On October 15, 1850, an obituary was published in the Sacramento Transcript newspaper for William Stephen Hamilton, the son of Alexander Hamilton, who died from dysentery on October 7, 1850. Some historians argue that Hamilton may have died of cholera, which became an epidemic 2 weeks later in Sacramento. William Stephen Hamilton, born in 1797, was just 6 years old when his father died in a duel with Aaron Burr. William came to California in 1849 upon hearing news of gold in California. Hamilton rented a room in two-story building on J Street. Hamilton’s experience in California was not what he expected, however. In a letter to a friend before his death, he wrote that he “rather have been hung in the ‘Lead Mines’ than to have lived in this miserable hole.” A small funeral was attended by friends but his death went largely unnoticed. After his death, there was debate over when he did pass. Some newspaper articles erroneously published he died as early as August 7, 1850. He is buried ...