and re-elected five times. He was mayor of Philadelphia for a year from October, 1745, and on retiring from office departed from a custom that compelled the entertainment of the corporation at a banquet. Instead of this, Mayor Hamilton gave 150 toward the erection of a public building. His example was followed by succeeding mayors, until, in 1775, the sum was devoted to the erection of a city-hall and court-house. Hamilton became a member of the provincial council in 1746. He was residing in London in 1748, when he was commissioned by the sons of William Penn as lieutenant-governor of the province and territories. He resigned in 1754, and when the news of Indian outrages reached Philadelphia in the autumn of 1755, entered actively on the work of defence, and reported to the assembly that a chain of garrisoned forts and block-houses was nearly completed from Delaware river to the Maryland line. Hamilton was again deputy-governor in 1759-'63, and on the departure of John Penn he administered the government as president of the council until the arrival of Richard Penn, in October, 1771. Subsequently he was acting governor for the fourth time from 19 July till 30 Aug., 1773. He was made a prisoner on parole in 1777, and lived at Northampton during the occupation of Philadelphia by the British. Gov. Hamilton took an active part in founding several public institutions of Philadelphia. He was for several years president of the board of trustees of the College of Philadelphia, and was also at the head of the Philosophical society, when it united with the Society for promoting useful knowledge. At the first election for president of the new organization, Hamilton and Beniamin Franklin were placed in nomination, and the latter was chosen.
HAMILTON, Andrew, governor of New Jersey,
b. in Scotland; d. probably in Burlington, N. J.,
20 April, 1703. He was engaged in business as a
merchant in Edinburgh, and was sent to East
Jersey as a special agent for the proprietaries.
Having discharged that mission satisfactorily, he was
recommended as a man of intelligence and judgment
to Lord Neil Campbell, who was sent to that
province in 1686 as deputy-governor for two years.
He was made a member of the council in
consequence, and in March, 1687, became acting
governor on the departure of Lord Neil for England,
who was called there on business and did not
return. In 1688, East and West Jersey having
surrendered their patents, those provinces came
under the control of Gov. Edmund Andros, and
were annexed to New York and New England.
Andros, then residing in Boston, visited New York
and the Jerseys, continuing all officers in their
places, and making but slight changes in the government.
In consequence of the revolution of 1688 in
England, Gov. Hamilton visited the mayor of New
York as the representative of Andros, that official
having been seized by the New-Englanders in April,
1689. He finally sailed for England, in order to
consult with the proprietaries, but was captured by
the French, and did not reach London until May,
1690. He was still residing there in March, 1692,
when he was appointed governor of East Jersey,
and also given charge of West Jersey. Although
he administered the affairs of the province to the
satisfaction of both the colonists and the
proprietaries, he was deposed in 1697, “much against
the inclination” of the latter, in obedience to an act
of parliament which provided that “no other than
a natural-born subject of England could serve in
any public post of trust or profit.” Hamilton
returned to England in 1698, but so great was the
disorder and maladministration under his successor,
Jeremiah Basse, that he was reappointed, 19
Aug., 1699. He could not, however, right the
wrong that had been already done, or repair the
abuses that had crept in. Officers were insulted
in the discharge of their duties, and the growth of
the province was seriously interfered with. In 1701
he was appointed by William Penn deputy-governor
of Pennsylvania, the latter having been
called to England to oppose the machinations of
those who were plotting to deprive him of his
American possessions. On Penn's arrival in London
everything was done to harass him, factious
opposition being made to the confirmation of Gov.
Hamilton, who was wrongfully charged with having
been engaged in illicit trade. The appointment
finally received the royal sanction. In the
session of the provincial assembly in Oct., 1702,
the representatives of the territories refused to
meet those of the province, claiming the privilege
of separation under a new charter, and expressing
their firm determination to remain apart. Hamilton
strongly urged the advantages of union, and
used all his influence to secure this result, but
without effect. He also made preparations for the
defence of the colony by organizing a military
force. He died while on a visit to his family in
New Jersey the year following. It was to Andrew
Hamilton that the colonies were indebted for the
first organization of a postal service, he having
obtained a patent from the crown for the purpose
in 1694. — His son, John, acting governor of New
Jersey, d. in Perth Amboy, N. J.. in 1746. It is
not known whether he was born in East Jersey or
in Scotland. He is first heard of in public life as
a member of Gov. Hunter's council in 1713. He
retained his seat under Gov. Burnet, Gov.
Montgomerie, and Gov. Cosby. In 1735 he was
appointed associate judge of the provincial supreme
court, but probably did not serve, as he became
acting governor on the death of Gov. Cosby, only
three weeks after the latter's accession to office, 31
March, 1736. He continued at the head of affairs
until the summer of 1738, when Lewis Morris was
appointed governor of New Jersey, “apart from
New York.” Hamilton again became acting
governor on the death of the latter in 1746, but he was
then quite infirm and died a few months afterward.
He is usually credited with having established the
first colonial postal service, but the weight of
authority seems to favor the belief that it was his
father who obtained the patent.
HAMILTON, Charles, Canadian Anglican bishop, b. in Hawkesbury, Ont., 6 Jan., 1834. He was educated at University college, Toronto, and at Oxford, England, where he was graduated in 1856. He was incumbent of St. Peter's church, Quebec, in 1857-'64, and rector of St. Matthew's, Quebec, in 1868-'85. He was clerical secretary of the provincial synod in 1861-79, prolocutor of the synod of the Church of England in Canada in 1879-85, and was consecrated bishop of Niagara on 1 Jan., 1885. He has received the degree of D. D. from Bishop's college, Lennoxville.
HAMILTON, Charles Smith, soldier, b. in New York, 16 Nov., 1822. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1843. and assigned to the infantry. He served with honor in the war with Mexico, was brevetted captain for gallantry
in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco, and was severely wounded at Molino del Rey. He was afterward on frontier duty till April, 1853, when he resigned and engaged in farming in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. At the beginning of the civil war he was appointed, 11 May, 1861, colonel of
