Grace E. Chamberlain: Family Historian

FAMILY LINE AND HISTORY

GRACE EVE CHAMBERLAIN
6th of 9 children of George Sumner Chamberlain & Millicent Clark
Granddaughter of Orson S. Chamberlain & Betsy Underwood
Great-granddaughter of Reuben Chamberlin & Mary Sumner
Born: Apr 21, 1877, Locke Twp., Ingham Co., Michigan
Died: Jun 6, 1965 (age 88), Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio
Buried: Rowley Cemetery in Locke Township, Webberville, Ingham Co., Michigan
Occupation: Stenographer
Avocation: Genealogy; Chamberlain family historian, member of DAR and Mayflower Society
Author: Chamberlain Family Genealogy (copy in the Burton Library in Detroit, Michigan)
Married: Jul 31, 1905, JOSEPH FRANKLIN “FRANK” CHAMBERLAIN, Binghamton, Broome Co., New York
One foster child: Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain (Grace’s sister’s son)

JOSEPH FRANKLIN “FRANK” CHAMBERLAIN
2nd of 6 children of Mark Henry Chamberlain & Margaret Anna McCarthy
Note: Mark Henry(8), Joseph(7), Ezekiel(6), Benjamin(5), John(4), John(3), Benjamin(2), Richard(1)
Born: Apr 11, 1876, Deerfield Twp., Livingston Co., Michigan
Died: Jul 8, 1953 (age 77), Williamston, Ingham Co., Michigan
Buried: Rowley Cemetery in Locke Township, Webberville, Ingham Co., Michigan
Occupation: Construction company, architect
Married: Jul 31, 1905, GRACE EVE CHAMBERLAIN, Binghamton, Broome Co., New York
One foster child: Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain

1. Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain
Son of Grace’s sister, Charlotte Alida “Lottie” Chamberlain & Martin Luther Griffith(s)
Born: Jun 1, 1905, Las Vegas, San Miguel Co., New Mexico
Died: Mar 13, 1976, (age 70), Naples, Collier Co., Florida; cancer
Cremated: Naples Crematorium; ashes scattered in Naples, Florida
Occupation: Physician (general practitioner)
Avocation: Amateur HAM radio operator, fisherman, raised champion Canadian geese, golfer
Married (1): Nov 10, 1927, Helen M. Young, Grand Ledge, Eaton Co., Michigan
No children
Married (2): Nov 26, 1930, Mary Christine Carter, Columbus, Bartholomew Co., Indiana
One child: Donald Sherwood Chamberlain
Married (3): mid-Jul 1953, Arlene Mae Melter, prob Texas
Four children: Marcia Rae Chamberlain, Grace Eve Chamberlain, Lois Ann Chamberlain, Steven Alan Chamberlain

9 children of George Sumner Chamberlain & Millicent Clark:
1. Edward George Chamberlain
1863–1935
2. Clark Sherman Chamberlain
1867 – 1949
3. Zady David Chamberlain
1869 – 1891
4. Charlotte Alida “Lottie” Chamberlain (mother of Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain)
1872 – 1911
5. Clara Lucy Chamberlain
1874 – 1890
6. Grace Eve Chamberlain
1877 – 1965
7. Orson Wesley Chamberlain
1879 – 1965
8. Archie Hewson Chamberlain
1881 – 1966
9. George Washington Chamberlain
1883 – 1954

6 children of Mark Henry Chamberlain & Margaret McCarthy:
1. Mary Adelaide Chamberlain
1875 – 1956
2. Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain
1876 – 1953
3. Charles Henry Chamberlain
1881 – 1952
4. William Suriner Chamberlain
1882 – 1957
5. Margaret Chamberlain
1890 – 1891
6. Herbert Ezra Chamberlain
1893 – 1977

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Timeline and Records

Apr 11, 1876: Birth of Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain, 2nd of 6 children of Mark Henry Chamberlain & Margaret Anna McCarthy and future husband of Grace Eve Chamberlain, in Deerfield Twp., Livingston Co., Michigan
Note: some family records reflect his first or middle name as Francis. However, in researching, I find no record of that. Unfortunately, I may have incorrectly passed that on.

Apr 21, 1877: Birth of Grace Eve Chamberlain, 6th of 9 children of George Sumner Chamberlain & Millicent Clark and future wife of Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain, in Locke Twp., Ingham Co., Michigan

Jun 9, 1880: Federal Census for Locke, Ingham Co. Michigan:
Name: Grace Chamberlain
Age: 3
Birth Date: Abt 1877
Birthplace: Michigan
Home in 1880: Locke, Ingham, Michigan, USA
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital status: Single
Father’s Name: George Chamberlain
Father’s Birthplace: New York
Mother’s Name: Millison Chamberlain
Mother’s Birthplace: New York
Idiotic: Yes
Maimed, Crippled, or Bedridden: Yes
Household Members:
George Chamberlain: age 42, farmer, born New York, father born New York, mother Born New York
Millison Chamberlain: wife, age 36, keeping house, born New York, father born New York, mother Born New York
Edward Chamberlain: son, age 17, farmhand, born Michigan, father born New York, mother Born New York
Clark Chamberlain: daughter, age 12, at school, born Michigan, father born New York, mother Born New York
Zachy Chamberlain: son, age 10, at school, born Michigan, father born New York, mother Born New York
Charlotte Chamberlain: daughter, age 8, born Michigan, father born New York, mother Born New York
Clarry Chamberlain: daughter, age 5, born Michigan, father born New York, mother Born New York
Grace Chamberlain: daughter, age 3, born Michigan, father born New York, mother Born New York
Orson Chamberlain: son: age 1, born Michigan, father born New York, mother Born New York
Note: two boxes are checked for Grace, one stating she is idiotic, the other, disabled

Jun 16, 1880: Federal Census for Deerfield, Livingston Co. Michigan:
Name: Joseph F. Chamberlain
Age: 4
Birth Date: Abt 1876
Birthplace: Michigan
Home in 1880: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Son
Father’s Name: Mark H. Chamberlain
Father’s Birthplace: Michigan
Mother’s Name: Margaret Chamberlain
Mother’s Birthplace: Michigan
Household Members:
Mark H. Chamberlain: husband, age 38, farmer, born Michigan, father born New York, mother born New York
Margaret Chamberlain: wife, age 28, keeping house, born Michigan, father born Ireland, mother born Ireland
Mary A. Chamberlain: daughter, age 5, born Michigan, father born Michigan, mother born Michigan
Joseph F. Chamberlain: son, age 4, born Michigan, father born Michigan, mother born Michigan

Jun 28, 1900: Federal Census for Marion, Livingston Co. Michigan:
Name: Mur Chamberlain (Mark Chamberlain, father of Joseph “Frank” Chamberlain)
Age: 58
Birth Date: Aug 1841
Birthplace: Michigan, USA
Home in 1900: Marion, Livingston, Michigan
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Widowed
Father’s Birthplace: New York
Mother’s Birthplace: New York
Occupation: Farmer
Months Not Employed: 0
Can Read: Yes; Can Write: Yes; Can Speak English: Yes
Household Members:
Mur Chamberlain: Head, age 58 (Mark Chamberlain)
Adelaide M Chamberlain: daughter, age 24
Joseph F Chamberlain: son, age 23
Charles H Chamberlain: son, age 19
Herbert E Chamberlain: son, age 6

Jun 1, 1905: Birth of Sherwood Archibald [Griffith] Chamberlain, in Las Vegas, San Miguel Co., New Mexico. Sherwood is the son of Grace’s sister, Charlotte Alida Chamberlain and Charlotte’s second husband, Martin Luther Griffith or Griffiths. Family lore has it that Sherwood’s parents died in the 1911 flu epidemic in New Mexico where they ran a boarding house when he was five or six. However, his mother’s death record reflects her last name as Hay (her third marriage was to Walter John Hay) and that she died on Mar 10, 1911, of acute gastritis in a hospital in Billings, Yellowstone Co., Montana. According to records, Martin Luther Griffith(s) married at least a second time in 1921, and died Jun 3, 1951, in Sheridan, Sheridan Co., Wyoming. He is buried with his parents in the Sheridan Municipal Cemetery.

Sherwood’s Aunt Grace and her husband Frank Chamberlain raised him after the death of his mother. They had no children of their own.

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Records for Charlotte Alida Chamberlain, mother of Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain

Aug 27, 1895: Married (1): Charlotte Alida Chamberlain & Francis Asbury “Frank” Chamberlain, Locke, Ingham Co., Michigan
Francis Asbury “Frank” Chamberlain: (1865 – 1946) son of Orramel H. Chamberlain & Harriet Elizabeth Webber
Divorced
Dec 31, 1903: Married (2): Charlotte Alida (Chamberlain) Chamberlain & Martin Luther Griffith(s), Butte, Silver Bow Co., Montana
Martin Luther Griffith(s): (1879 – 1951) son of Griffith Griffiths & Louisa Jones
Divorced
One child:
1. Sherwood Archibald [Griffith(s)] Chamberlain
1905 – 1976
Jun 6, 1910: Married (3): Charlotte Alida (Chamberlain) Griffith(s) & Walter John Hay, Red Lodge, Carbon Co., Montana
Walter John Hay: (1877 – 1959) son of John Hay & Mary Elizabeth Lawrence
Charlotte died nine months after their marriage, Mar 10, 1911, in Billings, Yellowstone Co., Montana

Aug 27, 1895: Michigan Marriage Record for Charlotte Alida Chamberlain & Francis Asbury Chamberlain:
Name: Lottie A Chamberlain
Gender: Female
Race: White
Age: 23
Birth Year: abt 1872
Birth Place: Michigan
Marriage Date: 27 Aug 1895
Marriage Place: Locke, Ingham, Michigan, USA
Residence Place: Williamston
Father: Geo S Chamberlain
Mother: Melissa Clark
Spouse: Francis A Chamberlain
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 27
Birth Year: abt 1868
Birth Place: Wisconsin
Marriage Date: 27 Aug 1895
Marriage Place: Locke, Ingham, Michigan, USA
Residence Place: Saginaw, Michigan
Father: Ormer Chamberlain (Orramel H. Chamberlain)

Dec 31, 1903: Montana Marriage Record for Sherwood’s birth parents: Charlotte Alida Chamberlain & Martin Luther Griffith:
Name: Martin Griffiths
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Birth Date: 1879
Marriage Date: 31 Dec 1903
Marriage Place: Butte, Silver Bow, Montana
Father: Griffith Griffiths
Mother: Louisa Jones
Spouse: Alida Chamberlain
Gender: Female
Marriage: Age 30
Birth Year: 1873
Father: George S Chamberlain
Mother: Clark

1910: Montana Marriage Record for Walter J. Hay & Charlotte C. Griffith (Sherwood’s mother):
Name: Walter J. Hay
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Divorced
Age: 32
Birth Date: 1878
Birth Place: Ontario, Canada
Marriage Date: 06 Jun 1910
Marriage Place: Red Lodge, Carbon, Montana
Father: John Hay
Mother: Mary Lawrence
Spouse: Charlotte C. Griffith
[Charlotte C. Chamberlain]
Gender: Female
Race: White
Marital status: Divorced
Age: 32
Birth Date: 1878
Birth Place: Locke, Ingham, Michigan
Father: George S. Chamberlain
Mother: Millicent Clark
Spouse: Walter J. Hay
FHL Film Number: 1941108

Mar 10, 1911: Death certificate for Charlotte Alida (Chamberlain) Hay:

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Jul 31, 1905: Marriage of Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain & Grace Eve Chamberlain, in Binghamton, Broome Co., New York

Jul 31, 1905: New York State Marriage Record:
Name: Grace E. Chamberlain
Gender: Female
Marriage Date: 31 Jul 1905
Marriage Place: Binghamton, New York, USA
Spouse: Joseph F. Chamberlain
Certificate Number: 15746
Name:
Grace E. Chamberlain
Joseph F. Chamberlain

Apr 27, 1910: Federal Census for Detroit City, Wayne Co. Michigan:
Chamberlain, Joseph: head, age 34, owns, married 1, 4 years, born Michigan, father born Michigan, mother born Michigan, electrician for a traction(?) company, owns
Grace: wife, age 33, married, married 1 time, 4 years, no children born, no children deceased, born Michigan, father born Michigan, mother born New York, stenographer for music company
Note: There are also four lodgers listed in household

1917 – 1918: WWI Draft Registration for Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain:
Name: Joseph Frank Chamberlin
Race: White
Birth Date: 11 Apr 1876
Residence Date: 1917-1918
Street Address: 166 Grand E
Residence Place: Highland Park, Wayne, Michigan, USA
Physical Build: Medium
Height: Medium
Hair Color: Light
Eye Color: Blue
Relative: Grace E. Chamberlin

Jan 16, 1920: Federal Census for Highland Park, Wayne Co., Michigan:
Chamberlain, Joseph: head, age 43, owns, married, married at 29, born Michigan, father born Michigan, mother born Michigan, house builder
Grace: wife, age 42, married, married at 28, born Michigan, father born New York, mother born New York
Griffith, Sherman: nephew, age 14, single, attending school, born New Mexico, father born Wyoming, mother born Michigan (Sherwood Archibald Griffith, son of Grace’s sister, Charlotte Alida [Chamberain] Griffith; all later records reflect Sherwood’s last name as Chamberlain)
Note: There are also five lodgers listed in the same household

Nov 10, 1927: Marriage of Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain & Helen M. Young, in Grand Ledge, Eaton Co., Michigan
Note: Sherwood’s 1st marriage; no children from this union.

Nov 10, 1927: Michigan Marriage Record:
Name: Mr Sherwood Chamberlain
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 22
Birth Year: 1905
Birth Place: New Mexico
License County: Jackson
Marriage Date: 10 Nov 1927
Marriage Place: Grand Ledge, Eaton, Michigan
Residence Place: Jackson, Michigan
Father: Frank Chamberlain
Mother: Lottie Chamberlain
Spouse: Helen M Young

Note: record reflects his father was Frank Chamberlain (Francis Asbury “Frank” Chamberlain), his mother’s first husband.

Apr 12, 1930: Federal Census for Highland Park, Wayne Co., Michigan:
Chamberlain, Joseph F: head, age 54, owns, value of real estate $7,000, married, married at 29, born Michigan, father born Michigan, mother born Michigan, construction superintendent
Grace E: wife, age 53, married, married at 28, born Michigan, father born New York, mother born New York

Apr 4, 1930: Federal Census for Louisville City, Jefferson Co., Kentucky:
Chamberlain, Sherwood A.: med student, age 24, single, born Michigan, father born Michigan, mother born Michigan,
Note: Medical student at Louisville City Hospital, Louisville, Jefferson Co., Kentucky
Sherwood A. Chamberlain is the foster son and nephew of Grace & Joseph Chamberlain

Jun 3, 1930: Divorce of Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain & Helen M. Young, in Wayne Co., Michigan:
Name: Sherwood A Chamberlin
Marriage Date: 11 Nov 1927
Marriage Place: Grand Ledge, Michigan
Decree Date: 3 Jun 1930
Decree Place: Wayne, Michigan, USA
Spouse Name: Helen M Chamberlin
Number of Children: 0
Divorce Status: Granted

Nov 26, 1930: Marriage of Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain & Mary Christine Carter, Columbus, Bartholemew Co., Indiana, (married in med school, both became physicians)
Note: Sherwood’s 2nd marriage; one child from this union

Nov 26, 1930: The Republic, Columbus, Bartholemew Co., Indiana (pg 4):

Nov 26, 1930: Indiana Marriage Records:
Name: Sherwood A Chamberlain
Gender: Male
Race White: Age 25
Event Type: Marriage
Birth Date: 1 Jun 1905
Birth Place: Las Vegas, New Mexico
Marriage Date: 26 Nov 1930
Marriage Place: Bartholomew Co., Indiana, United States
Residence Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Father: Frank Chamberlain
Mother: Lottie Chamberlain
Spouse: Mary Christine Carter
Gender: Female
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Race White: Age 20
Birth Place: Mayo, Kentucky
Birth Date: 8 Sep 1910
Father: Van B. Carter
Mother: Mattie Reed

Nov 26, 1930: Indiana Marriage Index:
Name: Sherwood A. Chamberlain
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Divorced
Birth Date: 01 Jun 1905
Birth Place: Las Vegas, New Mex.
Marriage Date: 26 Nov 1930
Marriage Place: Bartholomew County, Indiana
Marriage Age: 25
Father: Frank Chamberlain
Mother: Lottie Chamberlain
Spouse: Mary Christine Carter

1934: City Directory for Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan:
Name: Joseph F Chamberlain
Gender: Male
Residence Year: 1934
Street Address: I66 E Grand av IIP
Residence Place: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Spouse: Grace E Chamberlain
Publication Title: Detroit, Michigan, City Directory, 1934

Apr 4, 1940: Federal Census for North College Hill, Hamilton Co., Ohio:
Name: S A Chamberlain MD (Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain)
Age: 34
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1906
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birthplace: Michigan
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Head
Home in 1940: North College Hill, Hamilton, Ohio
Map of Home in 1940: North College Hill, Hamilton, Ohio
Street: Hamilton
House Number: 7037
Farm: No
Inferred Residence in 1935: North College Hill, Hamilton, Ohio
Residence in 1935: North College Hill
Occupation: Medical Doctor
House Owned or Rented: Owned
Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented: 7000
Highest Grade Completed: College, 5th or subsequent year
Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 40
Class of Worker: Working on own account
Weeks Worked in 1939: 52
Household Members
S A Chamberlain MD: Head, age 34, born Michigan, medical doctor, owns practice
Christine Carter: wife, age 29, born Kentucky
Donald Chamberlain: son, age 4, born Ohio
Minnie Brisco: Maid, age 44, born Kentucky, maid/caregiver in private home

Oct 16, 1940: WWII Draft Card:
Name: Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 35
Birth Date: 1 Jun 1905
Birth Place: Las Vegas NM, New Mexico
Residence Place: North College Hill, Hampden, Ohio
Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940
Registration Place: College Hill, Ohio
Employer: Self-Physician & Surgeon
Weight: 187
Complexion: Ruddy
Eye Color: Gray
Hair Color: Brown
Height: 5′ 8″
Next of Kin: Christine Carter Chamberlain
Household Members:
Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain
Christine Carter Chamberlain Wife

Aug 27, 1942: Social Security Applications and Claims Index:
Name: Joseph Franklin Chamberlain
Birth Date: 11 Apr 1876
Birth Place: Livingston C, Michigan
Claim Date: 27 Aug 1942
Notes: 26 Aug 1977: Name listed as JOSEPH FRANKLIN CHAMBERLAIN

Summer 1951: Photo of Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain:

Jul 1953: Marriage of Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain & Arlene Mae Melter, in probably Texas
Note: Sherwood’s 3rd marriage (with a 26 year age difference); four children from this union

Jul 8, 1953: Death of Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain (age 77), husband of Grace Eve Chamberlain and the 2nd of 6 children of Mark Henry Chamberlain & Margaret Anna McCarthy, in Williamston, Ingham Co. Michigan

Jul 8, 1953: Lansing State Journal, Lansing, Ingham Co., Michigan (pg 30):

Frank & Grace Chamberlain’s white house in Williamston, Ingham Co., Michigan:

Jul 10, 1953: Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan (pg 32):

Jul 10, 1953: Burial of Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain in the Rowley Cemetery in Webberville, Ingham Co., Michigan

Sep 15, 1953: Michigan State College Alumni Magazine (pg 13):

1953: Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain, age 48:

Fall 1953: Radio Amateur Callbook:

Call Sign: W8NK. Handle Doc: Dog Oboe Charlie; Denver Ocean California

Summer of 1958: Grace E. Chamberlain before she moved from her home in Michigan to Cincinnati to live with her son, Sherwood:

As I Was Told:
My grandma Grace was fastidious in attire and in all her habits, including her never-ending correspondence. She had long beautiful white hair and wore it up in tortoiseshell combs. She had an affinity for pretty brooches. I saw her in this pink outfit. To a young girl, she had very interesting jewelry. An old scrimshaw, an ivory oval on a black silk cord, was a favorite of hers. And she liked old cameos, and she wore a long heavy necklace of small, carved silver beads. She gave me my first poetry book when I was only 11. My first poem was Trees by Rudyard Kipling in that book. And she would be proud to know I always leaned toward literature in college. She was quite hyper-intelligent. I was too young to fully appreciate her accomplishments as a child, as she was entering her 80s by the time I got close to her. But that pink dress. It was a favorite fancy dress of hers. ~Marcia Rae (Chamberlain) Anderson, daughter of Sherwood and granddaughter of Grace

Jun 6, 1965: Death of Grace Eve Chamberlain (age 88), 6th of 9 children of George Sumner Chamberlain & Millicent Clark and wife of Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain, in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio. Grace was living with her son Sherwood at the time of her death.

Jun 6, 1965: Ohio Death Record:
Name: Grace E Chamberlain
Gender: Female
Race: White
Age: 88
Birth Date: Est 1877
Residence Place: Hamilton, Ohio, USA
Death Date: 6 Jun 1965
Death Place: Hamilton, USA
Inquest Hospital: Home
Registrar’s Certificate Number: 45643
Inquest Questions: Certifier: Physician; Autopsy Performed?: Yes, used for certification

Jun 7, 1965: Lansing State Journal, Lansing, Ingham Co., Michigan (pg 8):

Jun 9, 1965: Burial of Grace Eve Chamberlain in the Rowley Cemetery in Webberville, Ingham Co., Michigan

The Chamberlain monument in Rowley Cemetery is surrounded by numerous headstones of the families of both Grace and Frank (“Jos Frank” on his headstone), including those of Orson Sumner Chamberlain & Betsy Underwood.

Rowley Cemetery Records, Webberville, Ingham Co., Michigan:

Mar 29, 1973: Winning golf club photo and congratulatory letter to Sherwood Chamberlain from The Country Club of Naples, Florida:


Note from his daughter: “You should have seen his golf attire closet—the man loved colors!!”

Mar 13, 1976: Death of Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain (age 70), foster son of Grace Eve Chamberlain & Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain and the birth son of Grace’s sister, Charlotte Alida Chamberlain & Martin Luther Griffith, in Naples, Collier Co., Florida; of cancer. Sherwood was cremated, his ashes scattered in Naples, Collier Co., Florida.

Mar 15, 1976, The Naples Daily News, Naples, Collier Co., Florida (pg 47):

Mar 17, 1976, The Naples Daily News, Naples, Collier Co., Florida (pg 37):

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Letters from, or referring to, Grace E. Chamberlain

Oct 26, 1939: Letter from Olive M. Cory to C.T. Taggart regarding the estate of Seward Cory:
Pentwater, Michigan
October 26, 1939
Mr. Claude Taggert:
Your letter of October 20, 1939 received. We have filled in the blanks to the best of our ability.
As to Mrs. E.L. Cory, perhaps I should say Mr. and Mrs. Cory were first cousins. Their common relatives are the Surdams, some of whom are living around Rochester. The Chamberlain family lived in or near Wyoming, Wyoming County. Other relatives there are the Hodge family.
Mrs. Cory had one brother Finley (?) Chamberlain, and three sisters Mrs. Adelaide Kinney and Mrs. Irene Kinney of Williamston, Michigan and Miss Grace Chamberlain of Rochester and later of the Baptist Home at Fairmont. Mrs. Irene Kinney died about 1902 leaving one daughter.
Mrs. Adelaide Kinney and Miss Grace died during the early months of 1936. Mrs. Adelaide Kinne had one son, Bert. He and the husband and child of Irene removed to some western state, Nebraska or Oregon. Finley Chamberlain also went west. We never knew whether he married or not.
There are a couple of matters which we think should be mentioned at this time. One is that Mr. Edson remarked in the presence of witnesses that he intended that his brother should receive whatever, if any, of his property when he was through with it. (Mr. Edson Cory was a cripple and his brother made extra effort to provide him with an education.) As Mr. Cory died unexpectedly, before the time he imagined he would be taken, it isn’t likely he made any provisions.
Shortly before her death Mrs. Cory wrote that she had a number of keepsakes and family relics that she meant to turn over to the nieces. Afterward Seward wrote that he wished to keep the things for a while. One article was a hand woven bed spread. There was a collection of pictures, snapshots mostly. If these articles are still at hand, Miss Henrietta Cory will pay the cost of packing and shipping. If it is necessary to sell the bed spread she is willing to buy it and pay a fair price.
If there is any other information we can give we will be glad to do so.
Respectfully,
Olive M. Cory
Note: Olive M. and Henrietta Cory are the daughters of Allen Ethan Cory & Ida Jane Mott, and the nieces of Edson Cory

Jan 29, 1940: Letter from Grace E. Chamberlain to C.T. Taggart regarding the estate of Seward Cory:
#166 Grand Ave., East Highland Park, Mich.
Jan. 29th, 1940
Dear Mr. Taggart:–
I am sorry that I have not been able to answer fully your letter relative to the children of Finlay Chamberlain. This was a branch of the family I had not interested myself in, to date, thinking I could incorporate in my genealogy after I had disposed of the earlier generations. I never thought of it as being difficult, since it is so recent.
Finlay Chamberlain’s sister, Addie, only died two or three years ago. I saw her often, and she gave me such data concerning the earlier generations. I never asked her just when her brother died, but have the impression it was a number of years ago.
His family for years lived in Fruita, Colorado. I presumed they must have died there, but vital records do not show it, as you will note from the inclosed. I presume Finlay and his wife followed their children elsewhere. The son Fred Chamberlain, moved from Fruita, Colo. to Long Beach, Calif. I have written to try and locate him there. He, of course, would know about his brothers and sisters, and as I am quite anxious to have the data myself, I am hoping I can assist you in locating him. I suggested the pension bureau, as I know he was a soldier of the civil war, and enlisted here in Michigan, when he was really to young. He was a first cousin of my father, and while I never saw him (Finlay) father had corresponded with him, and spoke of him frequently.

You speak of the wife of Finlay Chamberlain, as Emily Bennett. My records show that she was one Emily Hoy. I thought it was Hoyt, but I have the family bible record of Harrison Chamberlain, father of Finlay, and of Finlay it states:
Finley born Sept. 22, 1845
Finley married Emily Hoy Aug 23rd, 1871, by the Rev. Father Gunther.
I trust I hear favorably from Long Beach, and will pass the information along to you. When the Washington cousin was in Michigan for his mother’s funeral, two or three years ago, he told me he thought some of Finlay’s family lived in that section too, but apparently he does not know them.
Yours truly
Grace E. Chamberlain

Jan 29, 1940: Letter from Grace E. Chamberlain to an Eva & Edward regarding the death of Seward Cory:
Sunday
Dear Eva & Edward:-
I found your letter when I got home, about an hour ago. We were with Frank’s cousins and just couldn’t get into your section of the country, and as they are following us home, I had to hurry to get here and ‘clean up’ for their arrival.
Too bad about Seward Edson Cory. Yes, I know his mother was a sister to Addie and Grace, and Irene. They had only the brother Finlay, and I have listed the names of his children on a separate slip, so that you could give it to the Atty. if you wish. You have the name of Addie’s son- H.A. Kinne. I will have my brother mail you direct the name of Irene’s son in Chicago, and perhaps a letter to the Postmaster at Long Beach, Cal. will yield some trace of the sons of Finlay. I think it is Fred who is there.
Sorry about Fred. C. Wish you would tell Lovina to mail me his obituary if she has one.
Things are about the same with us. Frank isn’t any too well. Has to be careful about his heart.
I know Rochester is beautiful, and I am glad you are so well situated. We shall hope to see you. I am writing this hurriedly, to pass on what information I have.
Love, and write sometime. I suppose Graham is in high school by now!
Grace

Feb 8, 1940: Letter from C.T. Taggart to Fred L. Chamberlin regarding the estate of Fred’s cousin, Seward Cory:
February 8th-40
3243
Estate of SEWARD E. CORY, decd.

Mr. Fred L. Chamberlain,
343 East Gage Avenue
Los Angeles, California.
My dear Mr. Chamberlain-
Seward E. Cory died in the City of Rochester, New York, on the 17th day of September, 1939, and Mr. Clarence A. Smith was appointed administrator of his estate, and I am acting as his attorney.
Mr. Seward E. Cory never married and left him surviving no father, mother, sister, brother, wife or children, so his estate will go to the nearest relative of his father and mother.
His father, Edson L. Cory died in this City of Rochester, New York, on the 4th day of January, 1927 but all his estate was in the joint name of himself and his wife, Adah M. Cory and she inherited his estate.
His mother, Adah M. Cory died in this City of Rochester, New York, without a will and all of her estate went to her son, Seward E. Cory. The mother died on the 1st day of November, 1927.
In searching for the next of kin of the father, Edson L. Cory, I found that there is a surviving brother, Allen Cory of Pentwater, Michigan. Mr. Edson L. Cory had a brother by the name of Melvin B. Cory who died in 1868; a sister by the name of Olive Cory Beach who died at Clayton, Michigan on the 10th day of March, 1896 and her husband Byron Beach died there in the year 1918 and they had the following children, Louise Hudson of Clayton, Michigan and Mrs. Alto Tillman of Midwest, Wyoming. Under our law this share will go to the surviving brother, Allen Cory.
In searching for the next of kin of the mother, I found that Adah M. Cory, nee Chamberlain also spelt Chamberlin, left a brother by the name of Finley Chamberlain or Chamberlin. I had to go to Washington to the Veteran’s Bureau to obtain information relative to him and I found that he died in Rifle, Colorado on August 9th, 1905, and left him surviving a widow by the name of Emma or Emily Chamberlin and that she died in the City of Los Angeles, California on the 18th day of August, 1938, from the residence 343 East Gage Street, Los Angeles, California. I went to the Rundal Library at Rochester where they have a directory of the City of Los Angeles, California and found your name at that address, hence my letter to you.
I will need the names and addresses of the children of Finley Chamberlin and Emma or Emily Chamberlin of which you are one. Would you kindly fill out the enclosed chart with this information as I need the names of their husbands and wives.
A sister of your father was Mrs. Adelaide Kinne, of Williamston, Michigan who died in 1936, and the name of her husband was George Kinne, and they have one son by the name of Elliott Erwin Kinne of 2902 Woodward Street, Chicago, Illinois.
A sister of your father was Miss Grace Chamberlain who died in the Baptist Home at Fairport, Monroe County, New York, in May 1936. She never married.
I would appreciate your help in the matter as there is a small lot in Rochester, New York which we are selling and it is necessary to have a probate of heirship and in the petition, I must set forth the names and addresses of your mothers brothers and sister and their ages.
Thanking you for your courtesy, I am,
Very truly yours,
OTT/AP
C.T. Taggart
Note: Fred L. Chamberlin is the son of Finley McLaren “Frank Chamberlin & Emily S. Hoy

Feb 13, 1940: Letter from C.T. Taggart to Grace E. Chamberlain regarding the estate of Seward Cory:
February 13-40.
3243
Estate of SEWARD E. CORY, decd.

Miss Grace E. Chamberlin,
#166 Grand Avenue, East,
Highland Park, Michigan.
My dear Miss Chamberlin:-
I have been to Washington on the estate and had a visit with the Veteran’s Bureau on the records of Finley Chamberlin.
Finley Chamberlin died on the 9th day of August, 1905 at Rifle, Colorado. He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Rifle, Colorado.
His wife Emily is alive and living with a son, Fred Chamberlin at 343 East Gage Avenue, Los Angeles California.
The son Fred L. Chamberlin is living at # 343 East Gage Avenue, California. The name of his wife is Alice Chamberlin and she departed this life on the 15th day of August, 1929.
Adah Chamberlin Whitaker lives in Baker, Oregon and was married to Edward Whitaker and he departed this life on the 15th day of June, 1914.
Mary Chamberlin Rosborough lives at Morton, Washington, and she married Herbert Rosborough. He is alive and lives at that address.
Nellie Chamberlin Chatfield lives at Chico, California and married Charles Chatfield and his address is unknown.
Willard Chamberlin lives at Cornwallis, Oregon, and the name of his wife is Frieda and he is alive and living at this address.
I am going through a probate of heirship and am sending waivers to all parties so that I can prove the genealogy, under our law but the nearest relatives of the father or mother takes and it seems that Allen Cory, the brother of Edson Cory will take.
Very truly yours,
CTT/AP.
C.T. Taggart

Feb 15, 1940: Letter from Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain to her cousin, Fred Chamberlin, the son of Finley McLaren Chamberlin & Emily S. Hoy:
#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, etc. 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 Malcolm 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.

If your mother is living, I shall hope she can tell more of Wyoming matters.
Sincerely
Mrs. (J.F.) Grace E. Chamberlain
Note: Grace’s husband, J.F. Chamberlain, is Joseph Franklin “Frank” Chamberlain. Fred Chamberlin is her second cousin, the son of Finley McLaren “Frank” Chamberlin & Emily S. Hoy. Their great-grandfather Reuben Chamberlin had two wives and both descend through the first wife, Mary Sumner: Grace descends from Reuben’s son Orson, Fred descends from Reuben’s son, Harrison.

Nov 24, 1940: Excerpt from a letter from Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain to Willard “Joe” Chamberlin:
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
Note: Willard “Joe” Chamberlin is the brother of the above-mentioned Fred Chamberlin

Jan 16, 1944: Letter (excerpts) from Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain to Willard “Joe” Chamberlin:
Jan. 16, 1944
Dear Cousin:-
In going through old papers I come across letters from your aunt Addie. I will inclose some, so that you may sort of get acquainted with her, even at this late date. When she speaks of Middlebury- that is the township in Wyoming co., N.Y. the village of Wyoming is about two miles from Reuben’s old place, is where Harrison, your grandfather was born, and is buried. There was an academy there early, one Jabez Warren was one of the founders. He enters our line, via. his marriage to one Hannah Sumner, she is a sister to Reuben’s wife, Mary Sumner- in other words a brother-in-law of Reuben, and the one with whom he made the trek from Vermont to Western N.Y. in 1601 or 02. You will find much of this Jabez Warren and Hannah Sumner. Jabez was a rev. soldier, and both he and wife are buried in East Aurora, N.Y. just a few miles from Wyoming. In fact Jabez Warren owned 1750 acres of around the present village of East Aurora, later made most famous by the colony of “Roycrofters” under Fra Elbert Hubbard. I just relate this in case you ever go through there, you would want to look it up. To ever get at the C’s I virtually had to run down all their relatives, and it is interesting too, for the son of this Jabez Warren, was the Gen. Warren of the war of 1812, the burning of Buffalo, etc. Both this Gen. Warren and his father Jabez were marked by DAR {their graves} some years ago, and I have write up from Buffalo papers. Father often spoke of his Warren relatives, and I did not know until I went into matters myself, but what he always had reference to Gen. Joseph of Bunker Hill fame.

But to return to this early academy in Wyoming- I think it ranks with our present day high school, being so near Harrison’ s farm, it gave his children the privileges of education, that few in rural communities had in those days. All were better educated than the average of their day.

Addie Kinne was a wonderful reader, and a retentive memory, and was a most interesting person. I am told that at the woman’s club, church meetings, etc. she was an interesting speaker always. Was very blunt in any statement she made, or position she took, and could defend any position she took on any matter. I would say that was a trait in which all of those in my father’s generation shared. She was a faithful member of the Baptist church, and her old home, is immediately adjacent to it, and the church now own and occupy it as a parsonage, which I think was her desire. She was tall and never overweight, had very sharp, piercing dark eyes, and an engaging smile. I think she was better looking perhaps than either of her sisters, Adah or Grace.
Best Wishes,
Grace

Letter (undated) from Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain to her cousin Fred or Willard Chamberlin:
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 (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 generally dropped from usage.

Harrison Chamberlain Bible copied by Grace Chamberlain:

Jan 16, 1944: Letter to Willard “Joe” Chamberlin, from his distant cousin, Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlin:
Jan. 16, 1944
Dear Cousin:-
We were speaking of you only yesterday, and hubby chided me for not having written earlier in response to your Christmas greetings. Christmas does not seem quite the same to us as we grow older. We could not even be with the doctor boy in Cincinnati – however, I had a week with them in November, but dare not “clutter” traffic in Dec.

I am wondering what you think of war conditions now, and how soon we may reasonably expect victory. That we shall have it, I doubt not, but some or our best informed commentators think it may be some distance off. BUT how can Germany stand much more bombing, if we are doing even half of what we are told we are? Its a heartache when we read of the numbers of our lovely bombers lost, and of the personnel that go down with them. Yet I think we get off much better than we would trying to accomplish the same task with a land army. We had another casualty among our C’s in the person of young Paul C. my nephews son – he was badly wounded in Tunisia. Has been sent back to a hospital in Butler, Pa. where he has been in a cast over six months- was wounded by shrapnel in back and in head, and both limbs have been paralyzed since. He says he is getting wonderful treatment, having all sorts of things done for him, and is given hope that he may walk again.

In going through old papers I come across letters from your aunt Addie. I will inclose some, so that you may sort of get acquainted with her, even at this late date. When she speaks of Middlebury- that is the township in Wyoming co., N.Y. the village of Wyoming is about two miles from Reuben’s old place, is where Harrison, your grandfather was born, and is buried. There was an academy there early, one Jabez Warren was one of the founders. He enters our line, via. his marriage to one Hannah Sumner, she is a sister to Reuben’s wife, Mary Sumner- in other words a brother-in-law of Reuben, and the one with whom he made the trek from Vermont to Western N.Y. in 1601 or 02. You will find much of this Jabez Warren and Hannah Sumner. Jabez was a rev. soldier, and both he and wife are buried in East Aurora, N.Y. just a few miles from Wyoming. In fact Jabez Warren owned 1750 acres of around the present village of East Aurora, later made most famous by the colony of “Roycrofters” under Fra Elbert Hubbard. I just relate this in case you ever go through there, you would want to look it up. To ever get at the C’s I virtually had to run down all their relatives, and it is interesting too, for the son of this Jabez Warren, was the Gen. Warren of the war of 1812, the burning of Buffalo, etc. Both this Gen. Warren and his father Jabez were marked by DAR {their graves} some years ago, and I have write up from Buffalo papers. Father often spoke of his Warren relatives, and I did not know until I went into matters myself, but what he always had reference to Gen. Joseph of Bunker Hill fame.

But to return to this early academy in Wyoming- I think it ranks with our present day high school, being so near Harrison’ s farm, it gave his children the privileges of education, that few in rural communities had in those days. All were better educated than the average of their day.

Addie Kinne was a wonderful reader, and a retentive memory, and was a most interesting person. I am told that at the woman’s club, church meetings, etc. she was an interesting speaker always. Was very blunt in any statement she made, or position she took, and could defend any position she took on any matter. I would say that was a trait in which all of those in my father’s generation shared. She was a faithful member of the Baptist church, and her old home, is immediately adjacent to it, and the church now own and occupy it as a parsonage, which I think was her desire. She was tall and never overweight, had very sharp, piercing dark eyes, and an engaging smile. I think she was better looking perhaps than either of her sisters, Adah or Grace.
Best Wishes,
Grace

abt 1944: Undated letter to Willard “Joe” Chamberlin from Mrs. Grace E. 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: Willard is serving in WWII at this time.

Jan 29, 1944: Letter to Willard “Joe” Chamberlin from Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlin :
January 29, 1944
Dear Cousin:- I am enclosing some notes for your “Chamberlin” scrap book – assuming that by now you have one. They tend to confirm the story of our ancestry.

Was able to find a picture of the old Middlebury academy there in Wyoming. Its gone long ago, but its where your aunts went to school after country school, and as I told you Jabez Warren was one of the founders. He was Reuben’s brother-in-law.

Now if this reaches you o.k. and is your correct address, let me know, as I know have the book covering your fathers’ civil war service, and want to mail it to you.

What are you thinking politically? Do you forecast a change in the National set up?
Sincerely,
Grace

Note excerpt from James Baldwin “Jim” Parker, a Chamberlin/Chamberlain historian:
May 19, 2008: Note from James B. Parker to Catherine Sevenau:
Hello Catherine
First, it is quite nice, indeed, though rather unusual, to see a family history with some introductory material, such as you included, with general information about genealogical research, about the Chamberlain surname, the history of Hingham, Massachusetts, and Hingham, Norfolk, and so forth. Excellent! Good for you! You can find more on the WCGS website, including information about the Tankervilles who came to England at the time of the conquest with Duke William “The Conqueror”, and who had served for several generations in this royal family retinue. On page 7, the writeup implies, though it doesn’t actually say so, that the Chamberlains who were the earliest settlers in New England were related to the Chamberlains of the Conquest. But they probably were not – particularly not someone who was a humble blacksmith, one would suppose. You may wish to clarify this matter later on in your report – we have no evidence that any of them were related to the Tankervilles, though we do believe that one or two early families in Virginia and/or Maryland were probably Tankerville descendants, though this remains unproven. Lacking DNA results for any known Tankerville descendants, it remains unknown, which, if any, of the many Chamberlain lines in England and in America [separate, unrelated families as proven by DNA results], are Tankervilles. Only one of them could be, of course.

Grace Chamberlain’s framed Tankerville Crest with date on the back:

As I was Told:
The above-framed crest belonged to Grace E Chamberlain. It is hand done in inks and paints with metallic accents. At the bottom reads: “To serve the king with good will,” in French and English. My grandma always sounded to me like she thought our story was a migration over generations from France to England to America. It seems to be painted on a board. It’s hard, not merely paper. The back reflects it was framed in 1939. Wondering if she did this piece herself in her heyday and had it framed in Detroit for a plaque. It was among my own mother’s final things. They probably didn’t realize it might have been painted by grandma herself. It’s rough around the edges, not done by an expert painter. ~Marcia Rae (Chamberlain) Anderson, daughter of Sherwood and granddaughter of Grace

Note from James Baldwin “Jim” Parker, a Chamberlin/Chamberlain historian:
Jun 2, 2008: Note from James B. Parker to Catherine Sevenau:
Catherine,
Here are my research notes for Grace:
She started the genealogical work forming the basis for this family’s lineage. She wrote the typescript book, Chamberlain Family Genealogy, by Mrs. J.F. Chamberlain, 166 Grand Ave., East Highland Park, Michigan, a copy of which is located in the Burton Library, Detroit, Michigan. David Conrad Chamberlin writes, “Grace Chamberlain was the genealogist of her family and researched her family lines for many years. In a letter dated 26 June 1963, she mentioned having a son, aged 57 years, an M.D. in Cincinnati, and a grandson who was also an M.D. She also mentioned in a letter that her permanent residence had been in Detroit, Michigan, but had moved to Cincinnati to be near her son. She had once worked as a stenographer and formerly lived in Highland Park, Michigan. In 1963, her address was 8743 Cottonwood Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio.
Regards, Jim Parker

Note: Grace and her husband raised Sherwood Archibald Chamberlain, the son of Grace’s sister, as his parents both died in the flu epidemic when he was young.

Summer 2008: Chamberlain Key (excerpt)
A Quarterly Publication of the World Chamberlain Genealogical Society
Volume XIII, Number 3 http://www.chamberlain-society.org
Introduction to Finley Chamberlin’s Civil War Letter, by James B. Parker

In earlier decades, this was a pioneer family in New York State. Harrison Chamberlin and his farm family were listed in the 1850-1880 census records in Middlebury Township, Wyoming County, New York, the second generation to reside there. The ancestral line of descent is listed as Reuben(7), Rev. Henry(6) Jr., Henry(5), Henry(4), Henry(3), Henry(2), Henry(1) Chamberlin of Hingham and Hull, Massachusetts. Henry was the oldest of the five original Chamberlain/lin immigrant ancestors in early New England. Of Reuben(7) Chamberlin, originally of Westmoreland, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, and of Orwell, Rutland County, Vermont, it was written by Mrs. Grace E. Chamberlain, that he was “one of the first settlers in the Holland Purchase … descendants of this family still reside in Wyoming, New York, 1933.” She also stated that “Reuben Chamberlain born 1769 in Westmoreland, New Hampshire came to Le Roy (Ontario Co., later Livingston Co., New York) 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 Jonas Selleck, Reuben’s brother-in-law were listed as the purchasers. They returned to Vermont after building a log house and came back in the spring with their families.”[1]

A relative, Mrs. Grace E. (Chamberlain) Chamberlain, of Highland Park, Michigan and Cincinnati, Ohio, deserves considerable recognition as a major Chamberlain researcher in the early 1900s. Grace was an active genealogist and author, and a member of the Detroit Genealogical Society and other such organizations. Her typescript book, entitled “Chamberlain Family Genealogy,” was written before 1963 about her family and that of her husband, Francis Joseph “Frank” Chamberlain, a descendant of Richard(1) Chamberlain of Braintree, Massachusetts – yet another of the original New England Chamberlain immigrant ancestors known via DNA testing to be completely unrelated to Henry(1) Chamberlin, and unrelated to William(1) Chamberlain. Both Frank and Grace were natives of Michigan, in Livingston and Ingham Counties. Frank was a cousin of Peter and Welton Chamberlain, known to readers of this newsletter as prime movers within the World Chamberlain Genealogical Society. Both Welton and Peter have been editors of the WCGS Newsletter, “The Chamberlain Key,” in which this article now appears. Excellent writing and a passion for genealogy runs in this family, without a doubt! Peter writes “I remember several family gatherings for which Frank and Grace drove down from Williamston to join in (probably late 1940s and/or 1950s). I can guarantee the conversation was non-stop family tree! Since Grace was not a ‘Richard’ [descendant], my grandmother did not cover Grace’s lineage in her book on the Genealogies of the Chamberlain-Curtiss Allied Lines…. Thanks for triggering some fond memories.”

I myself remember seeing Grace Chamberlain’s family genealogy book on the shelves, about thirty years ago, in the Burton Historical Collections at the Detroit Public Library — I still hope to obtain a copy of it one day. Other papers and/or articles of hers are also listed there, which I’ve not seen. Grace’s grandfather, Orson Sumner Chamberlain was an early pioneer settler in Williamston, Ingham County, Michigan, a farming community located along the old Grand River Road (which runs between Detroit and Lansing and on over toward Grand Rapids) near present-day Interstate 96, twelve miles southeast of Lansing. Grace was a second cousin of Nellie Belle Chamberlin, Finley’s daughter, which explains the correspondence between the two families. The late genealogist, David Conrad Chamberlin, Sr., of Salt Lake City [a much more distant relative in the Henry(1) line, as is this author], in the Family Group Records he prepared before 2003 for each generation of this same family, cited Grace’s records among his own sources for Finley Chamberlin.[3] Catherine Sevenau’s new book quotes from published articles by both of these fine genealogists. Her own records, many of which I’ve now completed reviewing, include family letters (several from Grace), Harrison Chamberlin’s Bible Record, and data gleaned from the U.S. Census, Vital Records, Military Records, photographs, and other sources. This fine collection was compiled over many years of intensive effort by Catherine’s brother Gordon, with additions and final editing during the last four years by Catherine.

End Notes
[1] Reuben Chamberlain obituary, Wyoming County Mirror, Wyoming County, New York, Feb. 1852. Reprinted: Janet Wethy Foley, “Early Settlers of New York State: Their Ancestors and Descendents,” A Monthly Magazine, (Akron, New York: Thomas J. Foley, Publisher, 1938), pp. 611, 627. Re-reprinted: Janet Wethy Foley, Early Settlers of New York State: Their Ancestors and Descendents, 2 vol, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., c1993). It covers, in great detail, his journey with Messrs. Warren and Selleck, in the winter of 1802-03, to “the wilds of Western N. Y”, hardships and clearing of the land, serious disease (bilious fever), his recovery, two marriages, etc. Photocopy of pages 611 & 627 (which two pages appear to be the complete text of the obituary), is an attachment to the lineage of Catherine Sevenau, per her 12 May 2008 to James B. Parker.
[2] Vincent M. Kordack, compiler, Roster of New Hampshire, Residents in the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, (National Park Service Archives). Henry was one of four Chamberlain’s in the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775 – another was his brother, Ebenezer. Henry was a Private, enlisted from Westmoreland, New Hampshire, in Hind’s Company, Reed’s Regiment. Henry was not listed among the wounded or dead and he did not draw a bounty.

As I Was Told:
Jan 14, 2021
Catherine,
Grace E. Chamberlain in Michigan was married to Frank and was my father’s adopted mother/aunt. My dad’s biological mom was Charlotte “Lottie” (Chamberlain) and his father was Martin Luther Griffith. I was told she and her husband both died in a flu pandemic in New Mexico where they ran a boarding house. My dad was born June 1, 1905. His Aunt Grace took him in as her child. She never had children. I swear to this day the story I heard was that Grace was a woman beyond her time in every way. And that she was so vain about losing her Chamberlain name and heritage she married another Chamberlain.