HAMILTON, William S.

HAMILTON, BEARDSLEY, MINER, KIMBALL, HODGES, STONE

Posted By: Norma Jennings (email)
Date: 10/25/2011 at 02:00:00

WILLIAM S. HAMILTON is one of the prominent farmers of Seventy-Six Township. He resides upon section 3, where he has a fine farm of 400 acres, all of which is under cultivation, with improvements of the best class. He is a native of Medina County, Ohio, born in 1827, and is the son of Mathew L. and Achsah (Beardsley) Hamilton, both of whom were natives of New York. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools of of his native State.

On the 12th of April, 1849, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Priscilla Miner, a native of Chautauqua county, N.Y., and the daughter of Ariel and Priscilla (Kimball) Miner, the former a native of Maine, and the latter of New York. Seven children were born unto them: George A., a stock-farmer residing in Lime Creek Township; Mathew L., a Government Land Commissioner, now in Sumner County, Kan.; Henry died at the age of eighteen months; Ellen died at the age of one year; William F. is a farmer residing in Seventy-Six Township; Grace is the wife of E. N. Hodges, of Seventy-Six Township; Emma is the wife of William Stone, of Sumner County, Kan.

In 1850 Mr. Hamilton with his family went to Branch County, Mich., where he remained two years, engaged in farming and stock-shipping. In March, 1852, he came to Washington County, Iowa, and entered 900 acres of land, on sections 2, 3 and 10 of Seventy-Six Township. On section 3 he now resides, and has there lived since the fall of 1852. The land purchased was in a wild state, and Mr. Hamilton at once commenced its improvement. While engaged in general farming, he from the beginning turned his attention to raising and shipping cattle. In all his farming operations he has been quite successful, and has ever been rated among the most enterprising citizens of his township. On the organization of the township, he was elected the first Justice of the Peace, which office he held for some years. Among other township offices he has held is that of Township Clerk. He was also a member of the County Board of Supervisors several years.

During the war of the Rebellion, Mr. Hamilton assisted in raising two regiments for the service, but did not himself enlist, for the reason that he was persuaded by many of those who did go to remain at home that he might care for their families. As is well known by every citizen of Washington County who was here during the progress of the war, political excitement ran high, and there were those living here whose sympathies were undoubtedly with those of the South. Those sympathising with that section did all in their power to discourage enlistment, and usually kept up a "fire in the rear" upon those who were in the front. Mr. Hamilton felt it his duty to defend those who were risking their lives in the service of their country, and in doing so had several encounters with those who were opposed to the war, and never came off second best. Mr. Hamilton comes of patriotic stock; his grandfather, Eden Hamilton, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution with rank of Major, while his father was a soldier in the War of 1812.

His ancestors were from Scotland, and were among the Mayflower colony that settled in Massachusetts in 1620. Politically, Mr. Hamilton is a Republican of the stalwart kind, and has advocated the principles of that party ever since its organization. He is regarded as a wheel-horse in the party, and is ever ready to do all he can to advance its interests. While a radical in his political views, he is yet held in high esteem by men of all parties, and the advice of no man in Seventy-Six Township is more eagerly sought by those who feel the need of it. In the spring of 1887, he was foreman of the grand jury of Washington County, and in June following, was foreman of the United States Circuit Court jury at Keokuk. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton are members of the United Brethren Church, and are active in all church work. No man in Washington County is better or more favorably known than William S. Hamilton, the subject of this sketch.

Portrait and Biographical Album, Wash. Co. Ia. pp. 184-185