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Alexander Hamilton’s descendant rankled at $10 bill change

In this photo taken July 8, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio, Doug Hamilton holds a $10 bill bearing the portrait of his direct ancestor, Alexander Hamilton. Doug Hamilton and others are trying to persuade the U.S. Treasury Department to change its plan to alter the bill as part of the effort to include a portrait of a woman on paper money. (AP Photo/Mitch Stacy)
In this photo taken July 8, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio, Doug Hamilton holds a $10 bill bearing the portrait of his direct ancestor, Alexander Hamilton. Doug Hamilton and others are trying to persuade the U.S. Treasury Department to change its plan to alter the bill as part of the effort to include a portrait of a woman on paper money. (AP Photo/Mitch Stacy)

By Associated Press 3 min read

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Doug Hamilton is just fine with plans to put a woman’s portrait on U.S. paper money, but he’d prefer it if the Treasury Department would leave the $10 bill alone – particularly the prominent visage of his great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Alexander Hamilton.

The 10-spot is a source of family pride in Hamilton’s house in suburban Columbus, a dignified symbol of the historical importance of his ancestor, whose picture has been on it since 1929. So naturally, Hamilton started making some noise when he heard about the proposal that has Alexander Hamilton sharing the note with a deserving woman yet to be chosen.

The 64-year-old salesman for IBM has joined a growing number of voices in a backlash against what he calls the “diminishing” of Hamilton, the first secretary of the Treasury who founded the nation’s banking system.

“He’s the father of paper money,” says Doug Hamilton, who has a son and grandson carrying the name of their famous ancestor. (His daughter, Elizabeth, was named for Alexander Hamilton’s wife.)

He’s urging people to sign a petition on the White House “We The People” website, and this weekend he’ll be preaching the Hamiltonian gospel at a series of annual events in New York and New Jersey planned around the anniversary of Alexander Hamilton’s death on July 12, 1804, a day after his duel with Aaron Burr.