James M. Hamilton
| James M. Hamilton | |
|---|---|
James M. Hamilton, 1915
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| 3rd President of Montana State University | |
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In office 1904–1919 |
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| Preceded by | James R. Reid |
| Succeeded by | Alfred Atkinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
October 1, 1861 Crawford County, Illinois, United States |
| Died | September 23, 1940 (aged 78) Bozeman, Montana, United States |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Alma mater | Union Christian College |
| Profession | Professor of History and Economics |
| Website | www.montana.edu |
James McClellan Hamilton (October 1, 1861 – September 23, 1940) was an American historian and economist who was the third president of Montana State University. He served from 1904 to 1919. A group of historians named Hamilton one of Montana State's four most important presidents in 2011.
James M. Hamilton was born on a farm on October 1, 1861, in Crawford County, Illinois, to James and Mary (Burner) Hamilton. He was the ninth of 10 children. His Presbyterian paternal grandparents emigrated to the United States from Belfast, Ireland, shortly after the American Revolutionary War. His Lutheran maternal grandparents came from what is now Germany at about the same time. Although his paternal grandparents settled in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and his maternal grandparents in northern Virginia, they both settled in Licking County, Ohio, in the 1820s. James' parents met there, and married in 1838.
About 1850, a large migration of Licking County residents began into the Wabash Valley of Illinois, and his parents were among them. James grew up near Licking Township and attended local public school. His father died when he was 14 years old, and James began working during the spring, summer, and fall in order to support his family. He attended school only in the winter, which prevented him from graduating from school until he was 18 years old. (Most children graduated from high school at about age 16 at the time.)
After graduation, James worked as a public school teacher in rural Illinois public schools from 1879 to 1882.
Hamilton enrolled at Union Christian College in Merom, Indiana. The date of his entry is not clear. He worked at a number of jobs to pay for his education, and he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1887. He then entered the graduate program at Union Christian, receiving either a master of arts or a master of science degree in 1890. While in the graduate program, he married Emma Shideler of Merom on June 6, 1888.
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