My Genealogy Hound

JOHN HAMILTON, merchant and druggist, Shousetown, Pa., was born near Wilkinsburg, Allegheny county, Pa., Nov. 30, 1815, a son of George, a farmer, and Eliza (Erwin) Hamilton, natives of Bedford county, Pa. Mrs. Hamilton was a member of the M. E. Church. They had seven children, two living: Alexander Hamilton, who resides at Wilkinsburg, Pa., retired farmer and property-owner, and John. The latter attended school in Pittsburgh, and finished his education under the tutorship of the late Hon. Walter H. Lowry, When sixteen years old he began to learn the steamboat-joiner business, serving an apprenticeship of three and a half years; then worked for about a year at journey-work, when he began for himself putting cabins on vessels; later, for five years he was engaged in building houses. In 1846 he opened a general store in Shousetown, which he has since continued. He was first appointed postmaster under the administration of Millard Fillmore, reappointed under Lincoln, and served for thirty years, until removed by Grover Cleveland. Mr. Hamilton married, in Washington county, in May, 1836, a daughter of John and Angus Donaldson. Mrs. Hamilton died in August, 1871, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and the mother of eight children, five living: Lidee, wife of John W. Cooper, residing at Milledgeville, Pa.; Mary H., wife of Wesley Bateman, of Pittsburgh; George E., married to Lucinda Chattley, in Milledgeville, Pa.; Sarah A., wife of L. C. McCormack, in Shoustown; John D., married to Mary McBrier, residing at Coraopolis. Mr. Hamilton has the leading dry-goods and notion store in Shoustown, and carries some $5,000 worth of stock. He is a member of the M. E. Church: was first a whig, later a republican.