Hambleton OT01

Waupaca Post

December 19, 1907

O.T. Hambleton of Sheridan was killed by one of his bulls Monday afternoon, his body being found, badly bruised with several ribs broken, on the opposite side of the fence from where the bull was yarded. There were eye witnesses to the terrible fate he met and as the bull had no horns, it was the opinion of those that visited the place that Mr. Hambleton had tried to get over the fence after being badly injured and was stuck again by the bull and knocked over on the opposite side. There were evidences of a hard struggle, where Mr. Hambleton had been knocked down and pushed around the yard by the animal. Mr. Hambleton was sixty-seven years of age and leaves a wife to mourn his loss. He held the office of County Treasurer several years, and was in the ice harvesting business at one time in Waupaca. He has been living on his farm at Sheridan, where he located years ago. He was a member of the K.P. Lodge. The funeral took place Wednesday, services being conducted from his residence, which were largely attended. Mr. Hambleton was well known and highly respected.

Waupaca Record

December 19, 1907

O.T. HAMBLETON MEETS HIS DEATH

Is Killed By a Bull

O.T. Hambleton, formerly a resident of Waupaca, was killed by a Jersey bull at his home in Sheridan on Monday, Dec. 16. The details of the sad affair will never be known as Mr. Hambleton was dead when found but the evidence points to a hard fight for his life with the infuriated animal.

Oscar Thomas Hambleton was born in Orchard Park, Erie county, New York, on Oct. 7, 1840. He came to Wisconsin in 1873 and settled on the farm in Sheridan which he has owned since that time.

In his early manhood he was employed by the Union Steamboat Co. and sailed the Great Lakes for several years. He was clerk of Waupaca county for seven years and was engaged in the ice business here for some time. Mr. Hambleton was a member of the Masonic lodge at Buffalo, but never joined the local lodge here. He was also a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge.

He is survived by a widow, who has the sympathy of a large number of friends in this city and vicinity.

The funeral was held from the family residence on Wednesday morning, Rev. James of Rural officiating, with interment in the cemetery of this city.

Waupaca Republican

December 20, 1907

DEATH OF O.T. HAMBLETON

Met Death by a Vicious Bull on His Farm Near Sheridan on Monday Afternoon

The community was terribly shocked on Monday evening to learn that O.T. Hambleton a prominent farmer who lives near Sheridan in the town of Farmington had met a terrible death Monday afternoon, Dec. 16.

As near as we could learn the particulars they were as follows: Mr. Hambleton had been quite poorly for two or three days with a trouble that weakened him very much, Peter Jenson and wife and two children, Mrs. Jenson being a niece of Mr. Hambleton, were living with them this winter but Mr. Jenson was on this particular day in bed with an attack of the “Grip”. Mr. Hambleton started for the barn a little after 3:00 p.m. to attend to the barn chores. Soon after this mail carrier Niven drove up and asked for Mr. Hambleton in relative to a new mail box, they had talked about having installed. Mrs. Hambleton directed him to the barn. He soon returned saying he could not find him, Mrs. Hambleton thought surely he would find him at the barn or near the straw stack where he might be getting straw for stable bedding. Mr. Niven went out again and soon came back, going to his mail wagon and removing his overcoat. Mrs. Hambleton asked if he saw her husband. “Yes,” said Mr. Niven, “but he is hurt and appeared unconscious.” He endeavored to have Mrs. Hambleton stay back, saying he would carry him in the house. Dr. Pelton in the meantime was telephoned for and Mr. Hambleton was placed on the bed. When the Dr. arrived, and after examining him, he found two or three ribs broken over the left lung which had injured both the lung and heart, hemorrhage fro one or both no doubt resulting in death very soon after. A portion of the face and one side of the head was badly bruised.

L.B. Allen who was an old friend of Mr. Hambleton and sailed with him in the early ‘70’s on Lake Erie, went up Tuesday morning, Mr. Allen said: On looking over the scene it appeared that as Mr. Hambleton led the bull out of the barn, the animal must have made a lunge breaking the snap to the leading stick. The animal then got the best of its owner and not having any horns struck his head with great force in Mr. Hambleton’s left breast crushing in his ribs, knocking him down and rolling him over the hard and frozen ground in the yard. The bull no doubt thinking he had finished his keeper left for the front part of the yard near the gate. Mr. Allen said that was no doubt the way it must have appeared to the injured man for there was evidence to show that he had crawled along to the gate leading to another yard. There was evidence of the loss of blood near the gate from wounds or hemorrhage; he had raised a rope loop which fastened the gate and placed it back after passing through the gateway, to present the enraged animal from attacking him again. Then he sat down with his back against the fence where the mail carrier found him with his head and face in his hands and life apparently extinct.

It was a crushing blow to Mrs. Hambleton because of her dependence on her husband on account of the loss of one hand a number of years ago, and never having children to bless them they were always devoted and inseparable.

Oscar Thomas Hambleton was born at Orchard park, Erie County, N.Y., Oct. 7, 1840.

Several years before coming to Wisconsin he and Katherine Carpenter were married, and they came West in 1873 settling in Farmington, Waupaca County, on the farm where he had lived since, except six or seven years up to Jan. 1887 when he held the office of county clerk. Mr. Hambleton was also a delegate to the Republican State convention in 1884 at which time R.M. LaFollete was named governor on his second term. Mr. Hambleton was a good citizen and a prosperous farmer taking great interest in advanced methods in both farming and dairying. He leaves to mourn his untimely demise, the widow and an aged half sister in the east also five nieces, daughters of the late Orlando Hambleton; Mrs. Peter Jensen who is living with her husband on the Hambleton farm, Mrs. J.W. Bemis and Mrs. George James of this city, Mrs. A. Welles of Minnesota and Mrs. Geo. Elliot of N.Y.

He was once a Mason in Buffalo and a Knights of Pythias in this city but had not kept up his affiliation in the work of late years.

The funeral was held from the home in Sheridan Wednesday at 10 o’clock, Rev. James of Rural officiating. Interment of Lake View cemetery. A number from this city attended and Mrs. Hambleton remains a guest of Mrs. Edith Stinchfield and Mrs. E.C. Ware, a few days. The sympathy of her many friends go out to her in her great sorrow.