Logan County, West Virginia    Biography of RALPH R. HAMILTON 

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 643

RALPH R. HAMILTON is one of the prominent mine super-
intendents of Logan County, being superintendent of the
Merrill Coal Mines, Incorporated, at Henlawson.  These
mines are operated by a Virginia corporation which was
organized in the summer of 1920. The company did a great
deal of development work preparatory to the opening and
operating of the mines. This work included the erection
of the steel bridge across the Guyandotte River, also three
miles of railroad and over a mile of tramroad. Modem
equipment was installed for the operation of the mines. The
first coal was shipped in February, 1921, and in spite of the
general depression there has not been a single interruption
to the work of the mines except on days when the electric
power was off or a supply of cars could not be obtained. The
daily output is now a trainload.

Mr. Hamilton, the superintendent, was born April 6, 1890,
on his father's farm in Nicholas County, West Virginia,
son of Andrew A. and Emma (Miller) Hamilton. His
father has been a fanner, and the parents still live at
the old homestead, Andrew at the age of sixty and his wife,
at fifty. He had few opportunities during his youth but
has educated himself and is well read. He is a trustee of
the Baptist Church. In this family were five sons and
two daughters. The sons are: Edgar, now in California,
Owen, Ralph R., Ray and Lee. All of them and three
cousins of the same name are members of Summerville
Lodge No. 76 of the Masonic Order.

Ralph R. Hamilton attended school at Summerville, and
at the age of nineteen became a teacher. He soon left that
occupation and at twenty was pay roll clerk for the
Standard Island Creek Coal Company at Cora in Logan
County. During the eight years he remained with that
corporation he was advanced to the larger responsibilities,
being promoted from pay roll clerk to superintendent. For
a short time he was superintendent of the Daisy Mine for
the same company, just before taking charge of the
Merrill Mine. Mr. Hamilton has done more than follow
the routine of a practical miner and mine superintendent.
He has studied the technical part of the business, has taken
courses with the International Correspondence Schools, and
is thoroughly informed on the technical side of the mining
industry.

In September, 1921, he married Miss Louise Akers,
daughter of P. H. and Sidney Akers. She was a member
of the Baptist Church. Mr. Hamilton is affiliated with
Logan Chapter, R. A. M., Huntington Commandery, K. T.,
the Rose Croix and Lodge of Perfection, degrees of the
Scottish Rite at Huntington and the Temple of the Mystic
Shrine at Charleston. In polities he is a democrat.