*give DOB as 1757); CW/NM 2/11/76
1 entries found
Displaying records 1 — 1Report on the Establishment of a Mint
Alexander Hamilton's 1791 report to Congress, "On the Establishment of a Mint."
Extracted from Official Reports on Publick Credit, A National Bank, Manufactures, and a Mint (Philadelphia: published by William McKean, 1821). This report is also present in the American State Papers, Finance, vol. 1, no. 24 (1st Congress, 3rd session).
See also Financial History (Spring 2022) including an article by Eric Brothers on Hamilton's "Report on the Establishment of a Mint" (1791).