My grandfather, Harry Ellis Chamberlain, and other family members have been trying to find the parents of Spencer Chamberlain for more than eighty years. In 1934, Harry hired a genealogist to help him find Spencer and his parents in Westmoreland, NH. Merton T. Goodrich studied the 1790 U. S. census record and compared it with known birth records. He suggested Spencer might be the son of Amos Chamberlain, Increase Chamberlain, Jr., or Job Chamberlain. In his twenty-two page, hand written report he presented the following conclusions:

“All of these records prove these points. Spencer Chamberlain may have been the son of Amos, Increase Jr., or Job Chamberlain. The name of his father cannot be limited to one of these three until we can prove that his parents remained in Westmoreland until after 1790. It seems most reasonable to assume that they did. If so, Spencer’s father nor grandfather was a John Chamberlain”.¹

Harry Chamberlain did not accept these conclusions because he had listened to many stories from his grandfather and other family members and was certain that Spencer’s father was named John.

Spencer Chamberlain died in 1853 and was buried in Westlook Cemetery in Glover, Vermont. Some years later, the Phillips family made the following notation in Westlook Cemetery records for Spencer Chamberlain: “67 yrs. ‘Runner for Run Away Pond’ Son of John E. & Winona (War of 1812 f/h)”.¹⁸

The son and grandson of Paugus John

Everyone loves the story of Paugus John the Indian fighter. It has been a part of our family tradition for almost 100 years.  In 1925, John Harry Chamberlain mentioned Paugus John in his memoirs. A. C. Phillips told the story of Paugus John in his article, “Spencer Chamberlain’s Ancestors”. And, in 1929, Harry Alonzo Phillips told in poetry of John Chamberlain who “was of Indian fighting fond, and joined the crew at Lovewell’s Pond”.²

I believe that the story of Paugus John is, and always will be, an important part of our family history. The story of the battle of Lovewell’s Pond and John Chamberlain’s duel with Chief Paugus has been retold and defended  in The Chamberlain Story in chapters six through eight.

Harry Chamberlain, disappointed that he was unable to find Spencer’s father in Westmoreland, then studied the descendants of Paugus John Chamberlain to see if a connection with Spencer could be made.

Paugus John(1) had a son, John(2) who also had a son John(3).³ Hundreds of hours have been spent by family members (myself included) in an attempt to connect one of these Johns to Spencer Chamberlain in Westmoreland.

John(2) was born in 1719 in Groton MA and would be 67 when Spencer was born. He married Rachel Lawrence and they had four children including a boy named John(3) born in 1752. Unfortunately, records indicate John(3) died in 1773 in Pepperell, Mass., about 13 years before Spencer Chamberlain was born. Rachel died in 1756 in Pepperell, and John(2) remarried Mary Patch in 1758 in Groton, MA. They had three children born between 1762 and 1770.³ I have not verified this information, but unless there are major errors in time and location, the odds of one of these men being the father of Spencer are slim.

There are no records that show any of these John Chamberlains were ever in Westmoreland, New Hampshire.

The Increase Chamberlain, Jr. family connection

In October 2014, I received an email from Joan Alexander, Secretary of the Glover Historical Society. She was working on some Glover, Vermont town notes where she found the following obscure message:

June 18, 1810: “Voted that there be a committee of three chosen to take care of the Widdow (sic) Chamberlin and take measure to remove her to Stockbridge if she will go”.⁴

This is what Harry Chamberlain was looking  for 80 years ago! It was a major break in connecting some parents to Spencer Chamberlain in Westmoreland! However, it was only the first piece of the puzzle. Who was widow Chamberlain? and where is Stockbridge? I didn’t know.

Joan sent another email: “Have you ever heard of Increase Chamberlin? Perhaps he was the widow’s husband?”⁵ I didn’t have a clue.

My daughter Lara reminded me that she had found a record which showed that Jedediah Chamberlain had owed money to Increase and Spencer Chamberlain. “Widow Chamberlain” was Susannah Chamberlain who was the daughter of Jedediah Chamberlain and the widow of Increase Chamberlain, Jr,  (Susannah and Increase Jr. were first cousins).  Jedediah and his family lived in Stockbridge, Vermont.⁶

Increase Chamberlain, Jr also showed up in other Glover town meeting records. He took the Freeman’s Oath in September 1806. Also, in March, 1808 he was voted in as a Surveyor of the Highways.⁵ All genealogical records in Ancestry.com showed Increase Chamberlain, Jr. died in Stockbridge. I now held a piece knowledge completely unexposed to the world wide web. Increase Chamberlain, Jr. lived in Glover, Vermont, where he died in June, 1810.

Was Harry Chamberlain’s genealogist, Mr. Goodrich right? Was Spencer Chamberlain living in the household of Increase Chamberlain, Jr. in Westmorland in 1790?

Yes. In 1790, Increase, Jr. and his wife Susannah were both only 24 years old. They were heading a household of six in Westmoreland NH. The census record showed for the household of Increase Chamberlain, Jr.: (males 16 & over = 1), (males under 16 = 2), and (all females = 3).⁷ Who these people were was a mystery.

Miss Etta Chamberlain’s 1896 letter from her Aunt Pamelia Cutler

I took six months off from publishing my blog to search for additional information on this and other stories.  In March 2017, I received a packet of information and documents from the Historical Society of Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The letters of Ella E. Abbott came through with exactly what I was looking for– confirmation that Thomas Chamberlain of Westmoreland had a son named John.⁹

In addition to this confirmation, was an unexpected bonus. In 1896, in a letter to her niece, Pamelia S. Cutler of Randolf, Vermont wrote:

“Your grandmother Dickerman’s (Tryphena Chamberlain Dickerman) father (Increase Chamberlain Jr.) was my father’s (Jotham Chamberlain) oldest brother. He married my grandfather’s (Jeddediah Chamberlain, Jr.) sister Susan (Susannah Chamberlain). She was my mother’s aunt. They had five children; Lottz (Charlotte), Spencer, Tryphena, Vilors (Villars) and Milly.”¹⁰

While I do not believe that Increase Jr. and Susannah are Spencer’s father and mother, it is now certain that he was living with them in Westmoreland when he was four years old as recorded in the 1790 census, and at age 14 in Stockbridge, in 1800.  Pamelia Cutler, in her letter, proves that this Spencer Chamberlain is our relative when she added: “Spencer married and lived in Glover, Vt.”¹⁰

Increase Chamberlain’s Stockbridge Winsor Vermont 1800 Census

The 1800 census for Increase Chamberlain Sr. and Increase Chamberlain Jr. may be hard to find because the hand writing was hard to read and the indexer recorded both names as Incran Chamberlain.

The 10 column headings for this census are Free White Males ages 0-10, 10-16, 26-45, 16-26, 26-45, 45 or over, and for Females the same.

The Increase Chamberlain Jr. household members showed in the following categories: Males 0-10 = 2 unknown males, 10-16 = 2 Spencer age 14 and another unknown male, 26-45 = 1 Increase Jr. age 34, Females 0-10 = 2, Susannah and Milly ages 2 and 0, 16-26 = 1 Charlotte, 45+ = 1 Winona.

Increase Chamberlain, Jr’s household in 1800

The Chamberlains left Westmoreland and a large group of them moved to Stockbridge, Vermont sometime between 1795 and 1800. The 1800 census shows eight Chamberlain households in Stockbridge including Jedediah Chamberlain, his sons Jedediah Jr. and Josiah; and also Increase Chamberlain Sr., and his sons Amos, Thomas, Isaac and Increase Chamberlain, Jr.

The Pamela Cutler letter, and the 1800 census for Increase Chamberlain, Jr. give us a clue of who was living in the that household in 1790 Westmoreland.

The 1790 Westmoreland census record showed: (males 16 & over = 1) Increase Chamberlain Jr. age 24; (males under 16 = 2) Spencer and unknown male child; (all females = 3).⁷  These are likely Susanna the wife, Charlotte possibly Spencer’s older sister, and Winona Spencer’s mother.  Increase’s wife was for some unknown reason missing in the 1800 census. Two more boys and two more girls were added to the household between 1790 and 1800. The two baby girls were Susannah born in 1798 and Milly born in 1800. However, the two males have not yet been identified.

There was a 45+ aged female in the 1800 Stockbridge census who apparently was also a part of the Increase Chamberlain Jr. household in 1790 Westmoreland. In 1800, Increase’s wife Susannah was 34. The mother of Increase and the mother of  Susannah were living with their husbands. So, who was this 45+ woman?

Spencer Chamberlain’s mother

We know Spencer was part of the Increase Chamberlain household. If Spencer’s mother was living, we would certainly expect her to be with her young son. The 1790 and 1800 censuses both account for the location of Spencer’s mother. No other known person would fit her age category.

The 45+ woman in the household presents a strong case that Spencer’s Indian mother Winona was living with him.  This information provides more evidence that Increase and Susannah were not his parents, and for Harry Chamberlain’s understanding that Spencer’s father’s name was John. It also shows that Winona was of the older generation born in 1755 or earlier and therefore 31 years old or older at the time of Spencer’s birth.

It was widely known in his day that Spencer Chamberlain was of Indian descent. He had long black hair and blue eyes.¹² Spencer’s daughter, Jeanette Chamberlain Phillips, wrote in her poem in 1860, “Though fair in the face and soft was his hair, the blood of the red man still lingered there”.¹³

It is clear that Susannah, daughter of Jedediah Chamberlain and Ester Clark, was not Spencer’s Indian mother.

Spencer Chamberlain’s father

If Spencer and his mother were living with Increase Chamberlain, Jr. it is natural to assume that he would be a close relative. Increase Jr. and Susannah were first cousins. Both were grandchildren of Thomas Chamberlain of Westmoreland. John was the son of Thomas and therefore the uncle of Increase Jr. and also of his wife Susannah.  Increase Jr. and his wife were also first cousins of Spencer, though Spencer was 20 years younger.

I wrote previously, The Chamberlain families of Westmoreland. There were two Chamberlain families in Westmoreland and both families had a son named John. Thomas’ son John was one of the grantees of Westmoreland in 1752. He was born in Newton, MA which places him as the sixth son Thomas and Abigail Chamberlain and therefore, born about 1739. That means he was about 47 when Spencer was born.

We have no record of John after 1752 other than knowing that his son Spencer was born about 1786. Apparently, John died or left the family for unknown reasons between 1785 and 1790.

Did Spencer Chamberlain have a sister?

Charlotte Chamberlain must be one of the three females living in Increase, Jr.’s 1790 household. In the 1800 census she was age 16 to 25. Therefore, she was born 1784 or earlier. We learned her identity in the letter of Pamela Cutler. “Lottz married Uriah Smith and lived in Enfield, (New Hampshire).”¹⁰ Her full married name was Charlotte Chamberlain Smith, born about 1784.

She was the third wife of Uriah Smith. He was born in 1771 and his wives were  Catherine Vail 1777-1803, Susan Peck 1788-1828, and Charlotte Chamberlain 1784-1853. He and his first wife had at least two children Stephen Smith b. 1796, and Abraham Vail Smith b. 1799.

Apparently, Charlotte did not have any children. In the 1840 Enfield, NH U. S. census there were 2 males and 1 female between age 15-20. In 1850, Charlotte was 65 and Uriah 79. One child, Helen Smith age 6, apparently Uriah’s granddaughter, was living with them.

Increase Sr. died in 1813, three years after the death of his son Increase Jr. The wording of Increase Sr’s will seems to put Charlotte in a different category than either the children of Increase Senior or the heirs of Increase Junior. Charlotte was unmarried and apparently living with Increase Chamberlain Sr. in 1813. Unfortunately, the will did not mention Spencer nor list Increase Jr’s heirs.

Increase Sr. left ten dollars to each of his living children and then: “To the heirs of my son Increase late deceased to be equally divided among them the sum of ten dollars.”

In June 1815, some of Increase Sr’s living heirs were listed: “It appears that the deceased (Increase Chamberlain Sr.’s) in his life time took receipts of the following, heirs full of their legacies…viz of Nathaniel Whitcomb the husband of Betsey (Chamberlain) Whitcomb- of Jotham Chamberlain- of Isaac Chamberlain- of Amos Chamberlain and of Abigail (Chamberlain) Packard. That said Executor has paid to Charlotte Chamberlain her share of a legacy.“

Spencer Chamberlain’s move to Glover, Vermont

In her 1896 letter, Pamelia Cutler confirmed that Increase Chamberlain, Jr. married Susannah Chamberlain. She then listed five children that lived in their household. The list included “Spencer” who got “married and lived in Glover, VT”.

John Harry Chamberlain (Harry’s father) reported in a short biography: “It was in the year 1802 that the Chamberlains removed from Keene, New Hampshire.”¹⁶

We had always believed that Spencer Chamberlain moved to Glover, Vermont from Keene NH with the French family. However, we now know that Spencer moved from Westmorland to Stockbridge and then to Glover with Increase Chamberlain Jr. and his family. It appears, however, that 1802 is the correct year that they moved to Glover.

1802 Increase Chamberlain, Jr and his wife moved from  Stockbridge to Glover, VT. This move included the 16 year-old Spencer.

June 10, 1802 Increase and Susannah’s daughter Tryphena Hodgkins Chamberlain was born in Glover, Vermont.¹⁴

September 18, 1804 Silas French purchased a large farm. This was probably the land east of the town of Glover that became known as Keene Corner. The document begins: “Know all men by these presents that I Joseph Skinner of Glover in the County of Orleans the State of Vermont, for and in considertion of the sum of Eight hundred and fifty Dollars current money of the United States received in full to my satisfaction of Silas French of Keene in the County of Cheshire and State of New Hampshire….”Signed sealed & Delivered in the presence of Silas French, Jr. and Ralph Parker” Signed-Joseph Skinner

July 17, 1805 A property in Glover was transferred for $150 to John Conant from Timothy Blood, Jr. It was signed by Timothy Blood, Jr. in the presence of witnesses Millie French and Ralph Parker.

1805 In a meeting held at Parker Settlement West Glover, Silas French took his freeman’s oath. These oaths were usually given in September.⁵

September 1, 1806 Increase Chamberlain took his freeman’s oath at same location in West Glover.⁵

1807 Daughter Villars Delia Chamberlain was born to Susannah and Increase, Jr.

March 7, 1808 Seven men were elected as Surveyor of Highways including Jonas Phillips and Increase Chamberlain.⁵

September 1, 1808 Fourteen men took their freedom oath including Spencer Chamberlain.⁵ The age of 21 was required. This is evidence that Spencer was born between September 1, 1786 and September 1, 1787.

March 28, 1809 Five men including Spencer Chamberlain were chosen town Haywards.⁵

June 6, 1810  A group men with shovels opened an outlet to Long Pond to encourage the operation of the local grist mill. Quicksand in the new channel soon became a chasm that let the whole lake of 2 billion gallons run down the valley toward the mill other structures.

June 18, 1810 In the Glover town meeting a vote was taken “that there be  a committee of three chosen to take care of Widow Chamberlain (widow of Increase Chamberlain, Jr.) and take measure to remove her to Stockbridge if she will go.”⁵

1810 The U. S. Census was taken after the death of Increase Chamberlain. Spencer Chamberlain’s household in Glover included himself, his wife and a male child under the age of 10. Could this be another child of Increase and Susannah? It is believed that Spencer and Millie’s first child was their daughter Jeanette born in 1811. There are now four census male children who can not be identified.

Susannah Chamberlain (Increase Jr’s widow), was in the 1810 census in Stockbridge, Vermont. This included Susannah and three females age 10 or under. These girls would be Milly b. 1800, Tryphena b. 1802, and Villars b. 1807.

Census records for members of the Increase Chamberlain, Jr. Household, 1790, 1800 & 1810

Increase Chamberlain, Jr. b. 22 January 1766 in Westmoreland, NH, father- Increase Chamberlain and mother- Rachel Davis. Increase, Jr., married Susannah Chamberlain b. 8 April 1766 in Westmoreland, NH, father- Jedediah Chamberlain, Sr. and mother- Ester Clark.

Increase, Jr. b. 22 January 1766 (1790 Westmoreland and 1800 Stockbridge census)

Susanna b. 8 April 1766 (1790 Westmoreland census, 1810 Stockbridge census)

Charlotte b. 1784. (1790 Westmoreland and 1800 Stockbridge census)

Spencer b. 1786 (1790 Westmoreland, 1800 Stockbridge, 1810 Glover census)

Possibly Spencer’s mother Winona b. 1755 or before, (1790 Westmoreland and 1800 Stockbridge census)

Unknown male b. 1785-1790, (1790 Westmoreland, 1800 Stockbridge census)

Unknown male b. 1791-1800,  (1800 Stockbridge census)

Unknown male b. 1791-1800,  (1800 Stockbridge census)

Unknown male b. 1800-1810 (1810 Glover census)

Susannah b. 1798,  (1800 Stockbridge census)

Milly b. 25 March, 1800, (1800 & 1810 Stockbridge census)

Tryphena  b. June 10,1802 (1810 Stockbridge census)

Villars b. 1807 (1810 Stockbridge census)

Oliver Chase was married to Susannah Chamberlain, then to her daughter Milly

My daughter Lara had been trying to figure out the relationships of Oliver Chase, Susannah, Milly and Villars. The letter of Pamela Cutler shed light on this subject: “Increase Chamberlain died and his widow (Susannah) married Oliver Chase. In a few years she died and he married her daughter Milly… Villars married a Mr. Sheldon and lived in the State of N. Y.”¹⁰

After Susannah died, Oliver Chase married her daughter Millie Chamberlain 8 May 1836 in Stockbridge, Vermont.¹⁷

“Villars married Mr Sheldon and lived in New York”

Hiram Spear Sheldon b. Feb 1800, Poultney, Rutland, Vermont, married Villars Delia Chamberlain b. about 1807.  Children of Hiram Sheldon and Villars Chamberlain:

1- Eliza L. Sheldon b. abt. 1827 Hampton, Washington, NY.
2- Hiram Increase Sheldon b. abt. 1829.
3- William Sheldon b. 15 November 1830 Stockbridge VT. d. 11 Feb 1902 Broadhead, Green, WI.
4- Dillon Darius Sheldon b. September 1833, Stockbridge, VT., d. 23 August 1923 Little Falls, Morrison, MN.
5- Increase Jeremiah Sheldon b. Abt. 1835 Hampton, Washington, NY, d. 14 Apr 1894 Burke, Franklin, NY.
6- Edward Sheldon b. 1837 Hampton, Washington, NY; George W. Sheldon 1841 Hampton, Washington NY.

Millie Chase f. age 70 and Villars Sheldon f. (not male) age 63 shared a household in 1870 census, Chateaugay, Franklin, New York. Millie and Villars are sisters.

Family of Jedediah Chamberlain Sr.¹¹

Jedediah Chamberlain is the son of Thomas Chamberlain , b. 1703 and Abigail Pierce b. 1706.^11a Jedediah was christened at Stoneham Congregational Church 12 June 1737. He married Ester Clark born 4 May 1739. They were married about 1758.

Children of Jedediah Chamberlain and Ester Clark:¹¹

1- Sibel Chamberlain, b. 3 April 1759, Westmoreland, NH.
2- Josiah Chamberlain, b. 20 May, 1760, Westmoreland, NH.
3- Ephraim Chamberlain, b. 23 Sept 1762, Westmoreland, NH.
4- Jedediah Chamberlain, Jr., b. 20 March 1764, Westmoreland, NH.
5- Susannah Chamberlain, b. 8 April 1766, Westmoreland, NH.
6- Eunice Chamberlain, b. 28 March 1768, Westmoreland, NH.
7- Hudah Chamberlain, b. 9 July 1770, Westmoreland, NH.
8- Isaac Chamberlain, b. 31 Aug 1772, Westmoreland, NH.
9- Sally Chamberlain, b, 28 Sept. 1774, Westmoreland, NH.
10- Ester Chamberlain, b. 28 March 1776, Westmoreland, NH.

Children of Jedediah Chamberlain and Submit Osgood, b. about 1763. They were married about 1800, Stockbridge, VT.¹¹

Correction: I have read that some genealogists believe that these children belong to Jedediah, Jr. However, the census records show these are the children of Jedediah, Sr. Also, these were listed as children of Jedediah Sr. by Pamila S. Cutler in her 1896 letter. Her mother told her that Jedediah Sr. had 19 children by his two wives.¹⁰

1- Abner Chamberlain, b. about 1801, Stockbridge VT.
2- Daniel Chamberlain, b. 10 January 1802, Stockbridge VT.
3- Asa Chamberlain, b. 15 December 1803, Stockbridge VT.
4- Roxy Chamberlain, b. 1 January 1807, Stockbridge VT.
5- Elijah Chamberlain, b. Stockbridge VT.¹⁰

Family of Increase Chamberlain, Sr.¹⁵

Increase Chamberlain, Sr  b. 1741 in Westmoreland, NH, d. August 24, 1813, m Rachel Davis b. 1739, d. 20 March 1813 Stockbridge, VT. Children of Increase Chamberlain Sr., and Rachel Davis:

1- Rachel Chamberlain- b. 15 July 1764, m. Samuel Dean
2- Increase Chamberlain, Jr. b. 22 January 1766 Westmoreland, d. June, 1810 Glover, VT.
3- Amos Chamberlain b. 10 December 1767, d. 4 July 1844.
4- Abigail Chamberlain b. 15 September 1769, d. 16 April 1819, m Joseph Packard
5- Thomas Chamberlain b.29 March 1772
6- Elizabeth Chamberlain b. 17 May 1774, m. Nathaniel Whitcomb
7- Benjamin Chamberlain b. 5 April 1776
8- Azubah Chamberlain b. 10 April 1778, m. Lot Whitcomb
9- Jotham Chamberlain b. 28 Aug 1780, d. 15 Aug 1847, m. Susan Chamberlain
10- Isaac Chamberlain b. About 1781, m. Arvilla Bailey

To be continued…. Chapter 16- Spencer Chamberlain and the Runaway Pond 

Other stories about life in Glover Vermont

Chapter 17- Spencer Chamberlain in the Battle of Plattsburgh The Chamberlain family and Orleans County, Vermont during and after the War of 1812. Spencer Chamberlain joined the Vermont 31st Infantry in 1814. Following his unit gives us a good idea of what he experienced before and during the Battle of Plattsburgh.

Chapter 18- The Secret Life of Alonzo Chamberlain The story of Alonzo Chamberlain, told here for the first time, was previously unknown to his extended family, his home town of Glover, and to the historians of Vermont. This chapter includes a tour of the house and farm today, where Alonzo Chamberlain lived 1843-1855. Also, see the surprising significance of Alonzo’s 1860s photo album.

© Copyright Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the written content of this site without express and written permission from the author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Dennis D. Chamberlain and direction to  www.thechamberlainstory.com.

References:

1- Merton T. Goodrich, Genealogist, Search for Spencer Chamberlain’s Ancestry, To Harry Chamberlain, November 3, 1934.
2- Harry Alonzo Phillips, History of Glover and Runaway Pond, 15 June 1929
3- Familyserch.org
4- Early town notes of Glover, Vermont. Email from Joan Alexander, Secretary of the Glover Historical Society, October 22, 2014
5- Abid., October 31, 2014
6- Windsor Co. Probate Hartford Dist. Woodstock, VT 1837, Vol. 12 p399.
7-1790 U. S. Census, Westmoreland, Cheshire County, New Hampshire
8- Familysearch.org. Thomas Chamberlain 2 August 1703, (notes, Park Hill Congregational Church records, Book 1 of Westmoreland NH at HSCC.)
9- Ella E. Abbott, Letter to Mrs. Chamberlain, 1932, Copy of hand written letter from the Historical Society of Cheshire County.
10- Pamelia S. Cutler of Randolf, Vermont,  A letter to her niece, 1896, Type written copy provided by Miss Etta Chamberlain. From The Historical Society of Cheshire County.
11- Jedediah Chamberlain, http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com  Updated 2005-02-05.

11a- CORRECTION of a correction!!: Source #11 gave a “correction” to the parents of Jedediah Chamberlain which is wrong.  It states: “Jedediah’s father was Thomas b. 1714 and his mother was Loes Waters”, yet it gives no explanation, reason or source for this information. Jedediah was the son of Thomas b. 1703 and Abigail Pierce who lived in Westmoreland. Jedediah was with his father and brothers when they signed the petition for the NH grant January 30, 1750. He was about 13 years old, so he would be still living in the same town as his father. Ella E. Abbott knew the Chamberlain’s of Westmoreland and confirmed in her letters that Jedediah was the son of Thomas Chamberlain and Abigail Pierce. (For more information, see Chapter 10 The Chamberlain Families of Westmoreland, NH.)

12- Spencer Chamberlain Army discharge papers, 1815
13- Poem by Jeanette Chamberlain Phillips, daughter of Spencer Chamberlain
14- Edward D. Dickerman, Descendants of Thomas Dickerman, New Haven, 1897
15- Increase Chamberlain, Sr. Find a Grave Memorial, www.findagrave.com
16- Northwestern Iowa, Its History and Traditions, 1926. Iowa History Special Project, Http://iagenweb.org
17- Vermont vital records 1760-1954
18-  Glover, Vermont Westlook Cemetery, Gravestone Inscriptions & Other Genealogical Data, Glover Historical Society, Glover, VT 05839, 2nd Edition, 2002, p46. Remarks from Phillips family records, compiled by Dick Brown, based on information from various family members, Phillips family Bibles, and vital records, etc., unpubished. p.240

The mother of Spencer Chamberlain was named Winona, an Algonquin name which means “nourisher”¹ In the Dakota tribe it means “the first female child.” I particularly like the Algonquin definition of the word winona, “a beautiful place in the forest.” I read this many years ago, but can’t find the source today. Anyway, the important thing is that her name comes from the Algonquin language and therefore she is most likely from an Algonquin speaking tribe.

I believe Winona was at least 31 years old when Spencer was born. Her husband John was about 47. It was 1786 and the Revolutionary War had recently ended. This story is my best guess about Winona, her tribe and family, and how she might have became acquainted with John Chamberlain. To make an educated guess, it was necessary to understand the situation of the various Indian tribes of New England during that time in history.

Spencer Chamberlain had blue eyes and therefore, we know that his mother Winona carried the blue-eye allele in her DNA. This is a clue that she may have been a member of the Penobscot tribe.

 The Blue-eyed Chief Orono of the Penobscot.

Winona is my fourth great grandmother. Though we know very little about her, some interesting circumstantial evidence suggests that the Penobscots of Maine might be her family. One reason this tribe is interesting is because it documents the existence of the blue-eyed allele for several generations. In addition, they were one of only a few Indian tribes that were allies of the Americans during the Revolutionary war.

The Penobscots, along with the Abenakis and other tribes, were part of the Wabinaki Confederation. Chief Joseph Orono served as chief of the Penobscot Tribe from about 1774 until his death in 1801. He was known as the “Blue-eyed Chief”²

It is believed that Orono’s mother was the daughter of Jean-Vincent, who became the third baron of Saint-Castin, and his Indian wife Molly Mathilde. In Orono’s own account, his father was a Frenchman and his mother half French and half Indian.³ This must be true for it accounts for his blue eyes as the recessive blue-eye allele must come from both his mother and his father.

History of the New England Indians, 1604-1692

1604 Samuel de Champlain and Pierre De Monts built Fort St. John at the mouth of the St. Croix River and began fur trading with the Penobscots and Maliset Indians.

1607 French fur traders established a trading post at a better location, Port Royal, Acadia. The Penobscots prospered from this location and formed an Alliance with the French. With European goods received from trade they began to dominate other tribes. This caused a renewal of hostilities with the Micmac across the bay which escalated into the eight year Tarrateen War.⁴

1610-13 French Jesuit missionaries arrived at Port Royal and began working with the Micmac. Catholic priests built a mission for the Penobscots at Pentagoet, Acadia. English raiders from Jamestown destroyed it later that year.⁴

1614 Captain James Smith met the Abenaki when he explored and mapped the east coast of northern New England.⁴

1615 Micmac warriors swept down the Maine coast with a wave of destruction all the way to Massachusetts. They captured the Penobscot Chief Bashba and won the war.⁴

1616-19 Terrible epidemics of unknown diseases hit the Indians killing about 75% of their population.⁴

1621 The Abanakl were familiar enough with the English that Samoset, a sachem from Maine on a hunting trip, walked into Plymouth colony and greeted them in perfect English “Hello Englishmen”.⁴

1622 The Pennecooks of southern and central New Hampshire were decimated by the epidemics, threatened by the Mohawk to the west and didn’t trust the Abinaki in Maine.⁴

1624-28 The Sokoki (western Abinaki) of western Massachusetts had for a long time hostilities with the Iroquois. They therefore helped the Mahican in their war with the Mohawk, (the Mohawk were the eastern most Iroquois tribe). The Mohawk won and drove the Mahican east of the Hudson River and then attacked the Pennecook. For this reason, the Pennecook made a fragile alliance with the English. This alliance was a great concern to the Abanaki. The English were also nervous about it because the Powhatan almost wiped out the Virginia settlement in 1622.⁴

1628 An English fleet destroyed a French fleet unloading supplies at Port Royal and burned the French settlement. They then moved north to the Saint Lawrence and captured Quebec. Britain now held all of Canada.⁴

1629 The Mohawks attacked the Sokoki who then turned to both French and English for help. However, they were ignored for neither wanted to offend the powerful Iroquois. The Sokoki might have been destroyed, but the Mohawk were drawn into another war in the Saint-Lawrence Valley with the Algonkin and Montagnais.⁴

1632 By the treaty of St. Germain en Laye, Britain returned Canada to France. They immediately destroyed a trading post that had been built by Boston fur traders to trade with the Abinakis. The French warned English fur traders to keep their activities south of the Kennebec River. The English, in turn, ordered French traders from Arcadia to stay north of the Saint Croix. Therefore, few French or English fur traders were willing to visit the Abinaki who lived in the disputed territory.⁴

1633-34 A devastating smallpox epidemic hit the New England tribes and spread north to the Abenaki and then west to the Iroquois.

1637 By this time the Abinakis had received fire arms, probably from Boston traders.

1638 The English established a post on the Merrimack River to trade with the Pennecooks. The Abenaki had to travel a great distance to trade with the Europeans. For French trade, they had to cross territory controlled by the Montagnais who were often hostile or charged tolls for passage.⁴

1642  The Sokoki, Mohawk and Mahican (formerly enemies), formed an uneasy alliance against their common enemy the Montagnais. This fight continued for several years. The war between the Sokoki and the Montagnais renewed French interest in the Abenaki.⁴

1646-48 The French Jesuits were unsuccessful in brokering peace between their Montagnais allies and the Sokokis, but they were able to make several short visits to the Kennebec and the Penobscot. However, while the battles between the Sokokis and Montagnais continued, the new French alliances caused war to break out between the eastern Abinaki and the Mohawks.⁴

1649 The Iroquois overran and destroyed the Huron who were the French’s most important ally and trading partner. This put the very survival of the French at risk forcing them to seek every possible ally against the Iroquois.⁴

1650 The alliance between the Mohawk and the Sokokis collapsed and the Mohawks attacked the Sokokis and the Pocumtuc. The French encouraged the alliance between the Sokoki, Pocumtuc, Pennecook and Mahican. They then in desperation sent a Montagnais chief and Jesuit to Boston to seek support against the Mohawk. The English puritans saw the threat but could not, as a matter of principle, form an alliance with the Catholic French.⁴

1651 The French alone supported the alliance against the Mohawk and began supplying the Sokoki, and eastern Abinaki with arms and amunition.⁴

1653 The Iroquois were undeterred by the alliance and attacked the western villages of the Sokoki. However, another war with the Susquehannock in Pennsylvania caused Iroquois to suspend their attacks on the Sokoki.⁴

1654 The British captured Port Royal which stopped French aid for the Abinaki.⁴

1655 The Mohawk stopped warring with the Susquehannock and turned their fury to their east. This forced the Mahicans to withdraw from the alliance leaving only the Sokoki, Pennecook and Pocumtuc to face the Mohawk.

1660 The Mohawk resumed attacks on the eastern Abinaki in Maine because they were allies of the Montagnais.⁴

1662 The Penobscot, who were also allies of the Montagnais, were attacked by the Mohawk.⁴

1665 The Regiment de Carigan-Salieres, a force of 1200 men, was sent to New France by Louis XIV, king of France, to protect the settlers and other French interests against the Iroquois. Jean-Vincent, the 13 years old son of the baron de Saint-Castin was a member of this group.⁴

1666 The French Soldiers attacked Mohawk villages and by the Spring of that year the Mohawk were asking the English for help.⁴

1670 Jean-Vincent de Abbadie moved in with the Indians and became a part of the Penobscot society.⁴

1676 The eastern Indians and the English settlers in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts became involved in the King Phillips war. The Penobscots were the first to seek peace and offered to enter into an alliance with the English.  Articles were drawn up at Boston on 6 November 1676, and the peace was ratified by Chief Madockawando.⁵

1678 A treaty was made at Casco whereby the English were permitted to return to their farms on the condition of paying rent to the Indians. It was relatively peaceful for about ten years.⁵

1686 Sir Edmund Andros was sent by King James to serve as Governor of the “Dominion of New England”,  which included the jurisdiction of all the New England colonies.¹³ The colonists considered him both arrogant and arbitrary. By sending Andros to serve as Governor, King James hoped to stop the colonial drive for independence, enforce religious conformity and stop the French from arming the Indians⁶

April 1688 Gov. Edmund Andros arrived among the Penobscot in a frigate and plundered Jean-Vincent’s home and village, Pentagoet, on Penobscot Bay, (now Castine, Maine). The Indian chiefs had been well armed by Jean-Vincent during their fight with the Iroqouis, but now they prepared for a new war.⁷

Jan 25, 1692 Chief Madockawando led 150 Penobscot warriors in an attack on the village of York, Maine. He had tried hard to remain peaceful throughout the King Phillips war. However, when his sister died in the English attacks on Fort Pentagoet, he and the Penobscots joined the conflict.⁷ Though several attempts at peace were made, the Penobscot and the Wabinaki Confederation, remained fierce enemies of the English throughout the French and Indian Wars.

Jean Vincent, Molly Mathilde and Penobscot Chief Madockawando

Jean Vincent de Abbadie was born in 1652,  Escout Bearn, southern France, in view of the Pyrenees Mountains. He was the second son of the French Baron of St. Castin. Since his older brother was destined to inherit the title and estate of his father, he joined the army of King Louis the XIV. His birth and education qualified him to became an ensign. In 1665 his regiment was ordered to go to Quebec where the Iroquois Indians were wreaking havoc.  In 1666, they protected the French colonists and helped quell the Iroquois.⁸

In 1670, Jean-Vincent moved to Pentagouet, Acadia (now Castine, Maine), on the Penobscot River.  There he lived among the Indians, became fluent in the Penobscot language and adopted their mode of dress. His experience in the use of fire arms and education in military tactics gave them an advantage over their enemies.⁷

He engaged in trade and became friends with the great Penobscot chief Madockawando. He also acted as his military advisor. Finding  favor with the chief, he chose, or was given, his daughter Pidianskie in marriage.⁸ Their relationship, and the marriage, helped solidify the alliance between the French and Penobscot in the region.⁷

Madockawando was born about 1627. He married a chief’s daughter from the Kennebec River Valley and together had many children. They lived at Pentagouet east of, and near the mouth of the Penobscot River.  He became chief of the Penobscot sometime before 1669.²

Madockawando’s daughter, Pidianiske was born about 1665. She converted to Catholicism and took the Christian name Molly Mathilde. Jean Vincent and Molly had five children born between 1684 and 1692. Jean sent their children to French schools in Quebec so they could obtain a formal education. It was heart breaking for Molly to see them go.⁹

In 1694, Jean-Vincent’s brother died in France and he became the third baron of Saint-Castin. However, it was not a good time to return to France to claim his inheritance. He was busy working as a military adviser to the Penobscots and accumulating a fortune trading beaver pelts and Moose skins. Chief Madockawando died in 1698 leaving the French baron as chief of the Penobscots.⁸

In 1701 their nine-year-old son and youngest child, Jean Pierre, died at school. Molly  grieved greatly for her son. She now struggled between two worlds. She had married for the security of her people and had accepted the ways of the white man. Now, she wondered if her son was in the Hunting Ground of her people or in the Christian heaven.⁹

That same year, peace was achieved with the Iroquois and Jean-Vincent left his family and sailed across the Atlantic to defend his inheritance. Their oldest child Bernard Anselme remained at school in Quebec, however, the three youngest children returned home to live with their mother.⁹

Jean-Vincente had claim to the title and property, but his sister and brother-in-law intended to keep St. Castin for themselves. He endured a strenuous, six year, legal battle. In 1707, Jean finally won the estate and title of baron of St. Castin but died shortly after. Molly’s son Bernard Anselme, who was in France at that time, sent his mother the sad news.⁹

The children of Jean Vincent and Molly Mathilde

In 1707 two French cousins married the two daughters of Jean and Molly. They were the grandsons of Cluade de la Tour, a French entrepreneur and military commander in Acadia. Therese, age 20, married Phillip Mius, lord of Pomocoup who owned an estate on the south coast of Acadia (now Nova Scotia). Anastasia, age 15, wed Alexandre le Borge, lord of Port Royal, Acadia.⁹

Molly’s younger son,  Joseph became a French military officer and Wabinaki Chief who fought for the rights of his people in the Wabinaki home land.⁹

In 1713, Barnard Anselme returned to France where his estate and title was again being contested.  They accused him of being an illegitimate child. With missionary certificates and other evidence, he easily proved his case and became the fourth Baron of St.-Castin.⁹

The two families of Jean Vincent de Abbadie

Jean-Vincent had two wives, both were likely the daughters of Chief Madockawando. Misoukdkosie was born about 1652 and may have been Pidianiske’s older sister. She took on the Christian name Melchilde de Nicosquoue.  She gave birth to ten of his children from sometime before 1678 to 1696.^8,10

Of course, the Catholic Church sanctioned only one of these marriages. In the last quarter of 1684 at Pentagouet, Father Jacques Bigot, the Jesuit missionary to the Abenakis, married the couple. Their son, Bernard Anselme was born soon after. The Catholic marriage of his parents, thereby qualified Barnard to inherit his father’s title and estate. It is not surprising that both families claim Bernard Anselme as their own. When he died in 1721 his oldest of three daughters inherited the title and estate.

The Penobscot tribe during the Revolutionary War

The Thomas Chamberlain family lived in Westmoreland, NH after the war. However, very few Indians lived in New Hampshire by the late 1700s. Most of the Pennacooks had moved north and were absorbed into the Anenaki tribes of Vermont, Maine or the Western Abenaki of Quebec.¹¹  Like other tribes, the Abenaki population was in decline, but after 1676 they absorbed thousands of refugees from southern New England displaced by settlement and war. As a result, descendants of almost every southern New England Algonquin (Pennacook, Narragansett, Pocumtuc, and Nipmuc) can still be found among the Abenaki and Sokoki (western Abenaki). After another century of war and disease, there were less than 1,000 Abenaki and about 500 Penobscot remaining after the American Revolution.²

Tomasus, who was head-chief of the Penobscot until 1759, was succeeded by Osson, who was then succeeded by Orono about 1774.¹² These chiefs were advocates of peace until war was declared against them by the English colonists in 1754.²

Chief Orono was a Catholic. He and his wife (a full blooded Indian) had two children. His son was accidently shot in 1774 when he was 25 years old. His daughter married Captain Nicolar.¹² They apparently had at least two children.²

Orono loved freedom and was sympathetic to the American cause in the Revolutionary War. In a speech in 1775 Orono, referring to the Americans, said:

“Our white brothers tell us that they came to our land to enjoy liberty and life. But their king is coming to bind them in chains and to kill them. We must fight him.  We will stand on the same ground with our brother.”²

The Penobscot tribe acknowledged the independence of the United States and eventually some fought on the side of the Americans.  Lieutenant Joseph Orono, served under the command of Captain John Preble as he led his braves in the field of battle.¹²

Did the Penobscot Chief Joseph Orono really live to age 113?

My short answer to this question is NO.

It has been widely reported and even “hotly debated” that Chief Joseph Orono lived to be between 110 and 113.² The extensive and passionate research of the life of Molly Mathilde by author Bunny McBride in her book Women of the Dawn, and the principles of fundamental genetics proves this is very unlikely.

I believe this was a misconception that originated because Jean-Vincent and Molly Mathilde had a son named Joseph who became a Wabinaki Chief. He may have been born in 1688 or 1691. However, this could not be the same person as the blue eyed Chief Joseph Orono who had to inherit a blue-eye allele from both his mother and his father.

Orono himself claimed that his father was a Frenchman and his mother half French and half Indian.³ The two daughters of Molly Mathilde would both fit that description. Therese and Anastasia both married French men and either might be the mother of Orono. Both couples were married in 1707. Therefore, Chief Joseph Orono was probably born in 1708, or later, and likely was no older than 93 when he died in 1801.

Spencer Chamberlain’s Maine connection

Spencer seemed to be much more familiar with his family roots in Maine than his more prominent family connections from Massachusetts. Even as late as 1835, when he lived in Glover, Vermont, he was aware of the family’s activities in regard to the naming of Chamberlain Lake and development of Chamberlain farm in Maine.

There is no record of John Chamberlain nor his brothers Josiah and Joshua in Westmoreland during the war. We do not know where John was living at that time. However, the fact that the Americans made contact with the Penobscots during and after the Revolutionary war makes John meeting Winona of the Penobscot tribe plausible. If it is true, Winona’s blue-eye allele almost certainly would connect her within three or four generations to Jean-Vincent D’Abbadie baron of Saint-Castin and one of his wives, (possibly both wives) and their father Chief Madockawando.

John’s brother, Job Chamberlain lived in Orrington, Maine in 1810. The census showed him living there with his wife and a male age 16-25. If this male was Job’s son, he would be Spencer’s cousin and close to Spencer’s age. Job and his family lived in Westmoreland at the same time that Spencer and Winona lived there.

In 1820, Job lived in Brewer, Maine where he died in 1825. Josiah Chamberlain, (apparently a grandson of Josiah, the brother of John), with his household of 10, also lived in Brewer in 1820.

Spencer apparently had contact with these relatives. It is possible that they told Spencer about Chamberlain Lake and Chamberlain farm. One of this group may be the one who went north in about 1825 to cut out Chamberlain farm and put Chamberlain Lake on the 1835 Map. 

Brewer and Orrington, Maine are located side-by side on the east shore of the Penobscot river. Orono, Maine (named after Chief Joseph Orono) is located to the north. Castine, Maine (named after Jean-Vincent Abbadie, baron of Saint-Castin) is located to the south.

Was the choice of Job Chamberlain and Josiah Chamberlain to live in the center of the Penobscots just a coincidence? Or, is there some family connection to this location? No one knows.

To be continued….

 Chapter 15 The Unusual Household of Increase Chamberlain, Jr., Was Winona living in this household?

I found Winona in 2025 through Ancestry DNA, I am not a descendant of Madockawando. However, this hypothetical story gave my an important lead in my search for Winona. Chapter D5- A New Twist in Spencer Chamberlain’s Family History. 

© Copyright Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the written content of this site without express and written permission from the author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Dennis D. Chamberlain and direction to  www.thechamberlainstory.com.

References:

1- babynames.merchat.com.
2- https://www.penobscotculture.com/
3- Williamson, Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll, 3d s., ix, 83, 1846
4- History, http://www.tolatsga.org/aben.html
5- http://www.penobscotculture.com/index.php?
6- History of the United States of America by Henry William Elson, The MacMillan Company, New York, 1904. Chapter VIII p. 162-165. Transcribed by Kathy Leigh.
7- https://www.geni.com/people/Madockawando-chef-des-Penawapskewis/
8- Castine, Family Descendants in Australia, Http://castineaust.wixsite.com/castine/baron
9- McBride, Bunny, Women of the Dawn, Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1999, pp 7-37
10- Pidianske and Pipiwamiska, https://michelinewalker.com/2015/09/11/jean-vincent-dabbadie-baron-de-saint-castin/
11- www.dickshovel.com/penn.html
12- Orono- Catholic Indian Chief, https://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/orono.htm
13- Sir Edmund Andros, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edmund-Andros

Fort Ticonderoga is located on Lake Champlain in northeastern New York. It is about 120 miles from Keene, New Hampshire. Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, joined by Benedict Arnold, attacked Fort Ticonderoga at dawn on May 10, 1775. They surprised and easily captured the sleeping British garrison, and seized a large stash of cannons and other armaments from the fort. This was the first significant American victory of the Revolutionary War. It raised moral and it gave the Continental Army greatly needed artillery.

Fort Ticonderoga was a key point of access to both Canada and the Hudson River Valley. Colonel Ashley’s militia regiment from southwestern New Hampshire, was available on a minutes notice to march to its defense.

John Chamberlain, Increase Chamberlain, Calvin Chamberlain and Silas French served in this militia. These men witnessed and fought for the birth and establishment of a new nation, the United States of America.

Increase Chamberlain is the son of Thomas, and is Spencer Chamberlain’s uncle. Silas French of Keene, New Hampshire is the father of Millie French Chamberlain. Therefore, he is a direct descendant of all of Spencer Chamberlain’s family.

Who was Lieutenant John Chamberlain?

John Chamberlain is on the record as serving in the Revolutionary War. However, Westmoreland historical records had confused the two different John Chamberlains as though they were the same person, (Chapter 10). It was troubling that I could find no direct proof of which John Chamberlain served.

So, was Lieutenant John Chamberlain the son of Thomas or of Henry?

Henry’s son has been given credit (at least since the 1920s) as Westmoreland’s John Chamberlain who served in the Revolutionary War. However, I didn’t want to take anything for granted. There were two troubling facts: 1- Henry’s son  John, (Eunice Edson’s husband), died in 1822 at the age of 80, yet no war pension records for him can be found. 2- His tombstone is engraved, “Mr. John Chamberlain”. Why would his family add the prefix “Mr.” if he had been a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary war?

On the other hand, the resolution of March 14, 1776 required all males twenty-one years of age or older to sign a pledge of their lives and fortunes. All males of age in Westmoreland either signed or were on the list of  those who refused. This record shows that only one John Chamberlain lived in Westmoreland at that time.

Westmoreland birth records for the children of John Chamberlain and Eunice Edson during this period establishes that John, the son of Henry, was a resident in Westmoreland. This confirms that Lieutenant John Chamberlain is the son of Henry.  John the son of Thomas apparently did not live in Westmorland during the war.

Lieutenant John Chamberlain is the son of Henry Chamberlain and Susannah Hinds. He is the husband of Eunice Edson. Calvin Chamberlain is Henry’s youngest son.

The British evacuate Boston

March 2, 1776 The Americans used the 57 cannons captured from Fort Ticonderoga to fortify Dorchester Heights, across the harbor from Boston, Massachusetts.

March 14, 1776 The General Congress passed a resolution that all town’s Committee of Safety “require all males above twenty-one years of age to sign a declaration, to pledge their lives and fortunes to oppose the Hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United American Colonies.”²

March 17, 1776 The eight month siege of Boston ended. George Washington watched from his position in Dorchester Hieghts as General Howe and the British peacefully evacuated Boston. Washington’s artillary from Fort Ticonderoga, compelled the British to leave Boston and sail to their stronghold at Halifax, Nova Scotia.³

May 19, 1776   The British captured Colonel Timothy Bedel’s at a place called “The Cedars” about 45 Miles southwest of Montreal. Henry and Ebenezer Chamberlain were privates in Bedel’s regiment. Eight days later, they exchanged the American prisoners for British soldiers captured during the Canadian campaign.^1,2

June 3, 1776  In Westmoreland, 130 men signed the congressional petition of March 14. Henry Chamberlain (most likely the father), John Chamberlain (the son of Henry), Thomas Chamberlain, Jedediah Chamberlain, Increase Chamberlain and Isaac Chamberlain signed the petition. Six did not sign including Job Chamberlain.²

Henry’s sons Henry and Ebenezer Chamberlain were away in the army. Calvin Chamberlain did not sign because he was under the age of 21. Thomas’ sons Josiah, Joshua and John Chamberlain were not on the list. Apparently, they were not residents of Westmoreland at that time. Silas French signed the petition in Keene.

The declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia and the news was received with great rejoicing and celebration through out the land. A drum roll from town to town published the event over the next 14 days. That declaration brought great encouragement and powerful motivation to the patriots. Their objective now was clear. They will establish a new nation of their own that will governed under democratic principles.

The question was, would they live in freedom? Or, as conquered rebels? They must win the war! The alternative would be unthinkable. There could be no more powerful incentive to endure the current hardships and deprivation.¹

The First Celebration of the Fourth of July

Silas French and Sarah Blake heard the news of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and immediately joined in a patriotic celebration with the citizens of Keene, New Hampshire. They assembled at the town green where a liberty pole had been erected, and for which a flag had been provided. Unfortunately, they had no halyards and there was no way of fastening the flag to the top of the pole.  An announcement was made: “To any man brave enough to climb the pole and secure the banner this Spanish silver coin shall be your reward.” A nine year old boy stepped forward. “I would like to try,” he said.

The crowd was stunned and amused, but no one was willing to allow such a small child to run the risk. However, a proud father spoke out, “That’s my little Alec. He’s a cool-headed boy and can be trusted to get’er done.” With that reassurance, he was allowed to make the attempt.

Several large men gathered around to give the small standard bearer a boost, and little Alec Hutchinson began his climb. He succeeded in taking it up near the top where the pole was so slender that it began to bend under his weight. With courage and coolness he averted the pending danger and attached the flag. He then descended amid the applaud of the multitude and received the promised compensation.⁴

Colonel Ashley’s regiment sent to reinforce General Gates army

October, 1776 Colonels Ashley and Bellows marched from Cheshire county to reinforce General Gates, each with six companies of militia. Many men from Keene were in this campaign including  Silas French. We do not know the movement of these troops. However, they received a letter of thanks from General Gates at the close of the campaign:

Ticonderoga Nov. 9th 1776.

To Colonel Ashley & Colonel Bellows commanding the Regiments of Militia from the County of Cheshire, in the State of New Hampshire.

GENTLEMEN-I return you, and the officers & soldiers of the Regiments under your command, my sincere thanks for the Spirit and Expedition both you & they have shewn in marching upon the first alarm, upwards of one hundred & fifty miles, to the support of this important pass, when threatened with an immediate attack from the Enemy’s Army. I now dismiss you with the Honour you have so well deserved.

I am, Gentlemen your most obed. Humble Serv.,

Horatio Gates.¹

New Hampshire turns to God during “hard times” of war

December 1776 The people seriously felt the painful effects of the war on their prosperity. An attempt to relieve the situation by issuing paper money, made by both the Continental congress and the state legislature, was a lamentable failure. Lack of faith in its stability caused continual depreciation of its value. Prices of commodities in the newly issued paper money sky rocketed.

The legislature made a futile attempt to control the laws of trade by fixing prices. This, of course, resulted in shortages of goods. It was almost impossible to procure suitable tools and implements, or to have existing ones repaired, to accomplish the work of farm and family. Also, many of the men were in the army making the raising and gathering of crops extremely difficult. These were indeed “hard times.”¹

The Northern Continental Army had been experiencing monumental hardships for several months. Small pox sorely afflicted the men and many died. Dysentery and “putrid fever” had also broken out among those troops. Other units avoided sending them reinforcements or making other contact with them to avoid contagion. Colonel James Reed suffered so severely from sickness that he became totally blind.¹

Alarm was spreading through New England with the appearance of the British fleet off the coast with the apparent intention of landing troops. However, the army was in such a deplorable condition at this time that marching orders were never delivered.¹

December 13, 1776  A “Day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation” was observed which had been appointed by the New Hampshire legislature.  In fasting and humility they turned toward God, with the invocation: “God save the United States of America.”¹

Cheshire County Militia called to aid Army at Ticonderoga

May 3, May 1777 Urgent appeals continued to come in from Gen. Schuyler, Gen. Wayne and others to call on troops to save Ticonderoga. The state committee of safety sent orders to the three colonels of militia in Cheshire county, “to raise as many of your Militia as possible and march them to Ticonderoga.”¹

May 5 1777  Express riders rode through the state bearing the news of an impending attack by the British Army upon Ticonderoga. This prompted General Folsom to call on portions of the western New Hampshire militia to march immediately to the aid of the American Army. Captain Waitstill Scott led the First Company of Colonel Ashley’s regiment. This company included Westmoreland’s Lieutenant John Chamberlain and privates Increase Chamberlain and Calvin Chamberlain.²  Two days later, May 7, they connected with a company from Keene, which included Private Silas French. They then began on their march of 120 miles to Fort Ticonderoga.¹

 

 

 

 

 

Ashley’s regiment goes home

About May 20, 1777 Colonel Ashley’s regiment arrived at Fort Ticonderoga. However, the alarm had subsided. Therefore, they headed home and the army discharged the unit between June 17 and June 24th, 1777.¹

The British make new plans

June 17, 1777 The British made plans to separate New England from the rest of the colonies. British General John Burgoyne and his army would march South from Canada to Albany where he would meet and join up with General Howe and his forces who would march north from New York City.³

June 20, 1777 General Burgoyne’s British invasion force assembled at the St. Lawrence River to begin their southern advance. He was in command of an army of 7700 redcoats with 42 fine brass artillery pieces. Also, the British used thousands of their Indian allies as instruments of terror. Reports of the strength and rapid advance of his army reached the states causing great fear of an imminent attack by an irresistible force of regular troops and savages.^1,3

Ashley’s orders, return to Ticonderoga

About June 24, 1777 Colonel Bellow’s and Colonel Ashley’s regiments had barely returned home when another express rider arrived with the news from General Gates that Burgoyne had actually arrived and was within a few miles of Ticonderoga.²

June 29- July 5, 1777  Colonel Ashley’s regiment of about 400 men, along with some other regiments were again ordered to Fort Ticonderoga. Henry Chamberlain was in this group. After traveling about 80 miles to Otter Creek, about 2/3 of the way to the Fort, they met a courier. He told them it was a another false alarm. So, they again changed direction and headed toward home. They traveled about 40 miles south (to Charlestown, NH), when they were overtaken by yet another express rider carrying orders to again change direction and march “with all speed for Ticonderoga.”^1,2

The Fall of Ticonderoga

July 6, 1777 British General Burgoyne placed a cannon on Mount Defiance and forced Ticonderoga under command General Arthur St. Clair to evacuate. General St. Clair gave up with little resistance.⁵

July 7, 1777 The regiments from Westmoreland and Keene were again about three miles from Otter Creek when they met the American army from Ticonderoga in retreat and therefore, headed for home once again.¹

The battles of Saratoga

July 23, 1777 – British General William Howe, who was scheduled to meet up with General Burgoyne at Albany, changed his plans. He decided instead to sail toward the Chesapeake Bay and invade the patriot capital of Philadelphia.³

September 19, 1777  In the first battle of Saratoga, British General John Burgoyne achieved a small victory over American forces led by Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold. However, his victory was costly and the battle weakened his troops. Meanwhile, General George Washington sent two brigades of Continentals from the Hudson Highlands. This raised Gates’s strength to about sixty-five hundred men.⁶

October 7, 1777 Burgoyne attempted another assault on the Americans at Bemis Heights. He had fortified his camp and waited for reinforcements from New York which never came. Benedict Arnold, Ignoring orders from General Gates to remain in his quarters, led an attack that captured key strong points and forced the British to retreat to Saratoga (modern Schuylerville). Reinforcements from General Washington had now finally arrived and surrounded Burgoyne.⁶

October 17, 1777 General Burgoyne’s army of 5,700 hundred men were forced to surrender to General Horatio Gates militia. This was a major victory for the American forces and the turning point of the war. The decisive victory convinced the French government to formally recognize the colonist’s cause and enter the war as their ally. If British General William Howe had followed through with the plan to meet Burgoyne, rather than occupy Philadelphia, the Continental Army likely would have fallen.^3,6

Marriage of Silas French and Sarah Blake

December 8, 1777 Silas French, age 25, married Sarah Blake, 20. They had known each other through out the war and probably had grown up together. According to family tradition, she supplied Silas with needed ammunition when she melted down the lead weights of the family clock and ran them into bullets. At the time of their marriage, the country was in poverty but the tides of war had turned and the future looked bright.

“Our first national Thanksgiving”

December 18, 1777  The Continental Congress designated this day, and the people heartily observed it as “a day of thanksgiving and praise to God”, It was our first national Thanksgiving.¹

The war rages on four more long years, until…

October 19, 1781  General Cornwallis formally surrendered with his full contingent of 8,000 troops at Yorktown. The British army was decimated the war was virtually over.³

April 19, 1783  Washington declares an end to fighting on the eighth anniversary of the beginning of the war.⁷

September 3, 1783 The final peace treaty between Britain and the United States was signed in Paris.⁷

A new Chamberlain generation is born

March 24, 1786 Millie French is born, the fourth child and third daughter of Silas and Sarah French. Also, about this time, somewhere in the wilds of New England, a baby boy is born to John Chamberlain and an Indian named Winona, They named him Spencer Chamberlain.

“We the People”

September 17, 1787 The constitution of The United States of America was created. It was ratified on June 21, 1788.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” – Preamble to the Constitution

March 4, 1789 The Constitution became the supreme law of the land. The framers of the constitution, through negotiation and inspiration, wisely separated and balanced governmental powers. This plan was to safeguard the interests of majority rule and minority rights, of liberty and equality, of the federal verses state governments and of small states verses large states. The new government was a representative republic made up of thirteen separate democracies.

The new nation was far from perfect. There was still the slavery issue and other problems which had been inherited from the society of the time. Now, however, it was up to “we the people” to solve these problems and to “form a more perfect Union”.

There is no longer a king or ruler. With the Constitution as our law, “We the People” are in charge. Our leaders and representatives are now a reflection of the integrity of those who elect them. Only by governing on principles of honesty and righteousness can we continue to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”

April 6, 1789 The House and Senate met in joint session and counted the electoral votes for the first president and vice president of the United States of America. They unanimously elected  and certified George Washington and John Adams.⁷

April 30, 1789 George Washington took the oath of office in New York City and became the first President of the United States of America.

George Washington’s covenant with God

 In his inaugural address, Washington gave credit to God for the establishment of a free and independent United States of America:

“Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.” And that we as a free people are therefore, “bound to acknowledge and adore (His) invisible hand.” 

Washington then made a covenant with God that “the sacred fire of liberty” may be preserved by a nation that observes “the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained”.⁸

To be continued….  Chapter 14- Spencer Chamberlain’s Indian Mother Winona. 

© Copyright Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the written content of this site without express and written permission from the author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Dennis D. Chamberlain and direction to  www.thechamberlainstory.com.

References:

1- S. G. Griffin, M. A., A HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF KEENE, Keene, NH, Sentinel Printing Co., 1904
2- History of Westmoreland, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, www.nh.searchroots.com
3- American Revolution Time Line for Kids, mrnussbaum.com/revolution/
4- S. G. Griffin, M. A., A HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF KEENE, Keene, NH, Sentinel Printing Co., 1904, Based on the story by Col. Rush C. Hawkins of New York in his biographical sketch of Rev. Aaron Hutchinson.
5- The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga www.history.com
6-  http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/battle-of-saratoga
7- https://www.nps.gov/vafo/learn/historyculture/upload/timeline
8- Dan Hormandl, George Washington’s Covenant with God,  https://lessonsfromthefounders.wordpress.com/