Alexander Hamilton Willard

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Alexander Hamilton Willard (17781865) was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

He was born in New Hampshire, he enlisted in an artillery company in 1800. On July 12, 1804, he was convicted of sleeping on sentry duty; the offense was punishable by death, but he was spared and given one hundred lashes.

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 Shawnees. He later served in the War of 1812.

He was married in 1807, and had twelve children. He lived in Missouri and Wisconsin. In 1852 he emigrated to California. He is buried in Franklin Cemetery in Sacramento County, California.

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