Thomas Ray Hamer (May 4, 1864 – December 22, 1950) was a

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

. Hamer served as a single term as a Republican in the House from 1909 to 1911, representing the state at-large. Hamer attended

Hedding College Hedding College was a college in Abingdon, Illinois, that operated from 1855 to 1927. The school was named after Methodist Bishop Elizah Hedding. Merged with Illinois Wesleyan University in 1930. The campus was used by the Roosevelt Military Acad ...

, and Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington (now

Indiana University Maurer School of Law The Indiana University Maurer School of Law is the law school of Indiana University Bloomington, a public research university in Bloomington, Indiana. Established in 1842, the school is named after alumnus Michael S. "Mickey" Maurer, an Indianapo ...

), and was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in St. Anthony, Idaho, in 1893. He engaged in agricultural pursuits in Fremont County, Idaho before entering politics. He was a member of the

Idaho House of Representatives The Idaho House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Idaho Legislature. It consists of 70 representatives elected to two-year terms. The state is divided into 35 districts, each of which elects two representatives to separate seats. ...

in 1896 and served until 1898 when he enlisted as a private in the First Regiment, Idaho Volunteer Infantry and served as captain and lieutenant colonel in the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...

. After his term in congress, Hamer resumed his law practice in St. Anthony, Idaho engaging in banking at St. Anthony and Boise, Idaho. He would go on to once again serve in the military as a major and lieutenant colonel in the Judge Advocate General’s Department, during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

; After his service he would re-locate to

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

and practice private law, until 1943, when he retired and moved to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. He died in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

, on December 22, 1950, at the age of 86. Hamer is the namesake of the city of

Hamer, Idaho Hamer is an unincorporated area in Jefferson County, Idaho, United States. It is part of the Idaho Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 83 at the 2020 census. Hamer was incorporated by Jefferson County in 1973, the city d ...

Notes

References

1864 births 1950 deaths People from Vermont, Illinois Politicians from Boise, Idaho People from St. Anthony, Idaho Republican Party members of the Idaho House of Representatives American military personnel of the Philippine–American War Indiana University Maurer School of Law alumni Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Idaho Lawyers from Portland, Oregon 19th-century Idaho politicians 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives {{Idaho-politician-stub