FAMILY LINE AND HISTORY
REUBEN CHAMBERLIN
1st of 9 known of 14 children of Henry Chamberlain(6) & Abigail “Abbie” Chamberlain
Born: Jan 16, 1769 (in 1770 per family bible), Westmoreland, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire
Died: Feb 17, 1852 (age 83), Middlebury, Wyoming Co., New York
Buried: Wright’s Corners Cemetery in Wyoming, Wyoming Co., New York
Occupation: Toolmaker
Married (1): May 12, 1791, MARY “POLLY” SUMNER, Orwell, Addison Co., Vermont
Seven children: Fanny Chamberlin, Lucina Chamberlin, Luther Sumner Chamberlin, Laurel Sumner Chamberlin, Orson Sumner Chamberlin, Laura Chamberlin, HARRISON CHAMBERLAIN
Married (2): abt 1818, Mrs. Nancy (Pigsley) Seekins, (prob Genesee Co.), New York
One child: Polly Chamberlin
(Nancy (Pigsley) Seekins: Daughter of John Pigsley & Abigail Haskins
Born: Jun 20, 1777, New Hampshire
Died: Sep 10, 1867 (age 90), New York
Buried: Wright’s Corners Cemetery in Wyoming, Wyoming Co., New York
Married (1): Jul 3, 1794, John Seekins, Sharon, Windsor Co., Vermont
Five children: John Seekins, Jr., Daniel Seekins, Ezekiel Seekins, Horace Seekins, Ebenezer Seekins
Married (2): abt 1818, Reuben Chamberlin, (prob Genesee Co), New York
One child: Polly Chamberlin)
MARY “POLLY” SUMNER
9th of 11 children of Ebenezer Sumner & Persis Pease
Born: Aug 15, 1773, Middletown, Middlesex Co., Connecticut
Baptized: Aug 22, 1773, Middletown, Middlesex Co., Connecticut
Died: Mar 16, 1816 (age 43), Middlebury, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
Buried: Wright’s Corners Cemetery in Wyoming, Wyoming Co., New York
Married: May 12, 1791, REUBEN CHAMBERLIN, Orwell, Addison Co., Vermont
Seven children: Fanny Chamberlin, Lucina Chamberlin, Luther Sumner Chamberlin, Laurel Sumner Chamberlin, Orson Sumner Chamberlin, Laura Chamberlin, HARRISON CHAMBERLAIN
1. Fanny Chamberlin
Born: abt 1795, of Orwell, Rutland Co., Vermont
Died: unknown
Buried: unkn
Married: unkn Stephens
2. Lucina/Lucinda Chamberlin
Born: abt 1797, of Orwell, Rutland Co., Vermont
Died: abt 1825 (abt age 28)
Buried: unkn
Married: Guerden Miller
One known child: Lucina Miller
3. Luther Sumner Chamberlin
Born: May 14, 1800, of Orwell, Rutland Co., Vermont
Died: Jan 29, 1879 (age 78), Granger, Alleghany Co., New York
Buried: Cadwell Corners Cemetery in Centerville, Allegany Co., New York
Occupation: Farmer
Married: Jan 1, 1826, Lucy E. Kendall, Middlebury, Genesse Co., New York
Eleven children: Frances, Armenius Bronson, Caroline L., Janette Angeline, Henry Watson, Milton, William Nelson, Huldah Evalina, Norton, Melvin, Margaret
4. Laurel Sumner Chamberlin
Born Nov 1, 1804, Middlebury, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
Died: Mar 26, 1887 (age 82), Allegan, Allegan Co., Michigan
Buried: Oakwood Cemetery in Allegan, Allegan Co., Michigan (misspelled monument Chamblin)
Occupation: Reverend: Circuit rider preacher in Canton, Black River, Lowville, and Turin, New York; farmer
Married: Jan 3, 1828, Mariah/Maria Gillett(e), Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York
Eight children: Ruhamy, Laurana/Lorraine Candace, William H., Maria Elizabeth, Cordelia G. “Delia”, Ellery C., Wilbur Sumner, Flora Alice
5. Orson Sumner Chamberlin
Born: Aug 6, 1806, Middlebury, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
Died: Feb 18, 1886 (age 79), Williamston, Ingham Co., Michigan
Buried: Rowley Cemetery in Locke Township, Webberville, Ingham Co., Michigan with 1st wife, Betsy Underwood Chamberlain
Married (1): abt 1833, Betsy Underwood, Middlebury Twp., Wyoming Co., New York
Six children: George Sumner, Lucy R., Edward F., Henry, Orson, Mary
Married (2): abt 1851, Cynthia (Moon) Hall, widow of Henry Hall, prob Ingham Co., Michigan
Two children: Arletta H. Chamberlin, Mary E. Chamberlin
6. Laura Chamberlin
Born: abt 1809, Middlebury, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
Died: Nov 3, 1863 (abt age 53), Williamston, Ingham Co., Michigan
Buried: Rowley Cemetery in Locke Township, Webberville, Ingham Co., Michigan (no headstone found)
Never married, no children
7. HARRISON CHAMBERLAIN
Born: Dec 12, 1812, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
Died: Sep 22, 1890 (age 77), Wyoming, Wyoming Co., New York
Buried: Wyoming Cemetery in Wyoming, Wyoming Co., New York
Occupation: Farmer
Married: Nov 21, 1841, CAROLINE VAN SURDAM, Wyoming, Genesee Co., New York
Five children: FINLEY MCLAREN “FRANK” CHAMBERLIN, Adelaide “Addie” Chamberlain, Grace E. Chamberlain, Adah Melissa Chamberlain, Irene “Anna” Chamberlain
Note: The above cemetery and headstone pictures are from Find A Grave and are the property of those who photographed them.
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History and Timeline
History of Middlebury, Wyoming Co., New York:
Middlebury, erected from Warsaw, March 20, 1812, lies on the north border. It was first settled in 1802 by either Jabez Warren or Jonas Sellick. Since both these and some of those who came later were from Middlebury, Vermont, it is easy to understand how the town received its name ten years later. The main village, Wyoming, is on land purchased in 1809 by Silas Newell, after whom the place was named; the postal authorities changed the title to the present form in 1829. The village has never been large, 386 in 1920, and most of the industries are those growing out of its location in a farm section.
Wyoming is one of the western counties, centrally located south of Genesee, with only Erie county separating it from Lake Erie. The Genesee River forms a part of the east boundary, where it runs through deep cliffs, 200 to 400 feet high. There are many streams draining the section, which partakes of the nature of a broad rolling upland. The land is fertile, but varies greatly, for it is for the most part made up of glacial drift, which in turn has made many natural dams forming lakes and low lands where there is a muck soil or marl. The county is almost wholly an agricultural section, with grains, hay, and dairying as the main form of farming, although there are heavy plantings of fruit trees and, in some parts vegetables, particularly potatoes, are the main crops.
The organization of the county was not completed until May 14, 1841, when the southern half of Genesee was erected as Wyoming County, with Warsaw chosen as the shiretown. County buildings were erected the next year at a cost of $12,000. At the time of the erection of the county, horse drawn vehicles were still the only means of transportation but the Tonawanda and Rochester Railroad was completed to Attica in 1843, and, although there were no more railroads built until nearly ten years later, there was a marked boom in the growth of the county. Many other roads were built in later years, but these years on each side of the date of the organization of the county see to have been those of the most rapid growth and the coming to the district to maturity. The unsettlement of the Civil War, and the opening of the Western States, caused a check, as it did to all the agricultural sections of the east.
Source: The History of New York State, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc., 1927. Editor, Dr. James Sullivan
Note: Genesee County is located in western New York, the county seat at Batavia. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis’-hee-yo meaning “The Beautiful Valley.”
May 12, 1791: Marriage of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary “Polly” Sumner, Orwell, Addison Co., Vermont
abt 1795: Birth of Fanny Chamberlin, 1st of 7 children of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary “Polly” Sumner, in prob Orwell, Addison Co., Vermont
abt 1797: Birth of Lucina/Lucinda Chamberlin, 2nd of 7 children of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary “Polly” Sumner, in prob Orwell, Addison Co., Vermont
May 14, 1800: Birth of Luther Sumner Chamberlin, 3rd of 7 children of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary “Polly” Sumner, in prob Orwell, Addison Co., Vermont
1802: Reuben Chamberlain was born 1769 in Westmoreland, New Hampshire; he came to LeRoy in 1802, where he met his uncle, Deacon Hinds Chamberlain who helped them on their way to Middlebury, cutting their way through woods where no white man had yet traveled. The land, just outside the village of Wyoming, now the George Herman farm, was purchased at an earlier date from the Holland Land Company. Jabish Warren and Jones Selleck, Reuben’s brother-in-law were listed as purchasers. They returned to Vermont after building a log house and came back in the spring with their families.
Source: Compiled from the records of Grace Chamberlain, Chamberlain Descendants in America
Nov 1, 1804: Birth of Laurel Sumner Chamberlin, 4th of 7 children of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary “Polly” Sumner, in Middlebury, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
Aug 6, 1806: Birth of Orson Sumner Chamberlin, 5th of 7 children of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary “Polly” Sumner, in Middlebury, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
abt 1809: Birth of Laura Chamberlin, 6th of 7 children of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary “Polly” Sumner, in Middlebury, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
Aug 4, 1800: Federal Census for Orwell, Rutland Co., Vermont:
Reuben Chamberlin
Note: There are 5 members in the household
Aug 6, 1810: Federal Census for Warsaw, Genesee Co., New York:
Ruben Chamberlain
Note: There are 7 members in the household (and 5 ditto marks?)
Mar 20, 1812: The town of Middlebury is erected from the town of Warsaw
Dec 12, 1812: Birth of Harrison Chamberlain, 7th of 7 children of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary “Polly” Sumner, in Middlebury, Genesee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York
Mar 16, 1816: Death of Mary “Polly” (Sumner) Chamberlin (age 43), wife of Reuben Chamberlin, in Middlebury, Genessee Co. (now Wyoming Co.), New York. Mary Sumner is buried in Wright’s Corners Cemetery in Wyoming, New York. She left seven children, the oldest about age 21, and the youngest, Harrison, age 3.
Wright’s Corners Cemetery
abt 1818: Marriage of Reuben Chamberlin & Mrs. Nancy (Pigsley) Seekins, in (prob Genesee Co.), New York
Note: Reuben is abt age 47, Nancy, abt age 39
Feb 20, 1821: Federal Census for Middlebury, Genessee Co., New York:
Reuben Chamberlin
Note: There are 7 members, 2 females, and 5 members engaged in agriculture in the household
Aug 7, 1820, was the official enumeration day
Oct 3, 1819: Birth of Polly Chamberlin, the only child of Reuben Chamberlin & Nancy (Pigsley) Seekins, in Middlebury, Genessee Co., New York
1830: Federal Census for Middlebury, Genessee Co., New York:
Rueben Chamberlain: Males 1 (age 15-20), 1 (age 60-70); Females 1 (age 10-15), 1 (age 50-60)
Note: Harrison Chamberlin (age 18), Reuben Chamberlin (age 60), Polly (age 11), Nancy Chamberlin (age 53)
Note: Reuben’s son Luther is living next door.
1840: Federal Census for Middlebury, Genessee Co., New York:
Reuben Chamberlain: Males 1 (age 20-30), 1 (age 40-50), 1 (age 70-80)
Females 1 (age 20-30), 1 (age 60-70)
Note: Harrison Chamberlin (age 28), Reuben Chamberlin (age 70), Polly (age 21) Nancy Chamberlin (age 63)
May 14, 1841: Wyoming County is created from Genessee County, New York
Feb 17, 1852: Death of Reuben Chamberlin (age 83), in Middlebury, Wyoming Co., New York. Reuben is buried in Wright’s Corners Cemetery in Wyoming, Wyoming Co., New York with his first wife, Mary “Polly” Sumner, the mother of his seven children.
Old Cemetery at Wright’s Corners, Wyoming County, North of the Village of Wyoming
This cemetery is one of the oldest plots set aside in the county for burials. Just to the north of Wright’s Corners lay the great Indian trail from the Genesee River to Buffalo Creek. The first settlement was made in 1802, and three years later, Amzi Wright, for whom the region was named, arrived. His famed inn was erected at the corners in 1816.
Source: usgwarchives.net/ny/wyoming/cemeteries/wrightscorner
“This is an abandoned cemetery, overgrown with weeds, and many inscriptions cannot be read. The weather if taking inscriptions from many stones in many places.”
Source: Early Settlers: Subscriber’s Exchange
Wright’s Corners Cemetery
1852: Obituary for Reuben Chamberlin:
Obituary from the pages of Early Settlers of New York State by Janet Wethy Foley, 1938 (pgs 611, 612)
Source: Early Settlers of New York State: Their Ancestors and Descendents, by Janet Wethy Foley, A Monthly Magazine, Thomas J. Foley, Publisher, Akron, New York, 1938
Note: In most records, this particular branch of the family name is spelled as Chamberlin. I have not seen the original bible records, but Grace Chamberlain records the name as Chamberlain in her records.
Sep 10, 1867: Death of Nancy (Pigsley) Chamberlin ( age 90), the second wife of Reuben Chamberlin, in (prob Middlebury, Wyoming Co.), New York. Nancy is buried in the Chamberlin plot in Wright’s Corners Cemetery in Wyoming, Wyoming Co., New York with her second husband, Reuben Chamberlin. No headstone found.
Wrights Corner Cemetery
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Feb 15, 1940: Letter from Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain to her cousin, Frederick Laurence “Fred” Chamberlin, son of Finley “Frank” Chamberlin & Emily Hoy (Finley & Emily are my great-grandparents):
#166 Grant Ave. East
Highland Park, Michigan
February 15th, 1940
Mr. Fred L. Chamberlain-
#343 East Gage Street,
Los Angeles, California.
Dear “Cousin”:-
For a long time I have been interested in writing up my Chamberlain family history, or at least genealogy, and locating all the members I could for the rather voluminous “family tree.” Your branch have been rather difficult to corral, and as is usual, one waits to get these family details till all have passed on who might have given aid.
I should say we are straight second cousins. Our grandfathers were brothers. You come from Harrison, and I from his brother Orson. I have often heard my father speak of his Cousin Finley, and I believe they occasionally wrote each other as boys. If I can find an old letter of your father’s I will inclose it. I know I did see some in my father’s old papers.
I had the pleasure of being quite well acquainted with your Aunt Grace, who only died quite recently, and with your Aunt Addie Kinne, whom I greatly admired. She too has been gone just a short time. I did have lovely obituaries of both these aunts and if I can find one will include it. But in all these talks with them, I tried to get their memories to go farther back than your father, so asked few questions about Finley’s family, though I did have the names of his children.
We are quite a tribe, and most of our ancestors were extremely worthy of emulation. I found we had plenty of Revolutionary ancestors. Both the Elder Henry Chamberlain, father of Reuben, who was the father of Harrison, and also Capt. Ebenezer Sumner, who was the father of Mary Sumner, the wife of Reuben C. were Revolutionary soldiers. I got all the proof, and was readily accepted. Then in going back, I found that we have a direct Mayflower lineage. I also joined this, and submitted proof, so that would know it was all authentic. They are very particular but we made the grade all right. I am delighted to pass onto you so fine a lineage and if any of you ever want to join any of these societies – I will be glad to tell you more about it. In these days, with every alien well organized, I think it might be well if we Americans were a little more conscious of our Americanism. I became quite interested, and have used it as a hobby, doing all my family lines. I think it appealed to me more because I was born a Chamberlain, and married a Chamberlain and often wondered about possible relationship. We have different emigrant ancestors: Then behold my amazement to find that our ancestor the Rev. Henry Chamberlain of Vermont, had done the same thing- he had married an Abigail Chamberlain, so I had to trace her out, and she has still a different emigrant ancestor. Whether these C’s were related before coming from England, I do not know.
I wrote up my notes for a little genealogical magazine our society gets out, and as I had extra pages, am sending you a full set, not exactly full either, for our gt. grand father Reuben Chamberlain had two wives, and in a later edition I added the descendants of the second wife. But you and I come through the first wife, Mary Sumner.
I have spent several lovely vacations in and around Wyoming, N.Y., locating old graves, records, etc, and have come to know the family of Amos Chamberlain very well. He was a splendid man, and he too was quite interested in the family tree. He just died last year, but his widow and sons live in the community still. I found the old obituary of our great grandfather Reuben, and you see he was an early settler there. This Amos Chamberlain was the grandson of Luther Chamberlain, an older brother of Harrison.
Lest I give you too big a dose of family matters at one setting, I will not write more now, but leave you to digest the outline I am sending. My idea was to write up the family of Henry Chamberlain, Sr. of Westmoreland, N.H. and his wife Susannah Hinds. It was some undertaking! What a lot of writing and researching I did. I have also visited the old ancestral home on Westmoreland, N.H., and all the places in Vermont where our Rev. Henry Chamberlain preached. He was a Baptist minister.
If your mother is living, I suppose she has heard of Hinds Chamberlain, who was the first settler in LeRoy, N.Y. I have rounded up all his family, the graves, ect. He was uncle to Reuben, tho’ there wasn’t much difference in their ages. Maybe you never knew where your father got his name- Finley of Findley. Well—–this Hinds Chamberlain married the widow McLaren. She had two children, a girl and a boy, by her first husband Malcom McLaren. The boy was named Finley McLaren. I suppose Hinds Chamberlin raised him – in fact I know he did, and Hinds C. used to go out to see Reuben and Harrison, and Harrison thought this little McLaren boy was the finest youngster ever, so he later named his own son Finley McLaren Chamberlin. Addie told me this. But the old Genesee and Wyoming county histories mention the McLarens, as Scotch, and coming from Scotland about the time Hinds C. settled in LeRoy.
Now I wish you would take some time off, and write me a big letter, tell me the names, dates of birth, etc, of your brothers and sisters, who they married, etc. Also I wish I knew more about your father’s life, after he came out of the army. This Amos C. used to have your Aunt Grace come and visit them, and she told him more of your fathers life, but I do not know it. And feel free if you are interested, to ask me anything you care to about the others. Your first cousin Bert Kinne lives in Spokane, Wash. and your first cousin Elliott Kinne (this is your aunt Irene’s boy) lives in Chicago.
Grace Chamberlain
Letter (undated) from Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain to her cousin Frederick Laurence “Fred” Chamberlin, or his brother, Willard:
You must have a lot of second cousins somewhere on your grandmother Surdam’s side of the family.
Your great grandfather was Seneca Surdam, and his wife was Anna. I submit this data for your family record.
Seneca Surdam was born April 27th, 1790 ) I don’t know where
Ann Surdam ” May 25th, 1790 )
Seneca Surdam died April 13th, 1859 ) I suppose they are buried around
Anna, his wife, died May 8th, 1867 ) Wyoming, N.Y. I never have looked for their graves
Children of Seneca and Anna Surdam, as follows:
Jane born June 4, 1814
Maria ” Oct 22, 1818
Melissa ” July 1, 1820
Caroline ” Jan 4, 1823 This is the one who married your grandfather, Harrison Chamberlain. They are both buried in village cemetery, Wyoming, N.Y. and have markers.
Delia ” Oct 16, 1824
Jane ” May 26, 1826
Morgan ” Nov 28, 1829
Younglove ” Feb 24, 1830
Freelove ” Feb 14, 1831
Malina ” May 8, 1832
George ” Sept 11, 1834
Quite a sizeable family! I don’t know if any one of this name still lives around Wyoming. I assume not, for I never heard either your aunt Grace or Aunt Adah speak of any such relation. Your Aunt Grace never married‚ I think lived to be 88. Think to ask me to show her your obituary. I have one of both Addie and Grace. Aunt Grace died in a Baptist home for the aged in the suburbs of Rochester, N.Y.— Fairport, where she lived for many years. She was brought back to be buried with her father and mother, Harrison and Caroline, there in Wyoming, but at the time of the funeral I did not hear of her having any relatives present except on the Chamberlain side. Yet you see she must have had Surdam relatives a plenty.
Your father’s middle name is MacLaren. He was named for Finley McLaren, a Scotchman. The first Finley MacLaren married Betsy Stewart (or Elizabeth, I suppose). I think they were married in Scotland. Came to the vicinity of LeRoy, had two children, Finley MacLaren and Helen Mary MacLaren, when their father died— one of the earliest deaths in that vicinity. His widow soon married Hinds Chamberlain, and these children were raised by him as his own. They used to visit at Reuben C’s, and Harrison C (your grandfather) thought this MacLaren boy the finest he ever knew, and gave that name later to his only son, and according to the girls nearly always called him by both names, i.e. Finley MacLaren.
Note: This letter was written to Fred Chamberlin or Willard “Joe” Chamberlin (the sons of Finley & Emily) from Grace Chamberlain, a descendent of Orson Sumner Chamberlain, the brother of Harrison Chamberlain.
Note: Seneca Surdam died in Middlebury, Wyoming County, New York
Note: Originally the name was Van Surdam, and at some point during Seneca or Reuben’s generation, the Van was dropped from usage.
Nov 24, 1940: Letter to Willard “Joe” Chamberlin, from a distant cousin, Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain:
Nov 24th, 1940
Dear Cousin Joe:
We are back to “home plate” for a day or so, and as we were just talking of you, will try and get off a note, with enclosures which I hope will satisfy the Mayflower Soc. We are not through with our “project” in Williamston, but have got to a point where it is not so terribly bothersome. It was too much for either of us to take on at our ages, but once into it we must see it through for better or worse. Having had total losses with our bonds we just felt we must keep what real estate we had. Can go out and look at it, at least.
Ditto with us, for all the emotions you had over election results. I do hope FDR keeps in mind that some twenty-three million votes were against him, and give some consideration to their representatives. We surely thought Congress would change in the shuffle, but alas! How can we ever pay the debt, or how can the generations to come? Yet with it all, we must have deep gratitude that we are yet in a land not drenched with blood. I hope England may hold out. I think she will, yet I cannot see it, except with eyes of faith.
Now, I think you have enough data for Mayflower, and I hope you persist and go through. You see we of this generation can establish the proof better than generations to follow, and once in, it becomes history. Added to other worries I am heartbroken that I seemingly have lost the pages from the Harrison bible. Your Aunt Grace had simply taken the four sheets out of her father’s bible, which contained the records, and gave them to me. I have preserved them so carefully. I took them down here to have photostat copies made of each sheet, and had one each of three of the sheets. The other was all the Surdam family. Then I happened to think why not have more copies made here, as I have a friend in Williamston who is in an office that does that work. I will just take it out to him and have several copies made of each page for less than the cost of one here. I had the original at the farm, and remember having it in a large envelope all ready to take down town, but in the melee have simply mislaid or lost it. I cannot think it is lost, but “hid” as I have a faculty for doing. Maybe it will show up. BUT I am so glad I have these three, and Frank thinks you can have another photostat made from this. Please do if you can, and do include an extra set for me, for I wanted them for my family book, but wanted you to have the original, as you see it takes in even Reuben, and his second wife Nancy.
Now this bible record I think shows that Finley is the son of Harrison, as he is recorded on page with other children. The death certificate of Harrison shows him to be the son of Reuben and Mary Sumner C. Sorry Amos ever undertook to correct the record with the town clerk in Wyoming for he had it wrong. Neither Mary Sumner of Reuben C. were born in Vermont. Reuben, according to obituary, was born in Westmoreland, and Mary Sumner was born in Middletown, Conn. (Middletown Vital Records, Vol. 2, pg. 134, if you haven’t this reference). I guess it should be stated “Conn. Vital Records, Middletown Vol. 2, pg.134.” Reuben’s obituary may be referred to for a lot of proof, for it states his birthplace, his marriage to Mary Sumner, his death, etc.
With best wishes and do write if I can do anything more. I think it will be splendid to have this branch of the C’s proven Mayflower descendants. It’s a little irksome to make the proof, but you can see they have to be very exacting else many would get in who do not belong.
Grace
Grace & Frank Chamberlain
1944?: Excerpt of an undated letter from Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain to Willard “Joe” Chamberlin:
I have only recently located the old farm owned by our great grandfather, Reuben Chamberlain, near Orwell, Vermont. I have been in Orwell twice, but did not think I had time to try and find his land. The land around Orwell is good for Vt., and the histories say that Orwell was famous for its Merino sheep in the days of our Reuben.
However, the librarian in the Orwell library sent me an old snap shot, and said her father owned this farm between 1885 and 1900. So I had some shots made from it. Now it is typical of the old places of New England. BUT look at the barn just beyond. This is brick and when Reuben sold to one Appolus Austin, this barn was made into a store, and he conducted a general store in it for years, so we may be certain Reuben used this.
I am sending it on for your Chamberlain collection and do hope you get this global mess cleaned up soon, and that we may be able to talk a trip East and include Orwell.
Sincerely, Grace
Note: Joe is serving in WWII at this time.
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2020. Catherine (Clemens) Sevenau and Gordon Clemens.
Note: The cemetery headstone photos from Find A Grave contained herein are the property of those who photographed them.