Biography: Ethelbert Ernest Holton
October 31, 1864 – November 5, 1942
Village President: 1913-1914; 1915-1916; 1917-1919; 1927-1928
E.E. Holton first appeared as Village Trustee when he won the position on April 19, 1910, along with John F. Johnson. He defeated Max Bock and Albert Oltman for the two-year position. He was a nominee for the Anti-Salary Party in 1912. However, he resigned as Trustee on March 13, 1913, to successfully run for Village President. His tenure as President lasted for two years.
His next attempt at the presidency failed miserably, as G.W. Turner defeated him in the 1916 election by a significant margin (22 votes to 120). E.E. Holton would try again, successfully, to regain the office of Village President in April 1917. Apparently unopposed. At this time, three two-year terms as Village President appeared to be enough. E. E. Holton did not run for office in 1919. E.E. Holton ran for president once more in 1927, garnering over double the number of votes as Mr. Hanewacker.
E.E. Holton was born in London, England, and came to America with his parents at age 3. He married Ella Schunr of St. Louis on December 13, 1886. He died at the age of 77 and was a resident of Hampton for forty-eight years.
He was a Justice of the Peace for nearly fifteen years and an avid wood-carver. He was employed at the Moline Engraving Company and the Moline Plow Company.
He died on November 5, 1942, following a short illness. The funeral was held at the Hampton Methodist Church, and he was buried at Hampton Cemetery.