BIO: Adam Boyd HAMILTON, Dauphin County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.
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http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm
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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, pages 335-336.
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  HAMILTON, ADAM BOYD, was born in Harrisburg, September 18, 1808, son 
of Hugh Hamilton, who was a son of Capt. John Hamilton and of Rosanna 
Boyd, only child of Adam Boyd.  Both these ancestors were purchasers of 
property in 1785, both erected substantial brick mansions, and both 
died and are buried at Harrisburg.  The subject of this notice received 
his first school training under Misses Graham and Smith, at Second and 
Mulberry streets, Charles Still, Maginnes, Birkman, Hamilton, Tod, 
Davies.  Most of his time was devoted to picking up the trade of 
printer in his father's establishment, the Harrisburg Chronicle.  At 
this early period two late chief justices of the supreme court of 
Pennsylvania, Messrs. Lewis and Thompson were employed there, as well 
as many other gentlemen who rose to social and political positions.  
Having been carefully trained as a printer, after leaving the 
Harrisburg Academy he was appointed to a position in the engineer corps 
of the Juniata division of the State works, under DeWitt Clinton, Jr., 
as chief.  The partner of his father having died, he returned to 
Harrisburg and became partner in the Chronicle, where he continued 
until that paper was disposed of to other parties.  He was chosen, when 
scarcely of voting age, one of the printers to the Legislature.  After 
spending a couple of years in an unsuccessful business venture in the 
South, he returned to Harrisburg, and shortly after appointed to a 
position at Washington City; resigned, taking control of the 
Pennsylvania Reporter, at Harrisburg; after a year or two was 
unanimously chosen assistant clerk of the Senate, resigning that, and 
becoming joint partner in the Pennsylvanian at Philadelphia with 
Mifflin, Parry, Joseph Neal, J. W. Forney and S. D. Patterson.  When 
that venture closed, became, under the contract law, printer to both 
houses of Congress, and at the repeal of that law, which carried his 
contract with it, came to Pennsylvania.  Again became printer to the 
State until 1861, when he retired from that business and became an 
agriculturist.  He has held many municipal offices - a school director 
for twelve years; president of the select council, and one of the 
commissioners of 1860, and of a subsequent one in 1870, to make a plot 
of the city of Harrisburg; president of the Pennsylvania State 
Agricultural Society, the Dauphin County Society; at present a trustee 
of the Harrisburg Academy, secretary of the board of managers of the 
Harrisburg Hospital from the first meeting on the subject in 1872, 
president of the board of trustees of Derry Presbyterian church, and 
the only president the Dauphin County Historical Society has had since 
its formation.