For thirty-three years Frank Hastings Hamilton has been identified with railway service and winning consecutive promotion, has since July, 1896, been secretary and treasurer of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Company and its successor company, St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company, with offices in St. Louis. He was born in New York city, September 5, 1865, and was accorded liberal educational opportunities, completing his studies in the University of France at Paris, where he won his Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation with the class of 1883.
Two years later saw the beginning of his identification with railway interests. He was secretary and general agent of the express department of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at New York city until December 31, 1887, when he became an employe of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad at New York, occupying the position of clerk to the secretary and treasurer in that city from January, 1888, until November, 1890. He was then made chief clerk to the vice president of the same road with headquarters in Boston, where he remained until March, 1893.
Until December of the same year he was acting comptroller of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad at Boston and from January until September, 1894, was deputy comptroller at New York, after which he became cashier for the receivers of the same road in that city, thus continuing until December, 1895. At that date he was made treasurer for the receivers of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway at New York and continued in the position until July, 1896. With the reorganization of the company at that time he was elected secretary and treasurer and has so continued to the present, bending his efforts to administrative direction and executive control and contributing in large measure to the success of the company. His definitely determined plans are promptly executed and he has ever been a discriminating student of conditions effecting railway interests, while his long experience covering more than a third of a century enables him to speak with authority upon matters relative to railway management.
In New York city in 1896 Mr. Hamilton was married to Mrs. May Tappen Thorburn, a daughter of Frederick Tappen, and they have become parents of a son, Frank H., Jr. He is a member of the City Club and the Racquet Club. He has never figured prominently in public affairs outside of business, preferring at all times to concentrate his efforts and energy upon his duties in connection with railway management and control.