Rough Diamond

"William Hamilton's legacy begins with mystery—whose portrait is that—and his life compounds our wonder. Here is the fascinating story, not told in more than a century, of a son of perhaps the nation's most fascinating Founder. It ventures from early New York City to Lincoln's Springfield to wild Wisconsin, then on to the California Gold Rush; and William's mother Elizabeth (Alexander's wife) was along for some of it. A. K. Fielding shows how Revolutionary culture and daring were translated into the Old Northwest and Far West by this astonishing, self-reliant, overlooked man."—James M. Cornelius, former Curator of the Lincoln Presidential Library.

"All the children of Alexander and Elizabeth Hamilton have something interesting to tell about their life. We knew William went to West Point, fought in the Black Hawk War, was a lead miner in Wisconsin and died in Sacramento looking for gold. A. K. Fielding has also been looking for gold and has done a lot of panning through the internet, old books, manuscripts and letters to reveal the shiny golden nuggets in the life of William Stephen Hamilton. There is gold in this Rough Diamond."—Douglas Hamilton, 5x great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton

"Author A.K. Fielding uncovers fascinating new information on Alexander and Elizabeth Hamilton through the eyes and documents of their son William Stephen Hamilton. Like his father, William finds a life far from his childhood home–in this case, the Midwest, and then on to California. Readers will enjoy immersing themselves in William's unique life journey, from coast to coast."—Rand Scholet, Founder, The Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society

"Who tells your story? A. K. Fielding tells William Stephen Hamilton's–a poignant and all-American tale of privilege, pioneer spirit, and tragedy."—Richard Brookhiser, author Give Me Liberty: A History of America's Exceptional Idea