ASHTABULA COUNTY OHIO - BIO: HAMBLIN, Earle W. (published 1925)

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HISTORY OF OHIO, The American Historical Society, Inc., 1925
Volume IV, page 258, 259

        EARLE W. HAMBLIN, B.S., an able educator whose professional loyalty
and enthusiasm have been expressed in constructive service, has the
distinction of being principal of the oldest endowed academy in the State
of Ohio, the Grand River Institute, at Austinburg, Ashtabula County. He has
been the academic and executive head of this historic institution since the
year 1908, and his administration has been marked by loyal adherence to the
splendid traditions of the school and by the progressive policies that make
for efficient service in all departments. A general review of the history
of Grand River Institute more consistently finds place in the chapter of
this publication devoted to educational matters, but in the present
connection may be entered brief quotation from the latest catalogue issued
by the old and popular school.
        "Grand River Institute is the oldest endowed academy in Ohio. Its
charter was granted February 22, 1831. It grew out of the needs of the
Western Reserve ninety years ago. It had its beginning in a select school
taught in a cooper shop in 1830-31 by Lucius M. Austin. The movement,
however, received its main impulse in the great revival of that winter, and
the school was established as 'A manual labor school to educate worthy
young men for the Gospel ministry,' and was called 'The Ashtabula County
School of Science and Industry.' In 1836 a number of young men, with a
teacher named Amos Dresser, came from Oberlin and the school received a new
impetus. During the same year it was reendowed, by Jacob Austin, and the
manual labor idea was abandoned, the while the name of the school was
changed to Grand River Institute. In 1840 ladies were admitted to the
advantages of the institute on the same terms as gentlemen. The original
building, now the Gymnasium, was built soon after the founding of the
school. In 1883 the third building was erected, for chapel, recitation and
society rooms. Early in 1915 the new Boys' Dormitory was completed. It is
the gift of the alumni and other friends of the school, and is known as
Alumni Hall. A ladies hall was built in 1858 to take the place of one which
had burned the year before. This hall was destroyed by lightning April 1,
1917. A much more elegant and commodious structure was occupied in January,
1918.
        "The Institute is located at Austinburg, a pleasant town in Ashland
County, Ohio, seven miles south of Lake Erie, on the Pennsylvania lines.
Its buildings stand in the midst of the eight-acre park, which affords
abundant shade and also room for recreation and sports of all kinds. Grand
River Institute aims to be a fitting school of the first grade. It has the
reputation of maintaining a severe standard of scholarship, earned by more
than three -quarters of a century of progressive work, in which it has sent
hundreds of students to the various American colleges, and has had a total
enrollment of more than 10,000. There are few schools of its class that
have graduated so many men and women who have taken prominent and useful
positions in life. One of the best things about the Institute is that it is
a school for the average wide-awake American. While the school is strictly
one for college fitting, still it recognizes that many are unable to attend
college, and for such it offers a wide range of courses, affording
excellent opportunities for culture and preparation for active life. The
thoroughness and genuineness of our work have secured recognition from our
best institutions of learning, and our graduates, by special arrangements,
are now received without examination by any American College."
        Earl W. Hamblin is a scion of a family that was founded in America
in the early Colonial period of our national history, the first
representatives having come from England on the ship "Hopewell," in 1621,
and having settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Professor Hamblin of this
review is a grandson of David C. and Elsie (Davis) Hamblin. David C.
Hamblin was born and reared in the State of New York, and came to Perry,
Lake County, Ohio, about the year 1863, he having become one of the
prosperous farmers in that locality and having there passed the remainder
of his life. Elsie Davis became his first wife. His second wife likewise
passed away, and for his third wife he wedded Nancy Chappell.
        The present principal of Grand River Institute was born in Perry
Township, Lake County, Ohio, December 24, 1869, and is a son of Darius D.
and Olive (Rowland) Hamblin, the former of whom was born at Youngsville,
Warren County, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1837, and the latter of whom was born
at Perry, Lake County, Ohio, in 1842, her death having there occurred in
the year 1906, and her husband having there passed away June 30, 1919.
Darius D. Hamblin was reared and educated in the old Keystone State, and
came to Lake County, Ohio, shortly after the close of the Civil war, in
which he had served as a gallant young soldier of the Union during the last
two years of the conflict, he having been a member of the Two Hundred and
Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Hamblin became a successful
farmer in Lake County, Ohio, was a staunch republican, was affiliated with
the Grand Army of the Republic and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
and both he and his wife were zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Of the children, Professor Hamblin of this sketch is the eldest;
Ray died at the age of five years; Elbert is a successful fruit-farmer near
Perry, Lake County.
        The public schools at Perry afforded Earle W. Hamblin his
preliminary education, and in 1896 he was graduated from Mount Union
college at Alliance, Ohio, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. At that
college he became affiliated with the Sigma Nu fraternity. After his
graduation he was for one year teacher of mathematics in West Farminton
Seminary, and thereafter he gave four years of effective service as
principal of the centralized school at Troy, Geauga County. He then became
superintendent of the centralized school at Kinsgville, Ashtabula County,
where he remained six years. His character and achievement that led to his
being called to his present important office, that of principal of Grand
River Institute, and his administration has been fruitful in advancing the
standard of service and promoting the general success of this old and
admirable school. In politics Professor Hamblin is to be classified as an
independent republican, and he and his wife are zealous members of the
Congregational Church of Austinburg, in which he is a deacon. At Madison,
Lake County, he is affiliated with Madison Lodge No. 307, Free and Accepted
Masons; at Geneva, Ashtabula County, with Geneva Chapter No. 147, Royal
Arch Masons; at Painesville, with Painesville Council No. 104, Royal and
Select Masters; and at Perry, with Diamond Lodge No. 792, Independent Order
of Odd Fellows. He is actively identified with the National Educational
Association and the Northeastern Ohio Teachers Association. He is the owner
of a valuable fruit farm of forty acres one mile northeast of Perry, Lake
County.
        December 28, 1898, recorded the marriage of Professor Hamblin and
Miss Jessie Richards, daughter of John and Mary (Hayes) Richards, the
father having been a leading merchant at Carrollton, Ohio, at the time of
his death and the widowed mother being still a resident of that place. Mrs.
Hamblin received excellent educational advantages, including those of Scio
College at Scio, Harrison County. Professor and Mrs. Hamblin have one
daughter, Marjorie, who is now (1924) a student in Lake Erie College at
Painesville, Ohio.


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