Chamberlain Families of Mercer County, Illinois

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Alternate Spellings - Possibly Chamberlin? See note at bottom of the page.

Links - Saunders/Sanders, Wade

Contacts - None Yet

Manville Chamberlain Family

We first find the Chamberlain's in the 1860 census in New Boston Township: #1940 Mary A. Chamberlain 28, born Pa; John L. Chamberlain, 11, Ohio; Debby M. Chamberlain, 8, Ohio; Joseph M. Chamberlain, 3, In; Frank S. Chamberlain, 1, Illinois; Manville Chamberlain, 23, laborer, born Ohio. We have been unable to identify a possible husband for Mary A. Chamberlain as we could not find her in the 1850 census. We would guess that she was married to a brother of Manville that had died? See perhaps son Lewis in the 1850 census below.

In 1870 Manville is in New Boston, #25, Manville Chamberlain, 33, blacksmith, born Ohio; Mary 39, born Pa; John, 20, assisting in shop, born Ohio; Deborah, 17, Oh; Joseph 12, In; Franklin 10, Il; Katie, 4, Il; Sarah E., 2, Il. You will note the similarity of Mary and children to the Mary and children above in the 1860 census and we conclude that Manville married Mary Chamberlain. However we find that Manville Chamberlain married Mary Ann Ivins on 3/31/1861 in Mercer County. We do not know why she is censused as Chamberlain in 1860.

Manville Chamberlain served in the Civil War and was granted a pension on May 1, 1880 #369394. Widow Mary A was granted a pension on September 2, 1910 #727131. We found an interesting note (probably from a newspaper 7/2/1889) that indicated Manville Chamber, age 52, resident of New Boston had enlisted in the Civil War with John Welch and they were comrades. John Welch was a direct relative of your web master.

Daughter Deborah M. Chamberlain married Joseph Walker on 4/20/1871 in Mercer County. Daughter Kate married Fred A. Brown on 4/8/1885 in Mercer County. Son John L. Chamberlain married Mary M. Saunders on June 20, 1878 in Mercer County. They are found in 1880 in New Boston: #55 John Chamberlain, 30, section hand on railroad, born Indiana, parents born Ohio; Malissa, 26, born Il, parents born Pennsylvania; Myrtle, 8/12, daughter. Son Joseph M. Chamberlain married Flora Lewis on 12/30/1877 in Mercer County. We did not find them in Mercer County in 1880 and could not further identify them.

We find Manville Chamberlain in 1880 in New Boston: Manville Chamberlain, 43, blacksmith, born Ohio, parents born New Jersey; Mary A., 49, born Pa, father NJ and mother Va; Frank E., 20, son, Il, father Oh, mother Pa; Katie O., 14; Sarah E, 12, both born Ilinois. With them is Joseph J. Irwin, 18, works in blacksmith shop, born Ohio, father Ohio and mother Ireland. He is listed as nephew so the name could be Ivins, or perhaps the transcribed name of Ivins for Mary in the marriage record is incorrect? There is also a boarder in the house: Joseph Wade, wagon maker, born Maine, parents born Maine. See the Wade family link above though we could not tie this one to the Mercer Wade family. There were some however who came from Maine and were wagon makers. Daughter Kate married Fred Brown on 4/8/1885 but we could find nothing further on them.

Following up on Manville Chamberlain we find in 1850 in Lebanon Township, Warren County, Ohio: Lewis Chamberlain, 44, coach maker, born New Jersey; Nancy, 34, born Kentucky; Lewis, 16, carriage maker, born Ohio; Manville, 13, Ohio; Eldred J., 11, Ohio; Joseph P., 4, Ohio; S. J. (female), 2, born Ohio. There were several blacksmiths and carriage makers living with the Chamberlains so it must have been a business operation. Next door at $569 was Samuel Chamberlain, 71, born New Jersey; H. G. (female) Chamberlain, 65, born New Jersey. Due to the proximity we conclude these were the parents of Lewis Chamberlain.

Chamberlin/Chamberlain

In Millersberg Township in 1870 we find Lewis Chamberlin, 32, carpenter, born NY; Effie, 28, Oh; Sarah E, 9, Il; Carrie, 6, Il; David Grant, 1, Il. There is a marriage record in Mercer County for Effie E. Campbell and Lewis F. Chamberlain on 9/26/1860. We include it here for information as with the name Lewis he could be related to the above Chamberlains?

Son David G. Chamberlin married Winnifred Mabel Woods on 10/28/1890 in Mercer County. There is a Sarah Etta Chamberlin who married Frank A. Mathers on 11/19/1890 in Mercer County. Since there was both a Sarah E. Chamberlain and a Sarah E. Chamberlin we are not quite sure which is which. The age of Sarah E. Chamberlain would be most likely for this marriage but that is not a given! Carrie E. Chamberlain married William H. Riddell on 3/27/1884 in Mercer County.