Notes |
- JAMES L. HAMILTON.
Among the prominent and widely known citizens of Putnam county isJames L. Hamilton, the present efficient county clerk, who is animportant factor in both business and political circles, and hispopularity is well deserved as in him are embraced the characteristicsof unabating energy, unbending integrity and an industry that neverflags. He is public spirited and thoroughly interested in whatevertends to promote the welfare of the community and the county hasprofited by his labors in behalf of the general public.
The founder of this well known eastern Indiana family was an emigrantfrom the Emerald Isle, who, more than a century ago, reached Americanshores and here became well established. He was familiarly known bythe soubriquet of "Old-School," and from him to the gentleman whosename appears above, thrift and other accessory qualities that win havebeen proverbial in the Hamilton family. James Hamilton first settledin Pennsylvania, from which state he migrated to Kentucky andeventually came to Indiana, locating in White county, but afterwardsremoved to Putnam, where he arrived as early as 1829, and here, amongother adventurous home-seekers, he began life anew, soon becoming wellestablished for those early days on the frontier. Before leavingPennsylvania he married Hannah Ramsey, a native of that state, and tothis union nine children were born. The father remained here until hisdeath in 1840. Robert S. Hamilton, youngest of his children, was bornin White county, Indiana, April 15, 1816, the same year whichwitnessed the entrance of the Hoosier state into the Union. Whenthirteen years of age he accompanied his parents to Putnam county, andhe became a physician, having graduated from the Louisville MedicalCollege, and he practiced his profession several years in Putnam andParke counties, his first location being at Mansfield in the lastmentioned county. He served by appointment as county treasurer at onetime and was a citizen of influence up to the time of his death in1893. He married Mary R. Bishop, a native of Portland Mills, Putnamcounty, by whom he had five children, named as follows: James L., ofthis review; Fay S.; Pearl G., wife of Elmer Smith, of Parke county,Indiana; Dr. Claud B., a dentist of Greencastle, and H. Claire, thewife of Samuel H. Gibson, of Greencastle.
James L. Hamilton, oldest of Doctor Hamilton's family, was born nearPortland Mills, this county, January 13, 1868. After the usual termsin the common schools, he entered Danville Central Normal College,from which he graduated with honors in penmanship and bookkeeping, in1896. He had the misfortune, when twenty years old, while working in asawmill, to have his left arm so badly cut by a circle-saw thatamputation near the elbow was necessary, this totally incapacitatinghim from manual labor ever afterwards. Not knowing defeat by thisuntoward mishap, he set to work to sell musical instruments and metwith much encouragement as a piano salesman for himself and in 1900established a music store in Greencastle and by hard work he hassucceeded in building up a large and lucrative business, his storebeing one of the best appointed in the city, carefully stocked with alarge line of standard instruments and which is one of the largest andmost popular music stores in this section of the state. For a time hewas also very successfully engaged in cement bridge contracting andbuilt fourteen bridges for the Big Four railroad.
Mr. Hamilton comes from a family who have enjoyed the confidence oftheir fellow men and have been chosen to public office on numerousoccasions, his father having served as treasurer of Parke county; anuncle, Samuel Hamilton, also served as commissioner of Parke county,and a great uncle being Governor Bishop of the state of Ohio, besidesmany of his other relatives filling offices of public trust. James L.has shown himself quite capable of rendering the public efficientservice, and he has been quite prominent in politics, his politicalcareer showing results both notable and unusual. He made his debut inthe political arena in 1898 in the race for the nomination for countyclerk and was a close second to a man that was very popular and whowas the logical candidate of his party. Again in the campaign of 1902,he made the race for county clerk and had for his opponent the popularyoung editor of the Greencastle Democrat, Arthur Hamrick. It was awarm fight and attracted the chief attention of the campaign. In thisrace Mr. Hamilton was successful, having received two votes to everyone of his .opponent, receiving in the Democratic primaries twenty-twohundred and seventy-five votes and a majority of sixteen hundred andseventeen, the largest ever given a candidate. He received every votein Russell township, except two, and every one but four in his hometownship. At the ensuing election he defeated his opponent, CharlesHughes, of Bainbridge, who was looked upon as the strongest man on theRepublican ticket, by a majority of seven hundred and seventy-nine,the largest ever received by a local candidate, and he ran far aheadof any one on the county ticket and one hundred votes ahead of thestate ticket. He was re-elected in 1906, having so faithfullyperformed his duties during his first term that his constituents wereunwilling to give up his services, and he served until 1910 withcontinuing popularity and esteem by those who elected him as well asby the people generally. In his second race he headed the ticket andhis name proved a tower of strength to the cause of his party andassociates.
Mr. Hamilton has one of the coziest and most tastily appointed cottagehomes in the county, at No. 910 South Indiana street, Greencastle. Itis modern in every detail, with hardwood floors, beautiful woodworkthroughout, decorated by an expert decorator of Indianapolis, and inevery part of the house there is a striking harmony of detail. Thepresiding spirit of this attractive home is a lady of culture andrefinement, known in her maidenhood as Mary R. Heck, a native ofKentucky, of an excellent Southern family, and whom Mr. Hamiltonmarried on May 19, 1900. She is the daughter of Augustus D. andSamantha (Stroube) Heck, both of whom were born and reared in Brackencounty, Kentucky, in which place they spent their lives, both beingnow deceased, Mrs. Heck dying in 1879 and Mr. Heck following her tothe grave in 1904. He was a farmer and at one time a tobacco planterand in his younger days handled fine horses. Mrs. Hamilton is one ofthree children, having two brothers living at Augusta, Kentucky, inwhich place Mrs. Hamilton was reared and educated. This union has beenwithout issue.
Mr. Hamilton is a charter member of the Benevolent and ProtectiveOrder of Elks, and he was the first exalted ruler and organizer ofLodge No. 1077, Greencastle, doing the entire work himself,practically without assistance. He is also a member of the Ben Hur,Improved Order of Red Men, the Woodmen and Eagles lodges.
Mr. Hamilton has made his own way since boyhood and is a fine type ofthe pushing, ambitious, unconquerable American spirit which deservessuccess by having earned it.
"Weiks History of Putnam County Indiana" by Jesse W. Weik. 1910
B.F. Bowen & Co., Publishers, Indianapolis IN; WWW.USGENWEB.COM;Putnam County. [Transcribed 13 March 2008, SLJuhl, Compiler]
11 June 1900 United States Federal Census
Name: James L Hamilton
Home in 1900: Greencastle, Putnam, Indiana
Age: 32
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868
Birthplace: Indiana
Relationship to head-of-house: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary R
Race: White
Household Members: Name Age
James L Hamilton 32 Head, W, M, Jan 1868, M, 1, IN, IN, IN, PianoDealer, Reads & Writes, R-H
Mary R Hamilton 22 Wife, W, F, Apr 1878, M, 1, 0, 0, KY, KY, KY, Reads& Writes
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Greencastle, Putnam,Indiana; Roll: T623 399; Page: 15B; Enumeration District: 7; Super. 5;Enum. 87; Sheet 15B; Dwelling 114/336/368. Ancestry.com. 1900 UnitedStates Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: TheGenerations Network, Inc., 2004. [Transcribed 14 March 2008, SLJuhl,Compiler]
1910 United States Federal Census
Name: James Hamilton
Age in 1910: 43 [41]
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1867
[abt 1869]
Birthplace: Indiana
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: Indiana
Mother's Birth Place: Indiana
Spouse's Name: Mary R
Home in 1910: Greencastle Ward 3, Putnam, Indiana
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
James Hamilton 43
Mary R Hamilton 32
Mary Wyers 59
Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Greencastle Ward 3, Putnam,Indiana; Roll: T624_375; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 104; Image:1248.
Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line].Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. [Transcribed 14March 2008, SLJuhl, Compiler]
1930 United States Federal Census
Name: James L Hamilton
Home in 1930: Greencastle, Putnam, Indiana
Age: 61
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869
Birthplace: Indiana
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary R
Race: White
Household Members: Name Age
James L Hamilton 61
Mary R Hamilton 52
Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Greencastle, Putnam,Indiana; Roll: 623; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 7; Image: 655.0.
Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line].Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002. [Transcribed 14March 2008, SLJuhl, Compiler]
Please check this: _MDCL: CONC accident at a saw mill--see biographical notes for details.
- (Medical):Abt. 1888, amputation near the elbow of his left arm due to a work
|