Martin D. Hamilton

Hamilton fought for the Union in the American Civil War, where he lost an arm. After the war, he was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic's Heintzelman Post No. 33.{{cite journal |last=Sullivan |first=William |date=Winter 1985 |editor1-last=Scharf |editor1-first=Thomas L. |title=100 Years Ago in San Diego |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223015828/https://sandiegohistory.org/journal/85winter/100.htm |journal=The Journal of San Diego History |volume=31 |issue=1 |accessdate=March 1, 2014}}

Hamilton was active in San Diego local politics and was elected to several positions over time. Hamilton was a staunch Republican and ran on the local party's "Citizen's Non-Partisan" ticket.{{cite news|title=Citizen's Ticket|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=V59K5BBXMTM5MzY5Mjc4MC41NTEyNDk6MToxMzoxMzAuMTkxLjE3LjM4&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=14&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=14&p_docnum=88&p_docref=v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13ED095C76173542@2410370-13EB5800DC577965@3-13EF8A3B01FF42D0@|accessdate=March 1, 2014|newspaper=The San Diego Union|date=April 8, 1887}} Hamilton's first elected to office was City Assessor, where he served from 1880 until 1885.{{cite book |last=Smythe |first=William |url=http://www.sandiegohistory.org/books/smythe/7-5city.htm |title=History of San Diego, 1542-1908: The modern city |publisher=History Co. |year=1907 |chapter=Appendix |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924094653/http://www.sandiegohistory.org/books/smythe/7-5city.htm |archive-date=2015-09-24 |accessdate=March 1, 2014}}

On April 18, 1887, Hamilton was elected to the San Diego Board of Trustees. At the first meeting, the board voted to install Hamilton as president of the board.{{cite news|title=The New Board Takes Office|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=V59K5BBXMTM5MzY5Mjc4MC41NTEyNDk6MToxMzoxMzAuMTkxLjE3LjM4&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=12&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=12&p_docnum=1&p_docref=v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13ED0963AD9C7093@2410381-13ED01F0B6024179@4-13EF89E25BAFC8A8@|accessdate=March 1, 2014|newspaper=The San Diego Union|date=April 19, 1887|page=5}} At this time the president of the board was referred to as the mayor of San Diego out of courtesy, though there was no official position of mayor at this time.{{cite book|last=Smythe|first=William|title=History of San Diego, 1542-1908: The modern city|year=1907|publisher=History Co.|url=http://www.sandiegohistory.org/books/smythe/5-2.htm|accessdate=February 25, 2014|chapter=Part Five: Chapter II Political Affairs and Municipal Campaigns}} The office of the mayor was reinstated in 1888, and Hamilton continued in his role as president of the board of trustees. Following the resignation of Mayor William Jefferson Hunsaker on November 13, 1888, Hamilton was elevated to acting Mayor of San Diego until the next election could be held.{{cite news|title=The Mayor's Resignation|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=K6AY52NPMTM5MzM5MDc1OS44NTQ2MToxOjEzOjEzMC4xOTEuMTcuMzg&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=3&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=3&p_docnum=1&p_docref=v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13ECF5C90D7FD616@2410956-13ECF09895E5DE0B@4-13ED82AD9E296F80@|accessdate=February 26, 2014|newspaper=The San Diego Union|date=November 14, 1888|page=5}}

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before = William Jefferson Hunsaker |

title = Mayor of San Diego, California (acting)| years = 1888–1889|

after = Douglas Gunn }}

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{{Mayors of San Diego}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Martin D.}}

Category:19th-century mayors of places in California

Category:California Republicans

Category:Mayors of San Diego

Category:1855 births

Category:1922 deaths

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