Information taken from page 156 and 157 of the book by Emory L Hamilton entitled "One Hamilton Clan--The Descendants of Schuyler Hamilton":
James Hamilton, son of Schuyler and Susannah Dotson Hamilton, was born at Ramsey, Russell County, Virginia (now Wise County) March 7,1833. He was killed December 2, 1862, and buried in the Laurel Grove Cemetery at Ramsey, Wise County, Virginia beside his father Schuyler, who was buried there in 1861.

James Hamilton married in Russell County, Virginia, September 30, 1850 to Mary C. Wheatley, born Aug. 23, 1833, and died May 20, 1911, and buried in the Bolling Cemetery at Flat Gap, Wise County, Virginia. She was the daughter of John "Jackie" and Lucy Dean Wheatley. Witnesses to their marriage was Hezekiah Vanderpool and Robert S. Hamilton, her brother-in-law and her husband's brother. (Robert married Mary's sister Melissa)

The father of Mary Wheatley Hamilton had come from Scott County, Virginia, in teh late 1830s or early 1840s and settled on Grassy Creek of the Rocky Fork of Guest River north of Wise, VA. Soon after his settlement here he built a grist mill, the first in that sparsely settled community. The mill was washed away in a flood in 1862 according to a letter written by Robert S Hamilton, during his service in the Confederate Army in the command of General Humphrey Marshall, in a letter written to his wife, Melissa Wheatley Hamilton, who was a sister to Mary C. Wheatley, wife of James Hamilton. In the letter dated Feb. 23, 1862, he writes "We had a powerful "fresh" (flood) here and it washed off your Pap's mill, Roberson Mill (Pound, VA) Dan Dotson's mill (Bold Camp) and all the bridges."

After their marriage James and Mary Hamilton probably settled on the farm of her father on Rocky Fork which they later owned, after her father moved away. After the death of James Hamilton, his wife lived on for sometime on Rocky Fork, finally trading the place to Felix Creech for another farm on Killen Branch on Indian Creek near the Pound, Virginia, Wise County, Virginia. Later she moved to Flat Gap and lived on the farm of her son, James Hamilton, until her death.

James Hamilton was living on the Rocky Fork farm during the Civil War in a large two story log house with an ell kitchen off one story at the back. During the war the Home Guard, commonly called "Bushwhackers" by the citizenry became a problem throughout Southwest Virginia counties, stealing, murdering and committing dastardly crimes. These Home Guards were supposed to defend the citizenry, but were taken over by draft dodgers, deserters and plain outlaws to the extent that some counties had to use drastic measures to curb them. James Hamilton was killed by this element and for the story I quote it as related to me by the late Elbert Bond who as a boy lived with his father on Rocky Fork:
"Samuel Salyers and his son, Tyree Salyers, were Confederate soldiers (at this time they had been discharged from the army). They raided James Hamilton's place on Rocky Fork and stole his horse. James Hamilton, Granville Carter and some others followed them, overtaking them at Prince's Flats (now Norton, VA)where trouble started. Tyree Salyers is said to have shot James Hamilton and Granville Carter wounded Samuel Salyers. Moses and Rebecca Adams lived at Prince's Flats and James Hamilton was carried into their house and laid out that night (Dec. 2, 1862). Rebecca Adams said where the blood dripped from his wound on her floor she could never scrub off the stain."

Older members of the family have informed the writer that the place where James Hamilton was killed was about where the overhead bridge crosses the railroad to the Norton high school. James was the first of the children of Schuyler Hamilton to die, except two infants at birth.

(Here is another side of the story)
An article concerning this incident was sent to the newspaper, The Bristol Advocate by some unknown correspondent, and in turn was picked up and published by the Lynchburg Virginian of December 20, 1862, the latter which is herewith quoted:
"MIDNIGHT ASSASSIANS"--On Thursday of week before last, says the Bristol Advocate, five Abolition marauders attempted to assassinate Major Samuel Salyer at his home in Wise County, Virginia, whither he had retired from command to spend a few days with his family. Fortunately, his son, Lieutenant T. T. Salyer, of the 50th Regiment of Virginia, was at his father's that night on some military errand. These two had five to fight. The house was first assailed by two of the ruffians, and the Salyers, not knowing there was such odds against them, went into the yard, when three more appeared. Upon being asked who they were, and what they wanted, some of them cocked and presented their guns, when Lieutenant Salyer fired and killed one, James Hamilton. A fellow by the name of Carter then fired upon Major Salyer, the ball taking slight effect upon his side. Carter then struck him with his gun, inflicting a severe wound upon his head. Lieutenant Salyer then struck Carter with his gun, which repulsed him, and fled with his three comrades, leaving Hamilton, who seems to have been their leader, dead, and Major Salyer, severely but not dangerously wounded."

General Humphrey Marshall, who was in command of the Confederate forces wrote from Abingdon, Virginia, on November 5, 1862 to the War Department, CSA, about Samuel Salyer, implying that he was robbing friend and foe alike. I quote one paragraph from Marshall's letter as found in "The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Series One, Volume 20, Part II, page 391:
"I feel also that I should name to you that, in Wise County, one Samuel Salyer, has a batallion of partisan rangers who are doing no good, as I learn, but much positive harm by making forays into Kentucky, and bringing the plunder they take back into Virginia. The "lax talionis" will give us trouble, in which event they will render but little assistance."

Children of James and Mary C Wheatley Hamilton: William Nelson Hamilton, John R. Hamilton, Malinda J. Hamilton, Nancy Louemma Hamilton, and James Madison Hamilton.