Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
FRANK HAMBLEN.
Adams county has a large quota of wealthy farmers and no class of people
have done as much for the county as those who till the soil. There
is no doubt that the prominence in which this political division reaches
today has been gained through the progressiveness and industry of those
who opened up wild prairies and barren wastes and transformed them into
cultivated farms and fertile fields. Not least among this worthy
class is the subject of this article who resides three miles south of Delight,
where he handles an estate of over one thousand acres. Frank Hamblen
was born in Sidney, Fremont county, Iowa, on July 23, 1866, being the son
of Leven and Mary (Spitler), natives of Ohio and Germany, respectively.
The mother came to America when six years of age and her parents settled
in Illinois. In that state she was married in 1844, and there remained
until 1860, then the family moved to Fremont county, Iowa, dwelling fourteen
years in that section. Next they went to Missouri. Then Mrs.
Hamblin took her children to Iowa, settling in Monona county and continuing
there for five years. In 1888 they came to Washington, locating at
Endicott, Whitman county, whence she came to Adams county. She is
now seventy-six years old, well preserved and the mother of fifteen children,
nine of whom are living, named as follows; Cyrus, Ann, Thomas, Leven, Sophia,
Margaret, Frank, Grant, Sherman. The other six who are deceased are
given below, Alfred, Ada, Nancy, Lulu, and two who died in infancy.
Frank was educated in
the common schools of his native place where he resided and at the age
of nineteen, began the duties of life for himself. For two years,
he labored with his brothers, Sherman and Leven at stock raising in Whitman
county. In 1890, he came to Adams county, locating on land where
he now resides. His brothers are still working with him and in 1902,
they sold their stock and gave their entire attention to farming.
The estate is well fenced and supplied with abundance of fine water and
is as good as there is in the county. Mr. Hamblen is a prosperous
man and receives the respect of the entire community.
In 1894, occurred the
marriage of Mr. Hamblen and Bertha Bowers. She is the daughter of
A. and Elizabeth (Spry) Bowers, natives of Ohio. As early as 1846,
they settled in Iowa and in 1869 changed their residence to Missouri.
Six years later, they went back to Illinois and in 1880 came to Nebraska.
Eight years after that, they journeyed west and settled where they now
reside in Adams county. The father keeps the Delight postoffice and
to him and his wife, seven children have been born named as follows; Marion,
Levina, Sarah, Rose F., Edward, Joseph and Bertha. To Mr. and Mrs.
Hamblen, four children have been born, William, Harry, Asa and Clarence.
In political matters,
we find our subject an ardent supporter of the Prohibition principles,
while in church relations he and his wife belong to the Methodist denomination.
BACK