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THOMAS, JOHN LAURA

The Family of

Arch and Laura Hamilton

Their children:

Gladys       Lois       Mark       Harry       Charles       Arch       Mary
Nebraska, Althea, Oliver, Laura, Frank & Ruth
      Nebraska    Althea   Oliver   Laura   Frank   Ruth
Picture from Marjory Markle Austin
Mary Ellen Bullock Murphy Cromer wrote   "The surviving sisters and brothers that attended a reunion held at Mark Dunkin and Rose Bullock's home on the Simmons's Road east of Selma. I can not date it, but I was old enough to remember the reunion there."
      Laura Margaret, youngest daughter and ninth child of John Wesley and Elizabeth Amanda Bullock, was born August 8, 1872 in Delaware County, Indiana east of Muncie on the Claypool farm. The family later lived on the Frank Smith farm south of Mount Tabor Church and Cemetery. In 1888 they moved to the Huffman farm southeast of Muncie. Laura and other members of the family attended the Bethel Methodist Church, nearby. She and her brother Frank were students at the "Old #6" or Madden School. It was located 1/4 mile north of their home on the east side of the road just north of the intersection of the C. & O. Railroad and Eaton Avenue. This school was one of the first schools in Center Township, Delaware County to institute a seven month term. All other townships held a five month term and a summer school.
      Arch A. Hamilton was a teacher at this school for one term and boarded at the Bullock home. After the Madden School burned he taught in the new school erected a mile west at the intersection of what is now State Road 35 and Macedonia Avenue. From this acquaintance of student and former teacher a budding romance began. Laura attended Valparaiso College and taught school one year near Yorktown. On September 25, 1895, she and Arch were married at the Bullock home. Her sister Althea made her wedding trousseau including a beautiful black silk dress, now in the possession of Gladys Richards, Laura's eldest daughter. On their honeymoon, they went by train to Fairmount and Morgantown, Virginia the home of Arch's ancestors before their migration West.

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      Arch Augustine Hamilton, youngest son and ninth child of Stephen and Rachael (Moore) Hamilton was born in a log cabin July 19, 1871 in Hamilton Township, Delaware County. Stephen was a prominent farmer and was one of the "49ers" who went from Delaware County to California via Panama during the gold rush. After their marriage, Laura and Arch lived with his parents for six months, then they bought a farm on McGalliard Road where they established their first home. While they resided here three children were born, Gladys Elizabeth, August 23, 1896, Lois Rachael, November 11, 1897, and Mark Bullock, May 25, 1901. They sold this farm and moved to the Hibbits place across the road and 1/4 mile west. Two children were born here, Harry Dale, December 15, 1904, and Charles Leverton, July 12, 1906. While they lived in this area, Arch farmed and was a teamster working at Shirey's gravel pit. He helped haul the gravel for the first cement sidewalks in Muncie. He and Luther Shirey also built the first levee of any kind along White River.
      On learning through Laura's brothers Oliver and Arthur, who lived in Perry Township, of a farm for rent in that locality, the family moved in November 1906 to a 227 acre farm of Lewis Keesling, south of Center School. On July 8, 1907 their baby, Charles, died following a short illness of dysentery. On July 29, 1909 their youngest son Arch Emerson was born. In 1910 they bought and moved to the Charles Cecil farm of 60 acres, west of New Burlington. The house of three rooms was very small and in 1911 four more rooms were added. Their youngest child, Mary Althea was born March 5, 1912. Here Laura and Arch reared their family. They were members of the New Burlington Methodist Church and were active in the church program. The children were students at Center School.
      Arch was elected township assessor and served from 1908-1914. In 1914 he was elected trustee of Perry Township and served two terms from 1914-1922. Laura maintained a keen interest and pride in his political achievements and they enjoyed the several activities of the community with which they were so closely associated. During World War I they were ardent workers in Bond drives, Red Cross projects, and other patriotic programs. Arch always maintained an interest in road work. He and Loring S. Gates contracted and built ten mile of roads in Perry Township. In later years he operated a huge grader for the Delaware County road department.
      After Arch's death, May 30, 1935, following a short illness of pneumonia, the farm was sold to Harry and Dorothy Hamilton. Laura and her son Arch E., and daughter, Althea, moved to Medford where they owned and operated a grocery store. In 1937 Althea and Oliver Bullock, Laura and son Arch E. went to Federalsburg, Maryland and other cities in the vicinity of the former home of John Wesley Bullock. An account of this trip is given in the excerpts from Silas Nichols diary and other records in this book. That same year they sold the grocery and moved to the Charles Kilmer property on State Road 35. On December 26, 1937, Althea and George Gordon were married and the four of them lived together until 1941. Althea and George moved to their new home near Blountsville and Laura and Arch moved into his new house across the road near the "Land of Nod." During the war years, 1942-1945, Laura lived with Althea while Arch E. did a tour of duty in the Navy at Casablanca, Africa and George was in Honolulu. She made her home with Arch E . after his return from the service. On July 21, 1946, Arch E. and Roxie Shockley were married. In 1948 they bought a farm and purchased ninety-seven acres on Corinth road, where they still reside. Laura continued to live with them until her death January 26, 1953. They always gave her thoughtful consideration and the most efficient and tender care.
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      Laura had a culinary art, that only those who have daily cooked for a large family can acquire, of adding a "pinch of this" and a "little of that" to the foods she prepared. The recipe for those scrumptious warm cakes, baked in the large black bread pan until they raised to a fluffy texture and a golden brown, was never written in the cook books. She tested the oven of her stove by the sticks and kind of wood she used in the fire-box and the puff of the heat from the oven when she opened it door. The cakes disappeared so quickly with only the crumbs left in the pan after the meal. Her time and strength had to be utilized to the best advantages, not always sweeping and dusting, but to the glorified task of being a wife, a mother and a homemaker. Although preoccupied in administering to the daily needs of the family, she never lost sight of the value of cultural interests and spiritual guidance. She loved to read and study the Bible. One of her favorite passages was I Corinthians 13, the discourse on Charity. Laura adored her grandchildren and often read to them. The inflection of her voice almost brought the stories to life as they listened to her with great interest. She was a member of the New Burlington Methodist Church, a teacher of the senior Adult Class for many years and was interested and active in other church organizations. She was a charter member of the local W.C.T.U. and was president for a number of years. This was a cause she served conscientiously and arduously. She was also a charter member of Whitney Chapter #564 O.E.S. in 1941 and was Chaplain two years.
      Laura was sincere in her endeavors. Whatever her responsibility, whether it was menial task or one of great importance, she responded with diligence and dignity. She had the patrician characteristic of the Turpins, the profoundness of the Levertons and the patience of the Bullocks.
      There was an unspoken rule in the Hamilton household for good behavior and courtesy but not to the degree that it curbed pleasure of their hospitality. Their home was a gathering place for many, young and old. The family was chastened for their errors, often by a stern gaze from their father over the rims of his glasses, with a few comparative words of reasoning for their consideration. From these teachings, a standard cultural aspirations, good discipline and Christian living has been instilled in the lives of their children, a heritage to emulate.

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