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The Birth Control Society of Hamilton, later Planned Parenthood, was the first clinic of its kind in Canada. The clinic opened March 3, 1932 to disseminate family planning information and contraceptives. The clinic operated outside of Canadian law until 1969 when its practices were decriminalized by act of parliament.

Raymond Lowes (1911-2007) joined the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club in 1959 and as the chairman of a conservation committee he submitted a proposal to build a walking trail along the Niagara Escarpment. The proposal went to the Federation of Ontario Naturalists in 1960 and a Bruce Trail Committee was formed on September 23, 1960 to do a feasibility study. The original Bruce Trail Committee included Raymond Lowes, Phil Gosling, Dr. Norman Pearson and Dr. Robert McLaren. A membership organization was started and incorporated in 1963 as the Bruce Trail Association. The goal was set to complete the project in time for Canada’s Centennial in 1967. It took from 1963 to 1967 to build the trail, and it opened in June of 1967. The trail runs the length of the Niagara Escarpment from Tobermory to Queenston a distance of 720 kilometres (432 miles). The Bruce Trail Association acquired a permanent headquarters in 1984 with the acquisition and restoration of Rasberry House on the grounds of the Royal Botanical Gardens. In 2009, the Bruce Trail Association became known as the Bruce Trail Conservancy, which reflects of the association's mandate to conserve the land on which the Bruce Trail is situated. The Bruce Trail Conservancy is comprised of 9 regional clubs, each of which is responsible for a section of the trail: Niagara Bruce Trail Club (Queenston to Grimsby), Iroquia Bruce Trail Club (Grimsby to Kelso), Toronto Bruce Trail Club (Kelso to Cheltenham), Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club (Cheltenham to Mono Centre), Dufferin Hi-Land Bruce Trail Club (Mono Centre to Lavender), Blue Mountains Bruce Trail Club (Lavender to Craigleath), Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club (Craigleath to Blantyre), Sydenham Bruce Trail Club (Blantyre to Wiarton) and Peninsula Bruce Trail Club (Wiarton to Tobermory).

George Frederick Webb (May 6, 1865 – June 6, 1942) was born in Folkestone, Kent, England to John and Sarah Jane Webb. His family came to Hamilton in 1871. In the 1881 census there were 9 children mentioned. George Webb later went into business as a contractor, building such structures as Central Collegiate, the new Armouries, the Wellington Street buildings of the Steel Company of Canada, Ryerson School and Robert Land School. In June of 1906 he purchased the East End Incline Railway located at the head of Wentworth Street South, which he ran until its operation ceased on August 15, 1936. He lived in his home, Belmont Place, located at 1 Mountain Park Avenue and became quite involved in promoting development on the mountain. He was elected Reeve of Barton Township in 1913 and served until 1919. He was the President of the Hamilton Lamp Company which was later sold to the General Electric Company. In 1929 he was appointed to the Board of the Hamilton General Hospital and served three years. In 1936 he was elected President of the Board of St. Peter’s Hospital and served until the year prior to his death. He never married.

The Alumnae Association of the Wesleyan Ladies' College, established in June 1868, supported the continued intellectual engagement of graduates of Wesleyan Ladies' College. Their motto was "Vita sine literis mors est" (Life without literature is death). The Alumnae Association's Literary Club was primarily composed of Wesleyan alumnae, but accepted some non-alumnae as well as daughters and grand-daughters of original graduate-members, and continued to do so after the college ceased to exist. The Literary Club, sometimes referred to as the Ladies' Literary Club or Hamilton Ladies Literary Club, was also affiliated with the Royal Society of Canada. The club met on a biweekly basis from October to May, and held an annual meeting in June. In the 1957-1958 season, they started to meet once a month. The Literary Club remained active until ca.1966.

The chapter was formed in 1900 and named after Ancaster resident Clementina Fessenden (1843-1918), the founder of Empire Day. In 1902, they petitioned the Head Office of the Imperial Order of The Daughters of the Empire to be renamed the Municipal Chapter of Hamilton.

This chapter was named after St. Elizabeth (1207-1231), the daughter of the King of Hungary, who devoted her life to helping the poor and needy of Thuringia. The chapter's specific mandate was to support the Sanatorium, which opened at the same time they were founded. They also provided prizes for public schools and in 1958-1959 adopted St. Elizabeth’s School, Algoma Mills, in addition to supporting schools around the world. The chapter's motto was: "The Noblest Motive is the Public Good."

Emma Francis Jane (Vail) (Birge) Pratt (1851-1917) was born in New York but came to Hamilton at a young age as her father was one of the partners in the firm of Sanford, Vail & Bickley. She attended the Wesleyan Ladies’ College and graduated with two diplomas. She first married Morton Birge in 1870 and later Thomas H. Pratt in 1879. She was very active with women’s organizations such as the WCTU and was one of the founders of the Hamilton YWCA in 1889, co-writing their constitution.

This chapter began as a COE (Children of the Empire) chapter in 1937 and became a primary chapter in 1943. This chapter was named after Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (1867-1947) a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister from 1935-1937, the only premier to have served under three monarchs (George V, Edward VIII and George VI). The chapter's motto was "Love, Loyalty and Zeal."

This chapter was named after James Chisholm (1858-1944) a Hamilton lawyer and founding member of the 91st Highlanders (later the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders). He served as their first commanding officer from 1903 to 1911, and in 1924 was appointed Honourary Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment.The chapter's motto was "Always willing."

This Junior Chapter was formed in 1968 and was named after Dundurn Castle.

The Admiral Percy W. Nellles Chapter was a Junior Chapter sponsored by the Princess Marina Chapter in 1942. Percy Walker Nelles (1892-1951) served as Chief of the Naval Staff of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) from 1934-1944 overseeing the wartime expansion of the RCN and turning it into a major player in the Battle of the Atlantic. He was sent to London as Overseas Naval Attache coordinating RCN operations for Operation Overlord. He retired in January 1945 as a full Admiral.

Established January 14, 1907, this chapter was named after St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians who was martyred in the 2nd Century A.D.
This chapter's motto was: "There is Nothing so Kindly as Kindness and No Other so Royal as Trust." The St. Cecilia Chapter was disbanded in 1977.

The Municipal Chapter was originally called Fessenden Chapter, from 1900 to 1902, when they petitioned to have their name changed to Municipal Chapter of Hamilton, which was granted. Their first meeting under the new name took place March 3, 1902. The inaugural meeting of the Municipal Chapter at Fonthill was on April 1, 1938. This was the first meeting at the house after it became the headquarters of the Hamilton IODE. The Municipal Chapter was disbanded in 2012.

This chapter was named after Margaret Gage (Mrs. Harry F.) Burkholder (1869-1927) and grew out of a group of girls who were sewing for the soldiers. Mrs. Burkholder brought them together as a chapter. According to The Hamilton Spectator: “When the Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire was first conceived, in 1901, Mrs. Burkholder was one of the first members of the Municipal chapter of Hamilton. In 1906 she organized St. Cecelia chapter, now one of the most active chapters of the order in Hamilton. She was regent of this chapter from its organization until 1918, when, at her resignation, she was presented with the jeweled badge of the order. At the formation of the Provincial Chapter of Ontario, Mrs. Burkholder had the honor of being unanimously chosen its first president, an office which she held until her death…Mrs. Burkholder had been a member of the National executive for 12 years and, at the time of her death, was first vice-president of the National chapter" (Oct. 22, 1927). The chapter's motto was "Duty First." The Margaret Gage Burholder Chapter was disbanded in 1977.

Flt. Lieut. Malcolm Charlton Crerar (1898-1917) was the youngest son of Mr. & Mrs. Peter Duncan Crerar. He was educated at Highfield School, Upper Canada College and the Royal Military College. In May of 1916, he was given a commission in the Royal Field artillery but decided to take aviation. In September of 1916, he left for England and was attached to the Royal Flying Corps at Reading. After 3 months he was sent to Egypt and subsequently participated in the British drive through Palestine. He died on August 3, 1917 at 19 years of age of injuries received in a flying accident when in pursuit of an enemy aeroplane in the Gaza district, Palestine. His grave is D. 34 in the Deir El Belah War Cemetery in Israel. The chapter's motto was: "Per Ardu Ad Astra" [Through difficulty to the Stars]. The Malcolm Crerar Aviation Chapter was disbanded in 1949. The money in the treasury was given for scholarships in music to King Edward School and Queen Mary Collegiate.

The General Allenby Chapter held their first meeting on February 13, 1918. They were named after Field Marshall Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby (1861-1936). He fought in the Second Boer War and in World War I, commanding the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the capture of Palestine in 1917. He served as the High Commissioner for Egypt and Sudan from 1919 to 1925. The chapter's motto was: "Faithful in Service, Fide ete Labore" [Loyalty by Toil]. The General Allenby Chapter was disbanded in 1968.

The chapter was organized April 19, 1918 and named in honour of Col. Bertram Osmar Hooper (1879-1951), a Hamiltonian, who won high honours for his services during World War I. After some years, Col. Hooper asked that the name be changed to that of his wife, and the chapter be known as the Nina Louise Hooper Chapter [Nina (Barrow) Hooper died 1914]. However, this did not conform with the rules of the Order regarding the naming of Chapters, so on November 24, 1930, the name was changed to Wentworth Chapter in honour of the late Sir John Wentworth, who was Lieut. Governor of Nova Scotia from 1792 to 1808. According to The Hamilton Spectator: “During the First World War he originated and led the first daylight attack from trenches, a type of raid that later culminated in the Commandos of World War Two. Col. Hooper was also credited with inventing the box barrage, a precedent-making step in machine-gun warfare. For his bravery on the field he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross. His contributions to tactics rank as great Canadian achievements" (Oct. 1, 1951). The chapter's motto was: "Keep Smiling." It was disbanded in 1985.

This chapter was named in honour of William Alexander Denison Sutterby who gave up his studies at the University of Toronto to enlist in the Battery and serve overseas. He was killed in the battle of Passchendaele on October 30, 1917. He was the only child of William John Sutterby (d.1956) and Margaret D. Wilkinson Sutterby (d.1953). She served as the Regent of the Chapter from 1926 until 1943. It received its charter October 5, 1926. It had been a Children of the Empire (COE) chapter called the Bartonville Chapter until it received its charter as a primary chapter in 1926. The chapter's motto was "For Others." The 67th University Battery Chapter was disbanded in 1987.

First meeting took place October 31, 1934. The chapter was named after Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906-1968), the bride-elect of Prince George of England. The marriage took place November 29, 1934. The chapter's motto was "Onward to Peace." The Princess Marina Chapter was disbanded in 1990.

The Queen Elizabeth Chapter was formed as a junior chapter composed chiefly of senior girls of the Delta Collegiate Institute on January 7, 1937. They were sponsored by the St. Elizabeth Chapter. At some point they became a primary chapter under the name Queen Elizabeth Chapter. They were named after Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (1900-2002). The chapter's motto was "Deeds not Words." The Queen Elizabeth Chapter was closed soon after their last meeting of 1963.

The Princess Margaret Rose Chapter, which began as a children's chapter in 1936, became a primary chapter in 1941. The chapter was named after Princess Margaret Rose (1930-2002), sister of Queen Elizabeth II. The chapter was disbanded in 2011.

The Jennie Herald Greening Junior Chapter was organized February 24, 1939 under the sponsorship of the St. Cecilia Chapter. This chapter was named after Jane Rose (Jennie) (Herald) Greening (1858-1937). She was actively involved with the IODE for 33 years serving as honourary regent of Municipal Chapter for 19 years. She was also a Life Member of the National, Provincial and Municipal Chapters. After her death her children donated her house, Fonthill (168 Jackson Street West), to the IODE to use as the headquarters for the Municipal Chapter and to use for other purposes. The chapter's motto was "With All One’s Might." It was disbanded in 1960.

The Lucy Morrison Chapter of IODE was organized in December of 1940 and named in honour of the late Mrs. William Morrison, Provincial President of the IODE Mrs. W. R. Morrison (her daughter-in-law) was the regent at the time of founding. The chapter was disbanded in 1975.

The General Sir Archibald Wavell Chapter IODE was organized in January of 1941 and named after Sir Archibald Wavell (1883-1950). The chapter was sponsored by the St. Hilda Chapter. He served in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II and was Governor General and Viceroy of India from 1943-1947. The chapter's motto was "Keep your ideals high and your resolve unshaken." It was disbanded in 1947.

This chapter was named after the soldiers participating in the Dieppe Raid of August 19, 1942. The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry saw combat for the first time at Dieppe. Only 102 of the 582 soldiers who landed were not among the casualties: 197 killed, 174 captured and 194 wounded (including 85 also captured). The Heroes of Dieppe COE Chapter became a primary chapter in 1949. It was disbanded in 2008.

The Island of Malta Chapter was established as a Junior Chapter on November 17, 1943 under the sponsorship of the Sir Allan MacNab Naval Chapter. It became a full chapter on February 15, 1944 when it received its charter at the Annual Meeting of the Sir Allan MacNab Naval Chapter. The chapter's mottoes include: "Small but Mighty" (Island of Malta); "At My Country’s Call I am Ready" (Lord Louis Mountbatten); and "Faith in Our Work" (Nursing Sister Kenny). The chapter was disbanded in 1956.

Superior Engravers was founded in Hamilton in 1921. The company's primary function at that time was the production of pre-press acid etchings (a process that involved etching text and images onto metal plates) for use in the printing of posters, and newspaper and magazine advertisements. In the mid 1930s, the owners and four key employees entered into a court battle for control of the company. The employee group won, gaining control of Superior Engravers, and Harold Pitts was named works manager and William Van Sickle became secretary-treasurer. By the 1950s, Jim Pitts, son of Harold, and Jim Van Sickle, son of William, had joined the company, for which projects included the production of shopping catalogues for Eaton’s department stores. Harold Pitts became company president in 1960, and began embracing the technological change of the time, importing a scanner from Germany that could produce colour film separations at a rapid rate. Jim Pitts and Jim Van Sickle gained control of the company in 1971, and continued to embrace technological change, purchasing the first fully-computerized scanner in Canada in 1972. Harold Pitts retired from Superior Engravers in 1976, but remained a director of the company. John Pitts, son of Jim and grandson of Herald, joined the company in 1979, becoming production manager then sales manager in the 1980s. In 1986, John Pitts bought Jim Van Sickles' shares of the company and became president. John's father, Jim Pitts, remained company chairman until his retirement in 1996. In the 1990s, Superior Engravers was renamed Superior Graphics Communications. In 1994, John Pitts eliminated his title as president, and the company became a partnership, known as Superior Interactive Communications. Circa 1998, the company was renamed Brickworks Communications Inc., and Peter Earle, a former Defasco executive, was named CEO. The company continues to provide advertising and marketing support, with an increased focus on corporate and interactive communications. John Pitts is the current owner and president of Brickworks Communications, located at 270 Sherman Avenue North in Hamilton, Ontario.

In 1909, the electors of Hamilton, following the example of many other Canadian cities which during the proceeding 20 years had adopted new government structures, approved By-law 860 by a vote of 2,786 to 1,213 thereby providing for the establishment of a Board of Control under the Ontario Consolidated Municipal Act, 1905. The new Board was formed under By-laws 899 and 900. The organization of such municipal bodies was part of the reformist zeal of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which saw businessmen campaign to restructure local government along more efficient eand orderly lines, imitating the modern business corporation. In part, their goal was to end civic corruption and favoritism and to reduce the influence of aldermen and the ward system, as well as to govern the city paying special attention to the needs of business.

Previously, mayors such as John S. Hendrie (1901-1902) had appealed to voters on a "business platform," promising better municipal management, and under their stewardship several civic bodies of "experts" had been organized including the Hospital Board (1896), the Board of Cemetery Management (1899), and the Board of Parks Management (1900). The new Board of Control served as the executive committee of Council; indeed, its creation was a move to strengthen the executive branch without sacrificing "the democratic form of an elected body." It was composed of four members, elected at large every two years, and the Mayor who served as Chairman of the Board. The Controller receiving the largest number of votes acted as Deputy Mayor and Vice Chairman of the Board.

In the early 1930s, a suggestion was put forth by Mayor John Peebles "to promote the better business administration of the city" by appointing a chief administrative officer. Such an appointment, it was believed, would foster greater co-operation and coordination between the branches of civic government, thereby encouraging continuity in the development of city policy and eliminating the duplication of effort arising from divided authority. The chief administrative officer would be in charge of personnel and would act as a single, informed source whom Council could consult. Peebles' proposal was examined by Council but was not acted upon. For the next fifty years the question of employing a chief administrative officer was raised periodically, but the position was not established. More particularly, the idea was revived during the mayoralty of Victor Copps (1963-1976), who urged the adoption of a "manager type of government" to free the Board of Control from spending its time on administrative details, thus allowing it to concentrate on formulating and enforcing policy. In 1980, Hamilton appointed a chief administrative officer and the Board of Control was abolished.

A city solicitor was appointed in 1847 by Hamilton City Council to provide advice concerning legal and legislative matters and to promote and defend the interests of the corporation. At first, payment was covered by fees for individual services rendered, and the solicitor sent in detailed accounts payable for Council's approval. In 1891, under By-law 583 the solicitorship was made a strictly salaried position with compensation allowed for disbursements and traveling expenses. After 1895, Council made an annual payment towards the salaries of legal clerks and assistants and to cover office expenses incurred on the City's behalf. During these years the duties of the solicitor, which previously had been determined by need on an ad hoc basis, were systematically laid out.

Until 1902, the city solicitorship was not a full-time position, and the solicitor continued to maintain a private legal practice while conducting the city's business. At that time, recognizing that the growing volume of civic legal business necessitated a full-time solicitor, a separate legal department was established with offices at City Hall. The earlier policy had led to potential conflicts of interest. In 1869, Council demanded that the city solicitor choose between representing the city or the Wellington, Gray, and Bruce Railway in which the city held an interest, maintaining that "the two offices are incompatible and ought not to be held by the same person." In 1872, while preparing the Hamilton and Northwestern Railway By-law, the Finance Committee discovered that the city solicitor also had been retained by the Provisional Directors of the Railway. It recommended that the city dispense with the solicitor's services, but Council reserved judgment. The matter finally was settled when the solicitor resigned. As with other branches of civic government, the growth of Hamilton in both size and complexity promoted the expansion of the solicitor's department. In 1920, an assistant city solicitor was appointed. Staff lawyers, often specialists in specific areas of law, were added to the legal department. By 1973, six lawyers and one law student staffed the department, and its appropriations totaled $344,310. The following individuals served as city solicitor: George W. Burton, 1847-1872; Frank Mackelcan, 1872-1906; John Morison Gibson, 1872-1894; F. R. Waddell, 1906-1931; A.J. Poulson, 1931-1957; Alan S. Stewart, 1957-1959; A. Foster Rodger, 1959-1965; Clifford R. Demaray, 1965-1967; Kenneth A. Rouff, 1967-1989; and Patrice Noe Johnson, 1990-[?].

The Act of Incorporation of Hamilton required that the affairs of the city be managed by a Mayor and a Municipal or "Common Council", replacing the previous government by the Board of Police. The Mayor and Councillors composed City Council. Two Councillors were elected in each of the five municipal wards established by the Act, and together they named one other person to serve with them on Council. From among their number the Councillors chose the Mayor, who held office for a one year term. The system, at times, could cause problems as in 1854 when all the Councillors successively were nominated for mayor and were defeated. Minors and non-citizens were ineligible to run for office, and property qualifications were established. The Mayor was paid a salary in lieu of fees and prerogatives.

In April 1872, in the midst of a period of labour agitation, a Special Committee reported to Council on the method by which the Mayor was elected. Its report concluded that the present system was objectionable on several grounds: first, electors wanted to select the Mayor themselves; second, the election of the Mayor by councillors deprived one ward of an elected alderman; third, it implied that each alderman was suitable for the office of Mayor when the electors had voted for him as an alderman, not as Mayor; and fourth, the position "would be elevated in dignity and independence and the interests of the Electors would be advanced by his being elected by the people at large." In 1874, Benjamin Charlton became the first Mayor of Hamilton elected by a civic vote. Individual Mayors could leave their impact on both the office and the city. For example, Charles Magill (1854-55) championed the construction of the waterworks. T.J. Stewart (1907-08) was a vocal advocate of the municipal ownership of utilities. Lloyd D. Jackson (1949-62) promoted urban renewal in the city. The inaugural addresses which the Mayors presented to Council from 1898 until 1973, included in Council minutes, reflected their concerns and plans for the municipality and outlined the accomplishments of previous Councils.

Freda Farrell Waldon was born August 29, 1898 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her family moved to Hamilton, Ontario about a year later, and she remained there for the majority of her life. Waldon attended Central Public School and Hamilton Collegiate Institute. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto (1919), then went on to complete her M.A. in English at Columbia University (1931). Waldon attended the School of Librarianship at the University of London before becoming Chief Librarian of the Hamilton Public Library, a position which she held from 1940 to 1963. Waldon developed an interest in the Wesleyan Ladies' College, located on King Street East in Hamilton, Ontario, due in part to the fact that her mother, Lillie Hardy, was a graduate (1887). In 1952, Waldon sent a letter to the Toronto periodical Saturday Night, with a request to its readers for all available information on the College, including recollections, reminiscences and information from former students and teachers. Waldon also searched among her own papers and brought together a great deal of material on the College, its staff and students.

Charles Schriber Cochran, son of William Cochran and Mary Rupert, was born in Paris, West Canada in 1854. He married Cicely Eliza Springer and had two sons. In 1886, he and his family moved to Hamilton, where Cochran opened a photography studio in June of 1886 at 124 King Street East. By the mid-1890's his was one of the most prominent studios in the area, winning awards at conventions of the Photographic Association of Canada, and receiving honours at the Jamaica Convention (1891) and the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893), also known as the Chicago World's Fair. Around 1899, Cochran was commissioned by W.H. Carre of Montreal to take photographs of the city for Artwork of Hamilton (1899). In 1902, he sold his studio to A.M. Cunningham (Alexander McKenzie Cunningham), who had previously been in his employ. Conchran remaining in Hamilton until 1904 before moving to the United States. He eventually settled in California, where he resided until his death in 1933.

Under Hamilton's Act of Incorporation City Council could appoint a non-councillor to serve as City Clerk. His duties, many of which were first established by practice and precedent, were set out in Statutes and municipal by-laws. The Clerk, with the authority to summon committee meetings and to convene Council meetings when required by a competent authority, attended all Council meetings, recording the proceedings "without note or comment." He was the custodian of city documents, keeping Council's books, records, and accounts, the original or certified copies of by-laws, and the City Seal, attending to Council's correspondence, and storing all deeds, securities, leases, and other valuable papers belonging to the city in his office safe; these records were not to leave his possession without the permission of the Mayor or the Chairman of the Finance Committee.

In 1861, the Clerk was given permission to employ help as needed on a temporary basis, and it was not until 1884 that Samuel H. Kent was appointed as permanent Assistant City Clerk, serving also as Assistant Secretary to the school Board and deputizing for the City Clerk as Police Court Clerk. In 1886, a general duties clerk was added to the department. Nonetheless, in 1891, City Clerk Thomas Beasley complained to Council that the growth of the city, the result of a major annexation occurring earlier in the year, had led to a great increase in the work of the department; consequently, finding his work backing up, he had been forced to hire help out of his own pocket. By 1925, the department had expanded to consist of the City Clerk, 2 Assistants, and 10 clerks. By 1973, office staff stood at over 40 with departmental appropriations set at $496,840. Under the super vision of the Ontario Government, increasing emphasis was placed on professionalization; after 1958, for example, the City Clerk was required to have university training in public administration. Originally the Clerk was paid a salary and could keep the fees he collected but in 1850 this was changed to a larger salary in lieu of fees.

Clearly, because of the multiplicity and important nature of his functions, a competent, experienced City Clerk was essential to the smooth and efficient operation of municipal government. Thus, it is unsurprising that between its incorporation as a city and the introduction of regional government in 1973, Hamilton had only 6 City Clerks, with 3 Clerks overseeing operations between 1854 and 1964. Continuity and stability in terms of senior personnel was the hallmark of the department, with new Clerks often chosen internally after serving a long apprenticeship. For example, Samuel H. Kent (1906-1935) had joined the Clerk's office in 1884. Such continuity, moreover, led to a close and personal identification on the part of City Clerks with local government and its fortunes. For example, Thomas Beasley (1854-1906) rescued the City from bankruptcy during the financial crisis of 1863 by hiding assessment rolls from the sheriff and then leaving town. The following individuals served as City Clerk: Charles H. Stocker, 1847-1852; John Kirby, 1852-1854; Thomas Beasley, 1854-1906; Samuel H. Kent, 1906-1933; James Berry, 1933-1964; Edward A. Simpson, 1964-1996; and Joseph J. Schatz, 1996-[?]

Donald William Adams was born June 4, 1922 in Louth Township to Stanley William Adams and Dorothy Serena (Kerr) Adams. The family moved to Hamilton a few years later. They lived with Charles Staple Kerr and Mary Alberta (Knight) Kerr, his maternal grandparents. C.S. Kerr was a high school teacher employed at Central Collegiate Institute. They lived at 92 Blake Street until about 1938 then moved to 36 Maple Avenue. Don Adams attended Hamilton Technical School and was then employed by the Bell Telephone Company. He was a member of the Cedar Springs Ski Club and the Model Engineer's Club. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in about 1942 and became a Pilot Officer with the Atlantic Transport Group. While at the Ellenburg Depot in New York State he was killed in a flying accident on June 22, 1944 along with three other men. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery.

This chapter was formed in 1907 as a military chapter to assist veterans. The first meeting took place at the residence of Lieutenant Colonel Moore on Hess Street South. The chapter’s name refers to the Battle of Paardeburg, fought in February, 1900. It was the Canadians’ first engagement in the Boer War. Mrs. P. D. Crerar, regent of Hamilton Municipal Chapter, began the chapter with the goal of providing care for members of the armed force and their children. At that time, each member had to have a husband, son or brother in the Canadian Army or Navy. The chapter's first project took the form of band concerts. Money was used to purchase musical instruments for the Army Medical Corps Band and to aid South African War veterans and their families. Soon after the chapter's formation, Mrs. Gordon Henderson proposed that the chapter organize a girls’ club and boarding house in the east end of Hamilton for business girls from out of town. By 1908, efforts were underway. A charter was secured, allowing for the purchase of property by the Daughter of the Empire Club, Hamilton, Limited (1911-1996). Hamilton chapters shared the responsibility of funding The Daughters of the Empire Club boarding house and girls' club. From 1913 to 1950, the Paardeburg chapter presented a rifle to Central Collegiate for the best marksman. In 1915, under the leadership of Mrs. H. S. Griffin, regent, a hospital committee was formed. It made supplies and raised funds for Number 2 Hospital in France. Around this time, Paardeburg Chapter acquired its own chapter house when Mrs. W. B. Bruce offered the use of her old home at 17 Jackson Street West, a site later occupied by the Bell Telephone Company (1929). In April of 1919, the chapter house was closed. After World War I, an organization within the chapter called the Big Sisters of Paardeburg was formed to assist daughters of deceased Hamilton soldiers, the Little Sisters of Paardeburg. In 1937, Paardeburg sponsored the formation of the Rt. Hon. Stanley Baldwin Chapter as a junior chapter. During World War II, the Paardeburg Chapter raised funds selling ice cream, candy and soft drinks from a chalet in the Rock Garden. In November of 1996, the shareholders of the Daughter of the Empire Club, Hamilton, Limited voted to surrender their charter. The remaining money held by the girl's club, in the amount of $55,000 (after expenses), was donated to McMaster University for the establishment of a Bursary Fund in perpetuity. The amount was matched by the Ontario Government. The chapter's motto was: "Always Ready."

The Wesleyan Ladies' College was located at the corner of King Street East and John Street South in Hamilton, Ontario, in the building erected as the Anglo-American Hotel (1854), which declared bankruptcy in 1861. This location became the future site of the Waldorf Hotel (ca. 1901-1914) and then The Royal Connaught Hotel (1914-). The Wesleyan Ladies’ College officially opened in September of 1861, drawing students from across Canada and the United States, and housing both boarding and day students. Mary Electa Adams was the first principal (from 1861-1868), succeeded by Rev. S.D. Rice, who was principal until 1878. More than two thousand women were educated at Wesleyan, and the college produced more than two hundred graduates. The first degrees conferred by the college were MLA, Mistress of Liberal Arts, and MEL, Mistress of English Literature. Members of the graduating class of 1888 obtained honours in the first Bachelor of Arts Degrees ever obtained by women in Ontario. The Wesleyan Ladies’ College closed in 1897.

William Alexander (1866–1933), son of Alexander Logie, was called to the bar in 1890, and entered into legal practice in the firm of Chisholm, Logie and McQuesten. In 1918, he was elevated to the bench. William Alexander wed Mary Hamilton Wylie in 1892 and they had one son and two daughters.

Major William Logie was born in Scotland in 1782. William married Mary McNair (1784-1818) in 1808. After the death of his first wife, he married Anne Smith (1784-1868), of Pitgair, Scotland in 1822. There were six Logie children: William, Alexander (1823–1873), James Alexander, Margaret, Mary, and Barbara, who died as a child in 1838. Major William Logie retired from the army in 1832, and the family emigrated from Scotland to Canada, leaving behind eldest son, William, who chose to remain in Glasgow. The Major and Anne Smith Logie lived near Kingston, Ontario in their home, Glenlogie, until 1852 when they moved to Hamilton. Major William Logie died in 1853 and Anne Logie died in 1868.

Dr. Calvin McQuesten was born in New Hampshire in 1801. He graduated from medical school in 1830 and set up his practice in Brockport, New York in 1832. In 1835, McQuesten partnered with his cousin John Fisher, as well as Priam B. Hill and Joseph S. Jones to establish an iron foundry in Hamilton, thus becoming one of the forerunners of “heavy industry” in the city. Dr. Calvin McQuesten moved to Hamilton in 1839 to take an active role in managing the foundry, known as McQuesten and Co. In 1853, he sold a portion of the firm to his nephews, Luther and Payson Sawyer, and cousin William McQuesten. In 1856, partner John Fisher sold his portion of the foundry business and moved to Batavia, N.Y., leaving Dr. McQuesten sole owner. In 1857, Dr. McQuesten retired and handed the company over to the Sawyer brothers, including another nephew, Samuel Sawyer, an engineer for the foundry. They operated the company under the name of L. D. Sawyer and Co. In 1889, they went into partnership with H.A. Massey of Massey-Harris Co. Ltd. forming Sawyer-Massey Co.

Dr. Calvin McQuesten was on the Board of Directors of the Gore Bank, had shares in Hamilton Water Company, donated to the Wesleyan Ladies College and helped finance the construction of the MacNab Street Presbyterian Church. In 1852, he purchased a house which was first known as Willow Bank. The name was later changed to Whitehern by Isaac and Mary McQuesten. Dr. McQuesten was married three times and he had two children who survived: Calvin Brooks (1837-1912) and Isaac Baldwin (1847–1888). Calvin Brooks graduated from medical school and set up practice in New York. Isaac Baldwin studied law and joined a practice in Hamilton.