Hamilton, John Wesley

HAMILTON, PULSE

Posted By: Laraine
Date: 1/23/2026 at 10:08:35

Red Oak Express, p8
Red Oak, Iowa
Thursday, October 15, 1936

John Hamilton, Macedonia Last Civil War Vet
Had Endowed Church and Town With Many of Its Benefits.

HAMILTON, John, 92, benefactor of Macedonia civic projects and the town's last civil war veteran, died Monday at 4:30 p.m., after an illness of two weeks due to old age. He was 92 years old on September 3rd.

He is survived by one sister, Mrs. Laura Pulse, of Fredrickson, Missouri.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Methodist church in Macedonia with Rev. Carl Brown officiating.

John Hamilton came to the Macedonia vicinity in 1869 to make his home. A frugal farmer, he prospered and years later retired. He became interested in the Methodist Episcopal church in Macedonia. As he grew older he wanted to do something for Macedonia.

An old frame building then housed the congregation of the church. He decided to build a church. Building operations were begun in 1930 and was completed at a cost of $45,000. The pipe organ was also his gift. He also built the seven-room parsonage which is constructed along Gothic lines. Mr. Hamilton in donating the church ruled that his gift was not to be a memorial.

He endowed the church with a 160-acre farm, located three miles from Macedonia. The farm was deeded to the church for the duration of the church's existence.

In 1931 he gave $22,000 to the Macedonia school. He had previously donated the school's athletic field.