Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Robert Hamilton
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
ROBERT HAMILTON. Whatever associations a
Scotchman may form in later years,
or however far from his native land his home
may be, the ties which bind him to the land
of his birth are firm and enduring. The gentleman
above named, although an American citizen for a
number of years, has never forgotten his boyhood's
home, and when Clay County was properly divided
into regular townships, the one in which his home
is situated was called Athelstane in honor of his birthplace,
he, as one of the oldest settlers therein, being
given the privilege of deciding on the name.
The father of our subject was Robert Hamilton,
a native of the west of Scotland, where his death
occurred. His occupation was that of a gardener,
and he was employed on a gentleman's estate. He
married Miss Euphemia Rutherford, daughter of
Walter Rutherford, also natives of Scotland. The
union was blessed by the birth of three children
--John, Elizabeth, and Robert. The oldest son died
at the age of twenty-one years. Elizabeth accompanied
her brother Robert to America as his housekeeper,
and married Thomas A. Coatswith of Wakefield.
Robert Hamilton was born near the village of
Athelstaneford in Haddingtonshire, Scotland, July
15, 1843, and was reared in the rural districts. He
was taught to do farm and garden work, and assisted
his father until about twenty-two years old. He
then went to London, and for five years was employed
as a clerk or traveling salesman for an agricultural
and fertilizing house. He then accompanied the
Wakefield Colony from England to Kansas, and
settled on a homestead on section 26 of what is
now Athelstane Township. He had a small amount
of money and at once commenced improving his
estate. His first breaking was done in 1870, he
paying $5 per acre for it. The following year he
began farming, and for three years raised good
crops. In 1874 he had a good yield of wheat, but
no corn. In 1879, he had some corn but no wheat,
the latter having been entirely destroyed by a hail
storm, while farms a short distance from his own
escaped injury. The four years following 1885,
farmers in northern Kansas had very short crops,
that of 1887, being almost a failure. The last season
(1889) has been a good one.
Mr. Hamilton is one of the oldest settlers in Athelstane.
When he first arrived, the country was full
of Texas cattle; antelope, deer, and such game, were
plentiful, and the buffalo were only about seventy
miles west. The conveniences of life were hard to
obtain. Junction City being the nearest trading
point. From that place Mr. Hamilton hauled all
the lumber which he used in improving his estate.
Being a single man. he built a small house at first,
and �bached" it therein for some years. He has
added 160 acres by purchase to his original estate,
and has the entire acreage well-improved and thoroughly
cultivated. The contrast between the disadvantages
of his early life here, and the situation
now that towns and post offices are near, and railroads
make supplies handy and prices reasonable, is one
which he often notes.
The marriage of Mr. Hamilton took place on
Feb. 22, 1877, the bride being Miss Mary A. Anderson,
a native of Perthshire, Scotland. She had
accompanied her father, John Anderson, on a visit
to Kansas and was persuaded to remain as the wife
of our subject. Her father returned alone to Scotland,
and died two years later, being then seventy six
years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton four
children have been born, namely�Robert A., John
W., Thomas C., and Hazel G.
Mr. Hamilton is a Democrat in politics. He and
his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Both are worthy citizens, being possessed of the
sterling traits of character which belong to the race
from which they sprang.