What Could Go Wrong? - The Chamberlain Story

This is an auxiliary page to Chapter E17- Defending the Spencer Chamberlain family Legacy. What was correct and what were misconceptions from my memories of Chamberlain family history when I was age 12?

Paugus John Chamberlain

Memories from age 12: Our family descended from John Chamberlain who fought a duel with the Indian Chief Paugus. John got off the first shot by priming his rifle with a thump on the ground. The chief’s bullet grazed John’s hair. The duel would decide the victor of the battle at Lovewell’s Pond. After this heroic event he became known as Paugus John Chamberlain.

My research shows: We are not descendants of Paugus John. My Ancestry DNA proves we are descendants of William Chamberlain(1), Daniel Chamberlain(2) and Thomas Chamberlain(3) who was a founder of Westmoreland, NH. There is no evidence that Paugus John ever lived in Westmoreland.

However, Paugus John was part of our family tradition for over 100 years and therefore, he is an important part of our family history. Chapters 6, 7 and 8 of “The Chamberlain Story” defends the truth and accuracy of the Paugus John Chamberlain legend.

John and Winona

Memories from age 12: Paugus John had a son or grandson, also named John, who married an Indian princess named Winona. They named their son Spencer Chamberlain.

My research shows: Thomas of Westmoreland had a son named John, born about 1739. John married an Indian named Winona who was born 1755 or earlier. I believe she was from the Penobscot or other tribe near or in Maine. I do not believe she was Iroquois. The idea that she was an Indian princes likely came from the legends of Winona who died young, and therefore could not be our ancestor.

Marriage to Millie French

Memories from age 12: Spencer lived in Glover, Vermont and married Millie French. Her mother was against the marriage because Spencer was half Indian. No record can be found of the marriage since the court house burned down and marriage records were destroyed. Spencer’s mother-in-law undoubtedly set the fire.

My research shows: Spencer moved to Glover about 1801 with his step-father Increase Chamberlain, Jr from Stockbridge Vermont. There he met and married Millie French. No records of their marriage can be found and may have been destroyed in a Glover library fire. I have not found any written evidence of friction between Spencer Chamberlain and his mother-in-law Sarah French. However, this family tradition is plausible. On the other hand, it is unlikely she burned down the library to destroy the marriage records.

The rifle and the old clock

Memories from age 12: One of our ancestor’s wife melted down the weights of their old clock to make bullets for her husband who went to battle. They replaced the weight with sand bags.

My research shows: There are two different written versions of this story in our family. It may have be Millie French Chamberlain for Spencer in the Battle of Plattsburg. However, I believe it was Sarah French for her husband Silas French during the Revolutionary War.

Runaway Pond

Memories from age 12: One day Spencer hiked with a group of men to a lake near town to provide more water to run the mill. The water broke loose and the whole lake began rumbling down the valley taking out trees and anything in its path. Spencer Chamberlain was a champion wrestler and runner as fleet as a deer. The men realized the miller’s wife was working in the mill in the valley below. She was in the direct path of the roaring water. They quickly summoned the young athlete, “Run Chamberlain, Run!”

Spencer ran with all the might and strength he had. He got ahead of the flood rushed into the mill and pulled the miller’s wife out of the mill and up the hill. The flood washed the mill away. The miller’s wife and Chamberlain were caught up to their waste in water.

My research shows: The story is more amazing than I realized, and completely true.