Judge William Paschal [W. P.] Hamblen
· , Houston, Harris County
· Judge W.P.Hamblen This notation is to be attached to the picture of Judge Hamblen is hardly legible. Hon. W.P. Hamblen, who today succeeds Hon. W.H. Wilson as Judge of the Fifty-fifth judicial district, was born April 21, 1834 in Floyd County, Indiana, and arrived in Houston March 3, 1848. His Father, Daniel Y. Hamblen, was born in Lee County Virginia, September 2, 1810 and died in Harris County of yellow fever. His grandfather, Paschal B. Hamblen, was born in Lee County, Va February 27, 1788 and moved to Texas in the spring of 1831, dying of yellow fever at Cypress Creek in this County, October 20, 1845.
Judge W.P. Hamblen was educated inHouston, studied law with Sabin Y Henderson (Governor J.W. Henderson and C.B.Sabin, United States Judge who died in 1890) was admitted to practice June 19, 1855 in Harris County, Judge P.W. Gray being Judge of the court at this time, and has practiced continuously in Houston ever since, except from October 1, 1855 to March 1, 1856 when he was county clerk of Fort Bend County under appointment of Judge C.C. Dyer, Chief Justice. Judge Hamblen has always been a Democrat of the conservative school, and was a member from Harris County of the Twenty-first and second Legislatures. Otherwise he never held a public position. In his youth he was a charter member of the Lyceum, and for many years kept his membership. Referring to that interesting period, Judge Hamblen remarked, "I hope the youth of this city will revive the public debates once in vogue, when we had participants Judge Gray, John Dickenson, Owen S. Cochran, Andrew Daly, John A. Hancock and many others. Besides these interesting debates we usually had a lecture at least once a year by such eminent men as Prentiss, Sam Houston, Three-legged Willie and others. Judge Hamblen was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court 1857 when Judges Hemphill, Wheeler and Lipscomb adorned that bench. Thomas J. Green, who afterwards became renowned as a Confederate General was clerk of the court at that time. During the late War Between the States, Judge Hamblen enlisted first in the state service, but was afterwards mustered into the service of the Confederacy, and was discharged in 1863. "I have," said the Judge, "had some vicissitudes, much fun and pleasure, am hale and heart, and thank God that the world is as good as it is. I am without a complaint against any living soul." At the recent election, Judge Hamblen was elected Judge of the Fifth-fifth judicial district without an opponent. He has great personal popularity and is held in the highest esteem by everyone who knows him.