The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-06-16
IN MEMoRIAM.
Major James Hamilton.

VA w N'SVhs hAr's VII tt'aet
May 18th, at 5 o'clock. His sickness began
on the 25th day Of February. During the
last five days his throat and tongue We're
paralyzed, so as to make him speechlcss; for
nearly two days he was unable to swallow
any nourishment, whether food or drink.
His entire sickness was attended with much
suffering which he bore with Christian res
ignation, until it mastered his fine constitu-
ton, and he sank into the restof Gods peo-
pie, surrounded by all his family, Except
an absent son. by an only brother, X. A..
Hamilton, of Virginia, and by other rela-
tives and friends. His disease was pneu-
monia and typhoid fever which, together
with general debility, carried him off in the
sixty-seeond year of his age. According to
our frail judgments and affections, this was
entirely too early to take away from his
duties and usefulness such a man as Major
Hamilton. But a Wisdom which makes
no mistakes ordered it, and our friend and
brothersshas been taken from the embrace OF
a loved and loving family-from the COM
partnership Of attached friends, from the ac-
tive pursuit of his avocations, and from the
church, as | doubt not, to the rest, the TEL
lowship, the %enloyments and the occupa-
tions of heaven. Ii we estimate life by the
calendar, and not by its achievements, he
died too young. But Maj Hamilton's life
was one Of incessant activity; his constltu-
ton was vigorous, and his health uninter-
rupted; he projected large schemes and sus-
tanned great responsibilities; his will was
indomitable and his energy irresistible, and
he was Injured to heavy burdens, and herce
he more than achieved the full task which
human nature can he expected to accom-
plish, before he reached the age of waning
humanity. But he paid the penalty OF his
exuberance of life and excess OF energy by
the shortening oil his days. For, that vital
system which had been kepto on a tension for
two score years, and for fifty years had
known no sickness, relaxed when he was III
tackled, and he became a more easy prey to-
the great destroyer.
Mai. Hamilton, in 1857, profesSed faith in
Christ and united with the Presbyterian
church at Columbus, Miss, where he then
resided, OF which church the Rev. DIR. JAS.
A Lyon was pastor. The blessed truths OF
the gospel which he embraced, he %inculca-
ted in his children, and in islife and death
he has left them a living example OF their
power. His Christian faith was his
sustaining strength, during his long sick
ness. His ~favorite hymn was "Nearer, my
God, to Thee" which he frequently reques-
ted his daughter to sing for him. His trust
in the merits of our Redeemer was often FIX
pressed; and though for several days before
his release he was speeches., yet he was
conscious to the last. His mind was bright
and active; and by expressive signs, ire
quently pointing upw rd, he gave every as
surance that God was near him, and that
His rod and staff were his comfort. His
final farewell of wife and children was made
the more sad because he could only convey
his ideas by sounds or gestures, and respond
to their remarks by the motion OF his head.
His watchfulness and care for their comfort
and happiness was constant, even until he
gave them the last mournful embrace.
Though Major Hamilton never held of
fee in the church, owing to conscientious
difficulties, he was the Jealous friend OF the
PRESBYTERIAN church and all its agencies.
He was one OF the original founders OF the
Presbyterian church at Wcsson, which he
lived to see firmly established, and in it the
last sad rites were administered i'll the
presence of Il large assembly OF friends and
n%eighbors.
But Mai. Hamilton's manifestation OF
Christian principle did not originate with
his confession Of Christ. He was always
scrupulous in his regard for the Sabbath, a
regular attendant on religious worship, and
a liberal supporter OF the church. When
about twenty years of age, he showed his
sense OF obligation to his large family of
slaves by employing a minister to preach
on his plantation, and by establishing a
Sabbath School for their religious instruc-
ton, in which he taught himself.
James Hamilton was a native of Gran
vile county, North Carolina, but in early
life emigrated to Columbus, Lowndes coun-
tv, Miss. For several years he engaged
successfully in planting, but subsequently
he embarked in commercial pursuits in
Columbus, where he was doing an extern
sive and increasing business, when the civil
war came on. The r~esponsibled duties which
were deyolved on him by the government
during The war, he discharged TO the emil
nent satisfaction OF both government and
people. AT its disastrous close he found
that his fortune, accumulated by years OF
energetic and laborious exertion, had near
Iy wasted away. He went to work at once
with that indomitable will, which is itself
a tower of strength, TO save what he honest
" could from his wasted fortune. and, as 1t
were. to begin over again the business OF
life. In 1868 he accepted the offices OF Sec
retary and Treasurer OF the Mississippi
Manufacturing Company at Wesson, which
was then in financial difficulty. Notwith-
standing his able management, a policy was
pursued, contrary to his advice and pro-
tests. which involved the whole property If
retrievably, and the Cotton and Wooden
Mills were sold under the Sheriff's ham
mer. Mai. Hamilton lost everything, and
was compelled to sell his residence to get
the means for again starting in business.
For the third time, with a large family OF
small children dependent upon him, in 1871
he began The world afresh. He embarked
in the lumber business, devoting to 1t all his
energies. He not only made his new bust
ness a complete success, SC as to support his
family in comfort, but also to discharge a
heavy debt OF over $4,000 which he as
sumed. which he was not asked nor expect
ed to pay. and for which there was no legal
claim against him; but his delicate sense OF
honor made him feel it to be his duty to
meet ii. Shortly before his death he had
the great satisfaction Of making the last
nayment on this large sum. There are but
few men who would have done this, but
James Hamilton was one of Natures noble
men. and his word, or indeed his sense OF
honor. was as binding as his bond. This
last debt being lifted from his shoulders, he
was projecting enlarged plans oil business
when summoned to his rest. He was not
only a man Of integrity and business honor,
but he exhibited in his life spirit OF JUS
tice and fairness in his intercourse with his
! fellow-men which is only too rare. Natu-
rally impulsive and excitable, he was some
| times thrown off his balance. But as he
was quick to resent an injury, so he had the
sense of right and the manliness to confess
II when he had done wrong, to apologize
| when he had violated the rights or injured
the feelings of any one, and to make the
amende honorable, though a negro.
To originate and carry forward to success
such enterprises as he engaged in required a
sunerior intellect. He was a man OF
thought. and his mind craved knowledge.
For a merchant absorbed in business, 1t was
remarkable how much he read, how wide
was his range of knowledge and how deep
an interest he took in scientific progress.
Astronomy was his ~favorite science; Oh its
wonders he delighted to mediate and con-
verse, and one of his anticipations of heav-
en-, OF which he often spoke, was the full
ness of the revelation which should there be
made of the wonders OF the universe.
The death OF Major Hamilton has left a
great vacancy in the social circle. At his
house in Columbus, where the writer OF these
lines knew him best and whence he recalls
many delightful hours, he exercised a large
and elegant hospitality without ostentatlon.