John H. Hamilton (biographical sketch)

[genealogynut]

Howard Courant
July 13, 1922


The Courant lost a good friend last week when John H. Hamilton passed away.  The first time I ever saw John Hamilton, very soon after he located at Elk Falls, in 1877.  I thought he was one of the handsomest and physically perfect men I ever met.  He was then in the prime of early mature manhood, was tall, straight and upstanding, with a complexion new from "York State," and not yet tanned and burned by the Kansas sun.  In 1880, when the railroad reached Elk Falls, I established a little newpaper at that town, and John Hamilton's oldest son Clad came to my office and offered his services as "devil."  This served to strengthen the friendly tie between the Hamilton family and myself, and later when I bought into The Howard Courant, Clad came to Howard and for more than eight years was a part of my family.  We named our first son for him, and a dozen years later when the elder Hamilton was elected Sheriff of Elk county, the friendly attitude he always bore toward me and my paper was indeed a pleasure to me.  When his term of office was out and he left Howard, I only saw him at long intervals, but when we did occasionally meet, his handshake was always a hearty reminder that he was still my loyal friend.  Last Sunday morning, when his son John phoned me from Independence that my good friend had passed away, it gripped me with a pang of pain, for I had not known that his health was anything but good--he had always appeared so strong and able-bodied. My wife and I motored down to Elk Falls Monday afternoon and attended the funeral in the little old home town and at the little church which was built while I was publishing my little paper in that place.  John Hamilton was a Union soldier in the war time of the sixties, but there were only three or four of the boys at the funeral--in fact there were scarcely half a dozen of them left in that community, and not all are able to get out from their homes.  Rev. Hill spoke kindly comforting words to the three splendid sons and his one daughter, and the friends assembled.  One daughter lives back in the old native York State and was not able to come.........I shall always cherish a most kindly remembrance of John Hamilton, a good friend and true.  ----T.E.T.      (Thomas E. Thompson)

Here is a brief sketch found elsewhere in the same newspaper:

John Harper Hamilton was born September 13, 1842 on his fathers farm in Delaware County, New York; the son of James Hamilton and Nancy Harper Hamilton.  His parents were of Scotch-Irish stock; James Hamilton having been born in Ardmillan Ulster county, Ireland, and Nancy Harper being a native of New York state.  He enlisted in the Union Army in 1864 and served as a non-commissioned officer in the 18th New York Cavalry.

In 1865 he was married to Margaret Mitchell in Delaware county.  He lived on a farm in that county unitl 1877, when he came with his family to Kansas.  He arrived at Elk Falls on the 2nd day of February, having driven overland from Independence, which was the end of the rail line at that date. From time to time he was a peace officer of the town or township.  In 1897 he was nominated on the Republican ticket for sheriff of Elk county and elected.  In 1899 he was re-elected by a greatly increased majority.   The change from annual to biennial elections being made during his incumbency, he served for three years; making a total service of five years as sheriff.

After going out of office, he removed to Moline, where he lived for a short time.  Returning to Elk Falls in 1903, Mr. Hamioton made that his home until February 7, 1921, when his wife died there.  Since that time he has lived with his son, John C. Hamilton at Independence.  His children are: Clad Hamilton, Mrs. Charles Morris, Mrs. William M. Brownell, John C. Hamilton, Clay Hamilton.

John Hamilton died July 8, 1922.

[Janet Harrington]

Okay.  Here is a picture of John H. Hamilton when he was Sheriff of Elk County.