William Hamilton (antiquarian)

William Hamilton (died 1724) was a Scottish antiquarian.

Life

He was a son of William Hamilton of Wishaw in Lanarkshire, and grandson of John Hamilton of Udston who claimed descent from James Hamilton of Cadzow; his mother was Beatrix, daughter of James Douglas of Morton. The third son in a large family, he ultimately succeeded to the family estate of Wishaw.

Hamilton was a reputed antiquarian and genealogist, praised by George Crawfurd, and an acknowledged supporter of Alexander Nisbet's System of Heraldry (1722). He died at an advanced age in 1724, having been born in the 1630s.

Works

Hamilton left in manuscript an Account of the Shyres of Renfrew and Lanark, which went to the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. In 1832 it was published as one of the volumes of the Maitland Club, edited by William Motherwell, and consists of brief topographical descriptions of the principal castles and mansions in Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire, with genealogical information on local families.

William Hamilton

William Hamilton may refer to:

Politicians and noblemen

British Isles

North America

William Hamilton (surgeon)

William Hamilton (died 4 December 1717) was a surgeon in the British East India Company. He was a part of the delegation that went from Calcutta, the base of the company, to meet Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar in his court in Delhi in 1715.

Treatment of Farrukhsiyar

In Delhi, Hamilton first had to treat Taqarab Khan (the khansama, or lord steward). In August 1715, the surgeon was called to treat a swelling in the groin of the emperor Farrukhsiyar, which he treated successfully. In October of the same year, the emperor again suffered from violent pain and feared it would be a fistula. Hamilton’s treatment was again successful. As a result, in December 1715 Farrukhsiyar finally arranged his marriage to the daughter of Raja Ajit Sinh of Jodhpur, which had been delayed by his recurrent illness.

Royal gift to Hamilton

Hamilton was generously rewarded on the occasion of the wedding. He received "an elephant, a horse, five thousand rupees in money, two diamond rings, a jewelled aigrette, a set of gold buttons, and models of all his instruments in gold."

William Hamilton (lumber baron)

William Hamilton (died 1822 in Upper Canada) was a lumber merchant and political figure in Upper Canada.

He was born in Ireland and came to Quebec City with his brother George sometime before 1807. They were originally in the business of importing goods but later became involved in the timber trade. In 1811, they took over the operation of a sawmill near the current location of Hawkesbury when the original owners were unable to repay funds paid in advance for lumber. William moved to Hawkesbury to take charge of the operation. He served as a captain in the local militia during the War of 1812. He was named justice of the peace in the Eastern District in 1812 and in the Ottawa District in 1816. In 1816, he retired from the lumber business.

He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada in 1820, but was unseated in the following year when it became evident that the electoral officer, an associate of his brother, had tampered with the results.

References