Alexander Hamilton Willard
Encyclopedia
Alexander Hamilton Willard (1777–1865) was a blacksmith who joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition
.
, he was the oldest son of Lt Jonathan Willard and the only child of Betty Caswell. Alexander was the 6th generation Willard born in America from Major Simon Willard's
line.
company in 1800. During an unsuccessful search for Baker Bay, Willard and George Shannon were ordered to camp out and wait for the main party. While they were sleeping on the beach, a group of Native Americans
gathered their guns leaving them unarmed, The main party returned in such a timely manner as to startle the Native Americans into returning the guns. Although Willard had redeemed himself by this point, he had previously received the harshest punishment distributed to a member of the Corps of Discovery; "Court Martial on the Trail". The charges were lying down and sleeping at his post while on guard duty: a military crime punishable by death. The punishment was issued on July 12, 1804, and consisted of a hundred lashes for each of four straight days.
During a portage around the Missouri River
Falls in July 1805, Alexander Willard was attacked by a "White Bear
", Clark gathered three men and chased the bear off. The island nearby later became known as White Bear Island in memory of that event.
In 1806 during his stay at Fort Clatsop
, both Willard and William E. Bratton fell ill, although Willard recovered, Bratton did not until after winter.
With the Corps of Discovery, he assisted John Shields
as a blacksmith. In 1808, Meriwether Lewis
hired him as government blacksmith for the Sauk and Fox
Indians; the following year, he was appointed to the same position for the Delawares and Shawnee
s. He later served in the War of 1812
.
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
.
Origin
Alexander Hamilton Willard Sr. was born in July 1777 in the town Charlestown, New HampshireCharlestown, New Hampshire
Charlestown is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,114 at the 2010 census. The town is home to Hubbard State Forest and the headquarters of the Student Conservation Association....
, he was the oldest son of Lt Jonathan Willard and the only child of Betty Caswell. Alexander was the 6th generation Willard born in America from Major Simon Willard's
Simon Willard (First generation)
Simon Willard was born at Horsmonden, County Kent, England, in 1605; he was baptized in this same town on April 7, 1605. He died at an age of 71 years on April 24, 1676, in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He moved from England to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1634. At the time he was a Major in...
line.
Expedition
Alexander had enlisted in a U.S. Army artilleryArtillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
company in 1800. During an unsuccessful search for Baker Bay, Willard and George Shannon were ordered to camp out and wait for the main party. While they were sleeping on the beach, a group of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
gathered their guns leaving them unarmed, The main party returned in such a timely manner as to startle the Native Americans into returning the guns. Although Willard had redeemed himself by this point, he had previously received the harshest punishment distributed to a member of the Corps of Discovery; "Court Martial on the Trail". The charges were lying down and sleeping at his post while on guard duty: a military crime punishable by death. The punishment was issued on July 12, 1804, and consisted of a hundred lashes for each of four straight days.
During a portage around the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
Falls in July 1805, Alexander Willard was attacked by a "White Bear
White Bear
The name White Bear might refer to:* Polar Bear - also known as a White Bear.* The Spirit bear - an endangered subspecies of black bears in coastal British Columbia....
", Clark gathered three men and chased the bear off. The island nearby later became known as White Bear Island in memory of that event.
In 1806 during his stay at Fort Clatsop
Fort Clatsop
Fort Clatsop was the encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the Oregon Country near the mouth of the Columbia River during the winter of 1805-1806...
, both Willard and William E. Bratton fell ill, although Willard recovered, Bratton did not until after winter.
With the Corps of Discovery, he assisted John Shields
John Shields
Private John Shields was, at 35, the oldest member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.- Early Life :John Shields was born in Rockingham County, VA in 1769. His parents were Robert Shields and Nancy Stockton, who were known as the "Parents of the Ten Brothers"...
as a blacksmith. In 1808, Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark...
hired him as government blacksmith for the Sauk and Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
Indians; the following year, he was appointed to the same position for the Delawares and Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
s. He later served in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
Marriage
Half a year after the completion of the expedition, February 14, 1807, Alexander married Eleanor Mcdonald. She gave birth to their twelve children.- Austin James Willard
- George Clark Willard
- Alexander Hamilton Willard Jr
- Eliza Martha Willard
- Roland Rudolph Willard
- Christiana D. Willard
- Joel Willard
- Nancy Adeline Willard
- Narcissa C. Willard
- Eleanor C. Willard
- Lewis Augustus Willard
- Willis Willard