John Taylor Hamilton
Encyclopedia
John Taylor Hamilton was a businessman from Cedar Rapids, Iowa
, and a one-term Democratic
member of the United States House of Representatives
from Iowa's 5th congressional district
.
, Hamilton County, Illinois to James S. Hamilton and Mary E. Taylor. His ancestors came from Ireland
, and were Scottish-Irish. James was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
and later moved to Antrim, New Hampshire
. John's parents were married in Henry County, Illinois
, and farmed there. When James retired he moved to Geneseo, Illinois
, and lived there until he died at age 77. John's mother died at age 82. The Hamiltons were Presbyterian
and the Taylors were Unitarian
.
Hamilton got his education from public schools and the Geneseo Seminary. When he was finished with his schooling he worked for a company that sold fire insurance to farmers. After three years the company failed. In 1868, he moved to Cedar Rapids. He arrived in the city on February 2 that year and represented C. H. McCormick of Chicago
in the reaper business. He was anxious to start his own business, and started the agricultural implement company Averill & Hamilton on October 1, 1868. He married Sarah Ann Jones, daughter of Edward Jones and Phoebe McArthur, on October 16, 1873. They had four children, two of them being James E. and Mabel Fawn.
Board of Supervisors from 1882 to 1884. In May 1883 he became the president of the recently formed Cedar Rapids Savings Bank. In 1885, he was elected a member of the Iowa House of Representatives
and served in the 21st through 23rd assemblies. He was speaker of the house in the 23rd assembly, until his term ended in 1891.
In 1890, Hamilton won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House seat for Iowa's 5th congressional district, a seat that was being vacated by two-term Republican incumbent Daniel Kerr
. Riding a wave of hostility in rural states to Republican economic policies such as the McKinley tariff
, Democrats took control of the U.S. House, and for the first time since the Civil War won a majority of the U.S. House races in Iowa, including Hamilton's race against Republican nominee George R. Struble
. Hamilton served in the 52nd United States Congress
. Like the other four freshman Democratic Congressmen elected from Iowa in 1890, Hamilton was not re-elected. He was defeated by Republican Robert G. Cousins
in the general election. Hamilton's term ran from March 4, 1891 to March 3, 1893.
He returned to Cedar Rapids to run a business that had changed in his absence. In Hamilton's first year in Congress, his brothers W. W. and Porter had bought Amidon's stock in his and John's agricultural implement company. The company was then renamed Hamilton Brothers. On July 1, 1899, he became the president of the Merchants National Bank. He was also a stockholder and one of the owners of the Cedar Rapids Hotel Company, owner of the Montrose Hotel, and a stockholder in the Acme Fire Insurance Company.
On April 6, 1906 he was appointed as one of three members of Iowa's Board of Control of State Institutions, to finish the term of former Iowa Supreme Court Justice L. G. Kinne, who had died in office. He was first appointed to that position for two years, In 1908 he was reappointed for a full six-year term, but he resigned a year later, in September 1909, citing the pressing needs of his business.
In 1914, Hamilton ran for Governor of Iowa against incumbent Republican George W. Clark
. He won the Democratic primary, but lost to Clark in the general election. He died in Cedar Rapids on January 25, 1925. He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, and a one-term Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Iowa's 5th congressional district
Iowa's 5th congressional district
Iowa's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of Western Iowa and includes the cities of Council Bluffs and Sioux City...
.
Early life
Hamilton was born on October 16, 1843 near GeneseoGeneseo, Illinois
Geneseo is a city in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,586 at the 2010 census, up from 6,571 at the 2000 census. Geneseo is located 20 miles east of The Quad Cities and Geneseo is part of the Quad Cities Metro Area....
, Hamilton County, Illinois to James S. Hamilton and Mary E. Taylor. His ancestors came from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and were Scottish-Irish. James was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
and later moved to Antrim, New Hampshire
Antrim, New Hampshire
Antrim is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,637 at the 2010 census. The primary settlement in the town, where 1,397 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Antrim census-designated place and is located at the intersection of U.S. Route...
. John's parents were married in Henry County, Illinois
Henry County, Illinois
Henry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 50,486, which is a decrease of 1.0% from 51,020 in 2000. Its county seat is Cambridge...
, and farmed there. When James retired he moved to Geneseo, Illinois
Geneseo, Illinois
Geneseo is a city in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,586 at the 2010 census, up from 6,571 at the 2000 census. Geneseo is located 20 miles east of The Quad Cities and Geneseo is part of the Quad Cities Metro Area....
, and lived there until he died at age 77. John's mother died at age 82. The Hamiltons were Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
and the Taylors were Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
.
Hamilton got his education from public schools and the Geneseo Seminary. When he was finished with his schooling he worked for a company that sold fire insurance to farmers. After three years the company failed. In 1868, he moved to Cedar Rapids. He arrived in the city on February 2 that year and represented C. H. McCormick of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the reaper business. He was anxious to start his own business, and started the agricultural implement company Averill & Hamilton on October 1, 1868. He married Sarah Ann Jones, daughter of Edward Jones and Phoebe McArthur, on October 16, 1873. They had four children, two of them being James E. and Mabel Fawn.
Career
In the fall of 1873, Averill sold his stock in the company to John R. Amidon, and the company was renamed Hamilton & Amidon. Hamilton was elected mayor of Cedar Rapids in 1878. He served as a member of the Linn CountyLinn County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 211,226 in the county, with a population density of . There were 92,251 housing units, of which 86,134 were occupied.-2000 census:...
Board of Supervisors from 1882 to 1884. In May 1883 he became the president of the recently formed Cedar Rapids Savings Bank. In 1885, he was elected a member of the Iowa House of Representatives
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
and served in the 21st through 23rd assemblies. He was speaker of the house in the 23rd assembly, until his term ended in 1891.
In 1890, Hamilton won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House seat for Iowa's 5th congressional district, a seat that was being vacated by two-term Republican incumbent Daniel Kerr
Daniel Kerr (politician)
Daniel Kerr was a two-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 5th congressional district in the 1880s, who later switched parties....
. Riding a wave of hostility in rural states to Republican economic policies such as the McKinley tariff
McKinley Tariff
The Tariff Act of 1890, commonly called the McKinley Tariff, was an act framed by Representative William McKinley that became law on October 1, 1890. The tariff raised the average duty on imports to almost fifty percent, an act designed to protect domestic industries from foreign competition...
, Democrats took control of the U.S. House, and for the first time since the Civil War won a majority of the U.S. House races in Iowa, including Hamilton's race against Republican nominee George R. Struble
George R. Struble
George Rix Struble . Iowa judge and politician of Toledo, Iowa. Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, 1881-1883. An ardent prohibitionist. A prominent attorney in Iowa, once described as “the pride of the Bar in this community and the admiration of the Court.” One of 12 siblings...
. Hamilton served in the 52nd United States Congress
52nd United States Congress
The Fifty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C...
. Like the other four freshman Democratic Congressmen elected from Iowa in 1890, Hamilton was not re-elected. He was defeated by Republican Robert G. Cousins
Robert G. Cousins
Robert Gordon Cousins was an eight-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 5th congressional district...
in the general election. Hamilton's term ran from March 4, 1891 to March 3, 1893.
He returned to Cedar Rapids to run a business that had changed in his absence. In Hamilton's first year in Congress, his brothers W. W. and Porter had bought Amidon's stock in his and John's agricultural implement company. The company was then renamed Hamilton Brothers. On July 1, 1899, he became the president of the Merchants National Bank. He was also a stockholder and one of the owners of the Cedar Rapids Hotel Company, owner of the Montrose Hotel, and a stockholder in the Acme Fire Insurance Company.
On April 6, 1906 he was appointed as one of three members of Iowa's Board of Control of State Institutions, to finish the term of former Iowa Supreme Court Justice L. G. Kinne, who had died in office. He was first appointed to that position for two years, In 1908 he was reappointed for a full six-year term, but he resigned a year later, in September 1909, citing the pressing needs of his business.
In 1914, Hamilton ran for Governor of Iowa against incumbent Republican George W. Clark
George W. Clark
George Whipple Clark is an American astronomer and professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When he retired, M.I.T. described him as "a central figure in the development of high-energy astrophysics, particularly in the design, analysis, and interpretation of experiments for...
. He won the Democratic primary, but lost to Clark in the general election. He died in Cedar Rapids on January 25, 1925. He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.