James Madison Hamilton was born at Bainbridge, Georgia, on October 28, 1860, son of Joseph Benson and Martha Winifred (Griffin) Hamilton. The family moved to Arkansas in 1880, and three years later, on November 8, 1883, he married Harriet Rebecca Cason, in what is known as Locust cottage. Mr. Hamilton was always an active church worker, being converted at the age of eighteen and he became a devout Methodist, under the ministry of the Rev. W.M. Hays, a one-armed Confederate soldier. It was in January 1910, that Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton moved to Fayetteville. In 1927, two years before Mr. Hamilton's death, he insisted that his wife complete her education, which was interrupted by their marriage. After her second college year  her husband became seriously ill. She remained with him  until his death on June 12, 1929.

James Madison and Harriet Rebecca (Cason) Hamilton became the parents of eight children, one of whom, Joseph Milton Hamilton died at the age of four.  The  children living at the time of his death were: Mary Harriet, wife of J.N. Sutherland, of Mammoth Spring, Arkansas; John Cason, of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Martha Winifred, wife of  Mrs. E.J. Gillum, who lived in Electra, Texas; Frances Crawford, wife of  H.B. Hunter of Memphis, Tennessee; Georgia Ray, wife of  R.W. Brown, of Washington, District of Columbia; Nina Lydia, wife of Mrs. R.J. Metcalf, of Fort Worth, Texas; James M., Jr., of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

James Madison Hamilton held a position of importance in the affairs of his community and state, being engaged in the realty business in Fayetteville, Arkansas during the later years of his life. Many significant transfers of property took place in the vicinity and were handled by him. He was very  interested  in the general civic and social life of the Fayetteville region.  He was revered for his achievements in the world of business and industry and for his own excellent personal qualities--his eagerness to help others, his thorough-going integrity in all his dealings, and his delightful companionability of temperament.