Union County, Ohio Biographies Project - John Waterman Hamilton
JOHN WATERMAN HAMILTON
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John Waterman Hamilton, second son of William and
Lydia Hamilton, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, June 7, 1823, and
was fifteen years old when his father moved into Union County. He
shared in the labors and trials endured by the family consequent upon
making a home in the wilderness. His habits were studious, and
though denied the privilege of any other school advantages, except one
term in Granville College, than such as were afforded in three or four
months school in winter, he had advanced far enough to teach school at
the age of sixteen. This he did successfully in the village of
Richwood, in the winter of' 1838 - 39. He afterward taught a
select school in Marysville, in the basement of the old Presbyterian
Church, and taught at different points in Muskingum County. The
object was to supply himself with means for the prosecution of studies
in the medical profession. He commenced the study of this
profession, under Dr. Bealmear, in the village of Irville, Muskingum
County, and continued it under the instructions of Dr. Knight, of the
same county. He taught, school and studied medicine until his
means were sufficient to enable him to attend lectures. This he
did at Willoughby Medical College, near Cleveland, where he graduated,
in the year 1847. In the year 1848, he married Rachel Werden, who
resided near Cleveland, and commenced the practice of medicine on the
Scioto, a few miles above Columbus. He contained here a few
years, and moved to Akron, where he remained but for a short time , and
went to New York City to obtain hospital advantages. After
remaining there for some months, he returned to Columbus in the year
1853, and now for thirty-three years he has devoted himself entirely to
his profession. For twenty - five or more years he has filled a
professor's chair and most of the time the chair of surgery. This
position he now occupies, and is the acknowledged authority on surgery
in all Central Ohio. He has performed some of the most critical
operations ever performed in the State, and is justly placed by the
profession in the front rank. In early life, he was tall and
slender in form, but has increased in flesh until he now weighs 300
pounds. With his own means, he erected what is known as Columbus
Medical College, near his spacious dwelling in the city of Columbus,
and so lucrative has been his profession, and is at the present time,
that he has ample means of enjoying ease and comfort; but such are the
demands for his services that he could not lay aside his work if he
should desire to do so. He has two sons, one a graduate of
Gambier College, and the other a student at Princeton, that he is
training for same profession. He is now in his sixtieth year.