File contributed by Fred Hamilton ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Biography of Wilbur Henry and Edna Andrews Hamilton Presented at the 36th Annual Hamilton Family Reunion Downsville United Methodist Church Downsville, Louisiana August 7, 1994 Wilbur Henry Hamilton was the third child born to Dr. James Meriwether and Julia Calhoun Hamilton. He was born in Downsville, La. on June 20, 1880. Wilbur attended public school in Downsville and continued his education at Tulane University in New Orleans, where he obtained a medical degree in 1902/03. He returned to Union Parish to practice medicine up and down the Ouachita River. In the little community of Truxno, Wilbur met his future wife, Ora Edna Andrews, while caring for her grandmother. Edna was born in Truxno on December 2, 1881. Her parents were J.T.B. Andrews and Victoria G. Shute. Wilbur and Edna were married December 24, 1903 in Conway, Union Parish, Louisiana. There were four children born to this couple: 1) James Wilbur "Snooks" Hamilton on Sept. 3, 1906 in Truxno; 2) Ora Victoria Hamilton on Feb. 20, 1909 in Truxno; 3) Marjorie Nell Hamilton on May 17, 1913 in Downsville; and Ladell Andrews "Big Boy" Hamilton on December 6, 1918, in Downsville. By 1913, Wilbur and his family had returned to Downsville to take up his father's medical practice. Wilbur, or "Huck" as he was affectionately known after playing "Huckleberry Finn" in a school play, was a man short in statue, but big in heart. Family members remember him as always being there in times of need. He would go throughout the community visiting the elderly and checking on new babies. The Ouachita River flooded in the late 1920's causing a break in telephone comunications throughout the area. When the family in Downsville could not hear from his recently widowed sister, Janie Hamilton Sartor, Wilbur took his boat to Lafourche Bayou, east of Monroe, and paddled down to the community of Alto to check on her. Wilbur Hamilton was a hard working man. Along with his medical practice, he built chimneys, "john boats," had beehives, a garden, and cultivated fruit trees. Fresh fruit was shared with many expectant mothers in the community. His last, and he thought best, chimney belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Durwood McFarland and is still used today. He spent many long hours running the presses at the local cotton gin, in which he had a part interest. Though he worked hard, he always had time for his family. He was always willing to take his father fishing and the two of them spent many hours on the D'Arbonne River at "Big Eddy" catching buffalo. Several times each summer, Wilbur and Edna would take their family and join their friends, the Trion McFarlands, at Alabama Landing on the Ouachita River for a week of fishing and camping. One time Wilbur heard about a swarm of bees on a tree near the local school. He asked a teenage neighbor to help him get the bees. Wilbur held a small nail keg under the bees and told the youth to shake the bees into the keg. Instead of shaking the limb up and down, the youth shook it side to side, causing the bees to fall on Wilbur instead of the into the keg. Wilbur instantly dropped the keg and began removing his shirt which was covered with bees. Fortunately, he only received one sting, just under this glasses. During Wilbur's life, graves were dug by hand. Local men always volunteered their services for this task. Wilbur could always be counted on to help at these times. He always put the finishing touches on the graves, being sure the sides were smooth. In those days, graves were dug six feet deep. During the digging of one particular grave, John D. Lewis struck the side with his pick and a bone fell at his feet. According to the story, John D. had no trouble jumping out of that six-foot deep grave. Wilbur immediately went down into the grave and neatly placed the bone back into the hole, refilled it with dirt and smoothed it over, never saying a word. Wilbur always carried a big barlow knife in his back pocket for cleaning fish and whittling. Due to its size, the knife would probably be considered illegal today. As many men of his day did, he used Bull Durham tobacco and rolled his own cigarettes. Wilbur and Edna lived in a big house in Downsville just across the road from the Baptist Church. Edna kept the house clean and neat and was always dressed for company. Her chicken pie is remembered as being one of the best in the community. Edna loved her neighbors and could often be seen standing at the fence visiting with them. During their children's teenage years, Wilbur and Edna were remembered as being the only parents in town to let their children have their friends over for dances. They were allowed to move the furniture and roll back the carpets while dancing to the music of the old phonograph. Both Edna and Wilbur played the guitar. Their children remember the many times they gathered in front the fire place while their parents entertained with music and song. Wilbur would often make up songs and sing them as he rocked the small babies in the family. One of the songs he is best remembered for was "Roberta would you cry for a dime." Wilbur died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1952 at his home in Downsville, following a lengthy illness. The funeral was held in the Downsville Baptist Church with Rev. F.D. Bachman officiating. He was buried in the Alabama Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Sibley. Edna died Saturday, Mar. 29, 1968 in the Lincoln General Hospital, Ruston, following a lengthy illness. Her funeral was held in the Downsville Baptist Church with the Rev. Ardis Smith officiating, assisted by the Rev. Duane Spikes. Burial followed in the Alabama Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Sibley. Wilbur and Edna were married 48 years. They were survived by their four children and seven grandchildren. OBIT--THE GAZETTE, Farmerville, LA, Thursday, September 11, 1952, page 1 LAST RITES HELD FOR WILBUR HAMILTON Funeral services for Wilbur H. Hamilton, 72, who died at his home at Downsville at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, following a long illness, were held from the Downsville Baptist Church at 3:30 p.m. yesterday, with the Rev. F.D. Bachman of Monroe officiating. Interment was in the Sibley cemetery with the Kilpatrick Funeral Home in charge. Surviving are his wife: Mrs. Edna Andrews Hamilton; four children, Mrs. Ora Wilkinson of Ontario, California, Mrs. Nell Sanders of Jackson, Miss., L.A. Hamilton of Ruston, and J.W. Hamilton of Houston, Texas; seven brothers and sisters, J.C. Hamilton of Dubach, F.S. Hamilton of Downsville, J.D. Hamilton of Monroe, J.J. Hamilton of Downsville, Mrs. W.T. Sartor, Sr. of Alto, Mrs. Robert M. McGehee of Downsville, Mrs. James P. Hinton of Downsville, and seven grandchildren. Mr. Hamilton was a son of the late Dr. J.M. Hamilton of Downsville. He was of an old and prominent family of this parish and was well known throughout this section of the state. OBIT--RUSTON DAILY LEADER, Monday, March 31, 1968, page 1 MRS. HAMILTON SUCCUMBS TO LONG ILLNESS Mrs. Edna A. Hamilton, 87, of Ruston, died Saturday night in the Lincoln General Hospital following a lengthy illness. Funeral services were to be held at 1 p.m. today in the First Baptist Church of Downsville with the Rev. Ardis Smith officiating, assisted by the Rev. Duane Spikes. Burial was to take place in the Sibley Cemetery in Downsville under direction of Kilpatrick's Funeral Home of Ruston. Survivors include two sons, James W. Hamilton of Ruston* amd L.A. Milton* of Ruston; two daughters, Mrs. Ora H. Wilkinson of Ruston and Mrs. Nell H. Sanders of Jackson, Miss.; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. *should be Houston, Texas **should be Hamilton # # #