Hamilton, William E.

HAMILTON

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/29/2021 at 11:40:29

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.971

WILLIAM ENNIS HAMILTON
Professor William Ennis Hamilton, who for sixteen years has occupied the chair of philosophy in Simpson College at Indianola, was born at New Richmond, Ohio, October 9, 1845. His father, William Lyon Hamilton, was born in Ohio in 1817 and was of Scotch descent. In early life he began teach­ing school and was also identified with agricultural pursuits. For sixty years lie was a local minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church and his influence was always on the side of justice, truth and progress. He remained a resident of Ohio until 1856, when he came with his family to Iowa, settling in Henry County, where he purchased a tract of land and carried on general farming. His business affairs were carefully conducted and brought to him a gratify­ing measure of success. When age conferred upon him the right of franchise he became a supporter of the Whig party but when the Republican Party placed its first presidential candidate, John C. Fremont, in the field, he voted for the pathfinder and continued to support the Republican ticket until a few years prior to his death. Then believing that the temperance question was the paramount issue before the people, he voted the Prohibition ticket. At all times he stood loyally in defense of what he believed to be right and none questioned the sincerity of his purposes. He held local township offices but could not be said to be a politician in the sense of office-seeking. He married .Miss Eliza Ann Duncan, who was born in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1820 and came of Scotch and English ancestry. Her father, Ennis Duncan, was an orderly sergeant in the war of 1812. Like her husband, Mrs. Hamilton was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She died on the 1st of May, 1905, and William Hamilton survived only until April, 1906. Thus passed
away a worthy couple who were esteemed and honored by all who knew them.
Professor Hamilton of this review was the eldest in their family of seven children, four of whom lived to attain their majority. He was reared as a farm lad and attended the country schools. Ambitious for further education, however, he afterward became a student in the Iowa Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant in 1863 and, pursuing the classical course, was graduated in 1867.
In that fall he came to Indianola and accepted the professorship of mathe­matics in Simpson College, where lie remained for a year. He next entered the Des Moines conference and in 1868 was assigned to the pastorate of the church at Onawa. There he continued for a year, was for two years at Harlan and for one year at Tabor. He likewise spent three years in Woodbine and a similar period at Fremont City prior to being assigned to the church at Guthrie Center. His pastorate at that place continued two years and also at Adel for two years, and for one year he was at Harlan. In 1883 he returned to Simpson College, where for three years he was professor of mathematics and during the succeeding three years was president of Simpson College. In 1889 he left school to become pastor of the Methodist Church at Corning, Iowa where he continued for three years, and then returned to Indianola in 1892, since which time he has occupied the chair of philosophy in Simpson College.
On the 8th of February, 1866, Professor Hamilton was married to Miss Isabella Anderson, who was born near New London, Iowa, January 26, 1847. They had four children: William 0., now deceased; Ida B.. Theodosia, who is librarian at Simpson College; and Florence M.
When but eighteen years of age Professor Hamilton became a soldier of the Union army in the Civil War, enlisting in May, 1864, at Mount Pleasant as a member of Company H. Forty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out in October, 1864 at Keokuk. He has never sought to figure prominently in public affairs and in politics is independent. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and since attaining his majority Professor Hamilton has done active and effective work for the in­tellectual and moral progress of those among whom his lot has been cast. The first movement to enlarge the facilities of Simpson College was made under his administration and largely through his efforts Science Hall was erected and dedicated. He is a capable instructor, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge he has acquired and holds to high ideals in his professional work.