[IMAGE]
Dr. J. D. Hamilton

Dr. Joseph D. Hamilton, the present county treasurer of Butler county, is a man whose faithfulness and efficiency and genial ond[sic] courteous manner in the discharge of the duties of this important office, have won for him many friends throughout the county. He believes that public office is public trust, and that the patrons of his office are entitled to efficient and courteous service, and while he was generally well known throughout the county when he began this term of office, many taxpayers have learned things about Doctor Hamilton, as a public official that they did not know before, and each day during his term of office has added to his already long list of friends and supporters among the taxpayers of Butler county.

Dr. Hamilton was born July 9, 1848, in Pine Creek township, Ogle county, Illinois, and comes from a long line of American ancestors. His parents were Francis and Abilgil J. (Haller) Hamilton, both natives of Washington county, Maryland, and pioneer settlers of Illinois. Francis Hamilton was a son of George Hamilton who was born in Maryland, May 4, 1800; and he was a son of George Hamilton who came from Ireland, and settled in Baltimore, during the latter part of the eighteenth century. The old Hamilton homestead was in the vicinity of the battle ground of Antietam. Doctor Hamilton's mother, Abigil HaIler, was a daughter of Henry and Abigil J. (Hewett) HaIler, both natives of Connecticut, and of old New England stock. When Dr. Hamilton's father went to Illinois, he and his father, and their families drove across the country from Maryland and took up homesteads on Government land in Ogle county, where Doctor Hamilton was born. In 1868, they came to Kansas and drove the entire distance from Illinois. They settled in Louisburg, Miami county, where they remained until 1874, when they removed to Keokuk county, Iowa, near Thornburg, and the Doctor's parents and his grandfather died, and are buried in that locality. The mother died in 1886, age sixty-three years. The father died in 1910, aged 86 years, and the grandfather died in 1878, and the grandmother died in 1880.

Dr. Hamilton's father was a farmer and an only child, and he and his wife were the parents of the following children: Mary Abigal, married John Wolf, Moravia, Iowa; Dr. Joseph D., the subject of this sketch; Sarah, married Freman Cory, Des Moines, Iowa; George W., a minister, Denver, Colo.; Stephen A. D., farmer near Helena, Mont.; Charles M., physician and surgeon, Thornburg, Iowa; Frances Jane, married Frank Gibbons, Des Moines, Iowa; D. W., one of the leading attorneys of Iowa, and he has been a member of Congress from the Sixth Congressional district of that State, resides at Sigourney, Iowa; Della, married Mart Rigley, editor of the "Fremont News," Fremont, Ohio, and Margaret E., married Oliver Snyder, and resides near Sigourney, Iowa.

Dr. Hamilton received his education in the public schools of Ogle county, Illinois, and Rock River Seminary, and after coming to Kansas with his parents, taught school for a time in Miami county, and read medicine with Dr. G. W. Akers. Later he attended Bennett Medical College, and was graduated in the class of 1874, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then engaged in the practice of his profession at Victor, Iowa, remaining there one year, when he went to Delta, Iowa, being the first physician in that town. He remained there until 1883, when he came to Butler county, and located at Douglass where he was actively engaged in the practice of his profession, and met with uniform success. In 1897, he was elected county treasurer of Butler county, and after serving a term of two years, returned to his practice at Douglass which he followed with the same degree of success as before,

and built up a large practice. In 1914 he was again elected county treasurer, and is now serving in that office. He has a nice farm of 80 acres, near Douglass, and a good home in Douglass.

Dr. Hamilton was married, near Louisburg, Kans., October 24, 1872 to Miss Amanda J. Childers, a native of Kenawha Falls, W. Va. She is a daughter of Nathan and Harriet (Hudleson) Childers, natives of Virginia, and very early settlers in Miami county, Kansas, coming there in 1859 when Mrs. Hamilton was nine years old. Her parents spent their lives in Miami county, and their remains are buried near Louisburg. To Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton have been born five children, as follows: Oliver, died in childhood; Della, married Joseph Creed, Douglass, and they have two children, Neva and Raymond; Clarence, died in childhood; Dean died in childhood; and Francis N., manager of the Hamilton pharmacy, Mackville, Stafford county, Kansas, married Miss Muryle Hern, of St. Johns, Kans.

Dr. Hamilton is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Rebekahs, Modern Woodmen of America, and the Knights and Ladies of Security, and, holds membership in the Christian Church at Douglass. Politically he is a Democrat, but is not hide bound in his political creed, and is inclined to be liberal. He has served as mayor of Douglass, and was a member of the city council for a number of years and also served on the school board for five years. Dr. Hamilton is a man who makes friends not for the purpose of using them—but because that is his nature, and he is a loyal friend, himself. He is not of the type of men who live altogether for themselves, but perhaps, he may be selfish after all, for he has every ear mark of a man who gets pleasure out of doing good for others, at any rate that is his way of living, and we are inclined to think he could not do otherwise if he were to try.

Mrs. J. D. Hamilton is the author of the following verses:

Previous | Main Page | Biography Index | Next

Pages 408-411,