Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/84

62 and re-elected five times. He was mayor of Philadelphia for a year from October, 1745, and on retiring from office departed from a custom that compelled the entertainment of the corporation at a banquet. Instead of this, Mayor Hamilton gave 150 toward the erection of a public building. His example was followed by succeeding mayors, until, in 1775, the sum was devoted to the erection of a city-hall and court-house. Hamilton became a member of the provincial council in 1746. He was residing in London in 1748, when he was commissioned by the sons of William Penn as lieutenant-governor of the province and territories. He resigned in 1754, and when the news of Indian outrages reached Philadelphia in the autumn of 1755, entered actively on the work of defence, and reported to the assembly that a chain of garrisoned forts and block-houses was nearly completed from Delaware river to the Maryland line. Hamilton was again deputy-governor in 1759-'63, and on the departure of John Penn he administered the government as president of the council until the arrival of Richard Penn, in October, 1771. Subsequently he was acting governor for the fourth time from 19 July till 30 Aug., 1773. He was made a prisoner on parole in 1777, and lived at Northampton during the occupation of Philadelphia by the British. Gov. Hamilton took an active part in founding several public institutions of Philadelphia. He was for several years president of the board of trustees of the College of Philadelphia, and was also at the head of the Philosophical society, when it united with the Society for promoting useful knowledge. At the first election for president of the new organization, Hamilton and Beniamin Franklin were placed in nomination, and the latter was chosen.

HAMILTON, Andrew, governor of New Jersey, b. in Scotland; d. probably in Burlington, N. J., 20 April, 1703. He was engaged in business as a merchant in Edinburgh, and was sent to East Jersey as a special agent for the proprietaries. Having discharged that mission satisfactorily, he was recommended as a man of intelligence and judgment to Lord Neil Campbell, who was sent to that province in 1686 as deputy-governor for two years. He was made a member of the council in consequence, and in March, 1687, became acting governor on the departure of Lord Neil for England, who was called there on business and did not return. In 1688, East and West Jersey having surrendered their patents, those provinces came under the control of Gov. Edmund Andros, and were annexed to New York and New England. Andros, then residing in Boston, visited New York and the Jerseys, continuing all officers in their places, and making but slight changes in the government. In consequence of the revolution of 1688 in England, Gov. Hamilton visited the mayor of New York as the representative of Andros, that official having been seized by the New-Englanders in April, 1689. He finally sailed for England, in order to consult with the proprietaries, but was captured by the French, and did not reach London until May, 1690. He was still residing there in March, 1692, when he was appointed governor of East Jersey, and also given charge of West Jersey. Although he administered the affairs of the province to the satisfaction of both the colonists and the proprietaries, he was deposed in 1697, &ldquo;much against the inclination&rdquo; of the latter, in obedience to an act of parliament which provided that &ldquo;no other than a natural-born subject of England could serve in any public post of trust or profit.&rdquo; Hamilton returned to England in 1698, but so great was the

disorder and maladministration under his successor, Jeremiah Basse, that he was reappointed, 19 Aug., 1699. He could not, however, right the wrong that had been already done, or repair the abuses that had crept in. Officers were insulted in the discharge of their duties, and the growth of the province was seriously interfered with. In 1701 he was appointed by William Penn deputy-governor of Pennsylvania, the latter having been called to England to oppose the machinations of those who were plotting to deprive him of his American possessions. On Penn's arrival in London everything was done to harass him, factious opposition being made to the confirmation of Gov. Hamilton, who was wrongfully charged with having been engaged in illicit trade. The appointment finally received the royal sanction. In the session of the provincial assembly in Oct., 1702, the representatives of the territories refused to meet those of the province, claiming the privilege of separation under a new charter, and expressing their firm determination to remain apart. Hamilton strongly urged the advantages of union, and used all his influence to secure this result, but without effect. He also made preparations for the defence of the colony by organizing a military force. He died while on a visit to his family in New Jersey the year following. It was to Andrew Hamilton that the colonies were indebted for the first organization of a postal service, he having obtained a patent from the crown for the purpose in 1694. &mdash; His son, John, acting governor of New Jersey, d. in Perth Amboy, N. J.. in 1746. It is not known whether he was born in East Jersey or in Scotland. He is first heard of in public life as a member of Gov. Hunter's council in 1713. He retained his seat under Gov. Burnet, Gov. Montgomerie, and Gov. Cosby. In 1735 he was appointed associate judge of the provincial supreme court, but probably did not serve, as he became acting governor on the death of Gov. Cosby, only three weeks after the latter's accession to office, 31 March, 1736. He continued at the head of affairs until the summer of 1738, when Lewis Morris was appointed governor of New Jersey, &ldquo;apart from New York.&rdquo; Hamilton again became acting governor on the death of the latter in 1746, but he was then quite infirm and died a few months afterward. He is usually credited with having established the first colonial postal service, but the weight of authority seems to favor the belief that it was his father who obtained the patent.

HAMILTON, Charles, Canadian Anglican bishop, b. in Hawkesbury, Ont., 6 Jan., 1834. He was educated at University college, Toronto, and at Oxford, England, where he was graduated in 1856. He was incumbent of St. Peter's church, Quebec, in 1857-'64, and rector of St. Matthew's, Quebec, in 1868-'85. He was clerical secretary of the provincial synod in 1861-79, prolocutor of the synod of the Church of England in Canada in 1879-85, and was consecrated bishop of Niagara on 1 Jan., 1885. He has received the degree of D. D. from Bishop's college, Lennoxville.

HAMILTON, Charles Smith, soldier, b. in New York, 16 Nov., 1822. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1843. and assigned to the infantry. He served with honor in the war with Mexico, was brevetted captain for gallantry in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco, and was severely wounded at Molino del Rey. He was afterward on frontier duty till April, 1853, when he resigned and engaged in farming in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. At the beginning of the civil war he was appointed, 11 May, 1861, colonel of