John Chamberlain Biography

	This biography appears on pages 1053-1054 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOHN CHAMBERLAIN, one of the sterling pioneers of Cambria township, 
Brown county, is a native of the city. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
where he was born on the 2d of March, 1831, being a son of John and Anna 
Chamberlin, both of whom were born and reared in the state of New 
Jersey, the father being a miller by vocation. The subject was reared to 
manhood in the state of New Jersey, having been assigned to the care of 
his uncle when he was eleven years of age. In that state he gained his 
education and at the age of sixteen entered upon a four-years 
apprenticeship at the trade of wagon-making, receiving the sum of one 
hundred dollars in cash for the services rendered during this period, 
while he was permitted to work in the harvest fields two weeks each 
season, thereby gaining a little extra money. In 1852 he came west to 
Kingston, Green Lake county, Wisconsin, where he established a shop and 
engaged in the work of his trade, also dealing in general merchandise on 
a small scale. He followed his trade for a period of thirty years, 
having been foreman of a large shop in Vermont prior to his removal to 
Wisconsin. He remained in Kingston seven years and then removed to 
Portage City, Wisconsin, where he was for one year employed in the car 
shops of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Later he removed to 
Randolph, in the same state, where he made his home until 1880, having 
served as postmaster of the town for the greater portion of the 
intervening period. In the year mentioned Mr. Chamberlin came to what is 
now the state of South Dakota, taking up a homestead claim in Brown 
county, on July 15th, this being the place on which he has ever since 
continued to reside, having brought his family to the pioneer farm in 
October of the same year. During the winter of 1880-81 he and his family 
occupied a sod house on an adjoining farm, and during a period of eight 
months no other woman than his wife entered the primitive dwelling, with 
one exception, the nearest neighbors being one and a half miles or more 
distant. It is needless to say that the family encountered its quota of 
hardships and deprivations, and during the winter mentioned some of the 
flour used in the household was obtained by grinding the wheat in a 
common coffee-mill. In the fall of 1880 Mr. Chamberlin hauled lumber 
from Watertown and constructed a small house on his claim, while his 
present comfortable and attractive farm residence was erected about 
fifteen years ago, the other farm buildings being likewise of 
substantial order. At the time he came here there were but four or five 
other families in Cambria township. Shortly after taking up his 
residence here Mr. Chamberlin also took up a tree claim, and his landed 
estate now comprises four hundred and eighty acres, of which three 
hundred and twenty comprise the home place, while the remaining one 
hundred and sixty acres constitute a separate farm, about a half mile 
distant. The subject has from the beginning devoted his attention mainly 
to the raising of grain and at the present time he devotes three hundred 
acres to this branch of his enterprise. He has raised as high as thirty 
bushels to the acre, and his largest crop in one year aggregated thirty 
thousand bushels. He was prominently concerned in the organization of 
the township and has been closely identified with its development and 
material upbuilding. He has served for many years as chairman of the 
board of township trustees, and in 1891 he was elected to the office of 
county commissioner, in which capacity he served three years. In 
politics he is arrayed as a stalwart supporter of. the principles of the 
People's party, and both he and his wife are zealous and valued members 
of the Methodist Episcopal church at Booth. They were concerned in the 
organization of the original class which resulted in the founding of 
this church, about 1884, and of the few who thus gathered together for 
worship there is probably but one other left in the township, Mrs. Wenz. 
Mr. Chamberlin has been an official in the church from the time of its 
organization to two years ago and was Sunday school superintendent 
fifteen years.  

	On the 24th of April, 1857, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Chamberlin to Miss Martha I. Clark, who was born and reared in Vermont, 
having received her education in the academy at Brandon, that state, and 
having been a successful teacher for about two years prior to her 
marriage. They have no children.