Biographical Sketch of

Thomas W. Hamilton

Transcribed by Sandra Boudrou 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 786 - 787 - 788 


Thomas W. Hamilton, boot and shoe dealer of Berlin, Wis., is numbered among the leading business men of Green 
Lake County.  He is a native of the Empire State, having been born in Sheldon, Wyoming county, March 13, 1836.  
His parents were Harry and Asenath Hamilton.  His father was born in Tinmouth, Rutland Co., Vt., on the 19th 
of February, 1797, and is a descendant of one of three brothers who founded the family in America in the latter 
part of the seventeenth century.  They were natives of Scotland.  Ziba Hamilton settled in Nantucket, Mass., 
and was the founder of the branch of the family to which our subject belongs.  He removed to Tinmouth, Rutland 
Co.,Vt., where he died at an advanced age.  His son, Dr. Ziba Hamilton settled in Wallingford, Conn., where he 
was a prominent physician.  He subsequently removed to Batavia, Genesee Co., N. Y., and was the pioneer physician 
of that place where he practiced fifty-three years.

Harry Hamilton, son of Dr. Ziba and the father of our subject, became a resident of Batavia, N. Y. in his boyhood.  
His father was desirous of educating him for the medical profession, but the son's taste did not lie in that 
direction and he became a farmer instead and settled in the town of Sheldon, now Wyoming County, N. Y., which 
was then, however, a part of Genesee County.  He married Asenath Warren, daughter of Thomas Warren, and a relative 
of Gen. Warren of Revolutionary fame.  Mrs. Hamilton was born near Rochester, N. Y., April 10, 1799, and died in 
Berlin, Wis., in October, 1869, at the age of seventy years.  Her paternal great-grandfather was born in France, 
and with his wife, a native of England, in which country they were married, emigrated to America in 1709.  They 
settled in Nantucket, Mass., but afterwards removed to East Lynn, where they reared a family and spent their last 
days.  Her father, Thomas Warren, was born in East Lynn, but subsequently settled near Rochester, N. Y.  The family 
was one of high respectability in that day.

To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were born five children, three sons and two daughters:  Alta, wife of T. D. Gale died in 
the summer of 1886; Joanna was twice married, being first the wife of Selim Putnam, and lastly of H. S. Carrier, 
and died about 1879; Silas married Andena Ferry and resides in Oregon; Joseph F. married Chloe Baker and is a 
prominent merchant of Berlin; Thomas W., the youngest of the family is our subject.  Mr. Hamilton Sr., emigrated 
from New York to Waukegan, Ill., with his family in 1840, and thence came to Berlin in the fall of 1855.  He 
followed farming throughout his entire life, and in political sentiment was a Whig until the organization of 
the Republican party, when he joined its ranks.  He was an upright, honorable man, highly respected by all and 
his death, which occurred in Berlin, Oct. 20, 1888, at the advanced age of ninety-two years, was sincerely mourned.  
He was reared in the faith of the Baptist Ch urch, but in later life became quite liberal in his views on the 
subject of religion and was not bound by any particular creed.  He entertained broad and charitable views, free 
from what he termed the cant of orthodoxy.

Our subject was but four years old at the time of the removal of his family to Waukegan, Ill.  He spent his early 
youth on his father's farm but when thirteen years of age started out in life for himself being employed in the sale 
of patent medicines and notions on the road.  He first visited Strong's Landing in 1851, during one of his trips,
and in 1854, purchased property at that point, but did not locate permanently until the fall of the following year.  
He spent many years on the road as salesman, thus forming many acquaintances, and wherever he went won friends.  

Mr. Hamilton has been twice married.  In Waukau, Wis., on the 21st of March, 1857, he led to the marriage altar Miss 
Adelia Jeannette Hilton, who was born in Attica, Wyoming Co., N. Y.  Six children graced their union, namely:  Jay, 
who died at the age of three years; Harley H., who married Mattie Kinsley and is engaged in the boot and shoe trade 
in Berlin; Lillie, wife of J. J. Brewis of Chicago; Annie, who died at the age of thirteen years; Thomas W., who 
is employed as salesman in his father's store, and Ardin L. who is yet in school.  The mother of this family died 
at her home in Berlin, Dec. 2, 1880.  Mr. Hamilton was again married in Spring Lake, Waushara County, on the 19th 
of January, 1883, when Miss Delia Metcalf became his wife.  She is a native of Wauconda, Lake Co., Ill., and a daughter 
of T. F. Metcalf Esq.  Two children were born of their union, a son and daughter--Chester A. and Belle, aged respectively 
five and three years.

In the fall of 1859, Mr. Hamilton joined his brother Joseph F., in general merchandising in Berlin, the firm being known 
under the style of J. F. and T. W. Hamilton.  In February, 1864, they engaged in milling conjointly with the manufacture 
of car, wagon, sleigh and plow wood stock and lumber, the mill being situated on Willow Creek, nine miles northwest of 
Berlin.  They also became largely interested in cranberry culture and have 960 acres of cranberry marsh and uplands, 
situated near Necedah, Juneau county, which is owned equally by the Hamilton brothers, Horace Miner of Berlin and C. T. 
Baker of Necedah.  A part of this marsh is improved and yields about 800 barrels of fruit per year.  The supply of water 
and facilities for flooding are unsurpassed in the cranberry region of Wisconsin.  About $12,000 have been expended in 
improvements on the property.  Mr. Hamilton continued his connection with his brother in the mercantile business until 
1880, when by mutual consent they dissolved partnership, Joseph taking as his share of the business the dry goods and 
grocery stock while our subject retained the boots and shoes and mill.  In connection with his other property, Mr. 
Hamilton has landed interests in Central Wisconsin.  He is an enterprising, energetic man and has made a point of 
improving and constructing wagon roads centering in Berlin.  He has been instrumental in building fifteen miles of 
road in Waushara County which was previously utterly impassable.  By soliciting subscriptions of money and work, 
together with appropriations, and devoting his time to that interest for months, a good graded and gravel road has 
been secured, reaching from Berlin fifteen miles into Waushara County.  In the same way he has secured the construction 
of two miles of gravel road in the town of Berlin and eight miles in the town of Seneca.  He is now engaged in building 
a road from Berlin to Wautoma, a distance of twenty-three miles, nine miles of which is completed.  His efforts in the 
interests of the improved roads have been put forth during the past twenty years, and he has invested in that direction 
more than $4,000.  He has also secured the erection of drinking fountains on the highways, which are a great public 
benefit as many a weary wayfarer could attest.  Mr. Hamilton is independent in politics and liberal in his religious 
views.  Socially, he is a member of Berlin Lodge, No. 38, A. F. & A. M.; Berlin Chapter, No. 18, R. A. M. and Berlin 
Council, No. 10; also holds membership in Berlin Lodge, No 7, K. P.  He has served two years as alderman of the First 
Ward and is now representing that ward on the Board of County Supervisors.  He began life for himself empty handed and 
without a dollar's capital, but by energetic effort and the exercise of goo d business ability, he has succeeded in 
acquiring a large property and has won a foremost place among the business men of Berlin.






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