William Thomas Hamilton | |
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| 38th Governor of Maryland | |
| In office January 14, 1880 – January 9, 1884 | |
| Preceded by | John Lee Carroll |
| Succeeded by | Robert Milligan McLane |
| United States Senator fromMaryland | |
| In office March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1875 | |
| Preceded by | William Pinkney Whyte |
| Succeeded by | William Pinkney Whyte |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's 4th district | |
| In office March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Yates Walsh |
| Succeeded by | Henry Winter Davis |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's 2nd district | |
| In office March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853 | |
| Preceded by | James D. Roman |
| Succeeded by | Jacob Shower |
| Maryland House of Delegates | |
| In office 1846–1849 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 8, 1820 |
| Died | October 26, 1888(1888-10-26) (aged 68) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Clara Holmes Jenness Hamilton |
| Children | Eight |
| National Governors Association, Governor's Information, Maryland Governor William Thomas Hamilton | |
William Thomas Hamilton (September 8, 1820 – October 26, 1888), a member of theUnited States Democratic Party, was the38th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1880 to 1884. He also served in theUnited States Senate, representing the State of Maryland, from 1868 to 1874, and in theHouse of Representatives, representing thesecond district (1849–1853) andfourth district (1853–1855) of Maryland.
Hamilton was born inBoonsboro, Maryland, and received early schooling from a local tutor named John Brown. He went on to attend Hagerstown Academy, and laterJefferson College inCanonsburg, Pennsylvania, from 1836 to 1840. After college, Hamilton studied law with former Maryland CongressmanJohn Thomson Mason, Jr., and was admitted to the bar in 1845. He then commenced law practice inHagerstown, Maryland.
In 1846, Hamilton was elected to theMaryland House of Delegates, but failed to win re-election in 1847. He was, however, elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-first, Thirty-second, and Thirty-third Congresses, serving from March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1855. While Hamilton was in Congress, even though his district was largely manufacturers and miners, he supportedtariffs but only as a source of revenue for the government. Other actions while in Congress included his tenure as chairman of theCommittee on the District of Columbia during the Thirty-third Congress.
From 1855 until 1868, Hamilton avoided politics and resumed the practice of law and farming in Hagerstown. During that time, he became widely known throughoutWestern Maryland as an excellent trial lawyer.
William Hamilton owned slaves and had a slaves quarters in his home in Hagerstown, Maryland.
After his long absence from politics, Hamilton was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate by the General Assembly, and served from March 4, 1869, to March 3, 1875. Hamilton was a strong supporter of restoring southern sovereignty following theAmerican Civil War, and voted against theFifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which granted voting rights to all men regardless of race.
In 1871, Hamilton endorsedWilliam Pinkney Whyte during theMaryland governor campaign, but regretted the decision thereafter following Whyte's actions as governor. In 1874, Hamilton was abandoned by the state Democratic Party during the nomination process for his senate seat, and was not considered by them for re-election. Instead, Hamilton ran for governor in 1875, but lost his party's nomination to fellow DemocratJohn Lee Carroll.
After failing to receive nomination for governor, Hamilton again stepped away from the political arena, returning to his previous engagements in Western Maryland. During that time, however, he continued to push persistently for a Democratic nomination as governor of Maryland, which he succeeding in doing in 1879. Hamilton faced futureU.S. Postmaster General, RepublicanJames Albert Gary, during the election, and defeated him by more than 22,000 votes.[1]
As governor, Hamilton regularly conflicted with the state legislature, believing they were neglecting the state's economy. He sought to reduce government waste by abolishing excessive offices and positions, such as the office of Weighers of Grain and Hay, but again the legislature refused to cooperate with his program. He retired as governor on January 8, 1884, retaining popular support throughout the state. His hostile treatment of the legislature as governor, however, had made the state Democratic party again unreceptive towards him.
Hamilton returned to Hagerstown where he avoided further involvement in state and national politics. He returned to the practice of law, but also worked to improve the city and countypublic works, streets, and water supply. He was maintained a great deal of popularity in Hagerstown and the surrounding areas, and his death following a long battle with illness was widely mourned. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery (Maryland).
Hamilton's daughter Josephine married the inventorHiram Percy Maxim. His other daughter Clare married Hayden Eames, brother of the opera singerEmma Eames. His granddaughter was actressClare Eames, his great-granddaughter is actressJennifer Howard, and his great-great-grandson is actorTony Goldwyn.[2]
| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of Maryland 1879 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's 2nd congressional district 1849–1853 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's 4th congressional district 1853–1855 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by William Pinkney Whyte | U.S. senator (Class 1) from Maryland 1869–1875 Served alongside:George Vickers,George R. Dennis | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Maryland 1880–1884 | Succeeded by |
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| Class 3 | ||
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