Elijah Soule Hamilton, son of C. F. Hamilton, was born at Cape Elizabeth Depot, Maine, on May 31 1861. He came to Griggs County in the spring of 1882. He homesteaded on SW quarter of Section 2-148-60, Willow Township.
During the spring of 1882 Mr. Hamilton made three trips from Sanborn, about sixty miles on foot, having on several occasions to take off his clothes and wade the streams in which the ice was flowing. Nearly the whole of the level part of the country was covered with water that spring. When he came through Fargo the water in the Sheyenne River was within a few feet of the railroad bridge. He saw all kinds of small buildings, and some small houses floating down stream or lodged against the bridge.
He built a sod house on his homestead, and hauled lumber from Sanborn to put a roof on it. He paid $8 per day for a team to haul the lumber. He paid $16 for thirty bushels of oats, and ten dollars to have them hauled to his claim. Having a few dollars left he paid it to a man to dig a well and got strong salt peter water.
On February 19, 1892 he was married to Miss Cora Ella Hagerty of Chatfield, Minnesota That spring he returned to farming and continued it for ten years. He came to Cooperstown in 1902, and in 1906 embarked in the business in which he is now engaged (1915), in the firm of Hammer and Condy Company, dealing in real estate, stick and machinery.
His family consists of his wife and one son, Millard. He lost a daughter six years ago at the age of fifteen years.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 496