Union County, Ohio Biographies Project - Rev. William Hamilton
WILLIAM HAMILTON
<> William Hamilton was one of the early
pioneers of Claibourne Township and for a period of almost thirty years
one of the foremost men of Union County. He was born near
Morgantown, Va., in 1789. In 1807, he emigrated with his father,
William Hamilton, Sr., to Muskingum County, Ohio, arriving at their
pioneer home on his eighteenth birthday. Here his energies were
developed by his assistance in clearing the densely timbered land and
reducing to a well-improved farm. He acquired extensive
possessions, and in 1837 sold his large farm with the expectation to
locate farther in the west. For one season he tarried in
Licking. He then purchased from Cadwallader Wallace his survey of
1,000 acres, northwest of Richwood, paying $3,600 for it, and reached
Claibourne Township, April 30, 1838. The survey was afterwards,
found to contain nearly 1,400 acres. Mr. Hamilton remained at
Richmond until he could build a log house, when he at once moved into
it and remained its occupant till his decease. This large tract
was as yet untouched by the, woodman's ax, and the arduous labor of
again developing a farm devolved upon him. He was a man possessed
of energies greatly superior to those of average mankind, and carried
an enthusiasm and determination into whatever enterprise he undertook
which insured its success. In physique he was large and
powerful. Though not cultured, he was thoroughly honest and
public spirited, and was perhaps more influential in creating a healthy
moral atmosphere in his community, by his example and teachings, of his
withering denunciation of whatever was mean and contemptible, than any
other individual. His spirit was chivalrous, and to the weak or
oppressed he was unusually kind. He was a member of the Methodist
Protestant Church and for nearly forty years a local minister of this
faith. In politics, he was strongly Whig, and later in life
a Republican. He had served in Muskingum County as Commissioner
and filled the same office in Union County. It was to his
exertions and labors, largely, that the Infirmary farm was purchased
and building erected. His death occurred August 12, 1867.
Mr. Hamilton had been twice married. By his first wife, Miss
Ewing, he had four children--Elizabeth, Samuel, William and
Benjamin. Elizabeth, married Jacob C. Sidle, a prominent farmer
of Claibourne; Samuel, is a farmer in Marshall County, Ill.; William, a
farmer at Wenona, same county; Benjamin, died in Claibourne
Township. The second wife was Lydia Springer. By this
marriage there were eight children-Cornelius S. (deceased), an attorney
of Marysville; John W., Professor of Surgery at the Columbus Medical
College; Joseph H., a Methodist Protestant Minister, now at Mount
Vernon, Ohio; Isaac N., a physician, at Marysville; Horatio C., of
Richwood, George B., a farmer of Claibourne; Susan R. (deceased); and
Thomas B., a physician, who enlisted as Surgeon in the One Hundred and
Fourteenth Illinois Regiment, and died at Memphis, Tenn., in 1865.
REV. WILLIAM HAMILTON
<> Rev. William Hamilton is
deceased. The subject of this sketch was so interwoven with the
history and development of the northeast part of Union County, that a
history of the county would not be complete without a somewhat extended
notice of his career. It is ascertained, without question, that
be descended from a family of Hamiltons in Scotland, who for centuries
have been prominent in giving shape to the politics, religion and
literature of that far-famed part, of Christian civilization. At
what particular time his ancesters moved to America is not known.
When they did, they settled in the State of Maryland, near the city of
Baltimore, in Baltimore County. The name is still familiar in
that State. Its present Governor is a Hamilton; whether he is of
the same family has not been ascertained.
William Hamilton, the father of the subject of this
sketch, was born near Baltimore about the year 1760, and married
Susanna Brown. who was connected with an old pioneer family of the
State of Maryland.
In the year 1789, the two last named moved from the
State of Maryland to Virginia, and settled near Morgantown, Monongalia
County (now West Virginia), and in Moving passed through a part of
Pennsylvania, and while on this journey, and passing through
Pennsylvania, the subject of this notice was born May 1, 1789. In
the year 1806, in company with his parents, he moved to Ohio and
settled in Hopewell Township, Muskingum County, and took an active part
in clearing a farm in what was then a wilderness country. He
remained with his parents until the year 1810, when be married Hannah
Ewing, who lived near Zanesville, and moved to land in Licking County,
where be cleared a farm that proves to be the spot where the village of
Gratiot has been built.
During the war of 1812, be was drafted, but having a
wife whose health was feeble, he hired a substitute and raised the
money to pay him by selling oats at 6 1/4 cents per bushel. About
the year 1815, he moved into Muskingum Township, Muskingum County, on
lands uncleared, but by his own hands he soon surrounded himself with a
well-improved farm. It was here his first wife died, October 2,
1819, leaving four children. She had been a faithful companion, a
good Christian and died in peace and is buried near the village of
Irville in the same county.
March 9, 1820, he married Lydia Springer, who
belonged to a family that moved from the State of Delaware to near
Zanesville, in Muskingum County, in the year 1806. His residence
on this farm continued until the year 1836, when it was sold and in the
fall of that year be moved to a farm six miles east of Newark, in
Licking County. While residing here, he purchased of Cadwalader
Wallace, of Chillicothe, an unbroken tract of land in the northeast
part of Union County, situated near the village of Richwood, in
Claibourne Township. The purchase was to be a thousand acres more
or less, and when it was surveyed there proved to be fifteen hundred
and ten. In the spring of 1838, he moved with his family to this
land. It seemed like a formidable undertaking to subdue as heavy
a forest as covered it, but a man that had so often and long contended
with the forests of Ohio could not be discouraged. His family had
increased until he had ten sons, strong and well, not all grown it is
true; but be could furnish in his own family what was equal to five
hands. With these and some hired assistance from the first, he
cleared ground sufficient, as the seasons rolled round, to produce
enough to support his large family, and have something to spare for the
support of others.
In a few years, he raised sufficient corn to supply
destitute families for miles ground. So numerous were the
applications for it, that his excellent wife used to say that it made
her think of the time of Joseph disbursing corn in Egypt. A
circumstance occurred about this time that caused some anxiety in the
family. John W., now of Columbus, was sent to Millville on the Scioto
with the last grist of wheat before harvest. Some 25 bushels were
placed in a wagon drawn by a span of two large oxen. John had
arrived at the mill in the evening and spent the night at the mill,
fastening the oxen to a tree. During the night, his grist was
ground, so that on the coming morning he started homeward. He had
fed the oxen, but had not watered them. All went well until be
arrived a few hundred yards above the breast of the dam, when the oxen
saw the water, and in spite of all efforts of the driver to prevent it,
plunged down a steep bank into the river, and the force in running down
the bank pushed the oxen into deep water, where the wagon came
uncoupled and they swam out with the fore wheels, leaving John and his
grist in the river. It was an unpleasant position for a boy, and
one that, without help, he could not extricate himself. Charles
Arthur, as noble a man as lives, was in hailing distance, who soon
mustered a force of men that relieved John from his trouble and started
him homeward. He arrived in due time, and reported his
misfortune. It was supposed that all was ruined, and a feeling of
gloom rested upon the family, as much as was embraced in that grist
could not be obtained nearer than Delaware County, and money was
scarce, and so many to be fed. It was a great relief when an
examination showed that the flour was safe; not more than one pound to
the sack was spoiled.
The great desire of Mr. Hamilton was to have his
family settled around him, and he now had enough land to give them all
a portion, and have as much for himself as he cared to have, but such
plans are like to be overthrown, and so they were in this case as the
history will show.
The country being new, there was no hotel near,
hence his house was the home of friends and strangers who came into the
country, for years. He entertained all who came, without
compensation. He was a surveyor, and would take his compass and
chain and spend day after day with men, helping them determine the
boundaries of their lands, and many times without compensation.
Few men have ever shown less selfishness than he
did. He was a pioneer in the true sense of the word. The
whole of the former part of his life had been that of a pioneer, and he
brought the same spirit to Union County.
About the year 1815, he had been authorized to
preach the Gospel in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and labored
extensively as a local preacher in Muskingum and Licking
Counties. In the year 1828, he became an uncompromising advocate
of reform in the government of that church, and when expulsions
occurred in Baltimore, Lynchburg, Cincinnati, and at other points
simply for advocating lay delegation in the Annual and General
Conferences of the church, his sympathies were with the reformers, and
when the expelled petitioned in vain for readmission into the church,
only asking the right of free discussion, and were forced to organize a
new church, he united with them, and came into the Methodist Protestant
Church with its organization. This change made him a pioneer in
the new organization and with firm resolution and determined spirit he
entered upon the work of planting the new church in the counties of
Muskingum, Licking, Knox and Coshocton. He preached almost every
Sabbath, sometimes traveling long distances to meet his
appointments. In that year 1830, for a part of one year he
traveled a circuit reaching into Licking and Knox Counties, with Rev.
W. B. Evans, and the savor of his Christian influence still remains
with the few now living who still have a recollection of him.
When he moved to Union County, there was a wide opening for his
services. He, besides preaching at times in Richwood, where his
family attended divine service, was often called to preach on the
Scioto, Rush Creek, Fulton Creek, Boaz Creek and sometimes into Logan
and Clark Counties.
His commanding form, his distinct and warm
utterances, and his genial, social spirit, made him welcome wherever he
went as a preacher. His services were often in demand to preach at
funerals and perform marriage ceremonies. He traveled at one time
on horseback, from near Zanesville to Cincinnati, to attend one of the
first conferences of his denomination and a number of times served as
delegate to the Ohio Annual Conference.
He traveled thousands of miles and preached
thousands of sermons, and performed all his ministerial duties except
marrying without a cent's compensation. And during all this time
gave to the support of other ministers. In the erection of a
plain hewed log church in Richwood, he took a prominent part.
When stoves were needed, it was an impossibility to raise money with
which to purchase them. He and his neighbor, Samuel Graham, each
took a load of wheat to Granville, in Licking County, and exchanged the
wheat for stoves.
When it was determined to build a new church, he was
foremost in his contributions for that purpose. The improvement
and development of the country greatly improved his
circumstances. For years, in order to raise money for tax and
other absolute necessities, he journeyed to Lake Erie to find a market;
this would require a week's steady travel. In the course of time,
with three hundred acres of improved land, he found at his door one of
the best markets in Central Ohio for all his products. With these
advantages, he was prepared for the enjoyment of life, so far as
worldly advantages were concerned, but advanced years brought with it
affliction that caused at times a great deal of suffering.
His affliction of mind was augmented by death
entering the family and removing Benjamin, Susan and Thomas. June
12, 1864, his wife died, after faithfully sharing the trials of life
with him for forty-four years. After the death of his wife, he
lived with Horatio and George at and near the old homestead,
occasionally making visits to other members of his family in Illinois
and in different parts of Ohio. He loved company and was usually
cheerful and happy. When alone, he would think of the dear
friends that had died, and long to be with them.
He closed his earthly career calmly and peacefully,
August 8, 1867, in his own home, surrounded with the families of
Horatio, George and Newton.
Thus closed the career of a man of more than
ordinary intellectual powers and force of character. His father
had been a man of deep piety and strong mind. His oldest brother,
Benjamin Hamilton, was a Lieutenant under Capt. Brady, the great Indian
scout, when he explored the Muskingum Valley. The husband of his
oldest sister, Rev. Robert Manly, is spoken of by Rev. James Quinn, in
the Western Christian Advocate for 1835, as the first Methodist
preacher that ever preached the Gospel in what is now the State of
Ohio. A younger brother, Rev. Samuel Hamilton, was a preacher in
the Methodist Episcopal Church, of marked ability. These facts
indicate an origin and surrounding that furnish an idea of the elements
that entered into his character. William Hamilton, in the prime
of his manhood, showed powers that under more favorable circumstances
for their development would have placed him by the side of the
strongest men of the country.
He was a man of decided convictions in politics, and
as an old Whig had been elected, in the year 1830, Commissioner of
Muskingum County. In the year 1846, he was elected as a
Republican Commissioner of Union County. He served as magistrate
a number of years, and filled all public trusts committed to his care
with fidelity.
As a preacher, he declared with coldness his
convictions. At one time he was called upon to preach the funeral
of a lewd woman that had died. He asked to be excused, stating
that a sense of duty would prompt him to be very plain, if he did ; the
relatives said they would receive what he said without offense, and
insisted that he should preach. He did so, using as a text Rev.,
ii, 21: "I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she
repented not;" the truth was plainly presented, but a tenderness of
feeling and sympathy always attended his utterances. Be that he
seldom gave offense. He was a man that often labored in
communities, where there was but little respect for religion or its
teachers, but his boldness and suavity of manners would soon command
the respect of the most uncultivated hearer. In dealing with his
fellow-men, he was honest to the cent, and never did any man more fully
despise deception and dishonesty than he. When he detected men in
dishonest acts, he had the courage to confront them, and tell them
plainly of it. He said to a man in his employ, and living on his
land, "You know that I know you stole my corn, and that you stole your
neighbor's ax."
<><> This he would do in a plain, emphatic manner,
and his appearance would disarm the man of resentment. He was
possessed of excellent conversational powers; many homes were made
cheerful by big rich store of anecdotes, and when friends visited him,
he would entertain them in a style not easily forgotten. When
Salmon P. Chase was a candidate for Governer of Ohio, on his way from
Marysville to Marion, he spent a night at Mr. Hamilton's, and so well
was be entertained with his hospitality and conversation, that ever
after, when he would meet any of the family, he would make diligent
inquiry as to the health of his friend, and then speak of the pleasure
he experienced in his company.
His example impressed men. In cases where he
needed help from neighbors, he never supplied spirits as an
inducement. Others maintained the same position and the example
was followed throughout the entire community, so that for years no
encouragement was given to the sale of liquors in Richwood, and it was
not to be procured for miles around.
<> A communion service was to be had in Richwood,
and the writer, when a boy, was sent to Millville, in Delaware County,
to procure wine for the occasion, because it could not be obtained
nearer.
His example on this question had great influence
with his family. He had ten sons; all lived to mature years; not
one of them ever used liquor as a beverage, but all became strong
advocates of temperance, and not more than three of them ever used
tobacco.
We might add page after page in placing before the
reader traits of character and interesting incidents in the life of
this pioneer citizen and preacher, but space will not allow. It
has now been over fifteen years since be passed away from earth.
Anew generation has largely come upon the stage with a tendency to
forget the men and women who cleared away the forests and prepared the
way for the homes they now occupy. It is true his resting place
in the Richwood Cemetery, near the Bethlehem Church, in Claibourne
Township, is marked by a humble marble slab, but as a token of regard
for one deserving to be had in everlasting remembrance for a worthy
Christian life and for the many heroic deeds that life presents, this
tribute to his memory is offered.<>
William Hamilton was the father of twelve
children, two daughters and ten sons; the oldest and youngest were
daughters.
<> Elizabeth, daughter of William and Hannah
Hamilton, was born in Licking County March 5, 1812, and with her
parents moved to Muskingum County when a child. She married Jacob
C. Sidle in 1834, and about the year 1850 moved to Union County, and,
with her husband, settled in Claibourne Township, where they became
extensively known, and had many friends. She in the mother of
seven children, one remarkable feature is that she had three sets of
twins. Jacob Sidle died June 10, 1876.
After the lapse of some time, she married Gideon
Wickham, of Newark, Ohio, and is now living in that city, at the age of
seventy years. Two of her children are dead, and five living.
Samuel, oldest son of William and Hannah
Hamilton, was born in Licking County April 5, 1814. He was reared
in Muskingum County, at farming as a pursuit, married Nancy McMorris,
of same county, moved to Union County in the year 1840, and settled on
a part of the purchase made by his father, and remained until the year
1854, when he moved to the State of Illinois and is now living in
Marshall County, that State. He has been married the second time,
having by his first wife seven children, four sons, and three
daughters; one son is dead, one a farmer, and two lawyers; John M., is
at this writing Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. His second wife,
formerly Harriet Gray nee Rodman, died May 16, 1882, and was buried
near Zanesville. He is now in his sixty-ninth year.
<> William McKendre, second son of William and Hannah
Hamilton, was born in Muskingum County October 13, 1816. At an
early period, he went to Zanesville, to learn the tailoring trade where
he spent six years and became an accomplished workman in his
line. He continued this business for a number of years, but at
length he became interested in trade.
For some years he did business for Daniel Brush as a
partner. This partnership finally closed, having given perfect
satisfaction to Mr. Brush, and been the means of greatly increasing the
property of both. He is living in Wenona, Marshall Co., Ill., in
good circumstances, and is actively engaged in the business of
life. His latest enterprise is that of sinking a shaft for coal,
at a heavy expense. He is plain and unassuming in manner, but
understands the laws of trade, and has been remarkably
successful. He married Rebecca Burns, of his adopted State, and
has a family that is greatly respected. He gave at one time
$10,000 toward the endowment of a college at Adrian, Mich. He is
well preserved and has a fair prospect of living many years to enjoy
life and bless his fellow-man. He is now in his sixty-seventh
year.
Benjamin Manley, third son of William and Hannah
Hamilton, was born January 2, 1819, in Muskingum County. His
mother died October 2, following, leaving him an infant of less than
ten months ; helpless it is true, but he was tenderly cared for and
grew to manhood, and was the oldest of the ten sons of William Hamilton
that moved into Union County, and shared in opening the farm so widely
known as the Hamilton farm.
About the year 1812, lie married Abigail Graham,
daughter of John Graham, Sr., for many years a resident of Union
County. Soon after his marriage, he moved to land received from
his father and had himself to reclaim the wilderness and made it a
fruitful field. He continued this work until February 7, 1859,
when be was suddenly killed by the running away of a team of
horses. He left a family of five children ; the oldest, William,
is now living in Van Wert County, Ohio, and has authority to preach in
the United Brethren Church. Benjamin, was a conscientious
Christian man, and died at the age of forty years. This was the
first death among the children of William Hamilton.
Cornelius Springer. (See biography in this book.)
John Waterman, 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.<>
Joseph Harrison, third son of William and Lydia
Hamilton, was born in Muskingum County July 23, 1826, and moved to
Union County at the age of twelve years. Though not full grown.
he could render material help in the work of clearing up the
farm. He could drive the oxen, burn the brush, plow and hoe the
corn, bring the cows from the forest pasture, and was the first to
carry the mail from Richwood to Marysville and return. In the
winter of 1811, he and a number of' associates made a profession of
religion, and united with the Methodist Protestant Church. In the
spring of 1843, his church gave him authority to speak to the people on
the subject of religion. He spent the week in labor on the farm,
and on Sabbath he visited points at schoolhouses and in the cabins of
the settlers to hold religious services. His educational
advantages were limited to the winter school, except a three months'
select school conducted by his brother John in Marysville.
February 17, 1844, his church authorized him to preach the Gospel, and
in August, of the same year, he united with the Muskingum Annual
Conference, with the view of making the ministry his life work.
He has now spent almost thirty-nine years in the ministry, during which
time he has performed an unusual amount of labor, preaching a
considerable part of the time three times on the Sabbath, and often
during the week time, but in the thirty-nine years has only been off
duty four Sabbaths in consequence of sickness. He has preached in
Muskingum and Licking County five years, Coshocton four, Lancaster two,
Circleville two, Steubenville five, New Comerstown one, McConnelsville
two, served as President of his conference one year, and has preached
in Mt. Vernon and Knox County for nearly seventeen years. During
his residence in Knox County, he has attended over 400 funerals, and
married over 400 couples. Hundreds have been added to the church
through his instrumentality. He often delivers addresses on
different subjects that find a place in print. On the 31st day of
August, 1848, he married Charlotta M. Rodman, near Zanesville.
They have three children, one son and two daughters, all live in Mt.
Vernon. The son is a printer, and for three years was publisher
of the Mt. Vernon Republican, while the father was editor
and proprietor. He is now in his fifty-seventh year, and performs
the labor ordinarily performed by two men.<>
Isaac N. Hamilton. (See biography in this book.)
**The History of Union County
gives two accounts for the Rev. William Hamilton.**