The Truth About Alexander Hamilton's Parents

Hamilton's parents never married, and the issue of being an illegitimate child haunted Alexander for much of his life. Being born out of wedlock was a huge faux pas for the times. According to Chernow, they did present themselves as husband and wife when they lived on Nevis, but they couldn't keep up the charade when they moved to St. Croix, where Faucette Lavien had lived with her first and only legal husband. Still, they went to St. Croix hoping to improve their financial situation. But James Hamilton only stayed on the island a short time, abandoning the family in 1765 (via the New-York Historical Society).

After James Hamilton's departure, Rachel Faucette Lavien worked to support the family. She ran a small shop selling food to the island's planters, and she hired out her slaves. But in early 1768, Faucette Lavien became terribly ill. Her son, Alexander, contracted the same unknown disease. She died on February 19 from her illness, leaving her sons orphaned for all practical purposes.

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