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         JESSE HAMILTON, a farmer, stock-raiser and fruit-grower, residing on section 13, Morning Sun Township, was born Feb. 6, 1821, in Fayette County, Ohio, and is a son of Alexander and Mary (Wolf) Hamilton, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Hampshire County, Va., though of French ancestry. Their union was celebrated in Virginia, and in 1800 they sailed down the Ohio River to Portsmouth, and thence proceeded to Oldtown, now known as Frankfort. They took a claim in Fayette County in 1802, and as was common in those early days had great trouble with the Indians. The maternal grandfather of our subject undertook to arrest an Indian, who then showed fight, and so he shot the red man, though without killing him, and the Indian then stabbed him.

Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were the parents of ten children, all of whom were born in Fayette County. . . .

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. . . Margaret, born in 1801, wedded William Blue, and died at about the age of eighty-seven in Union County, Ohio; Isabella, born in 1804, is now the wife of John Myers, a farmer residing in Marshall Township; David, who was born in 1806, died at the age of thirty; Samuel, born in 1808, died in 1886; Jonathan, born in 1812, is a farmer and stock-raiser in Sumner County, Kan.; Elizabeth, who became the wife of C. M. Cunningham, a farmer residing on section 12, Wapello Township, died in 1888; Elison, born in 1814, died in 1884, in Jefferson Township, Louisa County; Mary, born in 1819, wedded Jesse Bryant, who died in 1886, and her death occurred the following year on section 14, Morning Sun Township; our subject was the ninth in order of birth; Silas, born Dec. 24, 1823, is now a farmer in Warren county, Iowa. The father of these children died in Fayette County, Ohio, about 1826. He was a member of the Christian Church of that day, nicknamed the New Lights. The family remained in that county until 1842, and there our subject received his early education in the common schools, after which he worked upon a farm until that date, when, with four of his family and twenty-one friends, he started for Iowa with about thirteen head of cattle and ten head of horses, beginning the trip on the 30th of September and reaching Burlington October 22. The last night they camped out was spent on Flint River in Des Moines County, and on the 23d of October they reached the home of Samuel Hamilton, who had come to the county in 1841.

Our subject purchased a small farm on section 16, Morning Sun Township, and in 1843 entered eighty acres of land on section 18, range 3 west, and another 80 on section 13, range 4 west, of township 73, paying for one $1.25 per acre, and for the other $2.50. Mrs. Hamilton, his mother, found a happy home with him in this county until her death, which occurred in 1872, at the age of eighty-seven years. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her family was noted for longevity; with the exception of one all lived to be from sixty-nine to eighty-seven years old.

When Mr. Hamilton came to Louisa County he entered wild Government land and began in earnest life’s work. In 1844 he built a log cabin, and two years later set out the first orchard of about twenty-nine trees, which he procured from Robert Avery, who lived near Burlington, carrying them to his own home, a distance of twenty-four miles. In those days all their trading had to be done at Burlington, which continued to be the case until the construction of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad in 1868, which created trading-points near home.

Three times Mr. Hamilton has been united in marriage, his first wife being Minerva Cary, who was born in Fayette County, Ohio, in 1821, though their marriage took place in this county in August, 1854. The death of Mrs. Hamilton occurred May 26, 1856, and he was united in marriage with Maria C. Kimerer, who was also a native of Ohio, and by this union three children were born: Annis C., born in March, 1861, is the wife of Frank Clark, a farmer of Jefferson Township, Louisa Co., Iowa; David A., born in 1863, and William E., born in March, 1865. The mother of these children was called to her final home in March, 1868. She was a member of the Christian Church, and a most estimable lady. Mr. Hamilton’s last union was with Mrs. Nancy M. (Moore) Smith, their union being celebrated in 1869. She was born in Miami County, Ohio, and five children have been born to them: Edith, born July 27, 1870, died Feb. 5, 1885; John A., born Nov. 6, 1872; Mary E., born Dec. 10, 1875, died on the 17th of the same month; two other children also died in infancy.

Since Mr. Hamilton located in this county he has been engaged in farming and fruit-growing, and now has forty varieties of apples, all kinds of small fruit, together with plums and pears. He has attended the State Fair for the past six years, four times having received the premiums on his fruit. His farm of 190 acres is highly cultivated and carefully improved. It contains four living springs of water, is divided by fences into ten different fields, and is well stocked with a good grade of cattle, horses and hogs. His success in life is due to his own efforts, he having gained a comfortable competency by his good management, untiring labor and honesty. During his entire life Mr. Hamilton has never used tobacco in any form, and is a strong supporter of temperance views, ready to do anything in his . . .

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. . . power to promote the cause. He hopes to yet live to see the day when the liquor traffic will be driven from our land. He is a great admirer of Judge Thurman, whom he heard make his second political speech.

Mr. Hamilton and his wife are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which they are active workers. Mr. Hamilton has been a resident of Louisa County since 1842, and since April, 1844, has resided upon the same farm, where probably his last days on earth will be passed. From the pioneer days, when with a hand sickle and cradle he received but sixty-two cents per day for his labor, until the present time, he has given liberally to the support of any enterprise for the good of the community in which he resides, and as a noble, honorable citizen he receives the entire respect of the people of Louisa County.