Charles Hamilton Collection

Mr. Charles Hamilton was an African-American landowner, farmer, and businessman who lived
in Marion County, Florida, during the late 1800s and turn of the twentieth century. Marion
The county is located in Central Florida. According to information from the 1900 US Census, the
Hamilton Family patriarch, listed as Charly Hamilton, was born during slavery in 1853 and
possibly migrated to Florida from South Carolina after the Civil War. Charly and his wife
Georgia had three sons, Richard, Charlie, and Jonas, and two daughters, Estelle and Texella.
Hamilton and his descendants also owned property and conducted business in neighboring Levy
County.

There was no original order to the printed records in this collection. All of the records were
folded and stored in a large brown envelope. Before the collection was cataloged, basic
conservation measures were applied. The records were carefully unfolded, laid flat, and cleaned.
Weight was applied. Weight was applied to help further flatten creases and folds. The
documents were placed in plastic sleeves and organized by subject matter and dates. The records
were put in alphabetical order and placed in acid-free file folders and an acid-free storage box.
A content listing of the material was typed. The box was labeled and stored in the active archival
storage area.

This small collection comprises rare property, tax, and business records belonging to Mr.
Charles Hamilton, an African-American landowner, farmer, and businessman who lived in
Marion County, Florida. Some of the documents are more than 100 years old. Included in the
records are handwritten bills of sales for equipment and livestock, correspondence, mortgage
deeds, business receipts, and property tax receipts.