Page 546

 

H. K. HAMBLIN

 

H. K. Hamblin needs no introduction to the readers of this volume for through more than a half century he has lived in the county, figuring prominently in its upbuilding and then as a leading farmer and representative business man.  His life record began in Cayuga county, New York, on the 18th of May, 1852.  He is a son of Daniel Hamblin, who was also born in the Empire State and was there reared and married, the lady of his choice being Miss Anna Kenyon, a native of New York.  Mr. Hamblin was a farmer in Cayuga county for several years and two of his sons were born there.  He removed westward to Iowa with his family in the spring of 1857, driving through from Lee county, Illinois, to Taylor county, Iowa.  This was still a frontier district in which much of the land was still in possession of the government.  He preempted a claim in Washington township which he improved and upon that place he resided for a year or two but found that he had settled on railroad land.  He then bought a place of one hundred and sixty acres which was a raw tract, not a furrow having been turned or an improvement made upon it.  With characteristic energy he began to break the sod and in course of time planted the fields which later brought forth rich harvest.  Year by year he carefully carried on his farming (page 551) operations and was thus enabled to provide his family with the necessities and many of the comforts of life.  He now resides with his son Frank and has reached the age of eight-two years.  His wife died there, passing away in 1903.

 

H. K. Hamblin of this review was reared to manhood on the old home farm and acquired his education in the common schools and in Bedford.  Later he became a teacher, following the profession through seven winter terms but in the summer months remained with his father and assisted in carrying on the home farm up to the time of his marriage.  That important event in his life occurred in Marshall township, Taylor county, on the 25th of November, 1875, when Miss Hattie Wolcott, a native of Wisconsin, became his wife.  Mrs. Hamblin is an artist of exceptional ability and every picture in her home is her own work.  She was reared and educated in her native state and for a number of years engaged in teaching in Taylor county, Iowa.  After his marriage Mr. Hamblin located on a farm in Marshall township, having previously purchased eighty acres of raw prairie land.  He built a frame house upon the place, opened up the farm and as he prospered in his undertakings extended its boundaries from time to time until he owned two hundred and forty acres in that place.  The work of improvement was also carried steadily forward.  He built an addition to the house, put up a large barn and also built good outbuildings affording ample shelter for grain and stock.  He likewise planted a grove and set out an orchard and divided the farm into fields of convenient size by well-kept fences.  Year by year the work of general improvement was continued and he developed an extensive property.  In connection with the cultivation of cereals, he also raised and fed stock for a few years and found it a profitable source of income.  He continued his farming operations until 1902, when he sold that property and removed to Bedford where he bought a good residence.  He also purchased a farm of two hundred and forty acres in Mason township, which he rents, deriving therefrom a substantial income.  After taking up his abode in Bedford he became a partner of Isaac Williams in an implement business but within a year his partner died and Mr. Hamblin continued the business for some time.  At about the end of five years, however, he sold out or rather traded for a farm in Bedford township lying partly within and partly beyond the corporation limits of the city.  In his business transactions he has been usually successful owing to his sound judgment, his keen discernment and his unfaltering industry.

 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hamblin have been born three children: Grace May, now the wife of A. M. Whitman of Beatrice, Nebraska; and Allen Wolcott, who is a student in the Bedford high school, being now engaged in the work of the junior year.  They also lost one daughter, Maud Lillian who died in her third year.

 

In his political views Mr. Hamblin is an earnest republican and while living on the farm served as treasurer of the township school fund for fourteen consecutive years.  He has filled the office of township trustee in an acceptable manner, has acted on the grand and petit juries and has been a delegate of the county conventions.  Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Hamblin is serving as one of the elders.  He has been (page 552) superintendent of the Sunday-school for about four years and his wife is a Sunday-school teacher.  Both are greatly interested in the church work and are doing all in their power to advance its interests.  Mr. Hamblin is well known in Bedford and throughout the county.  He has assisted in developing three or four farms and in furthering the interests of the community in many ways and at all times has maintained an unassailable reputation for reliability as well as business enterprise.  His success is well merited, coming to him as the reward of earnest, persistent and honorable effort.