Biographical Sketch of

Joseph F. Hamilton

Transcribed by Suzanne Folk for the Marquette Co WI Pages


Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin, 
published 1890 by Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, Pages 393- 394


Joseph Fitch Hamilton, a pioneer merchant of Berlin, Green Lake County, who for many years has been prominently 
identified with the leading business interests of that city, was born in Sheldon, Genesee Co., N. Y., on the 28th 
of April, 1830; and is the son of Harry and Asenath Hamilton. His father, who was descended from an old New England 
family of Colonial days, was born in Tinmouth, Rutland Co., Vt., Feb. 19, 1797. He was a son of Dr. Ziba Hamilton, 
a pioneer physician of Wallingford, Conn., and the Doctor's father was Ziba Hamilton, a native of Nantucket, Mass., 
who settled in Tinmouth, Rutland, Co., Vt., in an early day. Three Hamilton brothers of English birth emigrated to 
this country during its early history and established the family in America.

The father of our subject removed with his parents to Sheldon, N. Y., in his boyhood and in the common schools 
acquired his education. Refusing his father's offer to fit him for the medical profession, he turned his attention 
to farming, which he followed during the greater part of his life. He married Miss Asenath Warren, who was born in 
Gorham, near Rochester, N. Y., July 29, 1799, and died in Berlin, Wis., in October, 1869, at the age of seventy years. 
She was of French and English descent, her great grand-parents, who were natives of those countries, having emigrated 
to America in 1709, and settled in Nantucket, Mass. Five children constituted the family of Harry and Asenath Hamilton, 
as follows: Alta, wife of T. D. Gale, died in the summer of 1886; Joanna, wife of H. S. Carrier, died in 1879; Silas 
wedded Andena Ferry, and is living in Oregon; Joseph F. is the next younger and Thomas, who completes the family, is 
a merchant of Berlin.

Mr. Hamilton, father of the above mentioned children, was numbered among the leading citizens of Berlin for almost 
half a century. His death occurred in that city on the 28th of October, 1888, at the very advanced age of ninety-two 
years. The loss of few men has been more deeply deplored, for in every walk of life he so conducted himself as to 
win the high regard of all. He was broad and liberal in his religious views, supporting no established creed, though 
he had been reared in the faith of the Baptist Church. He gave his support and influence to the Republican party 
after its organization, but prior to that time was a Whig.

Joseph F. Hamilton, whose name heads this sketch, was born and reared on a farm. With his parents he bade good-bye 
the Empire State in 1840 and emigrated to Lake County, Ill., where he became acquainted with and married, in 1854, 
Miss Chloe A. Baker, daughter of Nathaniel and Chloe Baker and a native of Fredonia, Obautauqua Co., N. Y. Two 
children were born of their union, sons: Charles M., died at the age of nineteen years; and Harry B. is associated 
with his father in business. He was born in Berlin, May 21, 1858, and married Miss Ella O'Hearn.

Soon after his marriage, in 1855, Mr. Hamilton of our sketch came to Berlin, and for one year was employed as clerk 
in the general store of S. F. Baker. At the expiration of that time, in company with A. C. Rogers, he bought out 
Mr. Baker and continued the business a year or so, when he himself sold out and in 1858 formed a partnership with 
his brother, T. W., under the firm name of J. F. & T. W. Hamilton, doing a general merchandise business. In 1864, 
they became proprietors of a sawmill on Willow Creek, Waushara County, and also purchased extensive tracts of 
cranberry marsh and other lands. Until 1880, their partnership continued, when it was dissolved, our subject 
retaining the dry goods and grocery departments while his brother became sole proprietor of the boot and shoe 
stock and the bill business. They each owned a quarter interest in a tract of land of 960 acres in Juneau County, 
a large portion of which is cranberry marsh. About $12,000 has been expended on its improvement and 100 acres is 
now under cultivation. The crop of the year 1889 is estimated from 800 to 1,000 barrels. Mr. Hamilton also has 
two small cranberry marshes near Berlin, his individual property, the vines on which are just beginning to bear. 
Those tracts comprise 140 acres, forty of which are under cultivation and will probably yield 800 bushels for the 
season of 1889.

Mr. Hamilton, who is one of the very oldest merchants in Berlin, is still numbered among the leading business men. 
He carries a large stock of general dry goods, notions and groceries and enjoys an extensive and prosperous trade. 
His course during the thirty-four years that he has there been in business has been that of an upright, honorable 
man, and such he is esteemed by a large circle of customers. He is a Republican in politics, with strong prohibition 
sympathies, and while not ambitious of the honors of public office has served two years as Alderman in the City 
Council of Berlin and two years as member of the Board of Education. On the subject of religion he is an original 
thinker and does not subscribe to the tenets of any particular creed or belong to any denomination. He is in sympathy 
with liberal and advanced thought and all that is calculated to elevate men to mental independence, self-reliance 
and purity of character, believing that man's future depends more on what he does and makes of himself that what 
he believes of professes to believe.






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