William Hamilton, Book Seller

Here is a stereographic image, taken by A.C. Platt around 1880, of William Hamilton and his bookstore in downtown Sandusky. From about 1880 through the 1890s, William Hamilton ran this bookstore in the 100 block of Columbus Avenue. A listing from the 1882 Sandusky City Directory stated that Mr. Hamilton sold wall paper, window shades, and picture frames, besides books and stationery. For a time Peter Schumacher was in business with William Hamilton, but by 1890, Mr. Hamilton was the sole proprietor of the business again. In a closer view of the store, you can see portraits of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington in the window.

According to the historical records of Kurt Boker, housed at the Sandusky Library Archives research Center, William Hamilton was born in Ireland to Samuel and Eliza Hamilton. The family emigrated from Ireland to the U.S. in 1851, and resided at Kelleys Island in 1870. In 1878, he married Julia E. Pool, the daughter of former collector of customs, John G. Pool. They had a family of three daughters. By 1900 William Hamilton no longer ran the bookstore in Sandusky, and he was working as an insurance agent. On April 7, 1907, he died at his Decatur Street in Sandusky, following a lengthy illness. His obituary, which appeared in the April 8, 1907 issue of the Sandusky Register, reported that during the Civil War, William Hamilton had served as the clerk of the steamer Island Queen, during the unsuccessful attempt to free prisoners at Johnson’s Island. He had worked on other Great Lakes vessels as well.

To read more about the plot to free prisoners at Johnson’s Island during the Civil War, see Rebels on Lake Erie, by Charles E. Frohman, housed with the local history books at the Sandusky Library.

Addison Kelley Hamilton, 1889-1892

Addison Kelley Hamilton was the eldest son of Titus and Fredrena Kelley Hamilton, born in 1889. He was the great grandson of Addison Kelley, and a great great grandson of Datus Kelley, one of the namesakes of Kelleys Island. Addison Kelley Hamilton died at age two years and nine months, at the home of his great grandfather, Addison Kelley, on July 27, 1892. His funeral was held at the Kelley residence.

An obituary for the Addison Kelley Hamilton appeared in the July 28, 1892 issue of the Sandusky Register. It read in part: “He was an attractive child, physically strong and intellectually bright and his winsome baby ways were like sunshine in the home. His illness was brief and though surrounded with every comfort and attended by the best medical skill the disease yielded not to either medical science or kindly nursing. The death of the dear boy – but little more than a baby – has cast a dark shadow over the happy home to which his presence brought gladness a few years ago. In the dark hour of their bereavement this stricken household has the deep sympathy of a closely united community.”

Little Addison Kelley Hamilton was buried in the family lot at the Kelleys Island Cemetery. Frank E. Hamilton, another child of Mr. and Mrs. Titus Hamilton, would become a captain of several Great Lakes vessels, and was a well known historian of the Great Lakes and Kelleys Island.