MISSOURI
HISTORICAL REVIEW.
VOL. 5. OCTOBER, 1910. NO. U
HAMILTON ROWAN GAMBLE AND THE PROVISIONAL.
GOVERNMENT OF MISSOURI.
Hamilton Rowan Gamble was born in Winchester, Virginia, November 29th, 1798. His grandfather emigrated from
Ireland to the Colony of Pennsylvania in 1753, but after a few
years returned to his native land. His eldest son, however,,
returned to America prior to the Revolution, and served conspicuously as an engineer in the American army during the
war. Subsequently he became a prominent citizen of Philadelphia, occupying the chair of Professor of Greek and Latin
in the University of Pennsylvania. A younger son, Joseph^
was born in Ireland, after the father returned there. He
was the father of the subject of this article. His wife wa&
Anne Hamilton, daughter of John Hamilton, of the Strath,.
Ireland. They arrived and settled in Virginia in 1784.
There were seven children born to them; the youngest of whom
was Hamilton Rowan Gamble. From this Hibernian strain,,
doubtless, came that rich vein of genuine humor which, now
and then, in conversation enlivened as a glad sunbeam his
serious face, and often flashed out in his speeches relieving the
severity of his logic.
His academic education was completed at Hampden-Sid-
ney College, Prince Edward County. He studied law; and