Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 949
CAPT. CHESTER M. HAMILTON

Capt. Chester M. HAMILTON, a resident of Morgan Township, is a native of Ohio, and came to Harrison County, in 1852. He was born February 4, 1820, and was the son of Jacob and Sarah (MALONY) HAMILTON, of Vermont and Massachusetts respectively. The father's father was Jacob HAMILTON, who was a brother to Alexander HAMILTON, of Revolutionary fame, and was a Captain in the French and Indian War, and was in the Revolutionary struggle with the "Green Mountain Boys." Our subject's early life was spent in the Buckeye State, and his education obtained in Ohio and Wisconsin.

The family came to Iowa in 1833, and was among the first settlers to locate on the strip of land known as the Blackhawk purchase. The family remained near Dubuque until 1848. In the spring of 1849 Mr. HAMILTON crossed the plains to Colorado, and was six months en route. He went to work in the gold mines in California, remained eighteen months, and made a financial success. He returned to Dubuque, and in 1852 came to Harrison County, and was one of the Commissioners appointed by the Governor to locate the county seat at Magnolia. He first located in Raglan Township, on section 25, and remained until 1855. He was elected the first Sheriff of Harrison County, having for an opposing candidate Richard Johnson. He was also a member of the board of Supervisors and a Justice of the Peace several terms. He was a soldier in the Mexican War, and was with old Gen. Taylor at Buena Vista; and at the time of the Indian war in Nebraska, he raised a company and was made Captain, and helped quell the raids, under Gen. Harney in Missouri.

He was married in Dubuque in May, 1845, to Emmentine JINKS, and reared a family of seven children: Marshall, Charles, Jennie, Emily, Alexander, Isaac, and Clarence. His wife died in 1874.

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