Industries, Incidents, Etc.

Hamblen Township, Brown County 

                   It is said the first mill in the county was built on Salt Creek, in the township, as early as 1827 by a man whose name is not remembered. It ceased running about 1835. Eliakim Hamblen built a water mill in about 1838, placing therein a good set of buhrs. He ground considerable gain for about six years. Thomas Waltman built a water saw mill a short distance of Georgetown at an early day and operated it a few years. William Taylor built a water grist mill on Bean Blossom, also at an early day, and, it is said, continued it about five years. Scores of wolves were killed in the township in early years, the incentive being threefold: 1. The sport; 2. To rid the country of the pests; 3. To get the bounty offered by the County Board. Many bears have been killed in the township. The dogs of Eliakim Hamblen one day treed a bear, and Mr. Hamblen shot it from the tree. It was not killed by the shot or the fall, and sprang up to ran off, but was pounced upon by the dogs. In its efforts to get away, it ran over Mr. Hamblen, knocking him down. The animal was finally killed. The Kennedy corn-field had suffered from the depredations of a bear, and young Stephen thought next night, he would get up a tree and watch Mr. Bruin. The animal duly appeared for another feast on the green corn, but the boy was so scared that he called the dogs. Away the bear went with the dogs in pursuit. The pursuit could be heard all the remainder of that night, the deep baying of the hounds reaching a distance of over five miles. The next day the bear was shot near Needmore by Lloyd Brummet. Eliakim Hamblen went to a dear lick one night to get some fresh venison. After waiting some time he saw a panther approaching through the bushes, and, when close enough, he shot the animal dead. Log rollings and house or barn raisings were made very interesting in early years by the presence of many hardy men, plenty of whisky, and many handsome women, who gathered to do the cooking. Thomas McAdams, of Iowa, had this to say in 1878 of an incident which occurred in Hamblen Township:

            It was common in those days, upon the arrival of a new-comer, to ascertain at once whether he had san din his craw. To illustrate this, I will relate a circumstance which took place under my own eyes. The settlements on Bean Blossom and Salt Creeks were sparse at that time, and it was no uncommon thing for persons to go ten or twelve miles to a house-raising in 1837-38. The Prosser families moved to the vicinity of Georgetown, among them being old Uncle Billy Prosser, who was familiarly known as Billy Plumpsock. He was a man fond of his cups, and usually got pretty happy whenever opportunity offered. A house, in those days, could not well be raised without a big jug of whiskey. He and I went to a raising at Jesse Richards’, a few miles east of Georgetown, and the old man soon got lively and talkative, and somewhat boatful of his manhood. He being an entire stranger and new-comer, soon attracted the attention of the crowd. It was not long until I overheard a conversation by some of the party present, to the effect that as soon as the raising was over, old Johnny Stivers (a bluff, rugged, old man) should try Uncle Billy Plumpsock a twist. Being anxious to avoid any such trouble, because the old man had come with me, I took him to one side and undertook to tell him what was brewing, and try to get him to go home with me, but before I could finish telling my tale or persuade him off, he began to roll up his sleeves. He commenced walking before the crowd, swearing by all the saints that he was the veritable Plumpsock, and if any one in that crowd had any desire to test his muscle, to just step out and they would settle that while the house was being finished, so that all could be ready for supper at once; but, suffice it to say, no one there seemed anxious to try it on, and we got off without a scratch.

Source: Counties of Morgan, Monroe and Brown, Indiana. Historical and Biographical. Charles Blanchard, Editor. F.A. Battey & Co., Publishers, 1884.