David Henry Hamilton

David Henry "D.H." Hamilton (August 8, 1843 - May 30, 1929) was a Texas farmer, businessman, and statesman. Hamilton volunteered to join the Texas Brigade (also known as Hood's Brigade) Company M - First Texas Volunteer Infantry at the age of 17. After his surrender at the Appomattox Court House during the American Civil War he returned home to Sumpter, Texas May 25, 1865 without serious injury, and lived in Centralia, Groveton in Trinity County, Texas and in Haskell, Texas.[2]

David Henry Hamilton
Born(1843-08-08)8 August 1843
Oxford, Lafayette County, Mississippi, USA
Died30 May 1929(1929-05-30) (aged 85)
Groveton, Trinity County, Texas, USA
Burial placeBennett Cemetery,
Apple Springs, Texas[1]
Other namesD H Hamilton
Spouse(s)Mary Isabell Gaston
Military career
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Service/branch Confederate States Army
Years of service1862 - 1865
Rank Sergeant
Unit 1st Texas Volunteer Infantry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Biography

David's father, John Hamilton, moved from Oxford, Mississippi, to Rusk County, Texas in 1846. In 1852 he moved to Trinity County and located at a spring near the center of Nogalus Prairie. He sold this place to Byrd Kerr and settled two and a half miles north of there on a small prairie which went by the family name. In 1854 John Hamilton was elected County Surveyor and moved near Sumpter, opening a farm one and a half miles east of town on Homer or Clark's Ferry road. A large hewn log school house was erected in Sumpter, one block west and two blocks south of the plaza. David attended this school for a short time. John was accidentally injured on the job and his frequent absence to attend to official business required David assist his father in the survey work.[3]

After the Civil War, David Hamilton served as the Trinity County Sheriff from 1865 to 1867. He married Mary Isabell Gaston on November 8, 1867.[3] David and his family moved to Centralia, Texas when the county seat was moved from Sumpter to Centralia - where he operated a gristmill, sawmill, and farm. He was in the mercantile business for over 10 years. He also served in the Texas House of Representatives in the Twenty-third Texas Legislature[2] from Jan 10, 1893 - Jan 8, 1895 . He was a member of the Democratic Party. His district covered the counties of Montgomery, Trinity, and Walker.

In 1895, they sold their possessions and moved to Haskell County where he tried farming, and then was elected as County Judge. Then they moved to the city of Haskell, Texas. His wife Mary broke her hip and they decided to move back to Trinity County, where children John Gibson, Mary Annice and Octavia (Eddie) were living. While living in Groveton, Texas, David wrote a memoir of his Civil War experiences as a volunteer in Hood's Texas Brigade. They had eight children: John Gibson Hamilton, Mary Annice Hamilton, Maranda Alzera Hamilton, Vera Alice Hamilton, Alzara Gertrude Hamilton, Dudley Warner Hamilton, Octavia Edmonia (Eddie) Hamilton, Allene Hamilton.

Hamilton was the great-great-grandfather of Texas Governor Rick Perry.[4]

He is buried in Bennett Cemetery in Apple Springs, Trinity County, Texas.[1]

References
  1. "David Henry Hamilton". Find A Grave. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. Legislative Reference Library of Texas
  3. Hamilton, David (1925). History of Company M First Texas Volunteer Infantry.
  4. "Rick Perry: From Aggie yell leader to Texas governor, farmer's son stands on side of tradition," Austin American Statesman, 2/10/2010. .
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