Skip to content

Palmer Clarkson Hamilton

Palmer Clarkson Hamilton

Palmer Clarkson Hamilton, a native of Mobile, life-long student of his city’s history, and visionary for her future, died Friday, October 15, 2021.
He was predeceased by his parents, Martha Pillans Hamilton and Clarkson Mazyck Hamilton.
He is survived by his wife, Amy Ross St. John Hamilton, daughter, Margaret Langdon Hamilton, niece Mary Hunter Rouse Maxwell and nephews James Herndon Rouse, Jr., and Thomas Gaines St. John Rouse and their families, and a wide network of family members, both new and long-time friends, and colleagues around the world.
Mr. Hamilton was head of the Washington, D.C., law office of Jones Walker, and as a partner in the firm’s Governmental Relations Practice Group split his time between there and Mobile.
Early in his legal career he served as an assistant to the Comptroller of the Currency and as chief of new bank chartering. He returned to Mobile and practiced law at Hamilton, Butler before becoming a founding partner of Miller, Hamilton, and Snider.
In 2008, that firm merged with Jones Walker. He served on a variety of federal, state, local, and volunteer boards throughout his career and worked tirelessly to support The Episcopal Church, both locally and nationally.
Mr. Hamilton was deeply committed to historic preservation. Individually, with others, and through the Oakleigh Venture Revolving Fund he restored dozens of structures in Mobile.
In the last few years he worked on one of his most enjoyable rehabilitations- the former St. Mary’s Church in Camden, Alabama. He quickly became a proponent for and advocate of all things Camden. Mr. Hamilton’s love of history was not limited to this area.
For a decade he researched and wrote a book, “The Threads of Liberty, The Propositi of The Society of the Cincinnati of the State of South Carolina” for that society. It was published in 2020. He was adamant that the purpose of his work was “to bring alive again these men as three-dimensional people, not just names and dates.”
He had many, many interests and felt strongly about a wide range of causes and organizations. The Order of St John was prominent among those.
He enjoyed traveling the United States and the world- making new friends and acquaintances along the way- as Prior for the United States from 2014 to 2020. He was honored to serve in that role and passionately believed in its mission to further the work of the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group.
Recently he was named to the Board of the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, a group founded by the Prince of Wales and Mr. Hamilton’s friend Rory Stewart, to revive historic areas and traditional crafts. The Foundation has done incredible work in Afghanistan, Jordan, Myanmar, and Saudi Arabia.
Palmer- with Blackberry or only very recently iPhone constantly at hand- certainly worked a lot. But he also loved time at home: trying new recipes, entertaining, reading and learning, a good political campaign, long walks with his beloved dog, a fun Mardi Gras Sunday gathering… and trying to pretend Lang didn’t have him wrapped around her little finger.
Visitation was held Friday, October 22nd, at 10:00 am at Christ Church Cathedral before the funeral service at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at Magnolia Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in keeping with one of

Leave a Comment