Andrew Hamilton (lawyer)
|
|
- This page is about a famous lawyer; see Andrew Hamilton (disambiguation) for other meanings.
Andrew Hamilton (c. 1676 - August 4, 1741) was an American lawyer in the colonial era.
He is best known for his victory on behalf of newspaper publisher John Peter Zenger. This 1735 decision helped to establish that truth is a defense to an accusation of libel.
Hamilton watch company was named after Andrew Hamilton. The name, Hamilton, was selected to honor Andrew Hamilton, original owner of the site of Lancaster. Andrew Hamilton, the Scottish born immigrant who is perhaps best remembered as the architect for Philadelphia's Independence Hall and Pennsylvania's attorney general from 1729 to 1739.
Lancaster became the fourth county in the state of Pennsylvania in 1729, whose principal founder was Andrew Hamilton. The community was located on a 500 acre (2 km²) tract owned by Andrew Hamilton, on which he laid out Lancaster Townstead around 1730. By 1734, James Hamilton, proprietor of Lancaster town and son of the distinguished lawyer Andrew Hamilton, won a seat in the Assembly and became the political leader of the county. In 1742, Andrew’s son James secured the original charter of government, which gave the settlement the status of borough. (This charter can be found today in the city clerk’s office.)