Hazel/Hazell & related surnames from Charleston, SC to Savannah, GA to Manhattan & Binghamton, NY & Philadelphia, PA, 1860-1930

Associated surnames: Aspinall, Chisolm, Echols, Gardner, Hazel/Hasel/Hazell, Miller, Muse, Ringold/Ringgold, Sangster/Sangaster, Screven, Westcott, Wise

The husband of Laura Wise Hazell and father of Lucy Hazell Westcott is GA-born Charles Hazell. Charles is most likely the offspring of a family that relocated to Savannah, GA from Charleston, SC after the Civil War. He may be related to bricklayer Charles Hazel and tailor Albert Aspinall who were counted in Charleston, SC census as early as 1860. Lucy’s father Charles Hazel, born c. 1872 in GA, apparently was among a group of related family members that relocated from Savannah to New York, 1900-1910. His grandfather most likely is Peter Hasel/Hazel Sr. Born c. 1809/1820, Charleston, SC, Peter, a house painter, was dead by 1880. In 1871 his address in Charleston was at 74 Calhoun St. As late as the 1920s, Peter Hazel’s widow Martha, his daughters Lavinia and Mary, and other family members still lived in Charleston Ward 7 at 74 and 106 Calhoun St. Peter’s unnamed parents and first wife (Nanny/Nancy?) were dead or otherwise lost by 1871, when he named Martha as his wife, and Mary, Lavinia, and Charles as his children. Peter Sr. signed X for his mark on his 1871 application for a savings account at Freedman’s Bank. Peter Hasel/Hazel also was named as secretary of the Baptist Teachers Association, led by Isaac C. Chisolm. While Peter Sr. remained in Charleston with his younger wife Martha, born c. 1841, and daughters Lavinia, born c. 1847 and Mary, born c. 1870, at least two of Peter’s SC-born sons moved from Charleston, SC to Savannah, GA around 1869-1873: Charles A. Hazel, born c. 1848 and Peter F. Hazel, born c. 1850. Charles A., Peter F., and James Hazel are identified in Freedman’s Bank records as brothers or half-brothers, offspring of Peter Hazel Sr. and/or his earlier partner Nancy/Nanny. Peter Hazel Jr. and Charles A. Hazel both signed their names on their bank applications.

Peter F. Hazel, formerly with U.S. navy, was a waiter in Charleston by 1871, at “Scriven House” in Savannah by 1873. Peter worked in hotels, restaurants, and in homes of affluent Savannah residents, possibly including city mayor John Screven. Charles A. Hazel, like his father in Charleston, was employed by 1869-1870 as a house painter in Savannah, where he worked for Murphy & Clark, along with GA-born painters George Miller and Columbus Echols. Charles A. Hazel’s first known Savannah address was at York St. near Whitaker. Both Charles and Peter had wives named Louisa, according to census & bank records. Charles and his wife Louisa had a daughter Gertrude, who died in 1880 with an abscess on her hip. Peter and his wife Louisa (Emma Louisa?) had two sons, Edward and Randolph, who were sick with whooping cough in 1880. It appears that Edward, at least, survived to adulthood. In 1910 Edward Hazel, GA-born dining car waiter, lived in Albany, NY with his wife Sarah. Both Peter F. and Charles A. Hazel lived and worked near house painter George F.A. Miller (wife Adelaide) of Wilson St. and Alice St. 1869-1880. Charles A. Hazel, SC-born painter, last appears with GA-born painters George Miller and Columbus Echols in 1870 census. Peter F. Hazel, hotel waiter, appears with wife Louisa and their two young sons in 1880 census. Having spent his youth as a waiter, Peter acquired a new trade by late 1800s. In Savannah City Directory, 1889-1890, Peter F. Hazel is listed as a carpet layer at 33 Minis; his employer, E.A. Schwartz. P.F. Hazel, SC-born carpet layer, was counted with wife E. Hazel (Emma Louisa Hazel?) in Savannah, 1900. In that year GA-born Charles Hazel (most likely father of Lucy Wise Hazell) lived in Manhattan near the family of SC-born Albert and Harriet Aspinall at 265 Fortieth St. Albert had been a brick mason and Harriet a dressmaker in Charleston. Their children were employed as barbers, dressmakers, school teachers, hotel waiters, and railroad dining car waiters. By 1910, Peter F. Hazel, SC-born carpet layer, had moved to New York, NY, where he and his wife Emma L. (Emma Louisa Hazel?), dressmaker, at West 134th St. in Manhattan. Their children and sons-in-law included a barber, a dressmaker, an upholsterer, and a lawyer. In that year, Lucy lived with her parents, Charles and Laura Hazel/Hazell, at 1026 Chadwick St. in Philadelphia, PA. Charles was a driver for an auction house. Laura and Lucy had no occupation listed.