Background
Thomas Lyon Hamer was born in July of 1800, in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. His father, said to have been a poor farmer, moved to upper New York in 1812, then in 1817 removed to Butler County, Ohio.
Thomas Lyon Hamer was born in July of 1800, in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. His father, said to have been a poor farmer, moved to upper New York in 1812, then in 1817 removed to Butler County, Ohio.
On the trip west Hamer left the family and after a time settled at Withamsville, Clermont County, to become the teacher of a subscription school. While thus engaged he continued his own education by means of borrowed books, at the same time laying the foundation for his later forensic achievements in the local debating society.
Under the direction of Thomas Morris, of Bethel, he qualified for admission to the bar.
Hamer began to practice law in Georgetown, Brown County, when barely of legal age. Becoming interested in politics, he served in the state legislature in 1825, 1828, and 1829, occupying the speaker's chair in the lower house during the session of 1829-1830. Two years later, as an independent Democrat, he defeated both his friend Morris, the regular candidate, and their Whig opponent, in a contest for a seat in the Twenty-third Congress.
He served for three consecutive terms and was recognized as one of the ablest of the Ohio Democrats. In 1840 he presided at the state convention which nominated Governor Wilson Shannon for reelection. Thomas Corwin, Shannon's opponent, so totally eclipsed him as a campaign speaker that Hamer was presently put forward as the only champion of his party in the state capable of coping with the great Whig orator. Hamer had none of Corwin's wit, but he was a logical and convincing speaker, and notwithstanding Corwin's election, Hamer's friends accorded to him a full share of the honors of debate.
Hamer loyally supported the Mexican War policy of the Polk administration, enlisting promptly and raising the 16th Ohio Volunteers. Commissioned brigadier-general by the President, he served with distinction under Taylor and became division commander when wounds incapacitated General Butler at Monterey. While thus engaged he was elected to the Thirtieth Congress, but on December 2, 1846, he succumbed to disease. The Ohio legislature sent a deputation to Mexico to act as an escort of honor for the body on its homeward way, and it was interred at Georgetown. To him was due Grant's appointment to West Point, under circumstances which indicate a magnanimous nature. Grant's father had been Hamer's friend and associate in the old days of the debating society, but a political dispute had led to estrangement. Hesitating to address his former friend on behalf of his son, the elder Grant applied to Senator Morris, who passed the letter on to Hamer. Hamer gladly made the appointment, and as one consequence the old friendship with the Grants was restored. Possibly this incident colored President Grant's estimate of Hamer as "one of the ablest men Ohio ever produced. "
Hamer was a Jacksonian Democrat.
President Grant described Hamer as "one of the ablest men Ohio ever produced. "
Quotes from others about the person
The Whig commander Taylor testified when he wrote of the fallen Democratic general: "His loss to the army at this time cannot be supplied. "
Hamer was married, early in his career, to Lydia Bruce Higgins, the daughter of Robert Higgins of Virginia. After her death in 1845 he was married to Catherine Johnston, the daughter of Doctor William Johnston of Kentucky.