Job Hamblen was born on 14 July 1762 in Halifax County, Virginia, the son of George Hamblen. At the age of 14 years, Job was living with his father 18 miles south of the Charlotte Court House in Charlotte County, Virginia.

Job enlisted in March 1779 as a private in the company of Captain John Tabbs of the Virginia State Militia, which formed a company in Colonel Charles Dabney’s regiment. After the surrender at Yorktown, on 19 October 1781, Captain Tabb’s company spent the winter in camp near Portsmouth. Job received his discharge from service on 10 March 1782. He returned to his father’s home in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

Job married Eleanor Mullings on 3 September 1782, in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Eleanor was the daughter of John Mullings and Jane Washington-Russell. She was born on 10 March 1765. After the marriage of Job and Eleanor, it is likely they lived in Pittsylvania County. The children of Job and Eleanor were:

• John was born in 1782.
• Uriah was born in 1787.
• George was born in 1789.
• William was born in 1793.
• Eliakim was born in 1796.
• Eleanor was born in 1799.
• Sarah was born in 1802.
• Mary was born in 1805.

Job was living in Jennings County, Indiana, at the time he made an application for a Revolutionary War Pension in August 1818. Not long after this date, the family moved again. By the spring of 1821, they were residents of the Haw Patch section of Bartholomew County, Indiana.

Their settlement was made near the town of Clifford and about five miles northeast of Columbus, Indiana. The land for miles in every direction is level and was, at the time, heavily wooded. Besides building a house, the land was cleared for cultivation, although he never obtained title for the homestead from the U.S. Government.

One day a stranger came and notified him that he had bought the land that Job’s farm was upon and that he would be expected to move off. The old gentleman was enraged that he should lose his homestead in this manner contrary to the frontiersman’s belief in his rights. He took down his trusted rifle and planned to shoot the stranger but was prevented by members of his family. Later, compensation was made by the man, giving a horse and some other articles to Job in exchange for the improvement that he had made upon the land and he agreed to move off.

The family next settled at Brown County, where he made a request to the government for title to the land. He was again at the edge of the wilderness and was among the first European settlers in this part of Brown County.

Job died at his homestead at Brown County, on 1 September 1833, and was buried next to his wife. His estate was quite meager but included Job’s violin, of which he was said to be very accomplished, and a loom for weaving fabric. There is a large monument erected by his descendants in Brown County.

Sources:

1. Hamblen, Armeanous, Porter A History of the Hamblen and Allied Families, Indiana. Franklin: The Franklin Democrat, 1940, page 56-75.