Robert Ray Hamilton
Robert Ray Hamilton was an American politician from New York.
Early life
Robert Ray Hamilton was born on March 18, 1851, to General Schuyler Hamilton. He was the grandson of John Church Hamilton ; and great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton.Hamilton graduated from Columbia College and Columbia Law School. He was admitted to the bar, and practiced law in New York City.
Career
Hamilton was elected as a Republican to the New York State Assembly in 104th [New York State Legislature|1881], New York State Legislature|1886], 1887, 1888 and 1889. In 1879, he was a Republican candidate for alderman in New York City, but lost. He was a delegate to the 1888 Republican National Convention.In the summer of 1890, Hamilton bought a half interest in a ranch owned by John Sargent in Idaho on the road into Yellowstone Park where he intended to live permanently.
Personal life
In August 1889, it became known that he was married to Evangeline L. Mann, a "notorious woman" who had ensnared him by claiming that he was the father of her child Beatrice. Evangeline Mann assaulted her maid, and was sentenced to two years in prison. In October 1889, Hamilton sued for divorce. He stated that the marriage had been performed on January 7, 1889, and told the truth about Beatrice which had been in fact some foundling used for the scheme to get money out of Hamilton. It was later proved in court that Eva had been married already to one Joshua L. Mann before she ever knew Hamilton, and Mann sued for divorce in 1893.Hamilton left New York City to travel west on May 30, 1890. On August 23, 1890, he was found dead in the Snake River, near the Southern end of Yellowstone Park, apparently having drowned and having been in the water for several days, making identification somewhat difficult. An investigation accused John Sargent of murdering Hamilton, but Sargent was found to be legally insane and was never prosecuted for the crime.