In 1666, the three families of Thomas, Edmond and William Chamberlain live very close to each other in Middlesex Co., Massachusetts and share the experience of this time in history. Therefore, I will cover their history simultaneously in this post. 1656 to 1675 was a time of peace for the Puritans, with the exception of the 1668 dispute with the Ana Baptists. However, their tranquility abruptly ended and became a storm of fire with the beginning of the King Phillips Indian war.

In this chapter, names are marked with a superscript to identify parental line and generation number. Hopefully, this will help keep the identities of the different generations with the same name straight. A detailed list of the children of Thomas^T1, Edmond^E1 and William^W1 is at the end of this chapter.

The Spencer Chamberlain family

My own Chamberlain family is blessed with two lines of descendants from the three Chamberlain brothers to Spencer Chamberlain. Spencer was born in Westmoreland, New Hampshire in 1786.

Our traditional family line goes through “Paugus” John Chamberlain, famous for his duel with the Indian Chief Paugus. This John Chamberlain, a descendant of Thomas, was believed to be our family ancestor for over 90 years. The story of Paugus John has formed a special bond in our family tradition. Therefore, he will always be an important part of our family’s history. This is our traditional line: Thomas^T1, Thomas^T2, Thomas^T3, “Paugus” John^T4, John^T5 and John^T6,  the traditional father of Spencer Chamberlain.

However, new irrefutable evidence shows that Spencer’s family actually came through William. (See Chapter 10 ,  Chapter 15 and Chapter D3). This is our actual Line: William^W1, Daniel^W2, and Thomas^W3 and John^W4  the father of Spencer Chamberlain.

The TEW Chamberlain family 1666-1667

1666 Thomas^T1 and Mary, Edmond and Mary and William^W1 and Rebecca are now settled in their new homes in towns named after those far across the sea that they had known in their youth, Chelmsford and Billerica. This was a generally peaceful time filled with farm work, family gatherings and religious activities and discussions.

10 Aug 1666 Thomas Chamberlain^T2 now age 27, married Sarah Proctor. She is the daughter of Robert Proctor and Jane Hildreth.² Robert Proctor had purchased part of the Dudley grant in Billerica from Thomas Chamberlain.^{T1 4}

30 May 1667 The first son of Thomas^T2 and Sarah Chamberlain was born in Chelmsford. They named him Thomas.^T3  4

A public dispute with the Ana Baptists

14 April 1668 The hot topic of conversation this day was centered on the “public dispute” with the Ana Baptists being held at the meeting house in Boston.⁸ The Ana Baptists were Calvinists in theology, differing from the Puritans only in their denial of the validity of infant baptism. Their strict adherence to the letter of Scripture led them to reject the practice.

The Ana Baptist also were considering Roger Williams’ revolutionary new idea of having tolerance for the beliefs of others. Williams, though working within the limits of Calvinistic theology, helped to disseminate and implement his doctrine of soul liberty, and the concept of avoiding union with civil authority and coercion of the local church by secular authority.⁷

The Puritans had made a huge leap toward religious liberty by breaking ties with the Church of England. However, they had not yet grasped the concept that this freedom should be available to others. Especially, when a somewhat uneducated group disagrees with their highly educated ministers on a doctrine as important as the ordinance of baptism.

The debate with the Ana Baptists had been set to start at 9 o’clock that morning, “that it might be determined whither they be erroneous or not.” Six eminent clergymen had been nominated to manage the dispute on the Puritan side. It was an animated session. However, the Baptists were not able to convince their opponents.⁸

July 1668 Some of those who took part in the debate and denied the validity of infant baptism were imprisoned for heresy. The warrant for their arrest was signed by Daniel Gookin and five others.⁸

Chamberlain family 1669-1674

6 Dec 1669 Mary Turner Chamberlain, wife of Edmond died in Chelmsford.

20 Dec 1669 Three weeks later Mary Parker Chamberlain, wife of Thomas Chamberlain^T1 died in Chelmsford, she was 49.⁴

1670 Edmond Chamberlain married his 2nd wife Hannah (Witter) Burdett at Chelmsford.¹ They soon moved to Malden, Massachusetts where she had lived previously.¹¹

27 Sep 1671 Daniel Chamberlain^W2 was born in Billerica, the youngest of thirteen children born to the youngest of the three brothers, William Chamberlain^W1 and his wife Rebecca.³

In 1673 William Chamberlain was town constable of Billerica. This note is signed “William Chamberlain, Constable”

16 April 1674 Thomas Chamberlain^T1 married another Mary Parker. She was his twice widowed neighbor Mary Jones Poulter Parker. Her previous marriages were to 1-John Poulter, Sr. of Essex Co. England. She had two children in her first marriage, but  none by John Parker or Thomas Chamberlain.^T1 4

The King Phillips Indian War

On June 24,1675, in Plymouth Colony three Indian warriors were executed. They had been tried and found guilty of murdering John Sassamon, a Harvard educated Indian convert to Christianity.⁵

John Sassamon had served as an interpreter and adviser to the Indian chief King Philip, (the English name that had been given to Chief Metacomet). Philip had accused him of spying for the colonists. His murder and the subsequent execution of the three warriors ignited a tinderbox of tensions between Indians and whites that had been smoldering for 55 years over a number of issues including land claim disputes such as grazing of colonial livestock on Indian hunting and fishing grounds.⁵ This was the beginning of the King Philips Indian War.

Immediately the Indians killed or wounded several Englishmen at Swansey and burned the town. Philip and his warriors spread themselves over the country, devastating, burning, and plundering keeping New England in a constant state of alarm. They moved with stealth from place to place and disappeared into the swamps and thickets when being pursued.⁶

July 1675 Fifteen English were slain at Taunton.  Middleboro, Dartmouth, and other neighboring towns and villages were also attacked and burned.^6,9

Troops from Boston and Plymouth were hurried to the scene of action, but in less than a month Philip and his warriors had fled and taken refuge among the Indians in the interior. The terrible conflict had only just begun.⁶

About eight thousand of the English colonists were capable of bearing arms. Massachusetts made ready for service several cavalry companies, each composed of sixty men, plus officers. They were mounted, and armed with swords, carbines, and pistols. Training was always begun and ended with prayer.⁶

2 Aug 1675 Brookfield was destroyed 3 slain. Lancaster, Northampton, Deerfield, and Northfield also suffered during the summer.  Captain Beers was surprised and slain with most of his company.  Captain Lathrop and his ninety men were ambushed by about 700 Indians while marching to Deerfield. He and nearly all his men were killed at the place now known as Bloody Brook.^6,9

Constable Edmond Chamberlain summoned

Aug 1675 Edmond Chamberlain, who had been elected constable of Malden was summond: “These require you in his majestys name on sight hereof to Impress ten able horses well shod with bridles and sadles… to Capt. Davis’ house in Boston by eight of the clock in the morning… not to faile at yor perrill.”

On the other side of the paper is written in fine clear hand writing: “I have imprest ten horses for the use of the centre according to the temer of the warrant”, signed Edmond Chamberlin¹¹

 

 

The Indian war September and October 1675

18 Sept 1675 Captain Turner, with one hundred and eighty men, in a night ride across the country, surprised and routed about 350 Indians at some water falls in Connecticut. The Indians had congregated there to send out war parties from this location. Their ammunition and provisions were destroyed and Philip’s allies scattered every direction. Thirty of Turners men were lost in battle. This location was later named Turner Falls.^6,9

5 October 1675 Springfield was assaulted. Lt. Cooper and several others killed. Thirty houses were burned and other buildings were destroyed.^6,9

7 October 1675 This date was appointed as a day of general fasting and prayer which gave the people courage.⁹

19 Oct 1675 Hatfield, a small town on the West side of the Connecticut River, was furiously attacked by a swarm of 700 Indians. The place was preserved by the valor of the English. The Puritans saw this as a miraculous event and the act of Providence.^6,9

(Note: My desire to place events in chronological order may have, for the first time, made a connection between the two previous events.)

After the Indians stunning defeat at Hatfield, Philip’s warriors dispersed. Some of them fled to their friends of the massive tribe called the Narragansets. The English demanded that they should be given up. The Narragansets refused. The English, fearing that they would join with Philip against them, were determined to prevent it.⁶

Thomas Chamberlain Jr. stationed at Groton

30 Nov 1675 Thomas Chamberlain^T2 was stationed at the garrison in Groton, Massachusetts⁴

The Great Swamp Fight

The Narraganset had a large fort situated on an island in an extensive swamp in Rhode Island. Philip and his warriors intended to pass the winter there with all their women and children. There were about five hundred wigwams containing a population of about three thousand persons, as well as their grain and provision for the winter. The fort was strongly defended with sharp-pointed upright stakes and surrounded by a ditch. Tubs of corn, piled one upon another presented a bullet proof shield to the wigwams.⁶

19 Dec 1675 The colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Connecticut sent fifteen hundred men. Their mission was clear. They must strike a blow at the fort while the warriors were gathered there, and before the return of spring which would again enable them to renew their attacks on the settlements.^6,9

The English were required to run through a narrow causeway facing a blizzard of wind and snow to make the attack. Six captains and many soldiers had soon fallen from the intense shower of arrows coming from the thicket.⁶  Edmund Jr., the 19-year-old son of Edmond Chamberlain Sr., was a soldier in Capt. Samuel Moseley’s Company. He was one of those who perished in this battle.¹²

Once the English were inside the nest a terrible slaughter ensued which included men, women and children. No mercy was shown. The warriors fought with great energy driven by their desperate situation. The cabins were torched and all had to flee into the freezing thicket or perished in the flames.^6,9

Philip escaped with many of his followers. The Narragansets were decimated. It is estimated that about seven hundred of them were killed. The enemy was deprived of some 700 bushels of desperately needed corn. The English lost over eighty men and an even larger number were wounded.^6,9

Contempt for Indians, obsolete British tactics result in disaster

10 February 1676 Lancaster was burned to the ground, and fifty persons killed or captured. The Indians then struck at Medfield where fifty houses were burned, and twenty inhabitants slain.

2 March 1676 The Indians’ wrath was felt at Groton where 50 families deserted their homes and and when they returned only 15 were left standing. The destruction and loss of life soon followed in the towns of Chelmsford, Northampton, Springfield, Marlborough, Sudbury, Warwick, Rehoboth, and Providence.^6,9

At Pawtucket, Captain Pierce was ambushed. He and almost all his party of seventy were slain. These disasters were repeated in part owing to their careless contempt for the Indians and adhering to obsolete British tactics. After this they were more cautious.⁶

26 March 1676 Two captains with seventy men while marching to Marlborough were attacked and both killed with more than half their men. The Indians set the dry grass and woods on fire driving the English into the open and then overwhelmed them.^6,9

King Phillip shot by brother of John Sassamon

August 1676 At Mount hope, Philip was surrounded by Capt. Church’s Company. He was shot by John Arderman, who was a “praying Indian” (Christian convert), and the  brother of John Sassamon. The execution of Sassamon by order of Philip was the first spark that ignited the Indian war in June 1675.⁹

Captain Still’s march toward Indian headquarters at Pequawket

23 Sep 1676  Captain Joseph Sill’s company, including Thomas Chamberlain^T2 marched on toward Ossipee and Pequawket.⁴ This was the headquarters for the Indians in the North. The company of men under the command of Capt. Sill, Capt. Hunting and Capt. Hawthorn consisted of 130 English and 40 Indians. These also combined with another company led by Capt. Frost and Major Waldren.⁹

26 Sept 1676  Major Waldren’s regiment captured a gathering of 400 Indians. They were “hamsomly surprized” and surrendered without a single life lost, neither Indian nor English.⁹ The Indians had been led to believe they were there to sign a truce, but SURPRIZE!!!¹⁰ They sent them to Boston for trial. Eight, with English blood on their hands, were executed, the rest were re-located.

Thomas Chamberlain’s^T2 unit under Capt. Sill and the other units continued North until they came to four feet deep snow. They decided to abandon their objective and return because they had no “rackets under their feet,” (snow shoes).⁹  Ironically, Thomas’ grandson John Chamberlain under the leadership of Captain Lovewell with 34 men will complete this mission to Ossipee and Pequawket in Dummer’s Indian War fifty years later.  Chapter 6- John Chamberlain and the Battle at Pequawket.

Greatest proportion of life lost in American History

Skirmishes continued between the two foe through 1677 until peace was finally established in 1678. The cost of this war in lives was the greatest in proportion to the population ever in North America. A dozen or more towns were completely destroyed, one in twenty of the able-bodied men had fallen, and one family in twenty had their home burned to the ground. In addition to this the colonies had incurred a debt of half a million dollars. This was an enormous amount for those days, but the war broke forever the power of the Indians in southern New England.⁶

A chronological history of the Indians of New England from 1604 through 1692 is presented in Chapter 14.

 

The children of Thomas Chamberlain and Mary Parker.

1-Thomas Chamberlain^T2 born in Virginia in 1639, date inferred by age of baptism about seventeen in 1655.² .
2-Anna Chamberlain b. probably in Virginia, date unknown.
3-Samuel Chamberlain b. 7 August 1645, Woburn, Middlesex, MA¹³
4-Mary Chamberlain b. 3 November 1648, Woburn, Middlesex, MA¹³

The children of Edmond Chamberlain and Mary Turner¹

1-Mary Chamberlain b. 16 Apr 1648, Roxbury, Suffolk, MA. She likely died before 1675 as a second Mary Chamberlain was born to Edmond and his second wife.
2-Sarah Chamberlain b. 18 Oct 1649, Woburn, Middlesex, MA, d. 25 Dec 1717 Roxbury MA. She married Joseph Davis, 28 October 1670 at Roxbury, MA.¹³
3-John Chamberlain b. 12 Jan 1651; d. 3 Mar 1653, Woburn, Middlesex, MA.¹³
4-Elizabeth Chamberlain b. 11 Mar 1652, Wobrun, MA, d. 1678 Woburn, MA. Her birth record calls her “daughter of Edmond Chamberlin” Her baptism in 1656 with her siblings identifies her as “Elizabeth about 5 years old”. She married Thomas Wheeler, 5 May 1673 at Charlestown, MA.
5-John Chamberlain b. about 1654 Woburn, MA, d. 27 December 1721 Chelsea MA. He married Hannah, about 1677 probably in Middlesex Co. MA.
6-Edmund Chamberlain b. 30 May 1656, Chelmsford, Middlesex, MA. d. 19 December 1675 in “The Great Swamp Fight” (see story below). He was never married.
7-Jacob Chamberlain b. 15 Oct 1658, Chelmsford, MA. d. 7 Nov 1721 Roxbury, MA. Married twice: Mary Child, 24 Jan 1684, Roxbury MA and Sarah (Faxton) Weld, 29 April 1719, Roxbury, MA.

The children of Edmond Chamberlain and Hannah Witter Burditt¹²

1-Susanna b. June 1671 Malden, Middlesex, MA. d. 6 May 1672, Malden, MA.
2-Ebenezer b.1 April 1672, Malden, MA., d. 6 December 1672, Malden, MA.
3- Susanna b. June 1674 Malden, MA., d. 16 December 1713 Boston, Suffolk, MA. Married as his second wife to John Tuckerman, 14 November 1693, Boston, MA.
4- Edmund Chamberlain III b. 31 January 1675, Malden, MA., d. 18 December 1751 Woodstock, Windham, Connecticut. He married Elizabeth Bartholomew, 21 November 1699, Woodstock, Windham, Connecticut.
5- Mary Chamberlain bp. 22 September 1678, Roxbury, Suffolk, MA. Married James Leavens, 21 November 1699, Woodstock, Connecticut,

The children of William Chamberlain and Rebecca Addington (or Shelly)³

1-Timothy Chamberlain b. 13 Nov 1649, Woburn, Middlesex, MA¹³
2-Isaac Chamberlain b. 1 Oct 1650, Woburn, Middlesex, MA
3-William Chamberlain b. 9 April 1652
4-John Chamberlain b. 22 Jan 1654
5-Sarah Chamberlain b. 20 May 1655, Billerica, Middlesex, MA
6-Jacob Chamberlain b. 18 Jan 1657, Billerica, Middlesex, MA
7-Thomas Chamberlain b. 20 Feb 1659, Billerica, Middlesex, MA
8-Edmund Chamberlain b.15 Jul 1660. Billerica, Middlesex, MA
9-Rebecca Chamberlain b. 25 Feb 1662, Billerica, Middlesex, MA
10-Abraham Chamberlain b. 6 Jan 1664, Billerica, Middlesex, MA
11-Ann Chamberlain b. 3 Mar 1666, Billerica, Middlesex, MA
12-Clement Chamberlain b. 30 May 1669, Billerica, Middlesex, MA
13-Daniel Chamberlain^W2 b. 27 Sep 1671, Billerica, Middlesex, MA

To be continued……

Chapter 5. Rebecca Chamberlain and the Salem Witch Trials. The William Chamberlain family and the town of Billerica, were greatly affected by what was happening in a nearby town called Salem Village in 1692. (Published, September 23, 2016).

For more Chamberlain history stories see “Table of Contents”.

© Copyright Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2016. 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. 1. Prentiss Glazier, Chamberlain Families of Early New England, p. 152.
   2. Chamberlain Family – The First Six Generations
   3. Rebecca Addington or Shelly Chamberlain, www.findagrave.com
   4. George W. Chamberlain, One Branch of the Descendants of Thomas Chamberlain of Woburn, Worccester Mass, 1897
   5.  Jason W. Warren, King Philip’s War, Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com
   6. The King Philips War, www.heritage-history.com
   7. Herbert Lee Osgood, The Treatment of Baptists in Seventeenth Century New England, 1904. www.baptisthomepage.com
   8. Fredrick William Gookin, Daniel Gookin, His Life and Letters, Chicago, 1912.
   9. William Hubbard, Indian Wars in New England, Roxbury, Mass, MDCCCXV.
   10. Samuel Drake, Extensive notes: Indian Wars in New England, Roxbury, Mass, MDCCCXV.
   11. David C. Chamberlain, Sr., Edmund of Woburn, www.woosnap.com

   12. Familysearch.org Sources Listed:
       Chamberlain Association of America, Mss Gen., New England Historic Society, SG/CHA/49-14, Edmund of Roxbury [RC321-1 thru 4R, #1]. Chamberlain Families, by Prentiss Glazier, Vol. I, “Chamberlain Families in Connecticut, 1790,” P. 42; Vol. II, “Descendants of Edmund¹ Chamberlain of Roxbury,” pp. 27-28. The History of Woodstock, Connecticut, Norwood, MA, 1926, by Clarence Winthrop Bowen, Vol. III, P. 270 [RC 397]. A History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, by W. Waters, 1917, Three Volumes, Vol. 1, P. 27 [RC 285]. History of Peter Parker and Sarah Ruggles, by J.W. Linzie, 1913, pp. 147, 371, 374, 541. Cutter’s book on early Connecticut familes. Also see, the histories of Roxbury, Chelsea, Malden, Revere, Dudley, and Hopkinton, MA. And other sources listed upon request.

   13. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L979-HYCF?i=8&cc=2061550