Thomas Lyon Hamer Papers: Finding Aid mssLH
Gayle Richardson
The Huntington Library
November 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Note
Finding aid last updated on February 9, 2024, by Maggie Hughes.
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Thomas Lyon Hamer papers
Creator:
Hamer, Thomas Lyon,
1800-1846
Identifier/Call Number: mssLH
Physical Description:
24.04 Linear Feet
(12 boxes, 5 oversize folders, 1 volume)
Date (inclusive): 1825-1890
Date (bulk): 1829-1840
Abstract: A collection of material related to the
personal and professional life of Thomas Lyon Hamer, American congressman and
soldier.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Thomas Lyon Hamer papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gifts of Mrs. Mary E. Smith, October 1976 and February 1979.
Biographical / Historical
Thomas Lyon Hamer (1800-1846) was an Ohio lawyer and congressman. In 1821, he was admitted
to the bar, and started practice in Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio. In 1825, 1828, and 1829,
he was a member of the Ohio state legislature, serving as speaker in 1829. In 1832, Hamer
successfully ran for a seat in the U. S. House of Representatives in the 23rd Congress as an
independent Jacksonian, and later was re-elected to the 24th and 25th Congresses as a
Democrat (1835 to 1839). In 1836, he stumped for the presidential candidate Martin Van
Buren. In 1839, having declined re-election, Hamer retired from Congress, and concentrated
on building up his legal practice. He continued to play an important role in state and
national politics, and in 1844 campaigned for presidential candidate James K. Polk. In 1846,
Hamer, a staunch supporter of the Mexican War, volunteered as a private, and the next day
was promoted to brigadier general in the army. Hamer died of a fever outside Monterrey,
Mexico on December 2, 1846. In March 1847, Congress passed a resolution of sorrow and
presented his family with a presentation sword in honor of the life of Thomas Lyon
Hamer.
Scope and Contents
A collection of 574 items from 1825 to 1890, which consists of the correspondence of Thomas
Lyon Hamer, his political speeches and notes, and some papers relating to the Mexican War;
Hamer's presentation sword and an oil portrait of him are included in the collection. The
correspondence includes 240 letters by Hamer to his first wife Lydia Bruce Higgins Hamer
(-1845), and family and friends, chiefly during his congressional service. The letters
discuss family matters and Hamer's professional life and political career. There are also
approximately 200 letters addressed to Hamer from his friends and colleagues, discussing his
legal practice and business affairs, political views, and state and national politics.
Correspondents include Lewis Cass, Thomas Corwin, James Hall, Robert Lucas, John McLean,
Wilson Shannon, and others. Also included is Hamer's letter to President Andrew Jackson
(February 17, 1837) discussing the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838 to 1842.
Materials created by US presidents in this collection include James Buchanan autograph
letter signed to Thomas Lyon Hamer, 1842 Janaury 20 (LH 30); Andrew Jackson autograph note
signed to Thomas Lyon Hamer, 1837 January 11 (LH 73); James K. Polk autograph letter signed
to Thomas Madison Hamer, 1847 May 14 (LH 147); James K. Polk appointment of Thomas Lyon
Hamer as Brigadier General, 1846 July 2 (contemporary copy, LH 183); Martin Van Buren
invitation to Thomas Lyon Hamer, approximately 1834 January (LH 184).
Processing Information
Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1985. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the
finding aid derived from a legacy summary report. In 2022, Melissa Haley enhanced
description of the presidential material present in the collection as part of the American
Presidential Papers Project.
General
Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssLH 1-306.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Lawyers -- Ohio
Legislators -- Ohio
Legislators -- United States
Mexican War, 1846-1848
Politicians -- Ohio
Ohio -- History -- 1787-1865
Ohio -- Politics and Government --
1787-1865
United States -- History --
1815-1861
United States -- Politics and Government
-- 1815-1861
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 19th century
Military records -- United States -- Mexican War,
1846-1848
Personal papers -- Ohio -- 19th century
Professional papers -- Ohio -- 19th century
Speeches -- United States -- 19th century
Buchanan, James,
1791-1868
Cass, Lewis,
1782-1866
Corwin, Thomas,
1794-1865
Hall, James,
1793-1868
Hamer, Lydia Bruce Higgins, -1845
Jackson, Andrew,
1767-1845
Lucas, Robert,
1781-1853
McLean, John,
1785-1861
Polk, James K. (James Knox),
1795-1849
Shannon, Wilson,
1802-1877
Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862
United States Exploring
Expedition (1838-1842)
Box 10
Miscellaneous material
Scope and Contents
Box contains documents, business and personal correspondence, and printed material.
Box 11
Oil portrait of Thomas Lyon Hamer
Box 12
Presentation sword from Congress in honor of the life of Thomas Lyon
Hamer
1847
Volume 1
Lloyd Lewis. Captain Sam Grant
Folder Oversize 1
George McKay to Thomas L Hamer: indenture LH 300
1839 March 2
Folder Oversize 2
United States 29th Congress 2nd Session 1846: Resolutions giving
thanks...
LH 301
1846 December 7
Scope and Contents
Includes signature of James Buchanan.
Folder Oversize 3
Turnbull and McClellan. Battles of Mexico: Survey of the line of operations of
the U. S. Army under command of Winfield Scott: printed
LH 302
1847
Folder Oversize 4
W. T. Steiger. Diagram of the United States of America, Mexico, etc., showing
proposed routes of the Pacific Railroad: printed map
LH 303
1854
Folder Oversize 5
William H. Wharton and Sarah H. Wharton to George McKay: indenture LH 304
1837
