Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Hamilton, John L. 1855 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 18, 2007, 6:46 pm Author: Emma E. Forter (1917) JOHN L. HAMILTON. One of the prominent and successful farmers of Blue Rapids City township, Marshall county, and the owner of four hundred acres of prime land, is John L. Hamilton, who was born on January 3, 1855, at St Joseph, Missouri, and is the son of Frederick and Amelia (Bainbrich) Hamilton. Frederick and Amelia Hamilton were natives of France and the state of Missouri, respectively. The former was born in 1818 and died in 1897; the latter was born on September 17, 1824, and died in 1901. Amelia Hamilton was the daughter of Frederick and Mary Bainbrich. The former was born on August 29, 1782, in Prussia, and the latter in December, 1792, in Wurtemburg, Germany. They were educated in the schools of those countries and later came to the United States, locating for a time at Philadelphia, where they were married on October 7, 1810. Some time after their marriage they went to Missouri, where they established their home on a farm and there the mother died on Januarly [sic] 28, 1847. They were among the early settlers of the state and had much to do with the general development and growth of their home county, becoming prominent and influential members of the community. Frederick Hamilton, when a lad nine years old, ran away from his home in France, and as a stowaway on a ship got passage to the United States. For a number of years he lived in the East and then decided to try his fortune in the West. He located in the state of Missouri, where he was later united in marriage to Amelia Bainbrich, a native of Missouri, where she was educated and grew to womanhood. During the gold craze in 1849 Mr. Hamilton was one of the first gold seekers to go to California. He later engaged as freighter and made many trips to Salt Lake and the farther west. Life on the plains was a hard and dangerous one and in time Mr. Hamilton retired from the work and engaged in general farming. In 1858 Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton came to Marshall county, and established their home on a farm in Blue Rapids City township, where they were among the very earliest settlers. They settled on the farm now owned by George Dean. They developed and improved their holding and in time became successful in their agricultural operations. When coming from their home in St. Joe, Missouri, they were accompanied by Elbert Stout, who was for a long period a resident of the county. John L. Hamilton, when a child of three years, came with his parents to Blue Rapids City township, where he has since resided. Here he received his education in the schools of that period and was reared on the home farm, where he became conversant with the early pioneer life of the times. His first home in the county, would not nowadays be considered a pretentious affair. His father had built two log cabins, ten feet apart. In one was a large fire place, around which the family spent their evenings, and the other was used mostly as a sleeping room. His home at that time was one of the best, considering pioneer conditions, and in fact, was one of the first in the community. It became a favorite stopping place for the settlers about Irving. At one time, Mr. Hamilton's parents entertained seventeen of the early settlers in their pioneer home. It was during those early days that the family entertained Senator Pomeroy and Doctor Reed. The latter had been sent from Fulton, Illinois, to seek a location for the Irving colony, and for two summers he stopped at the Hamilton home, after which he withdrew from the colony. Those were most strenuous times and were conducive in making all men kin. The greatest hospitality was extended to all, and no one was turned away, without receiving assistance, if it were needed. As the family prospered, the father boarded up the space between the two houses, thus making a much larger residence. John L. Hamilton first attended school at Irving and in the winter of 1864 and 1865 attended school at Marysville. He continued to live with his father, with the exception of three years, which he spent ranching in Oregon, from 1875 to 1878. He cared for his father and mother until their deaths, and when he left the old home farm he purchased the place where he now lives. On December 28, 1881, John L. Hamilton was united in marriage to Alice Fitzgerald, who was born in Peterboro, Canada, on September 8, 1855. She was the daughter of William and Agnes (Davidson) Fitzgerald. Her parents were also natives of Canada and were of Irish descent. They remained residents of Canada until 1871, when they immigrated to the United States, and in February of that year located two and one-half miles east of Blue Rapids, on a farm. This farm was improved and developed and here the mother died in 1878; the father later moved to Blue Rapids, where he died in 1898. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Margaret Isabelle Hamilton, of Blue Rapids; Robert James, who died in the fall of 1871; Mrs. Alice Hamilton; Ross, who lives on the old homestead; William, now deceased, and Isaac Francis, who also lives on the old home farm. To John L. and Alice Hamilton have been born the following children: Lula Isabelle, Gertrude May, Virgil Blain, Russell, Agnes Amelia and Hazel Maude. Lula Isabelle Estes is a resident of Blue Rapids; Gertrude May Pulleine lives at Home City, where her husband is a successful banker; Virgil Blain died at the age of seven years; Russell Myron is at home; Agnes Amelia, who is the wife of Mr. Hartling, of Kansas City, Missouri, was for a number of years one of the successful primary teachers of the state. She received her primary education in the local schools of the county and completed her work in the National Kindergarten School of Chicago. After completing her education she was for a time a teacher in the schools of Marysville, Manhattan and Wichita. Hazel Maude was educated with the view to becoming a teacher and is now engaged in that work at Jewell City, Kansas. She is playground instructor for the Redpath Chautauqua. All the children are graduates of the Blue Rapids high school and the girls have all been teachers. Mrs. Hamilton is an active member of the Baptist church and has ever taken much interest in all church work. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have long been identified with the social life of the home community and have had much to do with the moral and educational development of the township. They have always displayed considerable interest in the educational life of their children and have encouraged the higher education for all. Politically, Mr. Hamilton is identified with the Republican party. While he has not been a seeker after office, he has had much to do with the civic life of the township. He has devoted his energies to the development of his four-hundred-acre farm, which is one of the best in the district, and he is recognised as one of the substantial men of the county. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions by Emma E. Forter Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. 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