My Genealogy Hound

JOHN O. HAMILTON is one of the enterprising, wide-awake young business men of Vernon, where he is conducting a grocery store and also dealing in hay. His entire life has been passed in Kansas his birth having occurred in Leroy, Coffey County, January 28, 1864. He and his twin brother Charles C., are the eldest in a family of twelve children born unto Alexander and Jane Hamilton. When our subject was two years old the father sold his business interests in Leroy and removed to Woodson County, purchasing a large tract of land in Everett township, near where the town of Vernon is now located. Thus John O. Hamilton was reared upon a farm and early became familiar with the methods of instruction in the common schools, where he acquired his education. He also spent one term in the school of Neosho Falls. At home he was trained in the work of handling cattle and soon became an excellent judge of stock. When he was a youth of fifteen he began driving cattle for his father from the Indian Territory, and from other parts of Kansas, his time being thus occupied until he was twenty years of age.

On account of failing health Mr. Hamilton then went to Colorado, where he worked on a cattle ranch for a year, when he returned to his home in Kansas and thence made his way to Marceline, Missouri, being there engaged in conducting a grocery store for a year and a half. On the expiration of that period he once more came to Woodson County and here on the 30th of January, 1889 was united in marriage to Miss Emma Morgan, daughter of Dr. J. Morgan, now of Iola.

After his marriage Mr. Hamilton followed farming for four years and then purchased property in Vernon, on which he built a good barn, residence and store. He has since conducted a grocery store, of which his wife is in charge, while his attention is given to the hay business. He buys and ships hay quite extensively and his sales in both branches of his enterprise now amount to six thousand dollars annually. His trade is steadily increasing, and it is safe to predict that a still more brilliant success awaits him. He is yet a young man, full of energy, determination and laudable ambition, and his labors cannot fail to bring prosperity.

Mr. Hamilton is a member of Vernon Council, No. 7690, M. W. A., and in politics he is a Democrat. He was appointed postmaster of Vernon under President Cleveland’s second administration and served in that capacity for four years with entire satisfaction to all the patrons of the office. As a public-spirited citizen and business man he is numbered among the valued residents of the community, and is held in high regard by all with whom he is associated.