Genesee-Saint Clair County MI Archives Biographies.....Chamberlain, Elliott B. 1833 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 2, 2007, 6:35 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

ELLIOTT B. CHAMBERLAIN, who has a fine farm on section 32, Flushing Township,
Genesee County, was born in Steuben County, N. Y., March 2, 1833. His parents,
Barney and Betsey (Bartlette) Chamberlain, were both natives of New Hampshire,
who removed to New York in 1833, and there carried on a farm for two years,
after which they came to St. Clair, Mich., and made that their home until 1837,
when they came to Flushing, and located where the village now stands.

  Barney Chamberlain was the first who came to locate within the bounds of this
village, and during the second year he bought forty acres which is now a part of
the cemetery, and having built a log house settled in it and commenced clearing
the timber from his land. He remained there for many years and then moved to
where James Penoyer now lives, and there remained until his death which took
place in 1874. His devoted wife had passed from earth in 1847, while the family
was residing on the old homestead in Flushing Township.

  The father of our subject was made Overseer of the Poor and also Roadmaster.
His political views were of the Whig persuasion and he was also a member of the
Masonic order. When he first came to Flushing there was no market nearer than
Pontiac, and later on Flint was the market town. It took him six days to go to
Pontiac and return with his double ox-team. Of his four children two are now
living, Caleb and our subject.

  The early education of our subject was taken in a small school house at
Flushing where the High School building now stands. All the time that he could
be spared from school the boy used in helping to clear the land and putting it
in shape for cultivation. At the age of fifteen years he engaged in the lumber
business on the Flint River, which line of work he followed for nine winters,
camping out through all that time.

  After Mr. Chamberlain went out of the lumber business he followed threshing,
first with the old horse power and later with the steam thresher, receiving from
six to three cents per bushel for this service, and continued in this business
for eighteen seasons. He had quite a circuit of customers and went from farm to
farm within six miles of his home. During one season he threshed for seventy
days and booked over $700.

  Our subject commenced farming in 1855 on the east side of Flint River on
section 23, Flushing Township. Here he bought forty acres of land all of it in
timber and built upon it a small board house. He lived here for about thirty
years, and after clearing away the timber and putting the land in shape for
crops carried on general farming.

  When Mr. Chamberlain sold that property he purchased eighty acres where he now
lives, and upon this he has a beautiful home one mile and a half from Flushing.
On the 4th of November, 1855, he married Miss Maria Thompson, a native of Oneida
County, N. Y., and daughter of Charles and Milison (Betts) Thompson. Mr.
Thompson was a native of Chatham Township, Columbia County, N. Y., as was also
his good wife, and he devoted himself to farming although later in life he was a
stonemason. He came to Michigan in 1851 and lived on section 23, Flushing
Township, where he continued to make his home with our subject until his death
which took place in 1869. His devoted companion departed this life in Oneida
Comity, N. Y., June 9, 1830.

  The principles and policy of the Democratic party are those which are approved
by Mr. Chamberlain. He belongs to the Farmers' alliance, of Genesee County, and
he also belongs to the order of Masonry. Take him all in all Mr. Chamberlain is
not only one of the most prominent citizens of the township but is also one of
the most useful members of society.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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