Occupying a prominent position among the leading physicians and surgeons of Southern Illinois and coming prominently into the ranks of the successful self-made men of the state is the gentleman whose name stands for the head of this sketch. Dr. J. W. Hamilton is a native of Jefferson county, Ilinois, born April 24, 1871, near Knob Prairie, where his grandfather settled about the year 1839, being among the early pioneers of that part of the country. Josiah A. Hamilton, the doctor's father, was born in Brown county, Ohio, but when four years of age was brought by his parents to Illinois. The family settled originally near McLeansboro, Hamilton county, and three years later removing thence to Jefferson county and founding a home at the north end of Knob Prairie.

Josiah Hamilton was reared a farmer and in due time became one of the successful men of his calling in his community as well as one of the county's widely known and highly esteemed cituens. He served in Company K, Thirty-second Illinoish Volunteer Infantry, during the late Civil war, saw much active service and earned an honorable record as a soldier. Resuming agricultural pursuits on returning from the army, he continued the ~ame on his farm near Knob Prairie until within a short time before hi~ death when he changed his residence to the town of Ina, where in August, 1877, he passed from earth.

When a young man Josiah Hamilton married Miss Hannah E. Boswell, who was born at Knob Prairie, in 1834, and is still living near the place where she first saw the light of day, retaining to a remarkable degree the possession of her faculties both physical and mental. She bore her husband ten children, six of whom grew to mature years, of which one, Mrs. Elnora Webb, the third in order of birth, has since died. Those living at this time are Orange Hamilton, of Waltonville, Jefferson county; Mrs. Lucretia Mannen, who lives at the same place; Vincent Hamilton, of Sheller, Illinois; Charles, of Emerton City, and Dr. J. W., whose name introduces this review.

The doctor's grandfather was Orange Hamilton, a native of  New York City, and as already stated, a pioneer of Jefferson county, locating near Knob Prairie in a very early day and taking an active and influential part in the material development of his section of the country. By occupation he was a tiller of the soil and as such ranked among the most enterprising and successful of the county, besides attaining commendable standing as a neighbor and citizen. He developed a good farm, provided comfortably for his family and departed this life about the year 1857, honored and respected by all with whom he came in contact.

The early life of Doctor Hamilton was spent on the family homestead near Knob Prairie and when a mere boy he learned by practical experience the true significance of honest toil and the value of industry as a means of attaining an honorable position in the world. He was reared on the farm and after attending the public schools until his seventeenth year began teaching, to which useful calling he devoted his attention until his twenty-first year, meeting with flattering success the meanwhile and achieving an honorable reputation as a capable and painstaking instructor. Having decided to make the medical profession his life work, he entered shortly after attaining his majority the office of Dr. A. J. Fitzgerald, of Knob Prain.e~ where he prosecuted his studies for one year and in 1902 became a student of Barnes Medical College of St. Louis, which he attended during the three years ensuing and from which he was graduated March 17, 1905.

On receiving his degree Doctor Hamilton began the practice of his profession at ma, Illinois, but after a year and a half at that place he found a wider and more inviting field for the exercise of his talents in the city of Mount Vernon, where he has since practiced with encouraging success and where he now has a large and lucrative professional business, which is rapidly growing in magnitude and importance. For about one and a half years he was in partnership with Dr. Harold Gee, but at the expiration of which time became associated with Doctor Gilmore, the firm thus constituted being still maintained and at the present time among the best known partnerships of the kind not only in Mount Vernon and Jefferson county, but in the southern part of the state.

Doctors Hamilton and Gilmore have finely equipped offices in the Youngblood building, where every implement and device of modern surgery is to be found, also the latest results of medical research. Both gentlemen being critical students and in close touch with everything relating to their profession. While eminently successful in the general practice they make a specialty of surgery, to which they have devoted much time and caieful study and in which they have achieved more than local repute, being recognized as the leading surgeons of their city and among the most skillful and successful in the state.

Doctor Hamilton is still a young man but he belongs to the school of advanced thought and has spared neither pains nor expense to acquire proficiency in his noble work and become a true benefactor of the race. He has met with financial success commensurate with the energy and skill displayed in his practice and is now not only one of the ablest physicians and surgeons of the city in which he resides, but also one of its well-to-do men and enterprising public-spirited citizens. Doctor Hamilton is a member of the Jefferson County Medical Society, in the deliberations of which he takes a prominent and influential part and also belongs to the Medical Society of Southern Illinois, which he is now serving as president. In addition to those two bodies he is identified with vanous other organizations including the Illinois State Medical Society, the Ohio Valley Medical Society, the American Medical Association, the American Association of Railway Surgeons and holds a life membership with the Surgeons Club of Rochester, Minnesota. In connection with his large and steadily growing practice he has been for twelve years surgeon of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Company, and is not infrequently called long distances to perforrn operations requiring a high order of surgical talent.

The doctor is a Democrat but finds little time to devote to political matters, although deeply interested in public affairs and familiar with the leading questions and issues upon which men and parties divide. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows during the past twelve year and is also identified with the order of Woodmen, the Court of Honor, the Maccabees and the Knigths of Pythias, holding the title of past chancellor in the last named society. He has never aspired to office or leadership among his fellow citizens' and with the exception of serving three years on the city school board has held no public position.

On the 26th day of April, 1891, Doctor Hamilton was united in marnage with Miss Cora Webb, daughter of Daniel R. Webb, of Horse Prairie, Jefferson county, a union blessed with two children, Clarence O., born December 18, 1892, and Willma Opal, whose birth occurred on June 30th, of the year 1896. Doctor and Mrs Hamilton are well known in the social life of Mount Vernon and stand high in the esteem of the best people of the city and county. They are interested in all humanitarian measures for the amelioration of suffering and distress, contribute liberally to charitable institutions and private benevolences.

SOURCE:Walls History of Jefferson County, Il
By John A. Wall 1909 pg 577

Submitted by: Misty Flannigan

J. W. Hamilton, M.D.

A gentleman who has come into prominence in the medical profession in Jefferson county, is Dr. J. W Hamilton. He was born at Waltonville, Ill , April 4,1871. He received his education through the public schools, and followed teaching for five years after graduating. In 1893 he began reading medicine and graduated from Barn's Medical College in 1895, locating in Ina, this county, where he remained a little over two years, when he moved to Mt. Vernon. Dr. Hamilton possess marked ability, and undoubtely has a bright future before him, as he is paving the way to a strong position among men of his profession in this city. He is the local physician for the C. & E. I. Ry.

SOURCE: The Headlight

SUBMITTED BY: Misty Flannigan
April 25, 1998