Rev. William Hamblen lived in Hamblen township between the years of 1836 and 1902 as a shoemaker, veteran and preacher.
Jack of all trades, local shoemaker, veteran and preacher, the Rev. William Hamblen grew up in Lee County, Va. where he learned shoemaking in his father’s shop. In the year 1836 when he was 22 years old, Hamblen traveled from his home in Virginia to Brown County on horseback.
Once arrived in Brown County, he was quickly employed for his trade as a shoemaker by a man who operated a tannery and also manufactured shoes, James Parmerlee. The shop was located on Beanblossom Creek in modern day Hamblen Township. While working at the Tanyard, he met and married his wife in 1838. They began living in a farmhouse close to what was later established as the Dowden school house. They later moved on the Parmerlee lands and eventually settled in 1844 on Salt Creek.
During this time, the Mexican War began and in 1846 he enlisted in Captain James Taggart’s company E 3rd Indiana infantry. He was elected as one of six corporals and four days later the Governor ordered them to proceed to Fort Clark in New Albany, the place of rendezvous.
The company purchased uniforms made of light denim and noted themselves as Brown County Blues, a name that followed them throughout the war. The same company was also recognized for being the tallest company in the army, as the average height was over six feet tall.
Company E was assigned to the Indiana Volunteer Camp near Camp Whitcomb, where they stayed until the following month being subjected to discipline and activities to prepare them for war. Once orders were given for the company to decamp, they traveled through Louisiana, Texas and Mexico before 17 members of the company was discharged and sent home, including Hamblen. During these voyages, Hamblen faced measles, sea sickness and various other illnesses. Although he survived the horrors of war, Hamblen never fully recovered from the illnesses he contracted while on the journey. He was listed with the sick and unable to move on into Mexico for active duty. He resigned and moved on with the army, later the same year his condition failed to improve, so he was left behind and given discharge.
Hamblen returned home to his wife and three children where he made a full recovery after a year and acquired land on which he was able to build a log house and move his family.
They lived in the cabin for a few years before selling the land and moved to Big Salt Creek. There, Hamblen joined the United Brethren church under the leadership of the Hamblens, Taggarts and Weddles and became inspired by the idea of becoming a local minister. His talents as a preacher were recognized by the conference and he was given a circuit. The earliest record of him performing a marriage ceremony was in 1855.
When the church split into two branches, he was accredited as a full preacher and given a circuit from the beginning of the Evangelical Republican United Brethren in Christ.
He occupied a number of circuits in local areas of Bartholomew, Shelby, Ripley and Jackson counties and was eventually promoted to Superintendent in the conference district.
Hamblen spent many more years traveling as a minister, while also maintaining a farm and raising a family in Hamblen township before ultimately retiring from the circuit. He sold the farm on Salt Creek in the 1850s and the family lived on several farms in the area until settling down in 1874 as a retiree and husband.
Hamblen passed away in 1902 and was buried in the Taggart Cemetary as a Mexican War veteran and Methodist Minister.
