Hamilton Family Info - Mercer Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, Pages 318-319 HAMILTON. The first ancestors of this family were cultivators of the soil along the James River, west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. (I) John M. Hamilton was a farmer and one of the early settlers on the Ohio River, about twelve miles back of which is the county seat of Jackson County, West Virginia. (II) James M. Hamilton, son of John M. and Nancy (Lowe) Hamilton, was born November 9, 1839. He remained on his Jackson County farm up to 1885, and in that year became a resident of Charleston, west Virginia, and so continued up to the time of his death, November 21, 1916, at the age of seventy-seven, he being an old soldier of the late Civil War. He served throughout the entire period of hostilities. He and his only brother, George W., enlisted in 1861 in Company E, Seventh Regiment of West Virginia Infantry. His brother, George W., died soon after the surrender, in 1865. Having charge of material trains under Col. William Oley, James M. Hamilton took part in the second Bull Run fight and in many other battles and was twice wounded and was held for some time as a prisoner of war in the famous old Libby Prison. The rigors of his Army service permanently impaired his health. His affiliation with the Masonic fraternity gained to him a measure of consideration while he was held at Libby Prison. He was a republican and was actively affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic. His wife who was Miss Malissa Rhodes, is a daughter of Alexander and Mahala Rhodes, of Rockbridge County, Virginia. She now maintains her home in the City of Charleston, West Virginia. (III) William Wirt, son of James M. and Malissa (Rhodes) Hamilton, was born January 27, 1867, at Ripley, Jackson County, West Virginia. He was educated in the public schools of Jackson and Kanawha Counties. He spent his youth on his father's farm, and entered business life, after the completion of his studies, as a farmer. This occupation he pursued, however, for only a brief period. At the age of twenty-two years he engaged in the grocery business in Charleston, West Virginia, in which he continued for two years. At the end of this time he sold out and associated himself with the wholesale grocery firm of The de Gruyter Fuller Company. He was with them for several years, and then came to Bramwell, West Virginia, in 1894, as the representative of the Cable Company, of Chicago, Illinois. This position he filled with satisfaction for six years. In 1900 he was appointed Postmaster by President McKinley, on December 20, serving thus until the year 1905. He was re-appointed on January 30th by President Roosevelt, and again re-appointed by him of February 9, 1909. Mr. Hamilton discharged the duties of this office, in which he served so long and so faithfully, and has become one of the best known and most respected citizens of this section. On June 4, 192, he was nominated in the primary by a large majority for the office of sheriff of Mercer County, his standing being exceptionally high in the republican party. Immediately after his nomination for sheriff he tendered his resignation as postmaster at Bramwell, and on September 5th was relieved and on November 5th was elected sheriff and took charge of this office January I, 1913. He gave a vigorous administration of four years in the office of sheriff. His incumbency, involved his removal from Bramwell to Princeton, the county seat of Mercer County, West Virginia. Mr. Hamilton is also well known and greatly esteemed in Masonic circles, being a member of Ivanhoe Commandery No. 10, Knights Templar, in which he was elected eminent commander on June 8, 1912. He is also a member of Bramwell Lodge No. 45, and Chapter No. 15; also of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and United Commercial Travelers. Mr. Hamilton is the oldest in a family of nine children, of who five are living: John H. Hamilton, Mrs. Oscar Spencer, of Charleston, Mrs. John W. Cooke, of Huntington, and Miss Ersie Hamilton, of Welch, West Virginia. On October 13, 1889, Mr. Hamilton married Ella Fauber, a native of Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia, daughter of the late William H. and Elizabeth Fauber, of Charleston, West Virginia, the former having been an old soldier of the United States Army. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have one daughter, Laura May, born in Charleston, March 10, 1891, and married June 5, 1912, to J. Claude Mabe, of Wytheville, Virginia. Mr. Mabe is a civil engineer in charge of a number of mines at Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia. They are the parents of three children, as follows: May Hamilton, born April 19, 1913; William Wirt, born July 18, 1916; and James Claude, Jr., born September 6, 1918. Submitted by Susie Lloyd **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************