Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-02-25
LIFE OF A HUMORIST.
a Short and Funny Biography of viii
Lampton.

A Short Rnu Funny typography Oh win
Lampton.
". J. Hampton, the editor Of the Mer-
chant Traveller, was born in Lawrence
county, Ohio, in 1851. He is of Kentucky
and was reared in that State, as
he remarked, "the finest State in the Union
to lvein." believe that Kentucky whisky
has gained for that State an unenviable rep
utation as a residing place. This does not
in the least, refer to Friend hampton. He
is not colonel, only major.
He left college in 1870 and engaged in the
iron business in Kentucky and st.
Louis until 1877, when, becoming tired Of
carrying kegs of railway spikes up to the
fourth story, he, without any previous ex-
perience, launched his bark upon the sea
of journalism, in the way Of scissors and
paste-pot glory and debt, as the editor and
proprietor of the Ashland, KY, Review, a
Republican newspaper. He s:ood all the
narrowing details ofa Kentucky Republican
editors life for about one year, when he left
for Cincinnati 10 take a position upon the
Evening Times. He did not leave Ashland
hurriedly, as has been reported; he only
saunteISu OUT OL Town.
On the Evening Times he essayed his
first funny business. 1t is reported that
four office boys during his engagement
drowned themselves, but have no authen-
tic information that Mr.. hampton was in
any way responsible for their rash acts.
In 1879 he again moved; this time to
Steubenville, Ohio, where, as an attache Of
II nd
made q living at il until 1882 when q
serious attack of nostalgia sent Kim to the
Louisville Courier-Journal, where he per-
petrated a series of "Mary Jane" letters
which brought more glory than "gelt," be-
sides doing various other kinds Of work.
In January, 1883, he took charge ofthe
Drummer, changed the name to the Mer-
chant Traveller with one y, and is now
respected member Of the society, if he is not
rich. As humorous writer Mr.. hampton
ranks with the best, every issue Of this rep.
resentative organ of commercial travellers
containing one or more pages Of original
humorous items.
He ran for President on the Nationa'
Merchant Travellers ticket last election. l
believe he was defeated. A pen picture
shows Mr.. hampton to be six feet, two
inches tall weight one hundred and eighty
pounds, Van Dyke brown hair "a very aris.
tocrahc color), szure-tinted eyes and
bilious complexion, and as an amateur
beauty, is considered quite success.
Mr.. hampton is good Republican with
Southern proclivilies is not at present q
member of any church, but believes that If
you do unto others as you would have
others do unto YOU that you will, when
your time arrives, climb the golden stair with
the greatest agility,
For the benefit Of his Murray Hill, New
York friends, will state that he is a de-
sceudant Of the Earl of Durham on one
side, and Lord Fairfax on the other. | be-
lieve the King Of Clubs is somewhere
mixed up in his genealogy, but it is so re-
mote that l have no time to trace it
Among his warmest friends are Mark Train,
Henry Watterson, JEFF Davis, and several
Others, who are nov in reformatory institu.
tons. In conclusion will state that Mr..
hampton is in every way worthy Of the sue
cess attending bis efforts, for there is in
him six feet two inches Of solid gentle
man. Kind OF heart and charitable to
fault, he would put twenty dollar gold
piece in the collection plate, If he could
spare it. Shake.-Brooklyn Times.