Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/72

 HAMILTON

HAMILTON

Kiioxville, July 10, 1792, he was admitted to practice iu the new territory south of the Ohio, the other hiwyers admitted being Luke Bowyer, Alexander Outlaw, Archibald Roane, Hopkins Lacy, John Rhea and James Reese. He was made judge of the circuit court and attained higli rank as a jurist. The Gammons ( f Jones- boro and of Knoxville, the Blairs of Noi'th C.irolinaand the Van Dykes of Athens and Cliat- t.inooga, Teun., are among his descendants. He was one of the incorix>rators of Blount college, Sept. 16, 1794. The date of Iiis death did not appear on any record accessible to the writer of t Ills sketch.'

HAMILTON, Kate Waterman, author, was born in Sclienectady, X.Y., Nov. 12, 1841; daugh- ter of Farwell and Ruth (Cady) Hamilton, grand- daughter of Peter and Anne Cady and of Joseph

and Persis Hamilton, and a descendant of

Hamilton, of Scotch ancestry, born (probably) iu Ireland, who came to America in 1718, and settled in Worcester county, Mass. Her ances- tors on both sides were patriots iu the Revolu- tionary war. She was educated in Steubenville, Ohio, and resided for some time in New Jersej' anil also in Massachusetts and settled in Bloom- ington, 111., about 1870. Many of her articles and stories appeared imder the pen-name "Fleeta." She is the author of Sunday-school books: Chinks of Claiinyford; Greycliffe; Bravi' Heart; Blue Umbrella; Old Brown House; The Shadow of the Bock; Norah Weil; Frederick Gor- don; Wood, Hay and Stubble; TJie Hand with the Keys; Thanksijivinr/ Ann, and other missionary leaflets, all published before 1880; and novels: BacheVs Share of the Boad (1882) and TJte Parsun'^^ Proxy (1896). She also contributed to maga- zines and newspapers.

HAMILTON, Morgan Calvin, senator, was born near Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 25, 1809. He removed to Texas in 1837 and was a clerk in the war department of the republic, 1839-45; acting secretary of war, 1842-45; comptroller of the state treasury, 1867-68, by apptjintment of the commander of the 5th military district; a dele- gate to the constitutional convention of 1868; and U.S. senator, 1870-77, drawing the short term at his first election and being re-elected in 1871. He was a prominent Repuljlican and after the close of his second term returned to private life. He died at San Difgo, Cn].. Nov. 21. 1893.

HAMILTON, Morris Robeson, librarian, was born at Oxford Furnace, Sussex county, N.J., May 24, 1820; son of Gen. Samuel R. and Eliza (Robe-son) Hamilton; grandson of John and Phoebe (Ross) Hamilton of Princeton, N.J.; great-grandson of John Hamilton, acting gov- ernor of New Jersey, 1730-38 'and 1746-47; and great' grandson of Andrew Hamilton, who came

from Scotland to America in 1685, settled at Perth Amboy and was governor of New Jersey, 1692-1701. He was fitted for college at Trent( n academy and the Lasvrenceville high school ai.d was graduated from the College of New Jer^Ly in 1839. He was admitted to the bar and i)ractistd in Camden, N.J., 1842-44, and at Philadelphia. Pa., 1844-49. He was also employed in the Phila delphia post-office, 1844-49, and in the latter ytar removed to Trenton to become editor of the True American. In 1853 he resigned to accept a position on the staff of the New York JS'ational Democrat and was subsequently connected with the Sussex, N.J., Herald, the Camden Dimocrat, the Newark Journal, tiie Sussex Becord, the Kans-as City Xeics and the Philadelphia Becord. He was a member of Governor Fort's staff with the rank of colonel, 1851-54, and in 1884 was a] pointed state librarian of New Jersey. He was married in 1844 to Harriet Pennington, daughter of John and Mary (Pennington) Halsted of Newark, N.J. They had seven children: their son Ellis was cap- tain of Company F, 15th N.J. vols., and was killed at the battle of the Wilderness in May, ].*-(i4; and another son, Henry, published a much;:] proved metrical translation of Virgil's iEneid, and at the time of his death (1893) was actuary of the Penn Mutual life insurance company of Phila- delphia, Pa. Colonel Hamilton was in 1900 engaged in wi-iting a history of New^ Jersey.

HAMILTON, Paul, governor of South Caro- lina, was born in St. Paul's parish, S.C, Oct. 16, 1702. As a youtli he took an active part in the war of the American Revolution and at its close engaged in the banking business in Charlcfelon, S.C. He was comptroller of the state, 1799-1804; governor, 1804-06, and secretary of the navy in the cabinet of President Madison, 1809-13. Under his direction four line-of -battle ships of seventy- four guns each were built, besides six frigates and six sloops of war. It was the plan of Secre tar}' Hamilton to use the larger ships for the defence of the American harbors and coast and to meet tiie British warships with the smaller and fa,ster sailing frigates and sloops. His caution in directing the Constitution to remain in Boston harbor was severely criticised, and when, desjjite his orders, that vessel captured the (Juerrierr. Aug. 18. 1812, the United Stales captured the Mne,- donian, October 25, and the Constitution captured the Java, December 30, the ]n-owess of the Ameri- can navy disproved the wisdom of the secretary's c-aution, and he was asked to resign, which he did in December. 1812. He retired to his estate at Beaufort. S.C, where he died, June 30, 1816.

HAMILTON, Robert, representative, was born at Hamburg. N.J.. Dec. 9, 1809; son of Benjamin and Sarah (Edsall) Hamilton; grandson of James and Sarah (Price) Hamilton, and of James and