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James W. Hamilton, farmer, Murfreesboro, Ark. In every community and among
all classes there are always a few men who seem to become leaders in
whatever they do, whether of a commercial or agricultural nature, and these
same men are the ones who perhaps unconsciously take a prominent and active
interest in promoting any movement which may be thought capable of tending
to the welfare of the county or vicinity in which they may reside. Such a
one is Mr. Hamilton, who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on August 14,
1827, and who was the son of James and Rebecca (Smith) Hamilton, natives
also of the Emerald Isle. James W. Hamilton was reared in his native
country, received a limited education, and emigrated to America about 1848.
After reaching this country, he was engaged in numerous occupations, such
as railroading, working at the carpenter's trade, and car building, until
1861. He then enlisted in the Confederate army, Company A, First Arkansas
Regiment, as private, and after drilling for some time at Little Rock, was
ordered to Missouri, where his company captured quite a number of Union
soldiers. After this they had a lively battle at Oak Hill, and in this our
subject received a slight wound. Later Mr. Hamilton was in the battle of
Elk Horn and was then transferred to Mississippi, where he took part in the
battle of Farmington, then Chickamauga,and there he received another wound,
which kept him off the field for sixty days. He subsequently participated in
the battle of Richmond, also Perryville, and in 1863 he was in the Georgia
campaign, where he wa in a fight every day until the fall of Atlanta. After
this he was in the battle of Jonesboro, and was then ordered to Vicksburg,
Miss., where he engaged in the battle of Baker's Creek. He also took part in
the engagements at Murfreesboro and Franklin, Tenn., and the battle of
Jamestown, N.C., where the notice of surrender was received. After the war
Mr. Hamilton came to West Tennessee, and worked at brick-making for one
year. In 1868 he was married to Miss Sarah A. Bain, a native of Alabama, and
the daughter of John and Nancy Bain, who were natives of Lawrence County,
Ala., where they passed their last days. After his marriage Mr. Hamilton
farmed in Alabama for eight years, and then moved to Lamar County, Tex.,
where he made his home for three years. From there he moved to Pike County,
Ark., (1879), settled on 160 acres of land, and has thirty acres under
cultivation, which yields an average of one-half bale of cotton or
twenty-five bushels of corn to the acre. Mr. Hamilton is a Democrat, but is
not very active in political matters. He is a Mason, having joined that
lodge at Burnsville, Miss., in 1866, but at present he holds membership in
Pike Lodge No. 91. He is also a members of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, which he joined in Alabama. His wife and all the family hold
membership in the same church. To the marriage of Mr. Hamilton were born
six children, three now living: Lenora, Nancy E. and Fannie L. Lenora was
married in 1887 to Mr. Robert Willett, who is a farmer residing in this
county. The other two children are at home.
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Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas, 1890, Pike County,
page 328.
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