Robert Hamilton Was the First Sheriff of Transylvania County

The early Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Transylvania County contain a wealth of information about the development of the county during the Civil War and through the Reconstruction Era.  The Minutes identify the men who helped establish the county, the offices they held, and their roles during a turbulent time. 

Robert Hamilton, first sheriff of Transylvania County.

Robert Hamilton was the first sheriff for Transylvania County, elected in May 1861.  His deputy was George Neill.  Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions minutes state that George C. Neill was elected sheriff in August 1864.  Hamilton was named his deputy on September 10, 1864.  Neill was sheriff for two years.  Hamilton would serve as sheriff again from May 1869 through August 1970.

Hamilton and Neill, who were relatives through marriage (Hamilton’s wife was a first cousin to Neill), both lived in the Lamb’s Creek area.

Although, Hamilton and Neill represented the law in a Confederate state both were Union sympathizers.  A diary kept by a Union officer who had escaped from a Confederate prisoner camp tells of assistance provided by Hamilton and Neill as he and his fellow escapees passed through the county on their way to freedom.  Other accounts also tell of Hamilton’s role in aiding Union soldiers.

The Heritage of Transylvania Couth, North Carolina, Volume III contains an entire section, “A People Divided: Transylvania County and the Civil War” telling stories of those who supported and fought for both the Confederate and Union cause.

On Sunday, June 12 at 2:00 at the Allison-Deaver House Dr. Keith Parker will speaker on the Reconstruction Era in Transylvania County and efforts to bridge the divide created by the war.  He will also share stories of Hamilton’s role in aiding Union soldiers.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.