Biographies
WALTER
RALEIGH
HAMILTON, WALTER
RALEIGH, Geologist and Engineer,
From 1886 to 1895 Mr.
Hamilton attended the public schools of
Mr. Hamilton is
another instance of the college-trained man who “makes good” as a student and
makes better as a graduate, thus increasing the already long roll of
honor. A student athlete while at Stanford University, where he was a
winner of the mile run in the inter-collegiate games, and also as a substitute
on the football team, as well as something of a “dig” in his major subjects’geology and the natural sciences---he has carried
into his post-graduate life a husky constitution and a well-equipped mind,
which have contributed much to his success.
Shortly after his
graduation from Stanford Mr. Hamilton began his professional career as engineer
of the Standard Consolidated Mining Company, at
The next four months
found him acting as engineer for the Southern pacific Railroad Company, from
which employ he stepped into the important position of assistant geologist for
the Associated Oil Corporation, but after six months in this capacity in the
land department he was promoted to the full charge thereof. Here he
performed the valuable work of organizing the present geological department, of
which he became chief geologist, with that title. Here, while acting as
adviser, he put a staff of competent geologists in the field and laid the
foundation of what is today the most efficient geological department that any
company in the oil field can boast.
In 1910 Mr. Hamilton
became associated with W. P. Hammon as director of
field operations in oil. These are gradually extending and enlarging the
scope of his activities, which at present include the Montebello Oil Company,
the
Mr. Hamilton is an
apt illustration of the value of developing one’s natural bent by concentrating
on the work best adapted to the task. In his life he has followed the same
habits of devotion to the work in hand that characterized his university
experience and has had little time or inclination for clubs and
organizations. Those to which he belongs all have bearing on his
professional duties, and are the American Institute of Mining Engineers,
America Association for the Advancement of Science, National Geographical
Society and Le Conte Geological Club. He has contributed articles on geological
subjects to magazines, the most important, perhaps, of which treatises is his
paper, written in collaboration with Mr. H. H. Kessler, on the “Orbicular Gabbro of Dehesa,
Transcribed
Source: Press Reference Library, Western
Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 141, International News Service,
© 2006 Marilyn R. Pankey.