The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-03-07
Death Of J. p. Hamilton.

After many long months of suffer-
ing, Mr.. J. P. Hamilton, passed away
at his home in north Leon Tuesday
morning at o'clock, at the ad-
vanced age of 81 years, 10 months
and 26 days.
The deceased had been a resident
of Decatur county for So years, anu
was one of the best known men in
the county. He has been q factor in
the building up of this county. Pos
sessed of abundant means, he was
ever ready to assist those who need
ed financial aid, and thousands of
men have had business transactions
with him. In business, as in his
daily life, he was upright and con-
scientious, and no man could ever
complain of being treated unfairly
by him. For many years he has been
one of the principal stockholders in
the Exchange National Bank of Leon,
and at the time of his death was
president of the bank. For nearly
two and a half years Mr.. Hamilton
has been confined to his home, and
had suffered greatly, yet he bore his
suffering with great fortitude and
until q short time ago continued to
look after his extensive business in
terests.
Jonathan Powers Hamilton, son
of Robert and Eleanor Hamilton,
was born in Montgomery county,
Indiana, April 9, 1929. His early
life was spent on a farm in Indiana,
and in 1853 he came to Decatur
county. Iowa, settling on home
1f
Vert, where he engaged in farming
and stock raising and was very sue
cessful. He was a hard worker and
made careful but profitable invest
ments, and accumulated compe-
tency. He was one of the true
pioneers of the county, enduring
many of the privations incident to
an early settler in 4 new country.
He remained on the farm until 1876,
when with his family he came to
Leon to make his home and has re-
sided here ever since.
At the age of AZ years Mr. Hamil-
ton was converted and united with
the Protestant Methodist church,
which was located near his home.
After coming to Leon he united with
the Baptist church of Leon in 1882,
under the pastorate of Rev. F. Ed
wards, and between these two men
there grew a great friendship, which
continued until death separated
them, and it was Mr.. Hamilton's wish
that Rev. Edwards ofliciate at his
funeral. He was ordained deacon
in the church and was always very
liberal contributor to the support of
the church. He was member Of the
building committee which built the
tributed very largely to the build
ing fund.
The subject of this sketch was
married to Mary Jane Smith in 1855,
and to their union were born two
sons and three daughters. Two Of
these died in infancy, the surviving
children being Mrs. Anna Gaines, of
St. John, Wash, Ira S. Hamilton, of
Bridgeport, WASH, and Alva J. Ham,
ilton, of Guanabacoa, Cuba. His
wife died May 4, 1866, and on June
8, 1867, he was married to Martha
Jane Kelley, who survives him. To
them were born thirteen children,
eight of whom are living, and seven
of them were present at his last i'll
ess. The surviving children are Mrs.
Eliza Drake, Gibbon, Neb.; Mrs.
Emma Baker, St. John, WASH; Mrs.
Nora Hopton, Casper, Wyoming;
Mrs. Alice Lewis, Leon, Iowa; Mrs.
! Bertha Alexander, Leon, Iowa; Mrs.
Nellie Cornelius, Sapulpa, Okla. ;
! Mrs. Edith Sprague, Sequim, Wash. !;
Mrs. LaRue Pearce, Rockport, Mo.
| Funeral services were held at the
home on Wednesday morning at 10
O'clock, conducted by Rev. F. Ed
wards, and were attended by large
number of Borrowing friends. The
floral offerings from friends were
beautiful, mammoth floral pillow
from his associates in the Exchange
National Bank, being one of the fin
est ever seen in this city lnterment
was in the Shy cemetery, northwest
of Leon.