265:, during his first three terms, Hamilton only was appointed to low level committees, such as the "Committees on Executive Expenditures" and the "Committee on Manufactures and Mechanic Arts." A much more capable party leader than legislator, in 1882, Hamilton unsuccessfully sponsored a bill which prevented people who did not live in Virginia from attending the county's tax-payer-supported public schools. He was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in
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Mecklenburg County had an
African American majority in this era and Hamilton was a good orator and very able political leader. He carefully cultivated friendships and made alliances throughout the country. Reportedly, he also enjoyed "drinking in bars and talking politics with his friends on Saturday
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in about 1843, the names of his parents remain unknown. A carpenter by trade, Hamilton had likely married a woman named Pattie
Shelton by 1870, who bore 4 daughters and 2 sons together. However, three of the children died as infants and one died in college in 1885. After his first wife died of
285:) to challenge Hamilton for the nomination. Dodson ended up winning the Republican nomination for the Mecklenburg County seat in the House of Delegates, and thus denied Hamilton his 8th term. However, Dodson lost his re-election bid, and two years later Hamilton threw his support to
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who won. Hamilton would run again in 1889 for his seat in the
Virginia House of Delegates, winning the primary when Baskerville withdrew, then outpolled J.N. Hutcheson, a white man 2248 votes to 2194. But, just a month into the subsequent
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nights and rising early on Sunday mornings to attend church with their families." Several politicians of both races considered him "unbeatable" as
Hamilton had won the largest number of votes in seven consecutive elections for the
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497:
379:
Forsythe, Harold S. (1997). ""But My
Friends Are Poor": Ross Hamilton and Freedpeople's Politics in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, 1869–1901".
512:
Cynthia Miller
Leonard, The Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond: Virginia State Library 1978) pp. 509, 514, 518, 522, 526, 530, 534
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408:, Negro Office-Holder in Virginia 1865-1895 (Norfolk; Guide Quality Press 1945) p.19 at hathitrust.org or reprinted by UMI books on demand
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in
November, 1883, the widower married M. B. Knox on May 18, 1885, who bore three children, but both sons also died as infants.
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from 1870 to 1883, and 1889–1890. Hamilton had the longest legislative career of any
African American in 19th century Virginia.
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at the party’s national headquarters in
Washington, as well as campaigning for the Republican congressional candidate in the
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as partner before Jones joined the
Readjuster Party discussed below and also incurred legal problems in the mid-1880s.
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and also briefly served as delegate but died in office. Hamilton was an active member of the Republican party.
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350:. His Boydton properties had declined in value and were ultimately sold to pay debts of his estate.
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jobs as early as 1879 (and commuted to Boydton for years). He held jobs in the
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who were at the height of their political power, ran an African American man (
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420:"Chase City and Its Environs: The Southside Virginia Experience, 1765-1975"
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African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era
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After losing his legislative seat in 1890, Hamilton moved permanently to
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from 1870 through 1881. He won his first term to finish the term of
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just north of Richmond, and its former campus ultimately became the
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declared Hamilton's election improper, and seated his opponent.
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Trained as a carpenter, Hamilton eventually operated a store in
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381:The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
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61:June 2, 1870 – January ?, 1883
553:Members of the Virginia House of Delegates
256:Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1868
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261:As a member of the minority party in the
558:People from Mecklenburg County, Virginia
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338:Hamilton died at his residence in
167:Carpenter, storekeeper, politician
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563:19th-century Virginia politicians
548:19th-century American legislators
310:, where he had begun working at
418:Brown, Douglas Summers (1975).
225:, which had moved northward to
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202:Mecklenburg County, Virginia
138:Mecklenburg County, Virginia
452:"Ross Hamilton (1843–1901)"
263:Virginia House of Delegates
190:Virginia House of Delegates
184:politician who represented
159:Pattie Shelton • M. B. Knox
44:Virginia House of Delegates
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320:Department of the Interior
316:Government Printing Office
292:Virginia General Assembly
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521:Leonard p. 550 and note
287:Britton Baskerville Jr.
223:Randolph-Macon Academy
456:Encyclopedia Virginia
406:Luther Porter Jackson
196:Early and family life
324:Virginia Republicans
107:Britton Baskerville
16:American politician
330:in 1894 and 1898.
248:House of Delegates
186:Mecklenburg County
348:Boydton, Virginia
344:Boydton Institute
318:and later at the
283:Amos Andre Dodson
231:Boydton Institute
227:Ashland, Virginia
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182:Republican Party
150:Washington, D.C.
127:Personal details
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538:1840s births
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459:. Retrieved
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207:tuberculosis
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114:Succeeded by
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543:1901 deaths
279:Readjusters
252:John Watson
102:Preceded by
72:John Watson
67:Preceded by
48:Mecklenburg
532:Categories
366:References
302:Later life
235:Dick Jones
164:Profession
461:26 August
312:patronage
92:In office
57:In office
46:from the
354:See also
50:district
502:. 1875.
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188:in the
135:c. 1843
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213:Career
156:Spouse
389:JSTOR
296:House
463:2023
271:1876
269:and
267:1872
144:Died
132:Born
385:105
346:in
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487:EV
480:^
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