Education
He attended the country schools and graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in June 1884.
United States representative lawyer politician
He attended the country schools and graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in June 1884.
He was admitted to the bar in 1884. Returning to Keokuk County, he commenced practice in Sigourney, Iowa. He served as Postmaster of Sigourney from 1894 to 1898.
In November 1906, Hamilton ran as a Democrat against longtime Republican Congressman John F. Lacey in the general election for Iowa"s 6th congressional district.
After defeating Lacey, Hamilton became the only Democrat in Iowa"s congressional delegation in the Sixtieth Congress. However, in a general election in which Republicans swept all major races on the ballot in Iowa, Hamilton was defeated by Republican Nathan East. Kendall in a close race.
In all he served in Congress from March 4, 1907 to March 3, 1909. He resumed the practice of law in Sigourney.
In 1918, he was elected judge of the district court of the sixth judicial district of Iowa, in which capacity he served until his death in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 21, 1936.
He was interred in Number. 16 Cemetery, near Thornburg, in Keokuk County.