Hamilton and his son James were among the founders of Lancaster, which in 1729 became the fourth county in the province of Pennsylvania."Gallery of Speakers' Portraits", Pennsylvania House of Representatives The community was located on a 500-acre (2 km2) tract owned by Hamilton, on which he laid out Lancaster Townstead around 1730. By 1734, James, now proprietor of Lancaster town, won a seat in the Assembly and became the political leader of the county. In 1742 James Hamilton secured the original charter of government, which gave the settlement the status of borough (this charter can be found today in the city clerk's office).
