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Hamilton, Ruth, 1898-2008

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1898 - 2008

Biography

Ruth Hamilton was born on April 12, 1898 in the town of Alta, Iowa, to Peter and Hulda Jensen. She married Carter Hamilton in 1921 He was a professional baseball player for the Cleveland Indians who became a doctor in 1923. Together they adopted a son, Peter. Hamilton graduated from teacher's college in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in 1916. She later returned to school to study dramatics and English at the University of Minnesota and continued to study throughout her life, taking classes whenever she could.

As a teacher, Hamilton taught both in the classroom and over the radio. She began her teaching career in a country schoolhouse in Iowa, in 1916, and later went on to teach speech and elocution classes in California and adult English classes in in Hollywood and New York. She wrote many newspaper articles, travelogues and letters to the editor as well as her memoirs, entitled "The Hamilton Saga." Hamilton was elected twice to the New Hampshire legislature, from 1964 to 1973, and worked for a time in real estate. She also had a great interest in antiques and restoring old homes.

After her husband's death in 1949, Hamilton traveled extensively to many destinations around the world and in her later years gave lectures on her experiences. Ruth Hamilton died in her sleep on January 18, 2008 at the age of 109.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Ruth Hamilton papers

 Collection
Identifier: IWA0192
Abstract

Teacher and world traveler who served in the New Hampshire legislature.

Dates: 1895-2008