Hamilton, Judge Daniel Webster

HAMILTON, GIBBONS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 11/29/2014 at 09:02:13

Official Congressional District
Biographical

SIXTH DISTRICT

Counties - Davis, Jasper, Keokuk, Mahaska, Monroe, Poweshiek, and Wapello (7 counties)

Population (1900), 174,673

DANIEL WEBSTER HAMILTON, Democrat, of Sigourney, was born in Ogle County, Ill., December 20, 1861, son of Francis and Jane Hamilton, residents upon a farm at that place. In the fall of 1868 they moved to Miami County, Kans., where they resided until the spring of 1874, from which place they moved to Keokuk County, Iowa, locating upon a farm, where he resided with his parents until his majority, attending the common schools in winter and laboring upon the farm in the summer season. At the age of 18 years he began teaching school during the winter months, and following farming in the summer. In the fall of 1883 he entered the law department of the State University at Iowa City, graduating in June, 1884. Returning to the farm, he remained until the fall of 1885, when he opened an office in Sigourney, Iowa, where he still resides, and commenced the practice of law, and has built up an extensive practice in southeastern Iowa. Mr. Hamilton was twice the Democratic candidate for district judge in his judicial district, comprising five counties. In the fall of 1898 he was defeated by 188 votes, the district giving 2,500 Republican majority to the head of the ticket. In the fall of 1902 he was again defeated by 2,300 votes, the head of the ticket getting about 4,500 Republican majority. He has never held any office except that of postmaster from 1894 to 1898, under Cleveland's second Administration, and minor offices in his home town. In May, 1885, Mr. Hamilton married Elvira Gibbons, a Quakeress and a resident of his home county, and they now are a Rooseveltan family of nine children, was elected to the Sixtieth Congress, receiving 18,987 votes, to 16,713 for J.F. Lacey, Republican, 907 for W.C. Minnick, Socialist, and, 36 for F.D. DeLong, Prohibitionist.