Matthias N. Hamilton, a civil war veteran, and for many years a prominent business man of this city, died at six o'clock last Friday morning at the home of his son, Charles E. Hamilton, on East Walnut Street. He had been declining rapidly the last few months with the infirmities of old age, and had been confined to the house for the last six weeks. An acute inflammatory condition of the brain and spinal cord finally developed, from which he had been at the point of death for ten days before the end came.

Mr. Hamilton was born on a farm south of this city in Center township March 26, 1836. He was brought up on the farm, and after having attended school in this city, was a teacher in the rural schools before he entered Oberlin college as a student. He would have completed his college course in a year or so, when, at the outbreak of the civil war, he entered the military service of the ....... government. Enlisting April 25, 1861, in Company C, Seventh O V I under Captain G. W. Shurtleff for three months, he re-enlisted for three years at the expiration of that time. Mr. Hamilton saw hard service and participated in service fighting until August 23, 1862, when, broken ill health, he was honorably discharged at Cumberland, Maryland. During his service, Mr. Hamilton was a messmate of Colonel I. F. Mack, editor of the Sandusky Register.

For a few years after his arms service, he worked in a number of wholesale drug houses in Pittsburg and Allegheny, and while there married Miss Anna Jones of Pittsburg forty-two years ago. Mr. Hamilton embarked in the drug business in this city about forty years ago, succeeding A. J. Blocksom in what has been the Hamilton corner just west of the court house ever since. Mrs. Hamilton died June 10, 1901.

The following children survive: William, Charles E. and H.R. Hamilton all of this city and Rev. John N. Hamilton who recently resigned the rectorship of an Episcopal parish in Charleston, West Virginia, to assume like duties in Covington, Kentucky. He is survived also by two sisters, Miss Christina Hamilton of this city and Mrs. Elizabeth Hasson of Youngstown, a brother, Jonathan Hamilton who has been an inmate of the state hospital in Toledo for many years as a result of the hardships of his civil war service and two half sisters, Mrs. Harmon Dorwart and Miss Westaline Gleckner, both of this city.

Mr. Hamilton was a member of the Starr Post No 138 G A R of this city, and was identified with all the high auxiliaries of the Masonic order. Private funeral services were held at the house Sunday afternoon. Rev. Otis A. Simpson of the Church of Our Savior in Salem officiating. Mr. Hamilton was one of the leading members and supporters of Trinity Episcopal church in this city and at the time of his death was senior warden of the local church. His body was laid to rest in the family burial plat in the city cemetery.

The Buckeye State Newspaper
Published Thursday, September 24, 1908
Born March 26, 1836
Died September 18, 1908
Civil War Veteran