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| Byron Hamilton (front left) & brother George (rear left), Eastport, Me, Aug. 1911. By Lewis Hine. |
All these boys are cutters in the Seacoast Canning Co., Factory #7.
Ages range from 7 to 12. They live near the factory. Seven year old boy in front, Byron Hamilton, has a badly cut finger,
but helps his brother regularly. Behind him is his brother, George, 11 years. He cut his finger half off while working. They
and many other youngsters said they were always cutting their fingers. George earns $1.00 some days, $.75 usually. Some of
the others said they earn $1.00 when they work all day. At times they start at 7 a.m., work all day and until midnight, but
the work is very irregular. Names of those in photo are George Mathews, Johnny Rust, John Surles[?], Fulsom McCutchin (11
yrs.), Albert Robinson, Morris McConnell. Location: Eastport, Maine, August 1911, Lewis Hine.
According to Byron's cousin, Elaine Lodge: "The family used
to go down to Massachusetts and work in the hat factories in Medfield in the winter. A lot of people here used to work in
the cannery here in the summer, and go to the hat factories in the winter. My mother was a school teacher. She told me the
kids would go to school in the winter and work in the cannery from April to October or November. That was when there were
no child labor laws. When I went to work, I had to get a permit. I was 14, but I couldn't work near any of the machinery.
I had to be 18 to do that. I packed the fish in the cans, and then worked with the machinery when I was 18." In the 1930 census, William, Susan and Byron were renting a home in Medfield, Massachusetts.
Military records show that Byron enlisted as a warrant officer in the US Army on July 23, 1942. He was single, with one year
of college, and his civilian occupation was water pumpman. He later married Thelma and they had no children. Thelma passed
away in Medfield in 1991, on her 89th birthday. Byron passed away in Medfield on December 22, 1995, at the age
of 91. Both are buried at Vine Lake Cemetery in Medfield, along with many members of his family. I spent a lot of time searching for descendants. The problem was that I could not obtain an obituary for Byron. After
contacting several libraries in and around Medfield, and even the Boston Public Library, no newspaper obituary turned up.
I even considered making the two-hour drive to Medfield and asking some senior citizen agencies if anyone remembered him.
Finally I contacted the Medfield Historical Society and they found the obit. Among the descendants named was George Hamilton,
a nephew, who lives less than an hour from me in Western Massachusetts. I had a delightful visit with him and his wife. George
is the son of Byron's brother George, who appears in several of the Hine photos. Mr. Hamilton was pleasantly surprised to
see the photos. He connected me to Byron's cousin in Eastport, 94-year-old Elaine Lodge, whom I also interviewed.
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| Bryon Hamilton (front) & brother George (behind Byron's right shoulder), Eastport, Me., Aug. 1911. |
All these boys are cutters in the Seacoast Canning Co., Factory
#7. Ages range from 7 to 12. They live near the factory. Seven year old boy in front, Byron Hamilton, has a badly cut finger,
but helps his brother regularly. Behind him is his brother, George, 11 years. He cut his finger half off while working. They
and many other youngsters said they were always cutting their fingers. George earns $1.00 some days, $.75 usually. Some of
the others said they earn $1.00 when they work all day. At times they start at 7 a.m., work all day and until midnight, but
the work is very irregular. Names of those in photo are George Mathews, Johnny Rust, John Surles[?], Fulsom McCutchin (11
yrs.), Albert Robinson, Morris McConnell. Location: Eastport, Maine, August 1911, Lewis Hine.
Interview with Byron's nephew
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