ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

Woodson County figures as one of the most attractive, progressive and prosperous divisions of the state of Kansas, justly claiming a high order of citizenship and a spirit of enterprise which is certain to conserve consecutive development and marked advancement in the material upbuilding of this section. The county has been signally favored in the class of men who have controlled its affairs, and in this connection the subject of this review demands representation as one who has served the county faithfully and well in positions of distinct trust and repsonsibility.[sic] Moreover he has been one of the most extensive stock dealers and leading business men of southeastern Kansas, and is one of the honored pioneers of the commonwealth, having come to the state in its territorial days.

Mr. Hamilton was born in Gallatin County, Kentucky, September 12, 1832. His father, John O. Hamilton, was also a native of that state and there married Miss Hannah Gregg, whose birth occurred in the same locality. They were the parents of ten children, of whom our subject was the second in order of birth. He was reared on the home farm and attended the common schools until sixteen years of age when he went to Covington College and later became a student in Western Collegiate Institute at Patriot, Indiana. He was afterward graduated in a business college in Marietta, Ohio, and later in a law college in Louisville. When eighteen years of age he went to Tennessee, where he engaged in teaching school for two years after which he returned to his old Kentucky home and took up the study of law, being admitted to the bar in 1854.

The following year Mr. Hamilton came to Kansas, locating first in Leavenworth, whence he went to Council Bluffs, Ia., but not liking that place he returned to Missouri, taking up his abode in Clinton County. Soon the border war came on and he was appointed captain of a company and saw some arduous and dangerous service. With his company he came to Kan-

sas, where he met Gov. Geary with whom he held a consultation. Captain Hamilton, wishing to make his home in Kansas, surrendered his command and took up his abode in the Sunflower state, which has since been his place of residence. Not long afterward the Civil war was inaugurated and for a time he was connected with the home guards. He afterward entered the employ of the government as wagon master and later received an appointment as sutler, being thus associated with the army for a number of months. He was next appointed to buy cattle for the Indians and can relate many hair-breadth escapes which he had while in the United States service among the red men.

Mr. Hamilton first settled in Leroy, Coffey County, and began the practice of law before the county was organized. He attended the legislature of 1857, succeeded in having the county established and was appointed by the assembly to the offices of county clerk and register of deeds. He purchased a large body of land in the vicinity of Leroy, and at the same time conducted a large general mercantile store, so that he was kept very busy in managing his agricultural and commercial affairs, in addition to his law practice and the discharge of his official duties.

On the 22d. of February, 1858, Mr. Hamilton was married and continued to reside in Coffey County until 1875, when he sold his land there and came to his present home in Woodson County, purchasing six hundred and forty acres on Cherry creek in Everett township, where he has since developed a very fine and highly improved farm. He has purchased and sold more cattle than any other stock dealer in the county, handling thousands of head, but in late years, on account of his advanced age, he has largely retired from that business, feeding only a small number of cattle. He has recently purchased property in Leroy, including a part of his old homestead.

The lady who for forty-three years has traveled life's journey by his side as his faithful wife and helpmate was in her maidenhood Miss Jane Scott, and she is the oldest lady member of the Old Settlers' Association of Coffey, Allen and Woodson Counties. She is a daughter of General John B. Scott, who was a native of Virginia and when a small boy accompanied his parents on their removal to Bloomington, Illinois. There he was reared and married, the lady of his choice being Miss Anna Davis, of New York. In an early day he went to Iowa as a trader with the Indians, and in 1849 came with the Sac and Fox Indians to Kansas. The red men at that time owed him twenty thousand dollars and he came to collect it. He settled at Leroy where he was appointed major general of the Kansas Home Guards. His death occurred in 1873, when he was fifty-seven years of age. His first wife died during the early girlhood of Mrs. Hamilton and he afterward married again. His second wife died in 1880. General Scott was the founder of Leroy and was Indian agent for many years, both in Iowa and Kansas.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have been born fourteen children, of

whom twelve are now living: Mrs. T. W. Plummer and Mrs. Fred Pearl, both of Yates Center; John O., of Vernon; Charles C., a twin brother of John and a farmer by occupation; Mrs. Ed Vetito, of Yates Center; Alex. O., who aids in the work of the home farm; Gus H., who served with the Twentieth Kansas regiment in the Philippines and is now in Vernon; Herbert, a barber in Yates Center; Clarence P., who was also a member of the Twentieth Kansas regiment and is now in Joliet, Illinois; Grace, who is in business in Yates Center, is wife of Eber Holiday; S. Wallace, who is also in the county seat, and Nellie at home. Alice, the third child, died at the age of three years, and Stanley died at one year old.

Mr. Hamilton has always taken an active interest in public affairs, pertaining to the welfare of his community and has held several local offices. He was the first postmaster of Vernon, has filled the position of justice of the peace and for two years was a sheriff of Woodsn[sic] County. His popularity in the community is unmistakable not only on account of his fidelity to duty in public office, but also because of his honorable business career, his fidelity to manly principles and his reliability in private life. During the long years of his residence in Kansas he has left the impress of his individuality for good upon the communities with which he has been connected and he feels just pride in the splendid advancement made by his adopted state.

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