# Joseph B. Hamilton

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**Joseph B. Hamilton** (June 10, 1817 – 1902) was an American teacher, lawyer and judge from [Neenah](/source/Neenah,_Wisconsin), [Wisconsin](/source/Wisconsin), who served in the [Wisconsin State Senate](/source/Wisconsin_State_Senate).[1]

## Background

Hamilton was born on June 10, 1817, in [Lansing, New York](/source/Lansing,_New_York), son of William and Elizabeth (Bower) Hamilton. He was raised on his family's farm, and received a [common school](/source/Common_school) education. At the age of 18, he attended the [academy](/source/Academy) in [Aurora, Cayuga County, New York](/source/Aurora,_Cayuga_County,_New_York), then spent a winter teaching school. For the next seven years he alternated between teaching school and attending [Cazenovia Seminary](/source/Cazenovia_Seminary). At 25 he took up the study of [law](/source/Law), first with a firm in [Genoa, New York](/source/Genoa,_New_York), then later with one in [Auburn](/source/Auburn,_New_York), continuing all the while to teach school. He was [admitted to the bar](/source/Admission_to_the_bar_in_the_United_States) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) in April, 1845; and had a [legal practice](/source/Legal_practice) in [Mecklenburg, New York](/source/Mecklenburg,_New_York), until 1849. In 1847 he married Mary C. Jaycox, of Mecklenburg, who would become the mother of two children before her death in 1854, though neither child survived long.

## In Wisconsin

In October 1849 he came to Wisconsin, and settled in Neenah, where he chose to settle. He was the [Winnebago County](/source/Winnebago_County,_Wisconsin) [district attorney](/source/District_attorney) for 1852-3. He had been a [Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)), but with [free soil](/source/Free_Soil_Party) sympathies; but in 1856 joined the [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)), of which he would remain a local leader throughout his career. He was chairman of the board of supervisors of his [town](/source/Political_subdivisions_of_Wisconsin#Towns) in 1856, and president of the [village](/source/Political_subdivisions_of_Wisconsin#Villages) of Neenah in 1857 and 1858.[2]

## First term in the Senate

He was first elected to the Senate in 1862 from the [21st District](/source/Wisconsin_Senate,_District_21) (Winnebago County) as a Republican, succeeding fellow Republican [Samuel M. Hay](/source/Samuel_M._Hay). He was appointed to the [standing committees](/source/Standing_committee) on the [militia](/source/Militia), on [federal relations](/source/Federalism_in_the_United_States), on [education](/source/Education), and on [internal improvements](/source/Internal_improvements)[3] At the close of the 1864 Senate session, Governor [James T. Lewis](/source/James_T._Lewis) appointed him as Winnebago County's [county judge](/source/County_judge) to fill the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge George W. Washburn. He was succeeded in the Senate by [George Barnum](/source/George_Barnum), who like Hamilton and most Republicans had adopted the [National Union Party](/source/National_Union_Party_(United_States)) label that year.

## After first Senate term; second Senate term

He served as Judge from 1864 to 1870, and for about three years of that term lived in [Oshkosh](/source/Oshkosh,_Wisconsin). In 1867 he married again, to Mary Aurelia Kimberly, a native of [Troy, New York](/source/Troy,_New_York), and graduate of [Emma Willard](/source/Emma_Willard)' [Troy Female Seminary](/source/Emma_Willard_School), now resident in Neenah. The couple were to have one child who lived, a daughter.[4]

Hamilton was elected once more to the Winnebago County Senate seat (now [Wisconsin Senate, District 19](/source/Wisconsin_Senate,_District_19)) in 1880, unseating [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) incumbent [Andrew Haben](/source/Andrew_Haben), with 4,470 votes for Hamilton, 4,049 for Haben, and 529 for former [Greenback](/source/Greenback_Party) [Assemblyman](/source/Wisconsin_State_Assembly) [Milan Ford](/source/Milan_Ford). He was assigned to the committees on the [judiciary](/source/Judiciary), and on [town and county affairs](/source/Political_subdivisions_of_Wisconsin).[5] In the next session, he remained on the judiciary committee, but moved to the committee on the [assessment](/source/Tax_assessment) and [collection](/source/Tax_collection) of [taxes](/source/Taxes), chairing the latter.[6] In March 1882, he was once more appointed as county judge to serve out an unexpired term caused by the resignation of the incumbent.

Hamilton was not a candidate for re-election to the Senate in 1882, and was succeeded by Democrat [Thomas Wall](/source/Thomas_Wall_(Wisconsin_politician)).

## Personal life; death

Hamilton was a [Freemasonry](/source/Freemasonry) and held various offices in the Neenah lodge of that order. He was a [Methodist](/source/Methodism), and in his earlier years took an active part in [Sunday school](/source/Sunday_school) work.

His death was reported in the "Recent Deaths" column of the August 1902 issue of *[The American Lawyer](/source/The_American_Lawyer)*.[7]

## References

1. ["Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999 State of Wisconsin Legislative Bureau. Information Bulletin 99-1, September 1999. p. 8](http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/pubs/ib/99ib1.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20061209014416/http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/pubs/ib/99ib1.pdf) 2006-12-09 at the Wayback Machine

1. [Randall, Geo. A. *Illustrated atlas of Winnebago County, Wisconsin: containing outline map of the county, map of each township in the county, with village and city plats. Also maps of the world, United States and state of Wisconsin, together with other valuable information* "Contains maps of the whole county plus individual maps of each Civil Town and the Cities of Oshkosh, Neenah, Menasha and Omro, and the Villages of Winneconne, Delhi and Butte des Morts. Includes 3 pages of general history of the county followed by 40 pages containing over 700 substantial biographies (200-350 words each) of farmers, businessmen and other community leaders" Madison: Brant and Fuller, 1889; p. 23](http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.Oshkosh1889)

1. [Dean, John S.; Stewart, Frank M., eds. *The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin; comprising Jefferson's manual, the rules, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference* Second Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Rublee, State Printers, 1863; pp. 76, 78, 126](http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1863)

1. Fairbanks, Mary J. Mason. *Emma Willard and Her Pupils: Or, Fifty Years of Troy Female Seminary, 1822-1872* New York, Mrs. Russell Sage, 1898; p. 338

1. [Heg, J. E., ed. *The blue book of the state of Wisconsin 1881* Madison, 1881; pp. 499, 534](http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1881)

1. [Heg, J. E., ed. *The blue book of the state of Wisconsin 1882* Madison, 1882; p. 571](http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1882)

1. "Recent Deaths" *The American Lawyer* Vol. 10, p. 368 (August 1902)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Joseph B. Hamilton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_B._Hamilton) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_B._Hamilton?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.