The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 656

WILLIAM J. HAMBELTON.

Among the successful orchardists of the Tieton district is William J. Hambelton,
who was born at Prescott, Maine, September 16, 1887. His parents, John N. and
Ellen (Fennell) Hambelton, were natives of Main and New Orleans, Louisiana,
respectively, and the mother is of Irish descent. John N. Hambelton, who passed
away in July, 1918, was a son of Samuel Hambelton, who was born in England and
about 1817, at the age of seventeen years, became a resident of the state of
Maine, where throughout the remainder of his life he followed agricultural
pursuits. His son, John N., engaged in the same occupation, but when a young man
for several years followed a seafaring life. The mother of our subject still
survives.

William J. Hambelton was reared under the parental roof and in the acquirement
of his education attended the public schools] rounding out his primary learning
by attendance at a business college. He entered upon his independent career in
connection with the commission business at Boston, securing a position with
John B. Drake & Company. Later he was with Allen, Hurd & Company of Boston but
in 1913 he came to Yakima county. In the following year Mr. Hambelton bought
twenty acres of land on the Tieton and there he has since built a handsome home.
Ten acres of this tract are in apples and he derives a gratifying income from
this source, being an up-to-date fruit raiser who has always followed
progressive methods. He also leases thirty acres of land and also raises hay,
beans and other produce.

On December 5, 1917, Mr. Hambelton was united in marriage to Miss Myra Warburton
Abbott, a native of Bellingham, Washington, and a daughter of Harry and Ellen
(Warburton) Abbott, the former deceased. They were early pioneers of this state
and both were natives of England. The father throughout life was connected with
railroading as an engineer. Mr. and Mrs. Hambelton are very popular in the
social circles of Tieton and vicinity and have many friends. Politically he is
independent, giving his support to the candidate whom he considers best for the
position to which he aspires, irrespective of party affiliations. By developing
a valuable property he has not only won prosperity for himself but has given a
stimulus to others engaged in fruit raising. He has thus proved a useful and
substantial citizen, who ever takes an active part in the promotion of the
public welfare.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.