HAMILTON, Ward Ryckman
BLACKSTONE, HAMILTON, RYCKMAN, MCMILLEN, DEAM, ADAMS, LEVITT, LONG, WOLTER
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 11/27/2014 at 09:25:37
Franklin County Historical Society Newsletter
Hampton, Iowa
August, 2005, Vol. 21 #3, Page 2The Ward Ryckman Hamilton Story
Ward R. Hamilton, the 6th child of Francis Marion [1847-1926] and Rachel (Blackstone) Hamilton [1844-1919], was born about a mile north of the Old Chapin corner in Ross Township, Franklin County, Iowa, on Nov. 10, 1880. The family consisted of Thomas, Augusta and Clara, who were born in Monticello, Wisconsin. The family then move to Ross Township, in 1872. Three more children were born here: Mary, Fannie and Ward. Ward's middle name, Ryckman, was the maiden name of his grandmother, Augusta (Ryckman) Blackstone.
The Blackstone family came from Ontario, Canada to Monticello. Seven children were born in Canada and four in Wisconsin. Rachel Blackstone was married to Francis Hamilton on Dec. 24, 1864, in Monticello.
What is interesting about the Blackstone family is that the whole family, except the 2 oldest, Stephen and Clara, all came to the Chapin area from Monticello in 1873. The parents and 3 children are buried in the Old Chapin cemetery. Rachel's sister, Silence, married Wm. McMillen and lived south of the new town of Chapin. In fact, Wm. brought his bride into the newly constructed, beautiful home (the Dean farm home) in 1875. Sister Clara, who married W. T. Adams, and lived at Monticello, came to Chapin in 1878, and lived a half mile west of Chapin. He constructed in 1890, what was later known as the Froming elevator.
The J. R. Levitt family came to Chapin in 1874. Mary Hamilton married Charlie Levitt. Fannie Levitt, his sisters, was the first wife of Ward Hamilton. Tom Hamilton and his wife Mary Mitchell and Clara Hamilton, who married Hezekia "Ki" Long, built the 2 almost identical looking houses in the north side of Chapin, and Charlie Levitt and wife Mary lived down the street, several houses south.
The Hamilton children were educated in the rural schools at Old Chapin. Further education of the girls was questionable unless they became teachers. Tom may have had more as he owned and operated a grocery store in Chapin for many years. Ward was better educated. I met him when I was writing "The History of Chapin and Ross Township." He told me "Chapin is dear to me!" He said that the had worked in Gressler's Drug store in Chapin and left Chapin at age 24. Ward attended school in Hampton and attended Highland Park College in Des Moines. Later, he was a sales and enrollment representative of Toland's Business College in Mason City, then taught there and later managed it.
In March [24] 1906, he was married to Fannie Levitt, of Chapin. They were the parents of 2 sons, Horace and Robert. Fannie became ill after Robert's birth and she died in Aug. 1916. Robert was 5 and Horace was 9, at the time of her death. She died at only 35, of a coughing spell and a hemorrhage [b. 16 Sep 1880; d. 15 Aug 1916]. In Nov. [5th] 1918, Ward married Dorothy A. Wolter [b. ca. 1897, Elmore MN].
In 1908, Ward became owner and operator of Toland's Business University. In 1910 it was renamed Hamilton's School of Commerce. He was a firm believer in fine penmanship and studies of the commercial world. Courses offered here were Business, Short Hand and Typewriting, English, Banking and Penmanship. All involved spelling and good penmanship. Today, add computer classes to the curriculum.
Mr. Hamilton was a great orator, giving about 200 speeches annually. He was a member of the National Assembly of Private Commercial Schools; the National Commercial Teachers Federation; National Association of Accredited Commercial schools; Central Commercial Teacher's Association and Iowa Association of Private Schools. He was also well known in Mason City for public service organizations, especially, the Rotary Club, of which he was a member.
The college has been located in 5 places in Mason City: in the Damon Igou store, Woolworth's building, the Elks building, the old Park Clinic building and now [2005], the recently vacated Wal-Mart building on West 4th Street (Old Highway 18.)
Yes, the College is still in Mason City, even though Mr. Hamilton died in April of 1969 [Mason City IA]. His son Robert succeeded him as President. He, too, is deceased. Ward Hamilton could be considered as one of Franklin County's "Sons"!
Photographs courtesy of The Globe-Gazette, Mason City IA
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2014
Cerro Gordo Biographies maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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