Polk-Carroll County ArArchives Biographies.....Hamilton, John H. 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 August 16, 2009, 9:30 pm

Source: See Full Citation Below Biography
Author: S. J. Clarke

JOHN H. HAMILTON.
    John H. Hamilton, one of the successful real estate dealers of Mena, well
known in the business circles of Polk county, was born in Alabama in 1851 and is
descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry. His grandfather, Abraham Hamilton, was a
native of South Carolina and a millwright by trade. He spent his last years in
Tennessee. His son, John Hamilton, was born in South Carolina in 1818. He
started with his parents in a covered wagon to Tennessee and while en route the
parents of John Hamilton with their family met the family of Martin Hamilton,
who was a native of Virginia and a farmer by occupation. He was on the road with
his family to Mississippi, also traveling in a covered wagon. It was at this
time that John Hamilton formed the acquaintance of Jane Hamilton and they were
married, and likewise another son and daughter of the two Hamilton families were
married while they were on their way westward. After their marriage John and
Jane Hamilton continued on their way to Hamilton, Marion county, Alabama, where
he engaged in merchandising and in mechanical pursuits, including blacksmithing.
He prospered in his undertaking there and afterward went to Louisville,
Kentucky, where he purchased a stock of goods, which he shipped by boat for some
distance and then hauled his goods ninety miles by ox team and wagon from the
river to his destination. During the opening year of the Civil war he joined the
Sixteenth Alabama Infantry and died from disease at Knoxville, Tennessee. He was
a member of the Masonic fraternity and his wife belonged to the Eastern Star. In
politics he was a democrat, but was a stanch advocate of the Union cause, having
entered the service of his country as soon as hostilities were inaugurated. Both
he and his wife belonged lo the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 1863.
while his wife survived for a quarter of a century, departing this life in 1888,
being then seventy-two years of age, her birth having occurred in Virginia in
1816. In their family were eleven children, four of whom are living: Mrs. Hannah
Vaughn, a widow, residing in Tupelo, Mississippi, at the age of seventy-eight
years; Julia, the wife of J. A. Morgan, a farmer living at Tupelo; John H., of
this review; and Fannie E., the wife of Gabie Brown, a farmer and money loaner
of Calvin, Oklahoma.

    John H. Hamilton, whose name introduces this review, was educated in Vernon,
Alabama, and in young manhood devoted his attention to mercantile interests. He
remained in the business in Detroit, Alabama, for a number of years, and in 1880
took up his abode at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, becoming one of the early
merchants of that place. He also served as postmaster of the town under
President Cleveland's first administration. He likewise filled the office of
county clerk of Carroll county, Arkansas, for one term and following his
retirement from office he engaged in the real estate business, which he capably
and successfully conducted. In July, 1898, he came to Mena, arriving a few days
before the completion of the railroad to this point. He built the third house in
the town, it costing him fifty-six dollars to complete the structure, which he
rented for a dollar per day. He had charge of land for the railroad company,
making the sales for the corporation, and when this was accomplished he
continued in the real estate business on his own account and has won substantial
succass in the careful and sagacious conduct of his affairs. As opportunity has
offered he has made judicious investments and now owns considerable farm lands
and city property. He is also a stockholder in the Planters' State Bank. He
started out in the business world empty-handed and had enjoyed no special
advantages in the way of education or along other lines. Moreover, he had a
widowed mother whom he had to support, receiving, the first two years he worked,
fifty cents a day. He learned the multiplication table after he was seventeen
years of age and notwithstanding various handicaps he has made his way steadily
upward until he is today one of the prosperous and representative business men
of western Arkansas, conducting an extensive real estate and loan agency.

    In 1876 Mr. Hamilton was united in marriage to Miss Michael Key, who was
born in Georgia and died in 18S7, leaving a son, Paul K., now at Birmingham,
Alabama, where he is engaged in the wholesale and retail commission business. On
the 7th of November, 1920, Mr. Hamilton was again married, his second union
being with Pearl M. (Dean) Brewer, who was born in Sebastian county, Arkansas,
where her father settled in pioneer times. He was an Indian scout and also
served as United States marshal for a number of years. Mrs. Hamilton clerked in
the Mena post office for fourteen years before her marriage. Both Mr. and Mrs.
Hamilton hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. South, and
fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which
he has passed all of the chairs. In politics he is an earnest democrat and in
1907 and 1909 was elected to the state legislature, in which he served for two
terms, giving thoughtful and earnest consideration to the vital questions which
came up for settlement during his connection with the general assembly. He was
mayor of Mena for two terms and for twenty years served on the school board, the
cause of education finding in him a stalwart champion and one whose labors were
of practical benefit in the upbuilding of the schools. He organized the first
school in Mena and he has been closely associated with the development and
progress of the city in many ways. There were no houses in Mena when he came
here mid his first place of abode was a tent that stood on the site now occupied
by his office, it being en the main street of the city. Today he owns the entire
block, which is built up with good business property and returns to him a very
gratifying annual rental. Mr. Hamilton also has a military chapter in his life
record. He was one of the youngest Confederate soldiers, entering the army in
1864 and serving with Forrest's cavalry. He had twenty-one relatives who were
also with the Confederate forces. His entire time and attention are given to his
business affairs as a real estate dealer in Mena and his capability is manifest
in the substantial results which he achieved as the years passed by. He truly
deserves all the credit that is implied in the term a self-made man and his life
record should serve to inspire and encourage others, showing what may be
accomplished through individual effort intelligently directed.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922



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