------------------------------------
Still looking for date of death and burial site. Latest update:
The Commission of Insanity had Mrs. Sophia Hamlin committed in 1877 according to the San Francisco Examiner newspaper. They noted that she was Canadian and a very well educated woman. I am looking for records beyond that as I didn't see her in the Commitment Register. They reported that she was very noisy and convinced that people were trying to kill her. According to her son (after he was elected for a political office) she died circa 1876. So either she died around that time or in 1879-1880 they weren't speaking about her anymore. After assuming she went to Stockton (the state archive had no record of her) I found different newspaper from the next day said that said she was sent to Napa.
The late 1870s would not have been an easy decade for this family. As early as 1868 a grandchild died as a baby. Her son's triplets died after birth in 1870. Her other son lost a child in in 1877. Mr. Hamlin died in 1876.
------------------------------------
Daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Wallace Hunter of Quebec, Canada. She was baptised Presbyterian in Quebec City (Saint Andrew's Church).
1st Husband - John d'Estimauville de Beaumouchel (d. 1830). John's father fled to England during the French Revolution. The family then settled in Quebec.
Her oldest son claimed she had two more marriages (no current evidence). This is from statements he made 1879-1880. According to him:
2nd Husband - His mother married while he was still a minor in the early 1840s in the United States. The name of the husband was not mentioned.
3rd Husband - His mother married again 1854 (name of husband not mentioned).
In 1850 Sophia Hunter (b. Canada) and young Samuel Hunter (b. Texas) are living in Delaware. (Milford, Kent County, Delaware). They were living with the Sipple family - Eliza B and her sons Caleb and John. The relationship is unclear. As Mrs. Sipple was probably recently widowed (she remarries) then maybe she was taking in boarders. Members of the same church maybe? Why was Sophia in Delaware? Perhaps other family nearby or a teaching job?
In a letter to a newspaper in Quebec around 1853 Robert said he was sending for his family in the coming June (so either 1853 or 1854). I believe this was to bring Sophia and her son to California. So that timing means that Sophia likely married around 1854 in California.
(According to her son Robert she died in San Francisco about 1876. Her married name at time of death was not mentioned).
It seems likely that she was married to Orrin Hamlin in California in the 1850s. In his household in 1860 was Sophia Hamlin of Canada. Also on that census Henry Hunter of Canada (a miner) who was probably Sophia Hunter's younger brother Henry. They were all in the same household in Nimshew, Butte County, California on the 1860 census. Orrin and Sophia were also on the 1870 census (Santa Rosa, Sonoma County). She was still the correct age and said she was Canadian.
In 1862 Mrs. Hamlin is mentioned as a schoolteacher in Nimshew, Butte County, California (Oroville newspaper). When they mention her school in November they say she's been teaching it for 6 months.
Mr. Hamlin was a farmer and a grocer. They also lived in Santa Rosa and Alameda. Mr. Hamlin died in 1876. A report in the newspaper in 1877 said that Sophia Hamlin had to be committed by the Commissioners of Insanity in San Francisco. I believe that this meant she was sent to the Stockton Insane Asylum (update: it was the Napa Hospital).
Sophia's husband Orrin Hamlin's niece and nephew, children of his brother Chester Hamlin, arrived in California in 1852 with their mother to reunite with Chester. Sadly, Chester had been dead for a few weeks when they arrived. About 1853 widowed Mrs. Chester Hamlin left San Francisco and the aid she had been given by her husband's Masonic lodge and went to the mountain districts to teach school, leaving her son Adrian (and probably also his sister Amelia) to live with their uncle Orrin Hamlin until she returned in 1855 and married Mr. Benedict in 1856. The Benedicts then lived on Bay Farm Island. Some other Hamlin relatives also lived at Bay Farm Island - Mr. and Mrs. P.A. McDonell. Mrs. Chester Hamlin being a teacher is probably how Orrin Hamlin met his wife Sophia, who was also a teacher and was probably living in the mountain district as well at that time. Orrin and Sophia were presumably married around 1854-1855 based partly on the timing of when Samuel Borland left home to work as he said he didn't like his stepfather.
Sophia's half-siblings by her mother's first husband had the last name Tough (her mother's first husband was John Tough of Quebec City, Canada). Her half-siblings were Ann Tough Wilson, Elizabeth Tough Henderson, and James Tough. John Tough died as a baby. Her full sister Sophia Hunter died as a baby and she was given that same name. Her younger brothers were Charles Hunter and Henry Hunter. There was also a younger sister Amelia.
Sophia's two adult grand-daughters from her daughter's first marriage also lived in California (Mary and Ellen). Her young grandson Louis Desty died in 1877. Her grandson Nelson Borland died as a young adult. Mary was the only one to have known children and grandchildren.
------------------------------------
Theory - I believe that she may have been Madame D'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel who opened girls schools in Little Rock and Tulip, Arkansas in 1844-1845. I can't find out how old that woman was or what her first name was. There is a newspaper article with unclaimed mail at the post office in Little Rock for both Mrs. D'Estimauville and for Robert D'Estimauville. Madame D'Estimauville first school failed but the second one did better. Her boyfriend was a widowed medical student and editor of local newspapers (Solon Borland). According to books about Solon and local Arkansas history she became pregnant and left the area after he married someone else in 1845. The board also made her leave the school. On the 1860 census Sophia Hunter D'Estimauville's son Robert Desty has a 15 year old in the household (he is a newlywed) named Samuel H. Desty. Samuel's name later changes to Samuel H. Borland. Samuel Borland said in the census that his father was from Arkansas and his mother was from Canada. The informant on his death certificate did not know his family history. A newspaper article in San Jose, CA referred to Sam Borland as having been in the cavalry.
Stories in books and online about Solon Borland say that after he was widowed by his second wife and later while he was in Louisville, Kentucky attending Louisville Medical Institute he met D'Estimauville who later followed him to Arkansas. I would speculate she was possibly a teacher at a school his children attended.
Sophia's married name was not common - it was actually a French title from her first husband's family and even Robert Desty later found out that a naturalized citizen should have had to renounce the title to become naturalized.
------------------------------------
References Given for Qualifications and Success as a Teacher (January 1844):
Bishop Otey, Rev. F.G. Smith of the Columbia (Tennessee) Institute, Rev. C.A. Foster of the Holly Springs (Mississippi) Female Institute, Rev. Mr. Smeades of Raleigh, NC.
(I would like to look at Rev. Smedes papers - https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/03893/)
Female School. Madame D'Estimauville has recently arrived at the City of Little Rock and wishes to establish a permanent School for female children and young ladies.
She proposes to teach all the branches of a useful English Education, together with those usually called ornamental; including the French and Italian languages; and Music on the Piano, Harp, and Guitar.
This notice is intended to present the subject to the attention of all, who may feel interested in the establishment of such an Institution, as is here proposed.
Particulars as to Terms, &c, will be furnished to all who desire them, and will be made the subject of a future addition to this notice.
The School will be commenced, as soon as a sufficient number of Pupils may be engaged to justify the necessary arrangements.
As to to qualifications, &c., the most satisfactory references can be furnished.
Madame D'E. is at the residence of Nicholas Faulkner, Esq., where she will be pleased to receive applications in relation to her school.
Little Rock, January 8, 1844
(Weekly Arkansas Gazette - Wednesday, January 31, 1844).
In early January 1844 she was offering music lessons in Little Rock at the home of Mr. Faulkner*.
(*Nicholas Faulkner was the father of Sandy Faulkner. His home was on Broadway between 3rd and 4th streets).
------------------------------------
Her first school was opened in February 1944 in Little Rock at the brick house on Markham and Lousiana streets. (The house had previously belonged to the late Wm. Cummins).
The next session begain that September.
In 1845 another session (5 months long) began in February.
Trustees of the School in D'Estimauville (Tulip) 1845
Maurice Smith
Tyre H. Brown
Wm. Bethell
Rob't J. Willcox
Wm. Owen
Tho. C. Hudson
John Brown
------------------------------------
Solon Borland supposedly brought his "girlfriend" from Louisville, Kentucky to Arkansas with him. Was she teaching at a school in Louisville before Arkansas? Solon was also a friend of James Polk of Tennessee (future President).
The town of Tulip was originally to be called D'Estimauville until the scandal of her leaving town.
------------------------------------
Following is an interesting little scandal that involved the "good" people of Dallas county in the earlier years.
From newspaper accounts of:
"The Early Years"
Solon Borland born in Suffolk, Virginia in 1809 was the son of a Scots physician, Dr. Thomas Borland. Solon came to Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1842, at age 33. He moved to Princeton, then in 1843 to Little Rock. He was twice a widower.
It seems as if he was involved with a Madam d'Estimauville de Beau mouchel before he came to Arkansas in 1842 because she appeared in Little Rock about six weeks after he "found" his place in Arkansas. She established a fashionable school for girls, which Borland "puffed" at every opportunity. This illicit romance remained a secret throughout 1844. In February of 1845 he for for Washington to see the inauguration. This was five days into the third term of her school in Little Rock. They apparently knew that their secret love affair would soon be exposed. She made arrangements to move to a recently settled agricultural community in Dallas county, where she would be the superintendent of a young ladies' academy. This announcement was made 1 March, three weeks after Borland left. The school was to open April 14. She so charmed the community leaders who served as trustees of the school that they named the new town d'Estimauville in her honor.
Borland meanwhile slowly went to Washington and very slowly returned to Little Rock arrive the first week of May. The affair with Madam d'Estimauville was in the open and she was disgraced, forced to leave Dallas county, with the name of d'Estimauville (the town) being quickly changed to Tulip after the creek that ran near by.
Borland meanwhile had a whirlwind courtship with Mary Isabel Milborune, the only daughter of George Milbourne, a Little Rock Merchant, marrying her on the 27th of May.
A sad little poem appeared in the "Arkansas Gazette", written by someone from Dallas county and ending:
"Thy heart is cold, or changed,
And we can meet no more!"
No more was heard from Madam d'Estimauville but the scandal did no harm to Borland. He raised a company from Little Rock and Pulaski county in 1846 for the Mexican War becoming a Colonel in General Yell's Regiment before returning to Little Rock. In 1848 he was elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the unexpired term of A.H. Sevier who resigned and was afterward elected to serve the full term. He resigned to become an Ambassador to a South American Country. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Confederate Army, he became ill and went to Texas to recuperate. He died there the 1st day of 1864 at the home of William Lubbock.
(From "The Nutt Family" - by Niven R Nutt - 1987)
------------------------------------
Also located in southwest Arkansas was a school in Dallas County named for its first principal, Madame d'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel. She had come to Arkansas and attempted a finishing school in Little Rock before relocating farther southwest. However, her principal claim to fame was in being the castoff—and pregnant—mistress of Solon Borland, then a Little Rock editor and subsequently a Mexican War hero and U.S. senator. She left the state with her baby after Borland married in May 1845. Her school survived, and the village named for her then took the name of Tulip. During the 1850s, there arose next to it the short-lived Arkansas Military Institute.
https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net
------------------------------------
Dr. Solon Borland took over as editor of Little Rock's "The Banner" newspaper in January 1844. This was one of the newspapers that advertised Madame D'Estimauville's school in January 1844 when she had just arrived in town. He also advertised his law office.
------------------------------------
Dr. S. Borland was a Lecturer on Chemistry at the Memphis Female Seminary in Fall 1839 (advertised in the Vicksburg, Mississippi newspaper). The Principal of that school was Brooks R. Trezevant.
------------------------------------
From the Private Journal of Mary Ann Owen Sims (edited by Clifford Dale Whitman, Southern State College, 1976). She was born August 1, 1830, to William Addison Owen and Ann Rucks. She came to Arkansas with her family in 1838.
-but as Spring advanced his [her father's] health improoved so much he concluded [to] send Sister and my self to boa[r]ding school about 15 miles from Home we had never been seperatd from our Mothe[r] more than 2 weeks at the time in our lives and then were with a near relation so the ide[a] of leaving Home and going amongst Strangers who we had never seen went very hard with us at last we left home with the promice we should return and spend a day or two at the expiration of four weeks Brothe[r] William accompanied us to Mr Smith'[s] (our boa[r]ding house) and then returned Home immediately oh how loanly I felt when I was left aloan with strangers with a younger Siste[r] to look up to me too but as children are not long in becoming accquainted when left to themselves so Mr S[mith's] daughter (who was about my age) and my self was as great Friends in the course of a few days as if we had known eaach other for years at the expiration of four weeks Sister and myself returned home we were almost wilde with joy at seeing our Parents-and all of our pets and a hundred other things that endear home to children-after staying two days at home we returned again to Mr S[mith's]- our Tutoress (who boarded at the same house and slept in the same room with us) appear[e]d all at once to be very unhappy she spent the night mostly in weeping and the day in finding fault with her pupuls (but alass what private griefs she had we knew not) at last rumor said she was a bad woman and there had been too great an intirmacy between [her] and Dr S[olon} Bo[r]land though Dr. S [Borland] then was one of the leading men in the Dimocratic party in this Stait and has since then Represented Arkansas in congress and recieved the ap[p]ointment of Min[i]ster to Central America- you may hince draw the conclusion that a man may be consider[e]d great without being good- the trustees of the school soon discharged Madam[e] Des De Marveel* and the last I ever heard of her she was on board of a steamer in the Mississippi with an infant a few months old she was travailing under an assumed name- Sister and I returned home soon after.
*Madame d'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel followed Dr. Borland to Little Rock and opened a girls' school. It was hinted that she had followed him to continue a secret affair, but they evidently expected to be exposed. She soon made plans to open an academy in Dallas County. "The announcement was made on March 1, [1845,] and the academy was to open on April 14. She had so charmed the community leaders who served as trustees of the the school that they had even named their town d'Estimauville in her honor." In May, Borland was married to Mary Isabel Milbourne of Little Rock; soon after, Madame d'Destimauville's "story was ... out in Dallas County, and she was left in disgrace. The town's name was changed to Tulip. (Margaret Ross, "Arkansas Gazette: The Early Years 1819-1862", 1969).
Mr. Smith was probably one of the early Tulip founders, most likely Maurice Smith since he was a trustee of the school. Another possibility was Nathaniel Greene Smith who is mentioned on the Tulip historical marker sign. Both seem to have had daughters that would be Mary Ann's age. Maurice's daughter Betty was born around 1831. Nathaniel's daughter Mary seems less likely as she was born 1833. She went on to marry Arkansas Gov. Roane.
In the early days of Tulip, Arkansas, it was considered the "Athens of Arkansas."
------------------------------------
I have yet to connect Sophia to Louisville, Kentucky. This is where Solon obtained his second medical degree. However, Solon's son Harold (b. 1839) was raised in Holly Springs, Mississippi by uncle Euclid Borland until about about 1845. It is interesting that one of Sophia's more recent teaching jobs (based on her references) was in Holly Springs at the Female Institute run by Dr. C.A. Foster. Did Solon become acquainted with her while visiting his child? Or they were acquainted prior to that time and that's how she thought to get a teaching job in Mississippi?
------------------------------------
Her step-daughter was a close friend of the Queen of Hawaii. However, it's unlikely that Sophia ever met this daughter. Mr. Hamlin's first wife had been the sister-in-law of of David L. Gregg, a diplomat who was sent to Hawaii. Mr. Gregg was also a friend of Abraham Lincoln.
------------------------------------
Solon graduated March 2, 1841 with the degree "doctor of medicine" from Louisville Medical Institute, which later became the University of Louisville Medical Department in 1846, and the Louisville School of Medicine in 1922. His thesis was on "milk sickness". It was in Louisville, while attending Louisville Medical Institute, that Solon reportedly met beauty [Madame] La Belle D'Estimauville following the loss of his wife Eliza Buck Hart, while his son was with relatives George and Fanny Green Godwin in VA. It seems she followed him to Arkansas, per a book by Thomas Parramore. Solon Borland died in 1864 near Houston, Texas from pneumonia.
https://www.argenweb.net/washington/pics/solon.html
---
Still looking for date of death and burial site. Latest update:
The Commission of Insanity had Mrs. Sophia Hamlin committed in 1877 according to the San Francisco Examiner newspaper. They noted that she was Canadian and a very well educated woman. I am looking for records beyond that as I didn't see her in the Commitment Register. They reported that she was very noisy and convinced that people were trying to kill her. According to her son (after he was elected for a political office) she died circa 1876. So either she died around that time or in 1879-1880 they weren't speaking about her anymore. After assuming she went to Stockton (the state archive had no record of her) I found different newspaper from the next day said that said she was sent to Napa.
The late 1870s would not have been an easy decade for this family. As early as 1868 a grandchild died as a baby. Her son's triplets died after birth in 1870. Her other son lost a child in in 1877. Mr. Hamlin died in 1876.
------------------------------------
Daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Wallace Hunter of Quebec, Canada. She was baptised Presbyterian in Quebec City (Saint Andrew's Church).
1st Husband - John d'Estimauville de Beaumouchel (d. 1830). John's father fled to England during the French Revolution. The family then settled in Quebec.
Her oldest son claimed she had two more marriages (no current evidence). This is from statements he made 1879-1880. According to him:
2nd Husband - His mother married while he was still a minor in the early 1840s in the United States. The name of the husband was not mentioned.
3rd Husband - His mother married again 1854 (name of husband not mentioned).
In 1850 Sophia Hunter (b. Canada) and young Samuel Hunter (b. Texas) are living in Delaware. (Milford, Kent County, Delaware). They were living with the Sipple family - Eliza B and her sons Caleb and John. The relationship is unclear. As Mrs. Sipple was probably recently widowed (she remarries) then maybe she was taking in boarders. Members of the same church maybe? Why was Sophia in Delaware? Perhaps other family nearby or a teaching job?
In a letter to a newspaper in Quebec around 1853 Robert said he was sending for his family in the coming June (so either 1853 or 1854). I believe this was to bring Sophia and her son to California. So that timing means that Sophia likely married around 1854 in California.
(According to her son Robert she died in San Francisco about 1876. Her married name at time of death was not mentioned).
It seems likely that she was married to Orrin Hamlin in California in the 1850s. In his household in 1860 was Sophia Hamlin of Canada. Also on that census Henry Hunter of Canada (a miner) who was probably Sophia Hunter's younger brother Henry. They were all in the same household in Nimshew, Butte County, California on the 1860 census. Orrin and Sophia were also on the 1870 census (Santa Rosa, Sonoma County). She was still the correct age and said she was Canadian.
In 1862 Mrs. Hamlin is mentioned as a schoolteacher in Nimshew, Butte County, California (Oroville newspaper). When they mention her school in November they say she's been teaching it for 6 months.
Mr. Hamlin was a farmer and a grocer. They also lived in Santa Rosa and Alameda. Mr. Hamlin died in 1876. A report in the newspaper in 1877 said that Sophia Hamlin had to be committed by the Commissioners of Insanity in San Francisco. I believe that this meant she was sent to the Stockton Insane Asylum (update: it was the Napa Hospital).
Sophia's husband Orrin Hamlin's niece and nephew, children of his brother Chester Hamlin, arrived in California in 1852 with their mother to reunite with Chester. Sadly, Chester had been dead for a few weeks when they arrived. About 1853 widowed Mrs. Chester Hamlin left San Francisco and the aid she had been given by her husband's Masonic lodge and went to the mountain districts to teach school, leaving her son Adrian (and probably also his sister Amelia) to live with their uncle Orrin Hamlin until she returned in 1855 and married Mr. Benedict in 1856. The Benedicts then lived on Bay Farm Island. Some other Hamlin relatives also lived at Bay Farm Island - Mr. and Mrs. P.A. McDonell. Mrs. Chester Hamlin being a teacher is probably how Orrin Hamlin met his wife Sophia, who was also a teacher and was probably living in the mountain district as well at that time. Orrin and Sophia were presumably married around 1854-1855 based partly on the timing of when Samuel Borland left home to work as he said he didn't like his stepfather.
Sophia's half-siblings by her mother's first husband had the last name Tough (her mother's first husband was John Tough of Quebec City, Canada). Her half-siblings were Ann Tough Wilson, Elizabeth Tough Henderson, and James Tough. John Tough died as a baby. Her full sister Sophia Hunter died as a baby and she was given that same name. Her younger brothers were Charles Hunter and Henry Hunter. There was also a younger sister Amelia.
Sophia's two adult grand-daughters from her daughter's first marriage also lived in California (Mary and Ellen). Her young grandson Louis Desty died in 1877. Her grandson Nelson Borland died as a young adult. Mary was the only one to have known children and grandchildren.
------------------------------------
Theory - I believe that she may have been Madame D'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel who opened girls schools in Little Rock and Tulip, Arkansas in 1844-1845. I can't find out how old that woman was or what her first name was. There is a newspaper article with unclaimed mail at the post office in Little Rock for both Mrs. D'Estimauville and for Robert D'Estimauville. Madame D'Estimauville first school failed but the second one did better. Her boyfriend was a widowed medical student and editor of local newspapers (Solon Borland). According to books about Solon and local Arkansas history she became pregnant and left the area after he married someone else in 1845. The board also made her leave the school. On the 1860 census Sophia Hunter D'Estimauville's son Robert Desty has a 15 year old in the household (he is a newlywed) named Samuel H. Desty. Samuel's name later changes to Samuel H. Borland. Samuel Borland said in the census that his father was from Arkansas and his mother was from Canada. The informant on his death certificate did not know his family history. A newspaper article in San Jose, CA referred to Sam Borland as having been in the cavalry.
Stories in books and online about Solon Borland say that after he was widowed by his second wife and later while he was in Louisville, Kentucky attending Louisville Medical Institute he met D'Estimauville who later followed him to Arkansas. I would speculate she was possibly a teacher at a school his children attended.
Sophia's married name was not common - it was actually a French title from her first husband's family and even Robert Desty later found out that a naturalized citizen should have had to renounce the title to become naturalized.
------------------------------------
References Given for Qualifications and Success as a Teacher (January 1844):
Bishop Otey, Rev. F.G. Smith of the Columbia (Tennessee) Institute, Rev. C.A. Foster of the Holly Springs (Mississippi) Female Institute, Rev. Mr. Smeades of Raleigh, NC.
(I would like to look at Rev. Smedes papers - https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/03893/)
Female School. Madame D'Estimauville has recently arrived at the City of Little Rock and wishes to establish a permanent School for female children and young ladies.
She proposes to teach all the branches of a useful English Education, together with those usually called ornamental; including the French and Italian languages; and Music on the Piano, Harp, and Guitar.
This notice is intended to present the subject to the attention of all, who may feel interested in the establishment of such an Institution, as is here proposed.
Particulars as to Terms, &c, will be furnished to all who desire them, and will be made the subject of a future addition to this notice.
The School will be commenced, as soon as a sufficient number of Pupils may be engaged to justify the necessary arrangements.
As to to qualifications, &c., the most satisfactory references can be furnished.
Madame D'E. is at the residence of Nicholas Faulkner, Esq., where she will be pleased to receive applications in relation to her school.
Little Rock, January 8, 1844
(Weekly Arkansas Gazette - Wednesday, January 31, 1844).
In early January 1844 she was offering music lessons in Little Rock at the home of Mr. Faulkner*.
(*Nicholas Faulkner was the father of Sandy Faulkner. His home was on Broadway between 3rd and 4th streets).
------------------------------------
Her first school was opened in February 1944 in Little Rock at the brick house on Markham and Lousiana streets. (The house had previously belonged to the late Wm. Cummins).
The next session begain that September.
In 1845 another session (5 months long) began in February.
Trustees of the School in D'Estimauville (Tulip) 1845
Maurice Smith
Tyre H. Brown
Wm. Bethell
Rob't J. Willcox
Wm. Owen
Tho. C. Hudson
John Brown
------------------------------------
Solon Borland supposedly brought his "girlfriend" from Louisville, Kentucky to Arkansas with him. Was she teaching at a school in Louisville before Arkansas? Solon was also a friend of James Polk of Tennessee (future President).
The town of Tulip was originally to be called D'Estimauville until the scandal of her leaving town.
------------------------------------
Following is an interesting little scandal that involved the "good" people of Dallas county in the earlier years.
From newspaper accounts of:
"The Early Years"
Solon Borland born in Suffolk, Virginia in 1809 was the son of a Scots physician, Dr. Thomas Borland. Solon came to Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1842, at age 33. He moved to Princeton, then in 1843 to Little Rock. He was twice a widower.
It seems as if he was involved with a Madam d'Estimauville de Beau mouchel before he came to Arkansas in 1842 because she appeared in Little Rock about six weeks after he "found" his place in Arkansas. She established a fashionable school for girls, which Borland "puffed" at every opportunity. This illicit romance remained a secret throughout 1844. In February of 1845 he for for Washington to see the inauguration. This was five days into the third term of her school in Little Rock. They apparently knew that their secret love affair would soon be exposed. She made arrangements to move to a recently settled agricultural community in Dallas county, where she would be the superintendent of a young ladies' academy. This announcement was made 1 March, three weeks after Borland left. The school was to open April 14. She so charmed the community leaders who served as trustees of the school that they named the new town d'Estimauville in her honor.
Borland meanwhile slowly went to Washington and very slowly returned to Little Rock arrive the first week of May. The affair with Madam d'Estimauville was in the open and she was disgraced, forced to leave Dallas county, with the name of d'Estimauville (the town) being quickly changed to Tulip after the creek that ran near by.
Borland meanwhile had a whirlwind courtship with Mary Isabel Milborune, the only daughter of George Milbourne, a Little Rock Merchant, marrying her on the 27th of May.
A sad little poem appeared in the "Arkansas Gazette", written by someone from Dallas county and ending:
"Thy heart is cold, or changed,
And we can meet no more!"
No more was heard from Madam d'Estimauville but the scandal did no harm to Borland. He raised a company from Little Rock and Pulaski county in 1846 for the Mexican War becoming a Colonel in General Yell's Regiment before returning to Little Rock. In 1848 he was elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the unexpired term of A.H. Sevier who resigned and was afterward elected to serve the full term. He resigned to become an Ambassador to a South American Country. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Confederate Army, he became ill and went to Texas to recuperate. He died there the 1st day of 1864 at the home of William Lubbock.
(From "The Nutt Family" - by Niven R Nutt - 1987)
------------------------------------
Also located in southwest Arkansas was a school in Dallas County named for its first principal, Madame d'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel. She had come to Arkansas and attempted a finishing school in Little Rock before relocating farther southwest. However, her principal claim to fame was in being the castoff—and pregnant—mistress of Solon Borland, then a Little Rock editor and subsequently a Mexican War hero and U.S. senator. She left the state with her baby after Borland married in May 1845. Her school survived, and the village named for her then took the name of Tulip. During the 1850s, there arose next to it the short-lived Arkansas Military Institute.
https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net
------------------------------------
Dr. Solon Borland took over as editor of Little Rock's "The Banner" newspaper in January 1844. This was one of the newspapers that advertised Madame D'Estimauville's school in January 1844 when she had just arrived in town. He also advertised his law office.
------------------------------------
Dr. S. Borland was a Lecturer on Chemistry at the Memphis Female Seminary in Fall 1839 (advertised in the Vicksburg, Mississippi newspaper). The Principal of that school was Brooks R. Trezevant.
------------------------------------
From the Private Journal of Mary Ann Owen Sims (edited by Clifford Dale Whitman, Southern State College, 1976). She was born August 1, 1830, to William Addison Owen and Ann Rucks. She came to Arkansas with her family in 1838.
-but as Spring advanced his [her father's] health improoved so much he concluded [to] send Sister and my self to boa[r]ding school about 15 miles from Home we had never been seperatd from our Mothe[r] more than 2 weeks at the time in our lives and then were with a near relation so the ide[a] of leaving Home and going amongst Strangers who we had never seen went very hard with us at last we left home with the promice we should return and spend a day or two at the expiration of four weeks Brothe[r] William accompanied us to Mr Smith'[s] (our boa[r]ding house) and then returned Home immediately oh how loanly I felt when I was left aloan with strangers with a younger Siste[r] to look up to me too but as children are not long in becoming accquainted when left to themselves so Mr S[mith's] daughter (who was about my age) and my self was as great Friends in the course of a few days as if we had known eaach other for years at the expiration of four weeks Sister and myself returned home we were almost wilde with joy at seeing our Parents-and all of our pets and a hundred other things that endear home to children-after staying two days at home we returned again to Mr S[mith's]- our Tutoress (who boarded at the same house and slept in the same room with us) appear[e]d all at once to be very unhappy she spent the night mostly in weeping and the day in finding fault with her pupuls (but alass what private griefs she had we knew not) at last rumor said she was a bad woman and there had been too great an intirmacy between [her] and Dr S[olon} Bo[r]land though Dr. S [Borland] then was one of the leading men in the Dimocratic party in this Stait and has since then Represented Arkansas in congress and recieved the ap[p]ointment of Min[i]ster to Central America- you may hince draw the conclusion that a man may be consider[e]d great without being good- the trustees of the school soon discharged Madam[e] Des De Marveel* and the last I ever heard of her she was on board of a steamer in the Mississippi with an infant a few months old she was travailing under an assumed name- Sister and I returned home soon after.
*Madame d'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel followed Dr. Borland to Little Rock and opened a girls' school. It was hinted that she had followed him to continue a secret affair, but they evidently expected to be exposed. She soon made plans to open an academy in Dallas County. "The announcement was made on March 1, [1845,] and the academy was to open on April 14. She had so charmed the community leaders who served as trustees of the the school that they had even named their town d'Estimauville in her honor." In May, Borland was married to Mary Isabel Milbourne of Little Rock; soon after, Madame d'Destimauville's "story was ... out in Dallas County, and she was left in disgrace. The town's name was changed to Tulip. (Margaret Ross, "Arkansas Gazette: The Early Years 1819-1862", 1969).
Mr. Smith was probably one of the early Tulip founders, most likely Maurice Smith since he was a trustee of the school. Another possibility was Nathaniel Greene Smith who is mentioned on the Tulip historical marker sign. Both seem to have had daughters that would be Mary Ann's age. Maurice's daughter Betty was born around 1831. Nathaniel's daughter Mary seems less likely as she was born 1833. She went on to marry Arkansas Gov. Roane.
In the early days of Tulip, Arkansas, it was considered the "Athens of Arkansas."
------------------------------------
I have yet to connect Sophia to Louisville, Kentucky. This is where Solon obtained his second medical degree. However, Solon's son Harold (b. 1839) was raised in Holly Springs, Mississippi by uncle Euclid Borland until about about 1845. It is interesting that one of Sophia's more recent teaching jobs (based on her references) was in Holly Springs at the Female Institute run by Dr. C.A. Foster. Did Solon become acquainted with her while visiting his child? Or they were acquainted prior to that time and that's how she thought to get a teaching job in Mississippi?
------------------------------------
Her step-daughter was a close friend of the Queen of Hawaii. However, it's unlikely that Sophia ever met this daughter. Mr. Hamlin's first wife had been the sister-in-law of of David L. Gregg, a diplomat who was sent to Hawaii. Mr. Gregg was also a friend of Abraham Lincoln.
------------------------------------
Solon graduated March 2, 1841 with the degree "doctor of medicine" from Louisville Medical Institute, which later became the University of Louisville Medical Department in 1846, and the Louisville School of Medicine in 1922. His thesis was on "milk sickness". It was in Louisville, while attending Louisville Medical Institute, that Solon reportedly met beauty [Madame] La Belle D'Estimauville following the loss of his wife Eliza Buck Hart, while his son was with relatives George and Fanny Green Godwin in VA. It seems she followed him to Arkansas, per a book by Thomas Parramore. Solon Borland died in 1864 near Houston, Texas from pneumonia.
https://www.argenweb.net/washington/pics/solon.html
---
------------------------------------
Still looking for date of death and burial site. Latest update:
The Commission of Insanity had Mrs. Sophia Hamlin committed in 1877 according to the San Francisco Examiner newspaper. They noted that she was Canadian and a very well educated woman. I am looking for records beyond that as I didn't see her in the Commitment Register. They reported that she was very noisy and convinced that people were trying to kill her. According to her son (after he was elected for a political office) she died circa 1876. So either she died around that time or in 1879-1880 they weren't speaking about her anymore. After assuming she went to Stockton (the state archive had no record of her) I found different newspaper from the next day said that said she was sent to Napa.
The late 1870s would not have been an easy decade for this family. As early as 1868 a grandchild died as a baby. Her son's triplets died after birth in 1870. Her other son lost a child in in 1877. Mr. Hamlin died in 1876.
------------------------------------
Daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Wallace Hunter of Quebec, Canada. She was baptised Presbyterian in Quebec City (Saint Andrew's Church).
1st Husband - John d'Estimauville de Beaumouchel (d. 1830). John's father fled to England during the French Revolution. The family then settled in Quebec.
Her oldest son claimed she had two more marriages (no current evidence). This is from statements he made 1879-1880. According to him:
2nd Husband - His mother married while he was still a minor in the early 1840s in the United States. The name of the husband was not mentioned.
3rd Husband - His mother married again 1854 (name of husband not mentioned).
In 1850 Sophia Hunter (b. Canada) and young Samuel Hunter (b. Texas) are living in Delaware. (Milford, Kent County, Delaware). They were living with the Sipple family - Eliza B and her sons Caleb and John. The relationship is unclear. As Mrs. Sipple was probably recently widowed (she remarries) then maybe she was taking in boarders. Members of the same church maybe? Why was Sophia in Delaware? Perhaps other family nearby or a teaching job?
In a letter to a newspaper in Quebec around 1853 Robert said he was sending for his family in the coming June (so either 1853 or 1854). I believe this was to bring Sophia and her son to California. So that timing means that Sophia likely married around 1854 in California.
(According to her son Robert she died in San Francisco about 1876. Her married name at time of death was not mentioned).
It seems likely that she was married to Orrin Hamlin in California in the 1850s. In his household in 1860 was Sophia Hamlin of Canada. Also on that census Henry Hunter of Canada (a miner) who was probably Sophia Hunter's younger brother Henry. They were all in the same household in Nimshew, Butte County, California on the 1860 census. Orrin and Sophia were also on the 1870 census (Santa Rosa, Sonoma County). She was still the correct age and said she was Canadian.
In 1862 Mrs. Hamlin is mentioned as a schoolteacher in Nimshew, Butte County, California (Oroville newspaper). When they mention her school in November they say she's been teaching it for 6 months.
Mr. Hamlin was a farmer and a grocer. They also lived in Santa Rosa and Alameda. Mr. Hamlin died in 1876. A report in the newspaper in 1877 said that Sophia Hamlin had to be committed by the Commissioners of Insanity in San Francisco. I believe that this meant she was sent to the Stockton Insane Asylum (update: it was the Napa Hospital).
Sophia's husband Orrin Hamlin's niece and nephew, children of his brother Chester Hamlin, arrived in California in 1852 with their mother to reunite with Chester. Sadly, Chester had been dead for a few weeks when they arrived. About 1853 widowed Mrs. Chester Hamlin left San Francisco and the aid she had been given by her husband's Masonic lodge and went to the mountain districts to teach school, leaving her son Adrian (and probably also his sister Amelia) to live with their uncle Orrin Hamlin until she returned in 1855 and married Mr. Benedict in 1856. The Benedicts then lived on Bay Farm Island. Some other Hamlin relatives also lived at Bay Farm Island - Mr. and Mrs. P.A. McDonell. Mrs. Chester Hamlin being a teacher is probably how Orrin Hamlin met his wife Sophia, who was also a teacher and was probably living in the mountain district as well at that time. Orrin and Sophia were presumably married around 1854-1855 based partly on the timing of when Samuel Borland left home to work as he said he didn't like his stepfather.
Sophia's half-siblings by her mother's first husband had the last name Tough (her mother's first husband was John Tough of Quebec City, Canada). Her half-siblings were Ann Tough Wilson, Elizabeth Tough Henderson, and James Tough. John Tough died as a baby. Her full sister Sophia Hunter died as a baby and she was given that same name. Her younger brothers were Charles Hunter and Henry Hunter. There was also a younger sister Amelia.
Sophia's two adult grand-daughters from her daughter's first marriage also lived in California (Mary and Ellen). Her young grandson Louis Desty died in 1877. Her grandson Nelson Borland died as a young adult. Mary was the only one to have known children and grandchildren.
------------------------------------
Theory - I believe that she may have been Madame D'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel who opened girls schools in Little Rock and Tulip, Arkansas in 1844-1845. I can't find out how old that woman was or what her first name was. There is a newspaper article with unclaimed mail at the post office in Little Rock for both Mrs. D'Estimauville and for Robert D'Estimauville. Madame D'Estimauville first school failed but the second one did better. Her boyfriend was a widowed medical student and editor of local newspapers (Solon Borland). According to books about Solon and local Arkansas history she became pregnant and left the area after he married someone else in 1845. The board also made her leave the school. On the 1860 census Sophia Hunter D'Estimauville's son Robert Desty has a 15 year old in the household (he is a newlywed) named Samuel H. Desty. Samuel's name later changes to Samuel H. Borland. Samuel Borland said in the census that his father was from Arkansas and his mother was from Canada. The informant on his death certificate did not know his family history. A newspaper article in San Jose, CA referred to Sam Borland as having been in the cavalry.
Stories in books and online about Solon Borland say that after he was widowed by his second wife and later while he was in Louisville, Kentucky attending Louisville Medical Institute he met D'Estimauville who later followed him to Arkansas. I would speculate she was possibly a teacher at a school his children attended.
Sophia's married name was not common - it was actually a French title from her first husband's family and even Robert Desty later found out that a naturalized citizen should have had to renounce the title to become naturalized.
------------------------------------
References Given for Qualifications and Success as a Teacher (January 1844):
Bishop Otey, Rev. F.G. Smith of the Columbia (Tennessee) Institute, Rev. C.A. Foster of the Holly Springs (Mississippi) Female Institute, Rev. Mr. Smeades of Raleigh, NC.
(I would like to look at Rev. Smedes papers - https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/03893/)
Female School. Madame D'Estimauville has recently arrived at the City of Little Rock and wishes to establish a permanent School for female children and young ladies.
She proposes to teach all the branches of a useful English Education, together with those usually called ornamental; including the French and Italian languages; and Music on the Piano, Harp, and Guitar.
This notice is intended to present the subject to the attention of all, who may feel interested in the establishment of such an Institution, as is here proposed.
Particulars as to Terms, &c, will be furnished to all who desire them, and will be made the subject of a future addition to this notice.
The School will be commenced, as soon as a sufficient number of Pupils may be engaged to justify the necessary arrangements.
As to to qualifications, &c., the most satisfactory references can be furnished.
Madame D'E. is at the residence of Nicholas Faulkner, Esq., where she will be pleased to receive applications in relation to her school.
Little Rock, January 8, 1844
(Weekly Arkansas Gazette - Wednesday, January 31, 1844).
In early January 1844 she was offering music lessons in Little Rock at the home of Mr. Faulkner*.
(*Nicholas Faulkner was the father of Sandy Faulkner. His home was on Broadway between 3rd and 4th streets).
------------------------------------
Her first school was opened in February 1944 in Little Rock at the brick house on Markham and Lousiana streets. (The house had previously belonged to the late Wm. Cummins).
The next session begain that September.
In 1845 another session (5 months long) began in February.
Trustees of the School in D'Estimauville (Tulip) 1845
Maurice Smith
Tyre H. Brown
Wm. Bethell
Rob't J. Willcox
Wm. Owen
Tho. C. Hudson
John Brown
------------------------------------
Solon Borland supposedly brought his "girlfriend" from Louisville, Kentucky to Arkansas with him. Was she teaching at a school in Louisville before Arkansas? Solon was also a friend of James Polk of Tennessee (future President).
The town of Tulip was originally to be called D'Estimauville until the scandal of her leaving town.
------------------------------------
Following is an interesting little scandal that involved the "good" people of Dallas county in the earlier years.
From newspaper accounts of:
"The Early Years"
Solon Borland born in Suffolk, Virginia in 1809 was the son of a Scots physician, Dr. Thomas Borland. Solon came to Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1842, at age 33. He moved to Princeton, then in 1843 to Little Rock. He was twice a widower.
It seems as if he was involved with a Madam d'Estimauville de Beau mouchel before he came to Arkansas in 1842 because she appeared in Little Rock about six weeks after he "found" his place in Arkansas. She established a fashionable school for girls, which Borland "puffed" at every opportunity. This illicit romance remained a secret throughout 1844. In February of 1845 he for for Washington to see the inauguration. This was five days into the third term of her school in Little Rock. They apparently knew that their secret love affair would soon be exposed. She made arrangements to move to a recently settled agricultural community in Dallas county, where she would be the superintendent of a young ladies' academy. This announcement was made 1 March, three weeks after Borland left. The school was to open April 14. She so charmed the community leaders who served as trustees of the school that they named the new town d'Estimauville in her honor.
Borland meanwhile slowly went to Washington and very slowly returned to Little Rock arrive the first week of May. The affair with Madam d'Estimauville was in the open and she was disgraced, forced to leave Dallas county, with the name of d'Estimauville (the town) being quickly changed to Tulip after the creek that ran near by.
Borland meanwhile had a whirlwind courtship with Mary Isabel Milborune, the only daughter of George Milbourne, a Little Rock Merchant, marrying her on the 27th of May.
A sad little poem appeared in the "Arkansas Gazette", written by someone from Dallas county and ending:
"Thy heart is cold, or changed,
And we can meet no more!"
No more was heard from Madam d'Estimauville but the scandal did no harm to Borland. He raised a company from Little Rock and Pulaski county in 1846 for the Mexican War becoming a Colonel in General Yell's Regiment before returning to Little Rock. In 1848 he was elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the unexpired term of A.H. Sevier who resigned and was afterward elected to serve the full term. He resigned to become an Ambassador to a South American Country. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Confederate Army, he became ill and went to Texas to recuperate. He died there the 1st day of 1864 at the home of William Lubbock.
(From "The Nutt Family" - by Niven R Nutt - 1987)
------------------------------------
Also located in southwest Arkansas was a school in Dallas County named for its first principal, Madame d'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel. She had come to Arkansas and attempted a finishing school in Little Rock before relocating farther southwest. However, her principal claim to fame was in being the castoff—and pregnant—mistress of Solon Borland, then a Little Rock editor and subsequently a Mexican War hero and U.S. senator. She left the state with her baby after Borland married in May 1845. Her school survived, and the village named for her then took the name of Tulip. During the 1850s, there arose next to it the short-lived Arkansas Military Institute.
https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net
------------------------------------
Dr. Solon Borland took over as editor of Little Rock's "The Banner" newspaper in January 1844. This was one of the newspapers that advertised Madame D'Estimauville's school in January 1844 when she had just arrived in town. He also advertised his law office.
------------------------------------
Dr. S. Borland was a Lecturer on Chemistry at the Memphis Female Seminary in Fall 1839 (advertised in the Vicksburg, Mississippi newspaper). The Principal of that school was Brooks R. Trezevant.
------------------------------------
From the Private Journal of Mary Ann Owen Sims (edited by Clifford Dale Whitman, Southern State College, 1976). She was born August 1, 1830, to William Addison Owen and Ann Rucks. She came to Arkansas with her family in 1838.
-but as Spring advanced his [her father's] health improoved so much he concluded [to] send Sister and my self to boa[r]ding school about 15 miles from Home we had never been seperatd from our Mothe[r] more than 2 weeks at the time in our lives and then were with a near relation so the ide[a] of leaving Home and going amongst Strangers who we had never seen went very hard with us at last we left home with the promice we should return and spend a day or two at the expiration of four weeks Brothe[r] William accompanied us to Mr Smith'[s] (our boa[r]ding house) and then returned Home immediately oh how loanly I felt when I was left aloan with strangers with a younger Siste[r] to look up to me too but as children are not long in becoming accquainted when left to themselves so Mr S[mith's] daughter (who was about my age) and my self was as great Friends in the course of a few days as if we had known eaach other for years at the expiration of four weeks Sister and myself returned home we were almost wilde with joy at seeing our Parents-and all of our pets and a hundred other things that endear home to children-after staying two days at home we returned again to Mr S[mith's]- our Tutoress (who boarded at the same house and slept in the same room with us) appear[e]d all at once to be very unhappy she spent the night mostly in weeping and the day in finding fault with her pupuls (but alass what private griefs she had we knew not) at last rumor said she was a bad woman and there had been too great an intirmacy between [her] and Dr S[olon} Bo[r]land though Dr. S [Borland] then was one of the leading men in the Dimocratic party in this Stait and has since then Represented Arkansas in congress and recieved the ap[p]ointment of Min[i]ster to Central America- you may hince draw the conclusion that a man may be consider[e]d great without being good- the trustees of the school soon discharged Madam[e] Des De Marveel* and the last I ever heard of her she was on board of a steamer in the Mississippi with an infant a few months old she was travailing under an assumed name- Sister and I returned home soon after.
*Madame d'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel followed Dr. Borland to Little Rock and opened a girls' school. It was hinted that she had followed him to continue a secret affair, but they evidently expected to be exposed. She soon made plans to open an academy in Dallas County. "The announcement was made on March 1, [1845,] and the academy was to open on April 14. She had so charmed the community leaders who served as trustees of the the school that they had even named their town d'Estimauville in her honor." In May, Borland was married to Mary Isabel Milbourne of Little Rock; soon after, Madame d'Destimauville's "story was ... out in Dallas County, and she was left in disgrace. The town's name was changed to Tulip. (Margaret Ross, "Arkansas Gazette: The Early Years 1819-1862", 1969).
Mr. Smith was probably one of the early Tulip founders, most likely Maurice Smith since he was a trustee of the school. Another possibility was Nathaniel Greene Smith who is mentioned on the Tulip historical marker sign. Both seem to have had daughters that would be Mary Ann's age. Maurice's daughter Betty was born around 1831. Nathaniel's daughter Mary seems less likely as she was born 1833. She went on to marry Arkansas Gov. Roane.
In the early days of Tulip, Arkansas, it was considered the "Athens of Arkansas."
------------------------------------
I have yet to connect Sophia to Louisville, Kentucky. This is where Solon obtained his second medical degree. However, Solon's son Harold (b. 1839) was raised in Holly Springs, Mississippi by uncle Euclid Borland until about about 1845. It is interesting that one of Sophia's more recent teaching jobs (based on her references) was in Holly Springs at the Female Institute run by Dr. C.A. Foster. Did Solon become acquainted with her while visiting his child? Or they were acquainted prior to that time and that's how she thought to get a teaching job in Mississippi?
------------------------------------
Her step-daughter was a close friend of the Queen of Hawaii. However, it's unlikely that Sophia ever met this daughter. Mr. Hamlin's first wife had been the sister-in-law of of David L. Gregg, a diplomat who was sent to Hawaii. Mr. Gregg was also a friend of Abraham Lincoln.
------------------------------------
Solon graduated March 2, 1841 with the degree "doctor of medicine" from Louisville Medical Institute, which later became the University of Louisville Medical Department in 1846, and the Louisville School of Medicine in 1922. His thesis was on "milk sickness". It was in Louisville, while attending Louisville Medical Institute, that Solon reportedly met beauty [Madame] La Belle D'Estimauville following the loss of his wife Eliza Buck Hart, while his son was with relatives George and Fanny Green Godwin in VA. It seems she followed him to Arkansas, per a book by Thomas Parramore. Solon Borland died in 1864 near Houston, Texas from pneumonia.
https://www.argenweb.net/washington/pics/solon.html
---
Still looking for date of death and burial site. Latest update:
The Commission of Insanity had Mrs. Sophia Hamlin committed in 1877 according to the San Francisco Examiner newspaper. They noted that she was Canadian and a very well educated woman. I am looking for records beyond that as I didn't see her in the Commitment Register. They reported that she was very noisy and convinced that people were trying to kill her. According to her son (after he was elected for a political office) she died circa 1876. So either she died around that time or in 1879-1880 they weren't speaking about her anymore. After assuming she went to Stockton (the state archive had no record of her) I found different newspaper from the next day said that said she was sent to Napa.
The late 1870s would not have been an easy decade for this family. As early as 1868 a grandchild died as a baby. Her son's triplets died after birth in 1870. Her other son lost a child in in 1877. Mr. Hamlin died in 1876.
------------------------------------
Daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Wallace Hunter of Quebec, Canada. She was baptised Presbyterian in Quebec City (Saint Andrew's Church).
1st Husband - John d'Estimauville de Beaumouchel (d. 1830). John's father fled to England during the French Revolution. The family then settled in Quebec.
Her oldest son claimed she had two more marriages (no current evidence). This is from statements he made 1879-1880. According to him:
2nd Husband - His mother married while he was still a minor in the early 1840s in the United States. The name of the husband was not mentioned.
3rd Husband - His mother married again 1854 (name of husband not mentioned).
In 1850 Sophia Hunter (b. Canada) and young Samuel Hunter (b. Texas) are living in Delaware. (Milford, Kent County, Delaware). They were living with the Sipple family - Eliza B and her sons Caleb and John. The relationship is unclear. As Mrs. Sipple was probably recently widowed (she remarries) then maybe she was taking in boarders. Members of the same church maybe? Why was Sophia in Delaware? Perhaps other family nearby or a teaching job?
In a letter to a newspaper in Quebec around 1853 Robert said he was sending for his family in the coming June (so either 1853 or 1854). I believe this was to bring Sophia and her son to California. So that timing means that Sophia likely married around 1854 in California.
(According to her son Robert she died in San Francisco about 1876. Her married name at time of death was not mentioned).
It seems likely that she was married to Orrin Hamlin in California in the 1850s. In his household in 1860 was Sophia Hamlin of Canada. Also on that census Henry Hunter of Canada (a miner) who was probably Sophia Hunter's younger brother Henry. They were all in the same household in Nimshew, Butte County, California on the 1860 census. Orrin and Sophia were also on the 1870 census (Santa Rosa, Sonoma County). She was still the correct age and said she was Canadian.
In 1862 Mrs. Hamlin is mentioned as a schoolteacher in Nimshew, Butte County, California (Oroville newspaper). When they mention her school in November they say she's been teaching it for 6 months.
Mr. Hamlin was a farmer and a grocer. They also lived in Santa Rosa and Alameda. Mr. Hamlin died in 1876. A report in the newspaper in 1877 said that Sophia Hamlin had to be committed by the Commissioners of Insanity in San Francisco. I believe that this meant she was sent to the Stockton Insane Asylum (update: it was the Napa Hospital).
Sophia's husband Orrin Hamlin's niece and nephew, children of his brother Chester Hamlin, arrived in California in 1852 with their mother to reunite with Chester. Sadly, Chester had been dead for a few weeks when they arrived. About 1853 widowed Mrs. Chester Hamlin left San Francisco and the aid she had been given by her husband's Masonic lodge and went to the mountain districts to teach school, leaving her son Adrian (and probably also his sister Amelia) to live with their uncle Orrin Hamlin until she returned in 1855 and married Mr. Benedict in 1856. The Benedicts then lived on Bay Farm Island. Some other Hamlin relatives also lived at Bay Farm Island - Mr. and Mrs. P.A. McDonell. Mrs. Chester Hamlin being a teacher is probably how Orrin Hamlin met his wife Sophia, who was also a teacher and was probably living in the mountain district as well at that time. Orrin and Sophia were presumably married around 1854-1855 based partly on the timing of when Samuel Borland left home to work as he said he didn't like his stepfather.
Sophia's half-siblings by her mother's first husband had the last name Tough (her mother's first husband was John Tough of Quebec City, Canada). Her half-siblings were Ann Tough Wilson, Elizabeth Tough Henderson, and James Tough. John Tough died as a baby. Her full sister Sophia Hunter died as a baby and she was given that same name. Her younger brothers were Charles Hunter and Henry Hunter. There was also a younger sister Amelia.
Sophia's two adult grand-daughters from her daughter's first marriage also lived in California (Mary and Ellen). Her young grandson Louis Desty died in 1877. Her grandson Nelson Borland died as a young adult. Mary was the only one to have known children and grandchildren.
------------------------------------
Theory - I believe that she may have been Madame D'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel who opened girls schools in Little Rock and Tulip, Arkansas in 1844-1845. I can't find out how old that woman was or what her first name was. There is a newspaper article with unclaimed mail at the post office in Little Rock for both Mrs. D'Estimauville and for Robert D'Estimauville. Madame D'Estimauville first school failed but the second one did better. Her boyfriend was a widowed medical student and editor of local newspapers (Solon Borland). According to books about Solon and local Arkansas history she became pregnant and left the area after he married someone else in 1845. The board also made her leave the school. On the 1860 census Sophia Hunter D'Estimauville's son Robert Desty has a 15 year old in the household (he is a newlywed) named Samuel H. Desty. Samuel's name later changes to Samuel H. Borland. Samuel Borland said in the census that his father was from Arkansas and his mother was from Canada. The informant on his death certificate did not know his family history. A newspaper article in San Jose, CA referred to Sam Borland as having been in the cavalry.
Stories in books and online about Solon Borland say that after he was widowed by his second wife and later while he was in Louisville, Kentucky attending Louisville Medical Institute he met D'Estimauville who later followed him to Arkansas. I would speculate she was possibly a teacher at a school his children attended.
Sophia's married name was not common - it was actually a French title from her first husband's family and even Robert Desty later found out that a naturalized citizen should have had to renounce the title to become naturalized.
------------------------------------
References Given for Qualifications and Success as a Teacher (January 1844):
Bishop Otey, Rev. F.G. Smith of the Columbia (Tennessee) Institute, Rev. C.A. Foster of the Holly Springs (Mississippi) Female Institute, Rev. Mr. Smeades of Raleigh, NC.
(I would like to look at Rev. Smedes papers - https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/03893/)
Female School. Madame D'Estimauville has recently arrived at the City of Little Rock and wishes to establish a permanent School for female children and young ladies.
She proposes to teach all the branches of a useful English Education, together with those usually called ornamental; including the French and Italian languages; and Music on the Piano, Harp, and Guitar.
This notice is intended to present the subject to the attention of all, who may feel interested in the establishment of such an Institution, as is here proposed.
Particulars as to Terms, &c, will be furnished to all who desire them, and will be made the subject of a future addition to this notice.
The School will be commenced, as soon as a sufficient number of Pupils may be engaged to justify the necessary arrangements.
As to to qualifications, &c., the most satisfactory references can be furnished.
Madame D'E. is at the residence of Nicholas Faulkner, Esq., where she will be pleased to receive applications in relation to her school.
Little Rock, January 8, 1844
(Weekly Arkansas Gazette - Wednesday, January 31, 1844).
In early January 1844 she was offering music lessons in Little Rock at the home of Mr. Faulkner*.
(*Nicholas Faulkner was the father of Sandy Faulkner. His home was on Broadway between 3rd and 4th streets).
------------------------------------
Her first school was opened in February 1944 in Little Rock at the brick house on Markham and Lousiana streets. (The house had previously belonged to the late Wm. Cummins).
The next session begain that September.
In 1845 another session (5 months long) began in February.
Trustees of the School in D'Estimauville (Tulip) 1845
Maurice Smith
Tyre H. Brown
Wm. Bethell
Rob't J. Willcox
Wm. Owen
Tho. C. Hudson
John Brown
------------------------------------
Solon Borland supposedly brought his "girlfriend" from Louisville, Kentucky to Arkansas with him. Was she teaching at a school in Louisville before Arkansas? Solon was also a friend of James Polk of Tennessee (future President).
The town of Tulip was originally to be called D'Estimauville until the scandal of her leaving town.
------------------------------------
Following is an interesting little scandal that involved the "good" people of Dallas county in the earlier years.
From newspaper accounts of:
"The Early Years"
Solon Borland born in Suffolk, Virginia in 1809 was the son of a Scots physician, Dr. Thomas Borland. Solon came to Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1842, at age 33. He moved to Princeton, then in 1843 to Little Rock. He was twice a widower.
It seems as if he was involved with a Madam d'Estimauville de Beau mouchel before he came to Arkansas in 1842 because she appeared in Little Rock about six weeks after he "found" his place in Arkansas. She established a fashionable school for girls, which Borland "puffed" at every opportunity. This illicit romance remained a secret throughout 1844. In February of 1845 he for for Washington to see the inauguration. This was five days into the third term of her school in Little Rock. They apparently knew that their secret love affair would soon be exposed. She made arrangements to move to a recently settled agricultural community in Dallas county, where she would be the superintendent of a young ladies' academy. This announcement was made 1 March, three weeks after Borland left. The school was to open April 14. She so charmed the community leaders who served as trustees of the school that they named the new town d'Estimauville in her honor.
Borland meanwhile slowly went to Washington and very slowly returned to Little Rock arrive the first week of May. The affair with Madam d'Estimauville was in the open and she was disgraced, forced to leave Dallas county, with the name of d'Estimauville (the town) being quickly changed to Tulip after the creek that ran near by.
Borland meanwhile had a whirlwind courtship with Mary Isabel Milborune, the only daughter of George Milbourne, a Little Rock Merchant, marrying her on the 27th of May.
A sad little poem appeared in the "Arkansas Gazette", written by someone from Dallas county and ending:
"Thy heart is cold, or changed,
And we can meet no more!"
No more was heard from Madam d'Estimauville but the scandal did no harm to Borland. He raised a company from Little Rock and Pulaski county in 1846 for the Mexican War becoming a Colonel in General Yell's Regiment before returning to Little Rock. In 1848 he was elected to the U.S. Senate to fill the unexpired term of A.H. Sevier who resigned and was afterward elected to serve the full term. He resigned to become an Ambassador to a South American Country. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Confederate Army, he became ill and went to Texas to recuperate. He died there the 1st day of 1864 at the home of William Lubbock.
(From "The Nutt Family" - by Niven R Nutt - 1987)
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Also located in southwest Arkansas was a school in Dallas County named for its first principal, Madame d'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel. She had come to Arkansas and attempted a finishing school in Little Rock before relocating farther southwest. However, her principal claim to fame was in being the castoff—and pregnant—mistress of Solon Borland, then a Little Rock editor and subsequently a Mexican War hero and U.S. senator. She left the state with her baby after Borland married in May 1845. Her school survived, and the village named for her then took the name of Tulip. During the 1850s, there arose next to it the short-lived Arkansas Military Institute.
https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net
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Dr. Solon Borland took over as editor of Little Rock's "The Banner" newspaper in January 1844. This was one of the newspapers that advertised Madame D'Estimauville's school in January 1844 when she had just arrived in town. He also advertised his law office.
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Dr. S. Borland was a Lecturer on Chemistry at the Memphis Female Seminary in Fall 1839 (advertised in the Vicksburg, Mississippi newspaper). The Principal of that school was Brooks R. Trezevant.
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From the Private Journal of Mary Ann Owen Sims (edited by Clifford Dale Whitman, Southern State College, 1976). She was born August 1, 1830, to William Addison Owen and Ann Rucks. She came to Arkansas with her family in 1838.
-but as Spring advanced his [her father's] health improoved so much he concluded [to] send Sister and my self to boa[r]ding school about 15 miles from Home we had never been seperatd from our Mothe[r] more than 2 weeks at the time in our lives and then were with a near relation so the ide[a] of leaving Home and going amongst Strangers who we had never seen went very hard with us at last we left home with the promice we should return and spend a day or two at the expiration of four weeks Brothe[r] William accompanied us to Mr Smith'[s] (our boa[r]ding house) and then returned Home immediately oh how loanly I felt when I was left aloan with strangers with a younger Siste[r] to look up to me too but as children are not long in becoming accquainted when left to themselves so Mr S[mith's] daughter (who was about my age) and my self was as great Friends in the course of a few days as if we had known eaach other for years at the expiration of four weeks Sister and myself returned home we were almost wilde with joy at seeing our Parents-and all of our pets and a hundred other things that endear home to children-after staying two days at home we returned again to Mr S[mith's]- our Tutoress (who boarded at the same house and slept in the same room with us) appear[e]d all at once to be very unhappy she spent the night mostly in weeping and the day in finding fault with her pupuls (but alass what private griefs she had we knew not) at last rumor said she was a bad woman and there had been too great an intirmacy between [her] and Dr S[olon} Bo[r]land though Dr. S [Borland] then was one of the leading men in the Dimocratic party in this Stait and has since then Represented Arkansas in congress and recieved the ap[p]ointment of Min[i]ster to Central America- you may hince draw the conclusion that a man may be consider[e]d great without being good- the trustees of the school soon discharged Madam[e] Des De Marveel* and the last I ever heard of her she was on board of a steamer in the Mississippi with an infant a few months old she was travailing under an assumed name- Sister and I returned home soon after.
*Madame d'Estimauville de Beau Mouchel followed Dr. Borland to Little Rock and opened a girls' school. It was hinted that she had followed him to continue a secret affair, but they evidently expected to be exposed. She soon made plans to open an academy in Dallas County. "The announcement was made on March 1, [1845,] and the academy was to open on April 14. She had so charmed the community leaders who served as trustees of the the school that they had even named their town d'Estimauville in her honor." In May, Borland was married to Mary Isabel Milbourne of Little Rock; soon after, Madame d'Destimauville's "story was ... out in Dallas County, and she was left in disgrace. The town's name was changed to Tulip. (Margaret Ross, "Arkansas Gazette: The Early Years 1819-1862", 1969).
Mr. Smith was probably one of the early Tulip founders, most likely Maurice Smith since he was a trustee of the school. Another possibility was Nathaniel Greene Smith who is mentioned on the Tulip historical marker sign. Both seem to have had daughters that would be Mary Ann's age. Maurice's daughter Betty was born around 1831. Nathaniel's daughter Mary seems less likely as she was born 1833. She went on to marry Arkansas Gov. Roane.
In the early days of Tulip, Arkansas, it was considered the "Athens of Arkansas."
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I have yet to connect Sophia to Louisville, Kentucky. This is where Solon obtained his second medical degree. However, Solon's son Harold (b. 1839) was raised in Holly Springs, Mississippi by uncle Euclid Borland until about about 1845. It is interesting that one of Sophia's more recent teaching jobs (based on her references) was in Holly Springs at the Female Institute run by Dr. C.A. Foster. Did Solon become acquainted with her while visiting his child? Or they were acquainted prior to that time and that's how she thought to get a teaching job in Mississippi?
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Her step-daughter was a close friend of the Queen of Hawaii. However, it's unlikely that Sophia ever met this daughter. Mr. Hamlin's first wife had been the sister-in-law of of David L. Gregg, a diplomat who was sent to Hawaii. Mr. Gregg was also a friend of Abraham Lincoln.
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Solon graduated March 2, 1841 with the degree "doctor of medicine" from Louisville Medical Institute, which later became the University of Louisville Medical Department in 1846, and the Louisville School of Medicine in 1922. His thesis was on "milk sickness". It was in Louisville, while attending Louisville Medical Institute, that Solon reportedly met beauty [Madame] La Belle D'Estimauville following the loss of his wife Eliza Buck Hart, while his son was with relatives George and Fanny Green Godwin in VA. It seems she followed him to Arkansas, per a book by Thomas Parramore. Solon Borland died in 1864 near Houston, Texas from pneumonia.
https://www.argenweb.net/washington/pics/solon.html
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