Evening star., 1946-05-25
g. E. Hamilton, Dean Emeritus
|OfG. u. Law School, Dies at 81
Career Combined
Law, Teaching
And Business

George E. Hamilton, dean emeri-
tus of Georgetown Law School, it's
oldest living alumnus and oldest liv-
ing alumnus of Georgetown Uni
versity as well. died last night at
his home, Stone Ridge, 8l01 Rock
vile pike, Bethesda, at the age
of 81.
The Rev. Arthur A. OLeary, S. j.,
former president OF Georgetown,
was with Mr.. Hamilton when death
came at 8:25 pm. Father OLeary
had been called earlier to admin
ister the last rites of the Catholic
church.
Funeral services will be held at 10
am. Monday at St. Matthews
Church, l725 Rhode Island avenue
NV. Requiem mass will be said
by Father OLeary. Burial will be
in Rock Creek Cemtery.
One of Washington's most promi-
nent citizens, he was widely known
in educational, legal and business
circles. Since entering the 'prepara-
tory department of Georgetown
College in the fall of 1865 as the
l1-year-old son of one of Southern
Maryland's oldest families, he
achieved three notable careers in
lifetime as teacher of the law,
practitioner Of the law and as
businessman. He was, in addition,
an outstanding leader among the
Catholic laity of Washington.
He is credited with having taken
an active role in the instruction of
law students over a longer period
of time than any other law dean
in the United States He lived to
see former students achieve fame
and fortune as members of both the
House of Representative and the
Senate. in the cabinet, on the bench
and before the bar and in business
and professional circles.
Headed Bar Association.
AS president of the District Bar
Association in 1893. he played a ma
jor role in the creation and organi-
zation of the Court of Appeals of
the District of Columbia and was
the first lawyer admitted to prac-
tice before it. Later, in 1901, he
was a member of the bar associa-
ton committee which helped draft
the District Code of 1901, which is
now in use.
He was head of the law firm of
Hamilton & Hamilton, The firm
90 rlior nod hoop NGorric r. uoroil
ton, successor to Merrick & Nor
ris, whose Offices Mr.. Hamilton en-
tered as young law school gradu-
ate.
AS a businessman he was one of
the organizers of the Union Trust
Co. in 1899 and was vice president
and counsel for the bank For
number of years he was president
and later chairman of the board
and counsel of the Capital Traction
Co. and was chairman of the Execu
tive Committee and general counsel
of the Capital Transit Co.
He was Washington counsel for
the B. 81 o. Railroad for so years.
AS division counsel for the B. g. o.
he helped draft legislation which
cleared the way for the Union Sta
ton. and as general counsel for the
Washington Terminal Co. he had
charge of the acquisition of all prop
erty on which the station and its
yards and shops now stand.
Active in Church Affairs.
| An energetic leader in the Cath
olic Church, he gave generously of
his time to public welfare. serving
on what was formerly the, Board
of Charities, as we'll as in the Or
ganizations of his church. Dur
ing the World War he was a men,
Der of the Board of Education and
was for many years an Official of
the Boy Scouts.
/ A patron of the arts. he was pres
ident of the board of trustees of the
Corcoran Gallery of Art and a mem
Der of the Washington Monument
/ Associa ton.
/ In 1891 he married Louise F..
Merlick, the daughter of Richard
T. Merrick. in whose law firm he
/ 1'iiooi ACu VII IilC iOdu W SuCCpSS.
They had three sons and four
daughters. Two grandchildren. Will
liam F., jr., and George H. Tomp-
kins, gave their lives in World
War II.
| Mr.. Hamilton was active up until
last July. He retired as dean of
Georgetown Law School in 1943, II
years after receiving his degree.
/ Mr. Hamilton was born March S,
1854, at the Hamilton family estate,
Prospect Hill, near La Plata. He
was the seventh son and youngest
child of John Hamilton and Mary
Emily Hawkins Hamilton Both the
Hamilton and Hawkins families had
been prominent in Southern Mary
land since settling there in 1874 and
1865 respectively. The first Hamil-
ton, John, came from Scotland
! Tobacco was king and life must
have seemed good to the boy who