Hamilton - Thomas (Rev) - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Rev. Thomas M. Hamilton died at his home at Frankfort Friday morning at 7:40 o’clock at the age of almost eighty years. His death was due to dropsy from which disease he had been a sufferer for several years. The funeral occurred at Frankfort yesterday.

Mr. Hamilton was a famous preacher of the United Brethren Church and at least forty years of his active ministry was spent at Crawfordsville, Ladoga, Darlington, and other places in Montgomery County. Frankfort Times gives the following sketch of his unusual career: “Friday morning at 7:40 o’clock Rev. Thomas M. Hamilton died at his home on South Sixth Street, near the city limits. His death was due to dropsy, he having been a sufferer from this affliction for several years.

The deceased was one of the best known men in Clinton County. In fact he was widely known in church circles throughout central Indiana. He was almost eighty years of age, having been born in Montgomery County, Kentucky, May 1, 1822. His paternal ancestors were Scotch and his grandfather held a major’s commission in the American army during the Revolution and distinguished himself on many bloody battlefields. Andrew Hamilton, father of the subject of this sketch was also a soldier, serving in the American army in the War of 1812. When Thomas Hamilton was about ten years of age, he moved to Boone County, Indiana, with his parents and lived there on a farm until he grew to manhood. He purchased his first land, seventy five acres, in 1843, and decided on agriculture as a pursuit. He in later life became a heavy land owner, having a fine farm in Jackson Township. Quite early in life he manifested a deep interest in religious matters and entered the United Brethren ministry in 1852. He rose the councils of the church and was one of its prominent workers when his health permitted. There were twenty one appointments on his first circuit and these he filled every three weeks. To show how constantly he was on the go it may be stated that during the first year of his ministry, he preached more than 400 sermons. Within the circuit to which he ministers as a regular pastor were the following congregations: Lebanon, Ladoga, Chambersburg, Green Hill, Concord, and Crawfordsville. He was elected presiding elder in 1857 and held that important position for a period of twenty seven years, having been elected eight different times to the general conference. As a republican, he was elected to the state senate in 1868 and served four years. In 1880 he was elected as representative from Boone County to the lower house of the general assembly.

He was married December 8, 1840, to Prudence Larking, whose ancestry can be traced back many generations in the old country to Lord Antrim, one of the nobility of the Emerald Isle. Eight children were born to them, as follows: John R., of Norton, Kan., Larkin P., Andrew A., Abraham L., and Rosella Hamilton. (*no other names given)

He was one of nature’s noblemen and the world has been better by his visit to it.