The Chamberlin surname derives from an official title, “the chamberlain,” literally one who takes care of a chamber. The chamberlain often had charge of his lord’s receipts and payments.[i] Chamberlin is an English variant of Chamberlain.
My one known ancestor with the surname Chamberlin is fourth great-grandmother Almira Chamberlin, She married Ezra Sanford about 1819. She was born on 21 August 1804 in Bennington County, Vermont.[ii]
The 1840 Census indicated the greatest number of households with the Chamberlin surname were in Vermont with 122 families[iii]. New York State had 115 Chamberlin families in 1840 as well. The 1810 Census, the first census after Almira’s birth, indicated there were 74 families in Vermont with the Chamberlin surname.
My Earliest Ancestors
Further research showed that only one family lived in Bennington County during the 1810 Census with the surname of Chamberlain. That was Benjamin Chamberlain. His household consisted of a woman over 45 (presumed to be his wife), one girl from 16 to 25, two boys from 10 to 15, and a female under 10, who could easily be our Almira. My initial presumption is that these were the children of Benjamin and his wife, although more research is needed to confirm this.
Almira Chamberlin married Ezra Sanford (1792-1855) in 1819. They had nine children. Their second child, William (1822-11915) is my 3rd great grandfather.
Death
Marker: Almira (Chamberlin) Sanford in Saline, MI Source: Find a Grave
Almira (Chamberlin) Sanford died July 7, 1845, and is buried in Benton Cemetery, Saline, Washtenaw County, Michigan.[iv]
My Direct Chamberlin Ancestors
#202 – Benj. Chamberlain (Conjecture based on 1810 Census.)
Samuel Vaden Scott was married twice. The first time with Amanda Jane Haley. He and Amanda had four children. Amanda died in 1889 and Samuel remarried. The original children seemed to scatter and Samuel and new wife Luvenia had five children. There isn’t any evidence that the children of the first marriage ever interacted with the children of the second marriage.
RB-18 – Samuel Vaden Scott (1860-1931)
Again, I find that creating a table showing the various records which speak of an individual’s birth can bring clarity out of conflicting records. I think this is particularly important when other researchers suggest conflicting dates for an individual’s birth.
Records indicating birth year of Samuel Vaden Scott
Record
Comments
Year Suggested
1870 Census
Age 9
1860
1879 Marriage Index
Age 18
1860
1880 Census
Age 19
1860
1900 Census
Nov 1860
1860
1910 Census
Age 38
1861
1920 Census
Age 57
1864
1931 Find a Grave
1862
1862
1931 Ill. Deaths Index
Age 67
1864
It is a clear case where the early records provide consistent birth information; however, Samuel became younger as he aged.
It is not clear how many siblings Samuel grew up with. He had a sister, Viola, one year older, and had two brothers, Francis and William, who were ten and 11 years younger respectively. I need to do more research to determine if there were other siblings, so far unknown.
Samuel was born in Franklin County, Illinois. At age 9, the family lived in Freeburg, Saint Clair County, Illinois. The family consisted of his parents, William and Emily Scott, his older sister, Viola, and his infant brother, Francis.
Samuel married Amanda Jane Haley on 24 May 1879. And their daughter, Clara was born seven months later, in December 1879. (They say the first child can come anytime, the rest take nine months.)
Crop of 1880 Census – Samuel & Amanda Scott
The 1880 Census records the family living in Barren, Franklin County, Illinois. Samuel is a farmer and his wife is keeping house. Daughter Clara is present and shown to have been born in December. Interestingly, Amanda’s entry indicates that her age is 19-2/12. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the months entered for a person that old. That age is consistent with other records which indicate Amanda was born in March, 1861.
In February 1883, their second daughter Clora was born. Their having daughters named Clara and Clora has made my research more difficult because a handwritten “a” and a handwritten “o” can look much alike, particularly when followed by an “r”.
Amanda died in 1889. More research is needed to understand her death at only 27 years of age.
On Christmas Day 1892, Samuel Vaden Scott married the widow Lavina (Allmend) Shockley; Lavina had had two children with her first husband. One child is unknown, the other was, I believe, Alma Gertrude Shockley. Gertrude, as she was known, adopted the surname Scott.
Elmer, Amanda, Lillie, Flossie, and William. It is unusual that their first girl of Sam and Lavina was named Amanda, the same first name as Samuel’s deceased first wife.
Lavina, Lillie (on lap), Gertie, Elmer, Samuel V. Scott c. 1902 From the Chris H. Bailey family photo collection.
We may never know if it was the death of Amanda that sent the family moving west but, by 1900 the family had located 110 miles west to St. Francois Township, St. Francois County, Missouri. Besides Sam and Luvina (Lavina) and their children (Gertrude is identified as Samuel’s daughter, not his step-daughter as I believe she was) are two boarders, Robert Montgomery and Clarence Williams.
The 1910 Census finds the family had moved 30 miles east to Sainte Genevieve Township, Sainte Genevieve County, Missouri. The family, Samuel and Livina (Lavina), included four children, Gertrude, Elmer, Lillian and Edward. Flossie Ann was born and had died during the previous decade. Samuel was still a farm hand and they were renting a house (not a farm).
The 1920 Census found the family had returned to Franklin County, Illinois. Now to Goode Township. Only William was still with Sam and Lavina. Elmer died in 1916; I presume that Lillie had married Jessie Wilkerson.
By 1930, Sam and Luvina had returned to Sainte Genevieve County, Missouri. They were living in Union Township (not to be confused with Union, Missouri).
Samuel Vaden Scott died of liver cancer on 28 July 1931 at the home of his son, William Edward Scott in Goode Township, Franklin County, Illinois. He was buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser, Franklin County, Illinois. He was survived by his wife, Lavina; three daughters, Clara Maybelle (Scott) Mooneyham, Clora Dell (Scott) Roberts Adams, and Lillie Ellen (Scott) Wilkerson; a son, William Edward Scott.
Further Actions / Follow-up
Research the period between Samuel’s birth and the birth of Francis.
I PATIENCE A. ROBERTS (, OF SESSER, FRANKLIN COUNTY STATE OF ILLINOIS BEING DULY SWORN DOTH DEPOSE AND SAY, THAT THE FAMILY RECORD PRESENTED IS A RECORD OF MY OWN BIRTH AS KEPT BY MY FAMILY IN THE FAMILY BIBLE. AND FURTHER THIS DEPONENT SAYETH NOT.
Her
PatienceA + Roberts
Mark
WITNESS TO MARK
F. P. Scott
Subscribed and sworn to before me the 12th day of July 1917.
James M. McColson
Notary Republic
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
This is to certify that the above mentioned Patience A. Roberts appeared before me this day in person and testified to the above affidavit and presented the family record, and I do hereby certify that such record appeared clear and without blemishes, erasures or alterations whatever and the date of birth given as follows: Patience Marchel (Patience A. Roberts) was born in Jefferson County, Illinois December 30th. 1845.
James M. McCollson
Subscribed and sworn to before me this the 13th day of July 1917.
J. L. Cross J P
Affidavit showing birth of Patience A Marchel (Marshall)
I find it interesting that this document uses a spelling of Marshall that I haven’t used in my searches before (Marchel).
The 1900 US Federal Census Record is often a Treasure Trove of information. It provides a unique set of information including month and year of birth as well as the number of children a woman has had and how many of her children are still living. It can also provide clues to other items of interest. The 1900 Census record showing Samuel Scott and family is such a record, confusing and confounding.
1900 Census showing Samuel Scott and family
Per the 1900 Census, Samuel and Luvina had been married for 6 years, suggesting they were married in 1893 or 1894. However, the Illinois County Marriages index indicates that Samuel and Lavinia married on 25 Dec 1892 indicating they had been married 7 years and not 6. I can live with that difference.
More interesting is that the Census indicates that Luvina had had three children, two of whom were still living. Then I noticed the interesting bit. Per the census, Samuel’s son William was born four months before his son Elmer (Dec 1893 then Apr 1894). Yikes!
Another researcher that I trust indicated that Samuel and Lavinia had a daughter, Amanda, who was born and died in 1897, that fit the child that the census indicated was dead.
Either Elmer or William must be one of Lavinia’s living children, but which one? I can’t believe she gave birth to two children, four months apart. I have ascribed Lavinia as Elmer’s mother, so I’m leaving that in place for now. But the question is, who is William H Scott, son of Samuel Vaden Scott; who is his mother? (Amanda Jane Haley died in 1889 so can’t be William H.’s mother. Very confusing. Was there another wife? Is the Census record wrong?
Continuing, if Elmer or William is Luvenia’s child, then it would appear that Gertrude was Lavinia’s other living child. But, Gertrude was born in March of 1892, before Samuel and Luvenia were married. If that is the case, Gertrude must be from her previous marriage.
Samuel Vaden Scott c. 1902
What I gleaned from the 1900 Census.
Samuel was born Nov 1860
Luvenia was born Jan 1862
Gertrude was born Mar 1892, probably the daughter of Luvina and William Shockley.
Elmer W was born Apr 1894, probably the son of Samuel and Luvina.
William H was born Dec 1893, probably the son of Samuel and Unknown.
There are other bits and pieces that the 1900 Census provides. For example, Samuel’s mother may have been born in Kentucky, different from some other records. None of the three children were attending school (although Gertrude was 8), and Samuel was a farm laborer renting a house (not a farm).
I never look at one Census as absolutely correct, however, the census can provide areas for further inquiry and suggest possibilities which may not otherwise be evident.
I’m still looking. Maybe other census or other records I find will provide clarity into the parentage of these three children.
List of Grands
Grandfather Bert Allen Roberts
Great-Grandmother: Clora Dell Scott
2nd Great-Grandfather: Samuel Vaden Scott
3rd Great-Grandfather: William Hunter Scott.
Further actions:
Track and Trace Samuel Vaden Scott through the other Census records.
I love it when a document makes me reassess what I think I know. I recently received a copy of some of the documents regarding Patience Anna (Marshall) Roberts application for the pension of Asa Roberts. One of the documents was a deposition by John Willmore and Hester Ramsey swearing that Asa’s former wife, Cynthia M Roberts died 26 March 1872. Who? I thought Asa’s first wife was Elizabeth Minerva Toney and she had died on 26 March 1872. I had Elizabeth Minerva because her son’s marriage record said his mother’s name was Elizabeth. So, now I know something is wrong. Are Elizabeth Minerva Roberts and Cynthia Minerva Roberts one person or two? My guess is that Cynthia is the correct name and George’s marriage record is wrong. So, that is how I’ll enter the wife of Asa Roberts, but I’ll still include a note about George’s mother’s name.
Amanuensis Monday
Deposition: 20 Dec 1887 – Regarding Pension of Asa Roberts
Transcription by Don Taylor 18 Dec 2016
Deposition
State of Illinois County of
Jefferson 1887 on this 20th
day of December 1887 personally
appeard [sic] John Willmore
Hester L Ramsey who being
duly sworn declare that Cynthia M Roberts died March the 26, 1872. Cynthia M Roberts was the former wife of Asa Roberts
And we are disinterested in the matter
to which this relates. John Willsmore,
C.A. McCullen – Hester L Ramsey
Loyd Ramsey
Sworn to and subscribed
before me on this 20th day of
December 1887 and I certify
that the affiants are respectable
persons that they know the
content of there [sic] dispositions and
that there [sic] statements are entitled
to full faith and credit I pers…
certify that I have no interest
direct or indirect in the above claim
W. A. Clark
[Boh’ee] Magistrate
Facts Found:
John Willmore & Hester L Ramsey were alive on 20 Dec 1887.
Cynthia M. Roberts, the former wife of Asa Roberts, died 26 Mar 1872.
