My father, Lt. Ernest M. Chamberlain, left for Fort Lewis, Washington on December 31, 1941. He was training as an officer in the US Army 76th Field Artillery Brigade. My mother, Agnes Fay Barney Chamberlain, and my brother Martin left the York Apartments at 7th East, 3rd South on January 30, 1942. They moved to her parent’s home at 2657 Alden Street, Salt Lake City, Utah. Dennis Chamberlain (aka me) became part of The Chamberlain Story later this year.

Ernest and Fay Chamberlain wrote to each other almost every day during World War 2. Fay saved every personal letter, card or announcement she ever received. She therefore preserved the story of a family in war time 1942, who desperately wanted to be together until the inevitable phone call.

When that call will come, no one knows.

 

Ernest as Officer of the Guard, February 1942

The stories of Ernest Chamberlain as Officer of the Guard tell us a lot about him. He was very serious about his work and put his whole heart into every project in which he was involved. Nevertheless, things didn’t always go as planned.

Ernest graduated from the Officer training course on Sunday, February 15, 1942 and returned to Field Artillery 183rd headquarters. The next morning, February 16 the 76th Brigade was ordered to perform guard duty for all of Fort Lewis.¹

Two groups of guards, each with two officers, had a tour of 48 hours on duty and 48 hours off. Ernest’s partner officer was called away, so Ernest did double duty as both Officer of the Day and Officer of the Guard. He was in charge of about 160 sentries.²

After each shift, Ernest inspected all 18 posts. Some of his observations bothered him so he called for a meeting with his guards after their first 48 hour tour.

We were at war and a west coast military base was very vulnerable. Guard duty was not merely a training exercise, they were actually defending the fort against possible attack. Ernest stressed the importance of doing what’s necessary in event of emergency.

One post was especially vulnerable to sabotage. The water tanks, on a hill were surrounded by trees and dense foliage. “On that post after dark,” Ernest instructed his men, “do not march around that fence like a tin soldier! Be innovative and vary your routine. If I see and challenge you before you challenge me you are not walking your post in a military manner. And if I leave your post without being challenged you will have plenty of explaining to do”.¹

Ernest didn’t realize what he was creating.

The next night was cold and dark. As Ernest conducted his inspections, he came to the post he hated most, the water tower. The thought of guards with little experience and live ammunition added to his anxiety. His jeep slowly ascended the narrow winding dirt road toward the tower.  Suddenly, from the the darkness behind them cracked the command, “HALT!”²

The driver slammed on the brakes. Ernest hurled toward the windshield. They stopped the motor and shut off the lights as the guard commanded. Ernest got out of the jeep. “I shook my leg to see if anything would fall out of my pants”, he wrote.²  They then marched along the road as instructed. Suddenly, from the bushes ahead, a light flashed into their faces.

Lt. Chamberlain was now identified.

The guard then stepped out of the bushes and came to “Present Arms” as a salute to the officer. The young guard looked like a boy scout, no bigger than his rifle with its attached bayonet. Now that Lt. Chamberlain was identified another guard fifteen yards ahead emerged from the shadows. “They certainly had me covered”, Ernest wrote.²

On later inspections, Ernest left the jeep and walked up the trail to try to surprise them. Invariably, as he walked along the fence, a guard with a rifle almost in his back would shout the challenge, “HALT!” It was in a different place each time.¹  “I was right proud of my boys”, Ernest wrote, “but so help me it was a real thriller diller.”²

Later, one guard told Ernest that everyone wanted that post “so they could scare the hell out of Lt. Chamberlain.¹

Chamberlain’s guards during an air alert and black out

During the 48 hour guard duty tour of February 25th and 26th Ernest inspected every post two or three times. By 11 pm of the second 24 hours Ernest was exhausted. He returned and told the Sergeant of the Guard not to wake him for anything but an emergency.¹

At 8:00 am someone shook him awake. “The Post Headquarters Adjutant wants to see you in his office immediately”, said the sergeant. “Did you know there was an air alert and blackout last night?” the sergeant asked as they rushed toward the jeep.

“I heard some sirens but quickly fell back to sleep”, Ernest replied.¹

Ernest arrived at headquarters and entered the office of the Adjutant, Major Garver.³

Major Garver: “Lt. Chamberlain, did you know there was an air alert last night?”¹

Lt. Chamberlain: “Yes sir.”

Major Garver: “Was it your guards who were guarding the Officer Family Barracks?”

Lt. Chamberlain: “Yes sir”.

Major Garver: I have received numerous complaints about the action of your guards. After the sirens sounded the guards pounded on each door with the butt of their rifle and shouted “Come out immediately or I’ll come in after you”. They didn’t give them time to dress but rushed them out in their night clothes. When everyone was out they herded them to the 3rd Division Parade Ground and forced them to lay on the grass in spread eagle position! What do you have to say about that?¹

“Spread eagle on the Parade Ground?”, Ernest gasped. “That does seem rather excessive.” He grasped and groped for words. Finally he said, “Well sir, I am only thankful that I am here to account for this possible over action rather than a lack of action with a lot of dead people in a bombed out barracks.”¹

The Major stared straight ahead without expression or comment. He  then continued: “Last night were the guards at the warehouse under you?“¹

Lt. Chamberlain: “Yes sir”.

Major Garver: I had two calls, one from Union Pacific Railroad and one from the Engineers Union. They claimed that when one of their engines crossed the Olympia-Tacoma highway and slowly entered the warehouse area, a guard stood in front of it and flagged it to a halt.^1,4

The guard said, “This is a black out, turn out your head light”. The engineer refused. The guard said, “Either shut it off or I’ll shoot it out”. The engineer continued to stall. The guard marched around to the front and raised his rifle. The engineer hit the switch in time to save the light. The train remained there until the “All Clear Signal”.^1,4

The engineer was very unhappy. The train was late and not allowed to move without its light. Also the railroad cars were blocking the highway and traffic was backed up half way to Tacoma on one side and half way to Olympia on the other. Lt. Chamberlain, what do you say about that?^1,4

A very nervous Lt. Chamberlain: “Well sir, I do not know of any instructions we have received pertaining to trains. However, our instructions pertaining to vehicles were that all vehicle lights other than cat-eyes were to be turned out during black outs”.¹

When Ernest was dismissed, he felt sure he would soon be released as Officer of the Guard. Nevertheless, as he walked out of the office he believed he heard the major chuckle.¹

He was not released. In fact, he never heard any more on the subject.¹

The World in March 1942

The world was not a very inviting place in March 1942. Nevertheless, I had been invited and was on my way. Gratefully, my destination was the USA, and to loving parents Ernest and Fay Chamberlain, and to the peaceful home of my grandparents, Archie and Livonia Barney.

In March 1942 the world was a mess and our freedom was in serious peril. The Imperial Empire of Japan scored a major victory in the naval battle of Java Sea. The Allies lost 5 ships and 2300 sailors while Japan lost 36 sailors. Japan attacked and occupied the towns of Salamaua and Lae and secured airbases on the northeast coast of New Guinea. After victory in Borneo they were well on their to way to occupy all of Dutch East India, (Indonesia). They surrounded the Philippines. General Douglass MacArthur narrowly escaped with his family and staff. In Australia he declared, “I shall return.”

A German submarine near Cuba torpedoed and sank the USS Texan an American Cargo Ship. At Riga, in Nazi occupied Latvia, 3740 men, women and children (Jews, Gypsies and those who opposed the occupation) were taken into the nearby woods and shot.⁵

This was the state of the world when I arrived.

March 16, 1942

On the morning of Monday, March 16, 1942 Fay Chamberlain opened the trap door in the bathroom floor and dumped the laundry through the hole. It fell into a basket on the floor in the basement. “At nine am”, she wrote in a letter to her husband, “the pains started and were every ten minutes apart. I went down and did the washing without telling anyone about them.”⁶

The washing machine hummed a soothing rhythm as the clothing swished back and forth. She took the clothes out of the water, placed them piece by piece through the ringer, then pinned them on the line to dry.

In her letter she continued: “By 11:00 the pains were quit hard and I decided I might as well tell them and get it over with.“⁶ Fay did not like to be the center of attention, especially during times of distress. Therefore, she always understated her pain and discomfort. “The pain got pretty good and I called the Doctor. He said ‘Go to the hospital Immediately!'”⁶

She then took a bath and “leisurely packed” her things.⁶ She didn’t want to get to the hospital too soon and have to stay overnight without Ernest there. Her pains were now 4 minutes apart.

Her father was at work. Archie Barney recorded in his journal: “At about 1 pm Fay called me from home, asked if I could take her to the hospital.”⁷

Archie came home and got her and Livonia and they where on their way. There was one minor detour. Fay had to stop at the Bank in downtown Salt Lake to get money to pay the hospital. “So Dad took me to the bank to get the money. Wasn’t I crazy? I could have had it on Main Street! I hadn’t told them how hard they were and Mom and Dad figured there was plenty of time. We got to the hospital at 2:30”⁶

Archie and Livonia were unaware they were carrying a ticking time bomb. Fay preferred they were not present for the main event. So she told them everything was fine and sent them into town to run their errands. “Just as they left the room the water broke.”⁶ She called the nurse at 3:10 and at 3:15 she was in the delivery room.

The nurse gave her ether to be sure the doctor could get there in time. “The doctor got there and I remember vaguely, him calling Fay Fay trying to bring me back to this world enough to bring the baby.”⁶ This she did and the baby, (Dennis Dean Chamberlain), was born at 4:02 pm.

“Mom was sure mad when she got back… She was happy it was over but mad at me for sending her away.”⁶ Archie wrote with a hint of disgust: “Fay told us to take our time not hurry. The baby boy was born between 3:30 and 4:00 pm while Livonia and I were at Z.C.M.I.”⁷

Choosing a name

Mother chose the name Dennis Dean and had to name me before Dad’s letter with his approval arrived. Grandma Livonia suggested the name Lewis as in Fort Lewis.

Mother and Dad both very badly wanted a daughter.⁸ Dad was heading his letters, “Dearest Fay, Martin and Fayette.” Mother said Fayette sounded like she had swallowed something. Mom liked Judith or Susan but Dad didn’t like those names. They both liked Sandra Lynne shortened to Lin because of length of Chamberlain.

The Description

Me: Well, I turned out to be a boy, and this is the one time in my life that I was very happy to disappoint my parents.

Mother to my father: “How do you like the idea of having another son?“⁶

Me: She knows the answer to that question, but I am sure she will come to my defense.

Mother continues: “It seemed so funny for awhile. He is so different from Martin, that he seemed like someone else’s baby.”⁶

Me: No Mother! Don’t try the “He was switched at birth” line.

Mother: “It has taken sometime to get used to him. He looks like you in miniature. His nose, mouth and chin is just like yours.”⁶

Me: That’s better, Mom. A little flattery can’t hurt.

Mother: “I don’t know what his eyes are like. I’ve only seen them open once. They are very dark. I believe they will be brown. That would be nice as Martin has such pretty blue ones. His hair is one inch long and curls on top. It is now dark, but looks as though it would go light like Martin’s did. He is still red as a beet, so I can’t tell you of his complexion.”⁶

Me: OK, Mom that’s good! Let’s quit while we are ahead.

Mother: “Oh yes- he has dimples too. He’s so fat he’s just darling!”⁶

Me: Oh geez.

Two packages from Dad

Dad sent two packages with implicit instruction that they were not to be opened until the occasion of my birth and Martin’s second birthday on March 20. Dad was bemoaning the fact that he would not be there to see Martin open his special gift. Mother was still in the hospital on 20th when she wrote: “Gee, darling, you have nothing on me. I don’t get to see Martin on his second birthday either”.⁶ They both had to see Martin open his gift through photographs. His gift was a little Army uniform.

Mother got to open her gift four days earlier. It was a small, silver round music box with a powder puff under the lid. The nurses always played it when they came in her room to tend to her. Mother loved it and was thrilled Dad sent it to her.

She missed Dad a lot especially at visitor hour. Her only consolation was that all other young mothers were in the same situation. Mother was good at hiding her emotions. However, after the birth she exposed her feelings while under anesthesia: In her letter to Ernest she wrote: “Mother tells me I cried my heart out for you while I was coming out of ether. I guess that is what I had been storing up. I don’t allow such goings on when I’m conscious.”⁶

Long hospital stays for child birth were customary at this time. On March 26 Fay’s father Archie picked her up and took her home. On the 28th, my grandfather Harry Chamberlain visited the Barneys and, for the first time, had a good look at the baby. “He is so thrilled with Dennis… and very heartily agrees with us that he looks like you.” Fay wrote to Ernest.

The First Reunion, May 1, 1942

Four months of separation was hard on them. Ernest was lonely, especially on weekends. He wished Fay was there so he could take her to the occasional big dance party in town for the officers. Fay and Ernest didn’t drink alcohol, but at least Ernest could have some social interaction with the men he worked with everyday.

Unfortunately, these parties were not stag. It was rationalized that under the circumstances wives would realize what the men were going through and not mind if there husbands enjoyed an evening with some innocent female companionship. Ernest chose to stay on base. “Their evenings may start OK, Ernest wrote, but when they last so long, (some got back as late as 6:15 am) its not so innocent”.⁹

As soon as Dr. Anderson gave Fay the OK to travel, she could move to Washington. Ernest and Fay both realized the complications. Fay would leave the comfort of family and friends and often would only have the company of her two small children. Ernest may only get off the base once or twice a week. He could be in the country for a year, or he may be called to leave tomorrow. No one knew for sure, perhaps not even the Generals.

On April 8 Fay wrote: “I’m getting anxious and excited about coming up now. I am frightened every time the phone rings and it is for Mrs. E. M. Chamberlain. I’m afraid you are calling to say good bye. I don’t think I could stand it if I didn’t get to see you and have you see your sons before they grow up too much. If we could just be near you for a while. If they will leave you in the country we will be by you where ever it is.”¹⁰

Ernest wrote on April 12: “Let’s throw caution to the winds… If we gamble and I see you for but a moment, no money was ever spent better.”¹¹

The Blessing

Fay suggested that May 4 may be a good day for her to come after their baby was blessed on Sunday May 3. It was customary at the time, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to bless babies at Fast and Testimony meeting on the first Sunday of the month. A group of men of the Melchizedek Priesthood hold the child. One of the group pronounces upon the child its name and gives a blessing.

Ernest was quite adamant that if any arrangements for the blessing had been made, he would change them. “I’m planning on naming Dennis if it is possible… The blessing and naming of a child is a father’s privilege, almost a duty, and one I will be very slow to relinquish.”¹¹

On May 1 my granddad Barney took Mother, Martin and Me to the airport. For Martin and me, the flight to Seattle was our first plane ride. We left Salt Lake City at 4 pm. Seven hours later, at 11 pm, a plane from San Francisco to Salt Lake crashed north of Ensign Peak killing all 17 aboard.¹²

Fay’s old boy friend and former fiance, Andy Anderson was on the same flight as Fay. He very kindly helped Fay get her children off the plane. Andy was the son of the family doctor.^13,14

When we met Dad at the Seattle airport he was on crutches. He had injured his ankle while running an obstacle course.

Ernest found a vacancy at Holly Auto Court on the main highway about two miles east of central Olympia Washington, and about 15 miles southwest of Fort Lewis. It had three rooms for $45 a month. Ernest would take a bus between Fort Lewis and the motor court, as neither Fay nor Ernest had a car.

After making arrangements with the Bishop of the local ward, Dad gave me my blessing at the Holly Auto Court. My grandparents Harry and Annie Chamberlain came up for a visit in May 1942. So, they may have been present at the time of the blessing.

Long Days for Fay, May 22, 1942

On May 22, after three weeks together, Ernest had to leave Fay and the boys in the motor court for about three weeks. On the 25th Fay wrote: “These have been the longest three days. I don’t know what the next two weeks will be like. Maybe if the sun would shine it would help, huh?”¹⁴ Fay noted that it rains whenever she puts the clothes on the line and soaks them.

Fay was plenty busy but her routine was the about same every day: “Arise and dress- dress Martin- get breakfast, Martin and I eat- do dishes- bathe baby- nurse baby- wash diapers and etc.- bathe Martin and put him and Dennis in bed for a nap- while asleep I do ironing, scrubbing, cleaning or what not- get lunch- kids awaken- Martin and I eat- nurse Dennis- do lunch dishes- take shower and get cleaned up- put kids in buggy and go to store- come home tired and start supper and look for  you– because it is 7:00- Martin and I eat- do dishes- rub Dennis and get him ready for night- goes to bed- Martin and I pick up toys- undress Martin- prayers- Martin’s in bed- try to write some letters- Still haven’t written to everyone I promised.“¹⁴

One evening, Fay went on a hot date with her “latest boy friend- Martin.” It was a picture show double feature “Blondie” and “Remember Pearl Harbor.” It was Martin’s first movie and he loved it. He sat through the entire show without moving. Martin liked the war movie best. They ate candy and afterwards they had ice cream. A neighbor, Mrs. Mary Rivisto took care of Dennis.

Martin’s big boil

On June 8 Fay worried about Martin’s ear which had an infected insect bite on the top edge. “It  looks like a huge boil. It has been there for a week and gets bigger every day. Today it is worse than ever. I was hoping you would come home. I don’t know what to do about it and I am so tied down alone.”¹⁴

She was hoping for and expecting Ernest’s return on the 7th and had a special Sunday dinner prepared. “We had a delicious late dinner, steak with onion and tomato sauce, the trimmings, and strawberry short cake.” She told him to let her know when he was actually coming and to send her a menu. “We will have it ready for you and we’ll celebrate when you finally get here. It had better be the 15th as I can’t take it much longer”¹⁴

Captain Werlie, a doctor and resident at Holly Auto Court, helped Fay treat Martin’s ear.¹⁴

New Orders

Ernest returned on about June 15th, so the family was together again. They were in Olympia for their fourth wedding anniversary on June 29 and on Fay’s birthday on July 11. They later moved to Yakima for a while.¹⁵

While in Yakima, Ernest received orders to take a Communications Course at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was to arrive “not earlier nor later than 29 Aug 1942”. The course would terminate in about three months. “Upon completion of this TD (temporary duty) they will return to (Fort Lewis) their proper station.”¹⁶

The Chamberlain family left Yakima, Washington and arrived in Salt Lake City between August 17th and the 24th. This may be the time Ernest’s father drove up and brought them back to Salt Lake. Apparently they stayed a few days with Annie and Harry Chamberlain in their Salt Lake home.¹⁵

Fort Sill, Oklahoma August 29, 1942

Ernest left Salt Lake heading for Fort Sill on August, 28. His train was late and he just barely made his connection in Denver. On the Zepher from Denver a bunch of Boy Scouts got on at some small town. Therefore, Ernest didn’t get any sleep until 4 am. He arrived at Quanah, Texas at 5am. This connection was also late. He ate breakfast there and got on the train to Lawton, Oklahoma at 10 am. “How I got (to Fort Sill) on time is still a miracle but I made it”, he wrote.¹⁷

He studied hard on his courses, and the tests for electricity, map reading, telephone, radio and secret codes were fairly easy for him. However, Morse Code not so much. They told them this code would be easy for those with musical ability. The Chamberlains were gifted in musical talent. Unfortunately, Ernest was not present when they were giving out this gift, “When all the dits and dahs start coming at me I darn near go nuts”, he wrote.¹⁷

Their first car, September 19, 1942

Ernest missed his family and was counting the days until they would be together. They wanted to get together as soon as possible. However, this would be expensive and was not without problems. Martin needed to have his to tonsils out in Salt Lake and then recover. Also, Ernest wanted to buy their first car. This might solve some problems, but cash would be tight for a while.

Ernest heard about a car in Lawton that sounded pretty good. It was 1941 Plymouth 2 door sedan, 15,000 miles with five practically new tires.  But it was $1000. On Saturday, September 19, 1942 at 0700 hours it was raining, “pouring down like the overflow at the top of a dam”. Therefore, the army cancelled the scheduled classes. Ernest jumped in his roommates car and drove to town. After looking at several cars, he chose the Plymouth. It had nice seat covers and a radio and the dealer lowered the price to $925. On October 9 Ernest finally squeezed $20 out of the budget for the auto insurance so he could take the car off the dealer’s lot.¹⁷

Fay was excited about the car and wanted to see pictures and know more about it. Hopefully, she could meet Ernest in Oklahoma and come back with him. “When am I coming to see you?” she asked in mid October. However, this dream was fading. The car down payment, insurance and $50 monthly payments caused them to reconsidered their plans to get together.

Big plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas

The trip from Oklahoma to Fort Lewis was about 2400 miles and they only had $35 saved. They needed $100 more for food, hotels and misc. Even a trip to meet Ernest half way, like in Denver, would add to the expense. “The money alone is not important, Ernest wrote, but the fact that to get to Fort Lewis will probably take all or more than we can save up and after we get there it will be December. I want this Christmas, if we are still able to be together, the best we have ever had”.¹⁷

In one of the many times they expressed their love and longing to be together Ernest wrote:. “I’m glad you think of me a lot because I am always thinking of you too. Thirty-seven and a half days before I leave here. So often lately I have laid awake for hours at a time thinking of you and the boys. It is going to be wonderful to be together”.¹⁷

If he can get some leave time after his courses finish, Ernest will be in Salt Lake City for Thanksgiving. He suggested some things to do while there. “First go to the temple, one evening meal at your folks, Thanksgiving dinner at my folks, Thanksgiving dance at the U of U or Old mill (if there is a dance). Besides these, I have and idea for the first night”.¹⁷

The big day finally arrived and on Friday November 20, Ernest packed up, took half his stuff to the railroad station, and loaded it on the train. He graduated from the army Communications Course that evening.

The next morning he went to the ration board to get a little extra gas. He then pointed “Lena” (the car) toward home and he was on his way. He bade goodbye to old Fort Sill with dreams of being with his family on Thanksgiving Day. And, then on to his “proper station” Fort Lewis. Together with his little family, he was looking forward to December in Washington and “the best Christmas they ever had”.¹⁷

Salt Lake City, August 29, 1942

The day after Ernest left Salt Lake for Fort Sill, tragedy struck the Barney-Adams family. Norma Miller died in the hospital in Salt Lake. She had had an operation two weeks previous and then returned to the hospital. She was the nine-month-old baby daughter of Livonia Adams Barney’s sister Jessie Adams Miller and her husband Ross Miller who lived in Tremonton, Utah.¹⁵

Jessie and Ross came down from Tremonton that day, (Aug 29) while Archie Barney made arrangements with the board of health. Livonia rode with the Miller family on the return ride to Tremonton. Archie took little Norma in his car. They arrived quite late. The funeral, two days later, was on Aug 31. Livonia stayed for a few days after to give comfort to her sister.

Archie left for Salt Lake early the next morning and arrived at 9 am. He found the family at home well and happy. Granddad Archie Barney took Martin to work with him where he enjoyed learning and talking on the Dictaphone.

On September 9, Livonia came home from Tremonton, and they had a fine birthday dinner for her. Livonia’s gifts were a Bird Cage from the children, a Canary from Mrs. Thomas, a fountain pen from Archie and an apron from Mrs. Smith and Patsy.

September 10, Fay, Livonia and Martin went to Utah Woolen Mills to buy baby blankets. Livonia was ill and nervous after coming back from Tremonton.

The checking account

September 26 in the evening, eight people packed into Archie’s Ford to go for a little ride. There were three children and five adults, Livonia, Fay, Martin, Dennis, Patsy, Mrs. Smith, Ellen and Archie. Archie drove up Parley’s Canyon and down Emigration. “The autumn colors were beautiful indeed”.¹⁵

Ernest sent Fay a beautiful winter coat which thrilled her. However, the weather was so nice this General Conference weekend that she could not yet wear it. She said she would wear it when she came to meet him. Unfortunately this dream was fading as expenses for the new car took all their savings.¹⁸

On October 9 Fay wasn’t happy to hear they were low on money. Fay joked that she had 4 cents. Her biggest concern was they were both writing checks on the same bank account. Coordination was done in letters to each other. “I already paid a few bills before I knew. Will they put me in the can?” Fay wrote.

Also, Dennis was growing out of all of his clothes and did not yet fit Martin’s old ones. And Martin needed an operation to remove his tonsils in Salt Lake before they could get together. Ernest kept reminding her to take care of this. Fay, however, may have been reluctant since her niece had just died following surgery.¹⁸

Dean, Dan and Don, October 9, 1942

Fay’s younger brother Dean Barney had two close buddies, Dan and Don. They were a pack of adventure loving seventeen-year-olds. Dean’s mother Livonia had gone again to Tremonton to visit her sister Jessie. “Its a good thing she did”, Fay wrote. “Dean, Dan and Don decided to stay out of school yesterday. They said they were going to hitch hike to Tremonton.”¹⁸

Fay, however, suspected they had bigger plans. “Anyway they didn’t come home last night and haven’t yet. Their folks are getting worried about them. I suppose they will be home soon if they are not in California or Washington or somewhere.”¹⁸

This drama left Ernest hanging for weeks. He finally wrote and asked what happened to Dean, Dan and Don. On October 22, Fay wrote: “Oh yes, Dean and the boys came home the next night. They had been sleeping in a haystack.”¹⁸

Dean’s dreams of adventure will soon come true, as Ernest and Fay’s hopes and careful plans crumble and blow away like dust in the wind.

Martin’s tonsillectomy, October 21, 1942

Martin had his tonsillectomy on October 21. And on October 23 he was well enough to go to Grandma Annie Chamberlain’s birthday celebration. Lois, Harvey and Sharon were there and everyone had a good time.

On Saturday October 24, the family went to the zoo. They wanted to show Martin the animals. Fay hoped he wouldn’t be scared of the monkeys this time. “We just left the zoo”, Fay wrote, “You should have seen Martin’s eyes. They were just popping. He enjoyed it”.¹⁸

Martin’s surgery and quick recovery opened the way for the family to move together to Washington.

Thanksgiving in Salt Lake, November, 26, 1942

Ernest had been granted ten days leave beginning November 22 and was due at Fort Lewis on December 2.¹⁹ He arrived in Salt Lake City about the 23rd and was again united with his family. His hopes for their time together went well, at least his plans for Thanksgiving Day on^.November 26. His father, Harry Chamberlain wrote to Ernest, “We had a dandy Thanksgiving together”.²⁰

 

 

The drive to Olympia Washington, November 29. 1942

When it was time to leave for Washington, they loaded Fay’s sewing machine and supplies into the car. She was an excellent seamstress and liked to modify her own clothes and make clothes for the children. She was delighted that she would have something she enjoyed doing when Ernest was away.¹³

Ernest, Fay, Martin and Dennis got into their new Plymouth and headed north through Idaho. They visited and stayed with Fay’s relatives along the way. Dated photos indicate they visited Bill and Eva Williams Nichols and Aunt Nettie (Jeanetta) Adams Williams and Uncle George Williams on November 29.

When they arrived in Olympia, they found a motel along the highway near Fort Lewis. They decorated it and fixed it up the way they liked it. Fay was happy about her new home and sewing set up.

(The letters and his orders indicate Ernest checked in at Fort Lewis on December 2. However, it is unclear where Ernest was and what he did the next few days.)

A surprise move to Yakima, December 8, 1942

On Tuesday, December 8, Fay drove Ernest to Fort Lewis.  When Ernest checked in they told him his unit was in the process of transferring to the Yakima Firing Range. This was quite a surprise and quite upsetting for both Ernest and Fay because his family could not go with him. He would be away for about three weeks. Fay, Martin and Dennis left Ernest at the fort and drove back to the motel.

The next morning Ernest was frantically writing to Fay, trying to explain to her his incredible experiences of the last 24 hours. He knew she was upset. “Here is my story”, he wrote at 3 am, “I haven’t really had any sleep since I last saw you”.²¹

When Fay took him to Fort Lewis, Ernest learned that most of his unit had already gone to Yakima. They told him to hurry and get on a kitchen truck which was leaving in a few minutes.¹³ Apparently, Fay knew he was on his way to Yakima because in his letter he began his story: “We finally managed to leave at 9:20 am.”²¹

Ernest wrote to her to explain why he did not call her sooner. The 180 mile trip around Mt. Rainier to Yakima normally took three or four hours. However, not this time. Ernest wrote: “For a long time it rained heavily, then it snowed. Traveling got very slow. When we were about to the summit we were delayed two hours while a big gasoline trailer was righted up and could be removed from blocking the road. After trudging along we arrived at Yakima at 9:30 pm”.²¹

It gets worse

When Ernest got to Yakima, he walked into the adjutant’s tent to report in. The adjutant looked at him and said, “Aren’t you at Fort Sill?”²¹

Obviously not.

“I just came from Fort Sill. I finished my course there and returned to my permanent station”, Ernest replied.¹³

“We sent your orders to Fort Sill, didn’t you get our telegram?” They told Ernest that he is suppose to take another three month course at Fort Sill since he is already there. “School starts tomorrow morning, November 9, the soonest you can possibly get there is the 10th. You need to be on the next train to Fort Sill!”^13,21

Poor Ernest was a day late and $60.00 dollars short, for he had no money to buy his train ticket. “Finally, miracle of miracles, I found a fellow that would take my check for $60.00.” he wrote.²¹

Ernest felt sick. It would have been just as easy to make the trip to Ft. Sill as Ft. Lewis.

They called a driver to take Ernest to the railroad station as fast as possible. However, it was late and they had to wake up a driver and tell him to get ready.²¹

When they got to the train station Ernest found that Union Pacific, which had the most direct route, had just left the station. He then checked Northern Pacific. NP would give him a grand tour of the country. Nevertheless, it will still get to Oklahoma before the next UP. He bought his tickets on NP.²¹

What else can go wrong?

Suddenly it dawned on Ernest that it was after 10 o’clock and Fay was back in the motel in Olympia, and that he was about to board a train heading for Oklahoma. Not only that, he didn’t know the phone number of the motel. He looked through the phone directory. There was no listing for Hi Way Motor Court or the manager’s name Rowe.^13,21

In desperation Ernest called the Switchboard in Olympia Washington. At that time all telephone service was conducted by live operators. He got connected to a switchboard operator. She was very patient and accommodating and connected him with the Highway Patrol. They read Ernest a long list of motels that are along the highway between the fort and Olympia. None of them sounded familiar.^13,22

Ernest got the same operator back and she graciously began calling each of the motels along the highway to see if they had a Mrs. Chamberlain registered there. Finally, one manager told her that the Hi Way Motor Court might be listed under the name “Gibson”. And it was.²¹ The motel name had been recently changed.^13,21

He called the number and the manager, Mr. Rowe answered. He confirmed that Mrs. Chamberlain was indeed registered there.^13,21

Where is Fay?

Ernest told Mr. Rowe he needed to talk to Mrs. Chamberlain. So, Mr. Rowe went and knocked on the door. He came back to the phone and told Ernest: “Mrs. Chamberlain is not home. The car is there, but the newspaper has not been taken in.“²¹

Ernest said: “Please give her a message as soon as you see her. Tell her I am on my way to Fort Sill and won’t return.” He then rushed off to catch the train.¹³

As he boarded the train his mind was whirling. “Where is Fay?” He worried about all the possibilities. “Had she gotten back from the post OK? Was he sure her car was there? If that was our car, why wasn’t she home?”²¹

Billings Montana, December 9, 1942

The Northern Pacific train pulled in to Billings Montana at about 3 am. It was an hour and a half behind schedule, so he missed his connection with the train to Kansas City. The next train would not leave for seven hours crushing his hope of arriving at Fort Sill on the 10th.²¹

He went to the Canteen near the station and immediately started writing to Fay. He quickly wrote a note on a post card and mailed it before the morning pick-up. The card was post marked “Billings Mont. 5 AM Dec 9, 1942”. The post card note read:

“Dearest Fay – I certainly have felt punk today worrying about you and thinking of how I messed up X-mas. Write me by airmail what you plan to do. Will send you complete letter soon as possible. Love, Ernest”.

He then composed a six page letter with the woeful details of his day. The letter bore the same post mark except for the time, which was 5 PM.

Since he missed the connection to Kansas City, he boarded the next train to Lincoln, Nebraska. The train finally left Billings, Montana and chugged its way to Lincoln where he missed his connection again.²⁴

Meanwhile at Hi Way Motor Court

The manger told Fay the message from Ernest the next morning. Last night she was exhausted and didn’t wake up when the manger knocked on the door. The paper on the porch was some free advertisements which she ignored.²²

When she got the message she felt angry and abandoned. “I don’t know whether I’m more homesick, lonesome or plain scared, but the combination leaves my quite ill”, she wrote.²³

Fay spent that afternoon at the rationing board to see if she can get gas. And tomorrow she has to go to the fort to get authorization from some Colonel. “I’m using up all my gas trying to get more gas. If I do get the gas how will I get home?²³

Fay had very little driving experience and driving alone with two small children was not an option.

Her mind was full of questions: How much money is in the checking account? Should she stay here? or go to Salt Lake? or go to Fort Sill? And how would she get there? Should she take a train and store the car in Washington? Would Ernest ever return to Fort Lewis?²³

Me: At this time, however, I really was not concerned about mother’s problems, as I had problems of my own.

Mother: “Martin is well and Dennis still has a sore bottom”.²³

Dennis saves the day

Fay was much happier when she wrote to Ernest the next day, December 11.

“Dearest Ernest. Hello again. How did you like the scorcher you received previous? I hope this one will not be quite as bad. Anyway I was happy to receive your card and am looking forward to the letter. Hope it is soon.”²³

Me: I don’t want to brag, but think I deserve some credit here for her change in mood.

Mother: “He is so cute. Dennis has learned to pat-a-cake well since you left. He sits there patting with his face beaming and really throws his hands up when he throws it in the oven. He knows just when to do it too”.²³

Me: All I have to do is pour on the charm, it works every time.

Mother: “If the baby just wasn’t so small this would all be much simpler and an easier matter.”²³

Me: Oh rats.

Dean Barney to the rescue, December 14, 1942

Fay called her folks in Salt Lake City. The long distance call was $3.00 (about $44 in 2020) which included a 20% phone tax. “Isn’t that terrible”, she wrote. However, she was pleasantly surprised that her call went through so quickly. It took only 45 minutes.²³

She told her family her sad story and her brother Dean said, “I will come up.”¹³

After her call, Fay drove to the fort to get a letter of introduction from Colonel Ericsson for the gas rationing board. “He was very nice to me” she wrote. Ordinarily she would have to come back for the letter after he had time. But instead he immediately dictated the letter to his secretary and gave it to her. He told her she wouldn’t have any more trouble getting gas for the trip to Salt Lake City.²³

Fay thought they would have to wait until payday on the 15th to have the money to buy Dean’s train ticket to Olympia. However, someone hurried things along. Dean got excused from school on the 14th and on the 15th, Dean and our family were in Seattle. They sent a postcard to Ernest:

“Hello again- Here we are in Seattle. What are we doing here? Tell you later. Dean and Howard are with us and are having a good time. Love- Fay Martin & Dennis”. (Howard Williams is Fay and Dean’s first cousin, also in the service in Washington)

Fay, Martin and Dennis were now on their way back to the home of Archie and Livonia Barney. And Dean was driving their new car and having the marvelous adventure of his dreams.

Ernest was at his wits end and mad at the world by December 16. This was the day he received Fay’s self described “scorcher.” He flunked his first test that day, but he was especially frustrated with the many futile attempts and hours he had spent trying to contact Fay. Also, the mail back and forth took so long that the situation would change. For example, by the time Ernest was upset and responding to her letter of December 10, Fay was at home in Salt Lake and the crisis was over.

Christmas Day, December 25, 1942

Plans can change fast when there is a war going on and you are in the service of your country. Only a month ago Ernest was leaving this post and well on his way to fulfilling his dream of “the best Christmas ever”. Now he is back at Fort Sill.

On December 16, he wrote a second letter to Fay in which he said, “Sorry I sent the last letter”. He told her he was trying so hard to get things straightened out so he could be with her and the boys for Christmas. He was counting on watching Martin open his presents on Christmas morning.²⁴

Fay was also very disappointed that their plans for Christmas didn’t work out:  “Every time I think of how we all have to be separated, I just wilt inside. We try so hard to be together and have what family life we can. Dennis was just beginning again to love his Dad and Martin misses you so much”.²³

Ernest and Fay are making plans to get together again after the first of the year. The housing at Fort Sill was worse than Fort Lewis, but Ernest would see what he could find.

The ever present urgency was always there as rumors abound. Ernest told Fay about a rumor that was going around Fort Lewis. It must of had some credibility for Ernest wrote: “Be sure you burn the rest of this letter when you read it, and don’t mention it to anyone.”²⁴

The letter, reconstructed from the ashes, continues:

“But here is the deal at present. They are pulling all the ropes they know, it is rumored, to get us out of here and over seas as soon as possible for the (1943) spring offensive. My orders if you notice is different from usual it doesn’t specify where we will return to. Most fellows I talk to don’t think we will even finish the course. We are one of the old outfits which have so far remained over here.”²⁴

Ernest also noted that this may just be “so much bull.”

While disappointed they would not be together for Christmas, they also recognized their blessings. “I am happy knowing you are at least near and not “over there”, Fay wrote.²³

Fay, Martin and Dennis spent a wonderful Christmas with Granddad and Grandma Barney. While Ernest went to a movie, “The Black Swan”, one which they had hoped to see together.

On Christmas Eve, Ernest wrote to Fay the following note expressing gratitude and hope for the future.

Here I am really not so far away, and above all whether I am far or near I have been granted the privilege of having three beautiful hearts tucked away safely in my bosom. And soon, God granting, I can have them all so very near to me. When the war is all over and Christmas comes around again that star on top the tree will really look like the Star of Bethlehem and truly shine out “Peace on earth, good will to men”. Then we can make up for what we miss now. Love Ernest. December 24, 1942.²⁴

To be continued….

Acknowledgments:

Thanks to Deanna Chamberlain Grant for publishing “Selected Journals of Archie Fay Barney” and DVD with the photos to make this information available. And to Lyle Brent Chamberlain for his 1984 interview with Fay and Ernest Chamberlain on DVD. And of course to Archie F. Barney, Ernest M. Chamberlain and Fay Barney Chamberlain for writing down and preserving this information.

© Copyright Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2020. 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- Ernest Chamberlain, “World War II, Ordered to Active Duty – Guard Duty”, unpublished autobiography

2- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to his wife Fay Barney Chamberlain, written March 22, 1942

3- Ernest Chamberlain, unpublished autobiography. The name of Adjutant Officer is not mentioned. However, Major Garver was the name of the IX Corp Adjutant Officer in January, 1942  Ernest wrote about.

4- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letter to her husband Ernest M. Chamberlain, March 9, 1942

5- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1942

6- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letter to husband Ernest M. Chamberlain, March 17, 19 & 20, 1942.

7- Archie F. Barney, Journal entry for March 16, 1942.

8- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to his wife Fay Barney Chamberlain, written Feb. 18, 1942

9- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to his wife Fay Barney Chamberlain, Feb. 26, 1942

10- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letter to her husband Ernest M. Chamberlain, written April 8, 1942

11- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to his wife Fay Barney Chamberlain, written April 12, 1942

12- Archie F. Barney, Journal entry for May 1, 1942

13- Ernest & Fay Chamberlain Personal Histories, Recorded 25 June 1984 in England by Lyle Brent Chamberlain.

14- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letters to Ernest M. Chamberlain, April 25 through May, 1942

15- Archie F. Barney, Journal entries for August 17- October 2, 1942

16- Orders from Headquarters IX Army Corps, Fort Lewis, Wash, 17 Aug 1942

17- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letters to Salt Lake from Fort Sill, Aug 29- Nov 18, 1942

18- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letters to Ernest M. Chamberlain, October 6-21, 1942

19- Special Orders, HQ 76th Field Artillery Brigade, Yakama, Washington, November 9, 1942

20- Harry Ellis Chamberlain, Letter to E. M. Chamberlain, Dec. 14, 1942

21- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letter to Mrs. E. M. Chamberlain, Hi-Way Motor Court (Located on Highway between Ft Lewis and Olympia), Olympia Washington. Postmark: Billings Mont. Dec 9, 1942 5 PM

22- Ernest Martin Chamberlain, Jr. Ernest Chamberlain’s Early Army Years, written November, 2001.

23- Fay Barney Chamberlain, Letters to Ernest M. Chamberlain, December 10 & 11 & 20, 1942

24- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Letters to his wife from Fort Sill, December 13-26, 1942

On my visit home in about 1980, my Grandma Annie Chamberlain was sitting alone in the living room of my parents home in Holladay, Utah. She was about 87 years old. This would be a great time, I thought, to learn more about her life.

How are you doing Grandma? I asked.

“I’m just doing,” she answered.

“Grandma, I would like to talk to you for while. Could you tell me a little about yourself?  I would really like to learn more about you.”

“Oh no,” came her sorrowful reply, “my life was just too sad.”

I later regretted that I had not been a more skillful and patient conversationalist. Was her story really that sad? Or were these merely the words from the heart of a lonely old woman who lost her loving husband Harry in 1973?

Childhood visits to Grandma and Grandpa Chamberlain

I always loved our family’s monthly visits for Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Chamberlain’s home in Bountiful, Utah. Home made ice cream was always the main attraction. If I was lucky, I got to add the salt and ice, turn the crank and then watch the liquid as it became a creamy frozen blend.

Grandma was a wonderful cook and the food was great. As the family sat around the long dinning room table, Grandpa would tell stories. I don’t remember those stories but I do remember Grandpa’s jovial laugh as he told them which brought me great joy.

Our uncles Richard and Robert were still living at home as they were 18 and 20 years younger than my father. Richard was a very serious student and would usually be busy working on his home work. He loved cars and I was amazed that he knew the year, make and model of every car we could see in the distance. Robert would often play with Martin and me, and being six years older than me, he was able to teach us a lot of cool stuff.

For about an hour after dinner, Dad would spend time with Grandpa, while Mother would sit in the living room conversing with Grandma. I would usually explore the small farm full of fruit trees, and small animals such and rabbits and chickens. Or the basement, which had a washroom and bedrooms with model airplanes hanging from the ceiling.

Grandma had a long row of beautiful tulips growing between her front yard and their large tomato field. They were great for target practice with my Daisy BB rifle. With almost every shot I could pop the head off a tulip. Dad came out of the house and said, “Dennis, what are you doing?”

“Aaaa, target practice.” I said.

Target practice? Oh, he said. “Well… let me try that!”

Soon Mom came out and we were both in trouble.

My memories of Great Grandma Ankarstrand

Sometime before she moved to live in the home of her daughter Annie and Harry, we visited her in her cottage on Hazel Avenue. She lived there alone and I remember, even to a five-year-old, the place was very small. She had her kitchen utensils and a lot of cool old stuff hanging around the room. And unlike my mother’s modern electric iron, hers were made of solid… well, iron. She was heating them on her small wood burning stove to press her clothes.

By 1948 she had moved in with Grandma and Grandpa. I remember visiting her there when she gave Martin and me each a brand new Benjamin Franklin silver half-dollar. 1948 was the first year these coins were minted.

Uncle Robert, when about 12, was quite mischievous and liked to tease almost everyone. One time Grandma Ankarstrand was standing in the living room looking out the large plate glass window. Robert climbed up on a step ladder on the front lawn and pretended to fall off which gave the old lady a good scare.

Nevertheless, Grandma Mathilda Ankarstrand lived until she was 98-years-old.

Maria Mathilda Erikson Ankarstrand (Annie’s mother)

July 14, 1855, Maria Mathilda Erikson was born in the small community of Axberg, Orebro, Sweden. Her father Erik Larson and mother Maria Person had a small farm where they raised a few crops and small animals to provide food for the family. Mathilda loved the animals and often made them her pets. The farm life was not for her as she could not stand to see the animals butchered for food. Therefore, she left her home on the farm and went to Stockholm to make a life the city.

In Stockholm she became employed by a doctor who happened to be the physician to the royal family. While attending visits to the palace she became acquainted with the staff. They liked her and asked if she would like to work for them there. She accepted their offer and they sent her with the countesses to France to learn cooking and sewing from top chefs there.¹

She worked in the palace for a while for the King of Sweden and Norway, King Oscar II. He was a down to earth type man who liked to do things for himself.

“May I take off your coat?” Mathilda asked.

“No Mathilda, I can,” the king replied.²

Life was quite exciting for Matilda to work in the palace for the royal family where they called her by her first name. After a while, however, this became routine and she had no personal life. Therefore, she requested to return to work as an aid for the doctor. They granted her request.¹

During this time she met the missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her father was horrified that she was meeting with the Mormon Missionaries. He told her he would rather see her buried than to see her join with them.²

Nevertheless, she continued to learn about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. She was baptized in the Stockholm Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by E. Johansson on November 20, 1881.³

At this time, the growth of the church in Sweden was slow. Swedish born missionaries were sometimes arrested and missionaries from Utah were driven out. “New converts suffered persecution at the hands of some of the clergy, civil authorities, and even from neighbors in the communities”. The Church encouraged members in Sweden to emigrate to Utah.⁴

Mathilda arrives in Utah

In 1883 Mathilda emigrated to America. She made friends with other immigrants on the ship including a married couple Martin and Bentga Ankarstrand who were also heading to the Latter-day Saint Zion in Utah territory. The last part of her journey to Utah was by railroad.¹

Mathilda’s arrival in Salt Lake City, Utah was a traumatic experience. The lady she expected to meet her was not there.² She was greeted by several scraggly clad men who wanted to marry her and set her up to work to support them.¹ She was now alone and could not speak the language and had no job. On her first night she slept in a haystack.² This was a time that really challenged her testimony.¹

She got a job at Salt Air Resort and enjoyed swimming every night. However, her training in sewing and cooking for nobility provided her a better opportunity.² Many foods such as cow tongue, liver and kidney were considered delicacies in Sweden. These items were not appreciated by the Mormon population and were thrown away as waste by Utah butchers.¹

Her skills, however, were in demand.  Wealthy gentile (non-Mormon) families hired her. She waited tables, cooked and sewed working in large homes and got acquainted with some of the richest families in Salt Lake City including the Walker Brothers.²

The Walker Brothers of Salt Lake City

Mathilda became acquainted with the Walker brothers who played a prominent role in Chamberlain family history.

When the four brothers and their mother arrived in Salt Lake City in 1852 they were destitute. Their father and two sisters died in Saint Louis after contracting tuberculosis on their voyage. The four boys had attended the best schools in England, however before emigrating, their father lost his fortune in an English stock market crash.⁵

On their arrival in Salt Lake City, they were given a few food provisions and 20 acres of farmland along Willow Creek. They paid their commitment to the Perpetual Emigration Fund, but eventually left the Church over tithing and other issues with Church leaders.^5,6

William Nixon became their first steady employer. The Walker brothers were excellent merchants and helped make Nixon wealthy. In 1859 Patrick Hickey, who freighted goods out of San Francisco, helped the brothers establish a store in Fairfield, Utah near camp Floyd. The U.S. Army had established Camp Floyd during the 1857-58 Utah War.⁶

Wagon trains selling goods would regularly stop in Salt Lake City, but they accepted only federal currency or gold dust as payment for basic necessities such as nails, shovels, and cooking utensils. The Walkers brothers saw this as an opportunity. They acquired a heavy iron safe to store items such as gold dust, coins and currency for other merchants and soldiers. The community trusted them to handle deposits and withdrawals of their funds. Their popular safe opened their way into the banking industry, and in 1860 they set up a banking section in their store.^5,6

In 1861 the soldiers went off to fight in the Civil War and Camp Floyd closed. The corrupt and wasteful Secretary of War, John B. Floyd, had built three hundred structures and stockpiled them with goods. Floyd was a confederate sympathizer taking kick-backs on every purchase and intentionally making huge unnecessary expenditures. This incredible waste for the federal government proved to be a great blessing for the community.  Especially the Walker Brothers who would realize a massive windfall.  They were able to buy at auction stockpiles of shovels, fence rails, and rifles at huge discounts, thus allowing them to greatly expand their business.⁵

When Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institute (ZCMI) was incorporated, Brigham Young discouraged “good” members of the church from shopping at the Walker Brother’s store. Therefore, the Walker’s allowed their loyal LDS customers to enter a backdoor and disguised their shopping bags so they could continue shopping there. Nevertheless, store sales plummeted. By this time, however, the brother’s mining and banking businesses were highly profitable allowing them to keep their dry good store doors open until conditions improved.^5,6

The Walkers speculated and made a fortune in the Silver mining industry. They invested $30,000 in the Emma Mine in Little Cottonwood Canyon. It proved to be an incredibly rich mine with a nearly 4 foot wide vein of almost pure silver. The mine was in operation for over three years. They sold their shares before a scandal broke of mining shares sold in England at inflated prices.^5,6

The banking business continued as the center of the Walkers ventures. They secured a national charter in 1885, and became incorporated as Walkers Brothers Bankers in 1903. They purchased the Salt Lake City branch of Wells Fargo in 1905 and made important loans to Utah Sugar and Idaho Sugar companies in 1906. In 1912 they built the sixteen-story Walker Bank Building at Main and Second South. At the time it was the tallest skyscraper between San Francisco and the Missouri River. In 1921 the corporation bought McCormick Bank and owned twelve million dollars in resources.⁶

Martin Trulson Ankarstrand (Annie’s father)

On July 1, 1851, Martin Trulson Ankarstrand was born in Ankerod, Brosarp, Kristianstad, Sweden. He was the son of Truls Olsson and Anna  Martenson. He married a young woman from Evenrod, Kristianstad, Sweden, Bengta Hansdotter,  in 1878.

On April 20, 1880, Martin became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife then emigrated to America in 1883, and headed for Zion in Utah.

Their only son, Victor, was born in Salt Lake City on January 4, 1884. (Victor’s family spells their name Anchorstrand)

Martin’s beloved wife, Bengta, died on December 24, 1886, at age 29 years.

Maria Mathilda Erikson had been friends with Martin and Bengta in Utah’s Swedish community since they met on the voyage from Sweden. Mathilda married Martin Ankarstrand in Salt Lake City on October 7, 1887.⁷

Martin became a citizen of the United States of America on December 31, 1891.

The Salt Lake Temple

A powerful motivation for Latter-day Saint emigration to Utah was to be near a temple. Immigrants came from all over the world. When the Ankarstrands arrived in Utah in 1883 there was only one temple in operation. However, three more temples were under construction. All of these were in Utah.

The gospel of Jesus Christ, restored to the earth in this dispensation, is for the redemption of all mankind. In the temple the things of this earth are joined with the things of heaven and all generations will be united through the saving ordinances of the holy priesthood.  Vicarious work for our ancestors who lived before us, as well as ordinances for the living generation are performed in the sacred house of the Lord.⁸

According to Isaiah, nations would flow to where the Lord’s House would be established in the top of the mountains, where the people would learn of God’s ways and learn to walk in his paths.

It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:2-3)

On July 28, 1847, four days after his arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young pressed his walking stick into the desert sod and declared, “Here we shall build a temple to our God.”

The corner stone for the Salt Lake Temple was laid in 1853, and after forty years of work and sacrifice, the six-spired, solid granite structure was completed and dedicated to the Lord on April 6, 1893.

Martin and Mathilda Ankarstrand were married in 1887. The ongoing construction of the Salt Lake temple would take six more years. However, on July 6,1893 exactly three months after the dedication, their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake temple for time and for all eternity.

Annie Ankarstrand, born October 23, 1893

The Ankarstrand family grew to four with the arrival of  Annie Mathilda Ankarstrand, born on October 23, 1893. Martin 42, Mathilda 38, Victor 9 and baby Annie lived on Euclid Avenue about 8th West in Salt Lake City.

About two years later they moved to Provo, Utah where Martin opened a tailor shop.⁹ An ad in the Provo Daily Enquirer, May 13, 1895 introduced his new business:

NO HUMBUG!
Suits made of home or imported
goods in First Class Style.
Perfect Fit Guaranteed, and
prices to suit the times.
M. Ankarstrand, Center Street,
Provo, near Factory race.

Martin’s business was very successful. However, a larger tailoring shop soon moved in to Provo which cut into his business. Therefore, the Ankarstrands moved back to Salt Lake City to the 2nd Ward, near 3rd East and 8th South. Then about 1899, they moved again to the 9th Ward on the block between 5th and 6th East and between 4th and 5th South.⁹

Annie’s prize at the Swedish Festival

On June 24, 1903, 3000 Swedes came from all over the state and from as far away as Idaho and Montana. They gathered at Lagoon to celebrate the mid-summer day festival, a national Swedish holiday.

There was an excellent program of literary and musical performances. They gave prizes for various contests: Youngest child 3 months; oldest man 88, oldest woman 88. The shortest man and the tallest man in attendance also won a prize. Mr. and Mrs. Bergquist and their nine children won the award for the largest family.

Sporting events included boat races and running races. Runners competed within separate age categories for men and women, girls and boys. Fourteen categories in all from under age 8 to age 60 and over.

Nine-year-old Annie Ankarstrand won the race in the category: Girls 8 to 10.¹⁰

From a dream to a nightmare

Martin was an excellent and successful tailor. He and Mathilda were very frugal, living in a humble cottage while they worked hard and sacrificed to build a future. They built their dream home up on the Avenues over looking the beautiful Salt Lake Valley. They completed the construction on their lot located within the block between 5th and 6th Avenues and E and F streets East.

Martin however, as a matter of principle, believed that they should not move into their newly completed home until it’s mortgage was paid in full. Therefore, they continued to scrimp and save to soon fulfill their dream without the evil bondage of debt.¹¹

Annie Ankarstrand was at the very sensitive age of 13 when the family’s dream turned into a terrible nightmare.

In March, 1907 Martin began to have strange delusions. His family and friends knew something was wrong when Martin set out on a Sunday evening to buy a sewing machine. His delusions continued over the next few weeks. He believed he owned all the land in Utah and tried to sell it. On April 2, 1907 he was examined by two county physicians. A judge and a commission declared him insane and ordered him sent to the state mental hospital in Provo.¹²

These are classic symptoms of a brain tumor. However, in 1907 there was no way to diagnose such a problem.  At this time mental illness was misunderstood and it carried a terrible stigma. I am sure the family was devastated and publicly humiliated. However, that was the least of their problems. They had lost their husband, father and provider.

They could no longer afford the payments on their house on the Avenues and had to sell the property quickly. On May 8, 1907 the property, plat D, block 76, lot 4 (72.5 feet by 21-3 rods) was transferred from M. Ankarstrand to the Salt Lake Real Estate and Title Company for $2100. The real estate company immediately sold it to Eliza F. Spencer for $2500.¹³

Martin T. Ankarstrand died on Christmas day 1908 in Provo, Utah.

Maude Adams

Annie took a speech class from Mrs. Ann Kiskadden, the mother of Maude Adams. Maude, born in Salt Lake City, had become the most successful and highest-paid actress of her day. 

Mrs. Kiskadden was also an actress and Maude had been performing on stage with her from the time she was two months old. She took her mother’s maiden name, Adams, as her stage name.

Maude Adams became a star with her performance as Lady Babbie in The Little Minister. which opened at the Emporium in New York in 1897. A tremendous success, it ran for 300 performances in New York. Usually there was standing room only. It set a new all time box office record of $370,000, and then ran for another 65 performances in Boston. The role which Maude Adams was most closely identified, however, was Peter Pan which opened October 16, 1905. She was the first actress to play the role of Peter Pan on Broadway.¹⁴

In about 1911, Annie and Maude “became very good friends and had many interesting times.”⁹ This friendship ignited a passion in 17-year-old Annie for stage performance. Maude was about 38 and openly helpful to aspiring young actors and actresses.

Annie became very interested in the stage and acting and Maude encouraged her. However, Annie’s mother disapproved. She considered stage actors immoral which was a common assumption at that time. “Mother didn’t approve of actors on stage so after Mrs. Kiskadden died I gave up this interest,”  Annie wrote.⁹

Many years later Annie’s son Ernest Chamberlain wrote of his mother:

Mother was excellent in giving readings. She gave many of them in Emerson Ward and other wards. I remember her rehearsing “The Other Wise Man” and “The Blue Bird of Happiness”. From some talk she would extend both her arms forward and upward and with feeling say, “Mercia, Mercia”. I took a liking to this and I would go about the house dramatizing this. After a while it provoked mother.

Mother used to tell me how much she enjoyed acting… From some remarks she made, I feel she at times wished she had at least given acting a try.¹⁵

Annie, in her 80th year wrote: “I gave up this interest but always remained stage struck to this day.”⁹

When Harry met Annie

Harry Chamberlain went to Polytechnic College for six months in California, and then he and his mother went back to Iowa to be with his father. In 1912 his father asked him, “Do you want to go to Des Moines to school or to Salt Lake City? Harry chose to go to Salt Lake City.

He got room and board in downtown Salt Lake City and later at 3rd Avenue and M street. This was the first time he had been away from his family and he got quite homesick. He attended Henager’s Business College and took more courses in shorthand and typewriting.

When he finished the college courses, they sent him to Remington Typewriter Company to apply for a job. As he went in the door, a young lady was just leaving. He had seen her before but didn’t know her. The lady at the desk said, “If the lady who just left does not take the job you may have it”. She didn’t take it, so Harry got the job.

Harry dated a Catholic girl and they were engaged to be married. One day, however, Harry’s girl told him that she thought they should not get married but part as good friends. So they did.¹⁶

Annie Ankarstrand also had taken a few business courses. Unfortunately, because of her father’s death, she could not afford to attend the University. In high school she took sewing and loved home economics more than business.⁹

In June of 1914, Harry’s Mother was living with him in Salt Lake City. One day Mrs. Knight a dear friend and neighbor came to visit Mrs. Chamberlain. Annie came with her.⁹

Harry was attending a church meeting that evening, but when he returned home he had quite a surprise. When he came through the door he saw Annie sitting on the front room couch. There she was, the beautiful young lady he had seen at Remington Typewriter Company. When they left, Harry said to his mother, “I wish I would get a girl like her.”¹⁶

Annie was feeling bad at this time because she had just broken up with her fiance, Mrs. Knight’s nephew. A short time later another neighbor invited both Annie and Harry over where they became acquainted. Harry made a date with Annie “and it turned out to be a date for time and all eternity.“¹⁶

Marriage in the Salt Lake Temple

Harry Chamberlain and Annie Ankarstrand were married in the Salt Lake Temple on December 16, 1914. “How happy I am… for such a wonderful girl for my companion forever.“¹⁶

Annie brought all she owned in a single suit case and moved into their home on 1431 South, 10th East. Annie’s mother, “a wonderful person” prepared a wedding dinner in their home for a few close friends. Harry’s family was back in Iowa and Annie’s only family was her mother and half-brother Victor.¹⁶

The newly weds enjoyed riding the train together to Salt Air, sitting on the steps of the open car, having a picnic lunch and bathing in the Great Salt Lake.

In the Spring, Harry’s Dad and Mother took them on a Honey Moon trip to California. They went to San Francisco and then took the Balloon Route down the coast to to Los Angeles. They then traveled to Visalia where Annie met Harry’s sister and brother-in-law Myrtle and Harry Keese.¹⁶

It is believed that Harry’s father purchased the home at 1431 South, 10th East and gave it to them as a wedding gift. They raised their five children there over the next 32 years.

Perhaps Annie’s mother, Matilda Ankarstrand, gave them an equally valuable gift. She knew the Walker brothers and their families personally. In 1914, Mathew Walker was still living, his son-in-law John Wallace became chairman of the board in 1916. It seems plausible that Harry’s mother-in-law connection somehow led to his employment with Walker Brother’s Bank. In any case, his position with Walker Bank provided for his family through the Great Depression, through World War II and through Harry’s retirement.^9,16

I am very grateful for my great-grandmother Mathilda Ankarstrand and Grandmother Annie Chamberlain. Their choices and sacrifices charted the course and blessed the lives of their family forever.

To be continued….

The story no one knew about Grandpa Chamberlain. Chapter 25- Harry Chamberlain, Key Witness in Salt Lake Murder Trial

If you got this far, please click Goodbye or Table of Contents. This will simply tell me that someone looked at this post. Thank you! Dennis Chamberlain

© 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- Robert Chamberlain, Maria Mathilda Erikson Ankarstrand, a biography written by Robert most of which he learned from his mother Annie Ankarstrand Chamberlain.

2- Annie Ankarstrand Chamberlain, “Great Grandma” Hand written “reminder notes” written in short, often incomplete phrases, perhaps an outline for a biography. She wrote it on the back of a church program dated November 16, 1975.

3- Robert Chamberlain served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweden. After his release from service as a missionary, he was able to see the old church records in Stockholm where he received this information.

4- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweden. (The Church encouraged Swedish members of the Church to emigrate to Utah up until about 1910). https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/

5-Richard Markosian, The Walker Brothers, Utahstories.com, 2015

6- Brian F. Hahn, The Walker Brothers, www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia

7- Familysearch.org

8- Howard W. Hunter, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, The Church of Jesus Chirst of Latter-day Saints, SLC, Utah, 2015. p. 190.

9- Annie Ankarstrand Chamberlain, A brief auto biography hand written in a journal on pages dated Sunday May 1 through May 3, 1973. Transcribed by Deanna Chamberlain Grant.

10- Swedes Observe Festival, Salt Lake Telegram, June 25, 1903

11- My mother, Fay Barney Chamberlain told this story to me and my daughter Lara. Grandma Annie Chamberlain had told it to her. In the 1990s, my mother drove with Lara and me through the Avenues to show us the house. She had a very hard time locating it. I recently found the location of the property and now know why she couldn’t find it. A Smith’s Market had been built there which covers the entire block.

12-  The Salt Lake Telegram, TAILOR IS INSANE; HAS QUEER DELUSIONS, Wednesday, April 3, 1907.

13- Salt Lake Inter-mountain Republican, Real Estate Transfers, Wednesday, May 8, 1907.

14- Maude Adams https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

15- Ernest M. Chamberlain, Sr., Autobiography of Ernest Martin Chamberlain, (47 page story of his early life up to about 1940)

16- Life Story of Harry Ellis Chamberlain, recorded by Martin and Genene Chamberlain, October 1972. Unpublished

Harry Ellis Chamberlain was born in Spencer, Iowa on December 21, 1890. He was Harry and Mary’s fourth child. When little Harry Ellis arrived his brother “Lonnie” was 13, Myrtle almost 9 and Ernest 7. Harry’s “Mamma” was a wonderful mother who devoted her life to her family and home. His “Papa” was an attorney who provided the family with many of the good things in life. In a tribute to his father he wrote, “Dad spent many days and nights sitting with sick friends, a wonderful credit for his love for his friends”.¹

In 1893, a three year old girl in Spencer died of the dreaded black diphtheria, a disease particularly deadly to young children.² Harry’s compassionate father served his own family at that time when their two-year-old Harry contracted the disease. No one expected him to live through the night. His father threw his medicine away, stayed by his bed side, and nursed him back to health.

Harry had a wonderful happy childhood.  He lived across the river from town on a 55 acre farm. Their large farm house set in a grove of trees back from the main road between the country and town.  They had a big red barn, pigs, chickens, cows, horses, cats, dogs and many playmates for Harry lived in the neighborhood.¹

Surviving childhood

Harry survived his bout with diphtheria and many less serious childhood diseases. However, the normal activities of a boy on the farm provided many other experiences that placed his life in peril. He recalls a number of close calls.

When three-years-old, he wandered down to the creek that ran through their property and fell in. His large dog Ben snagged him by his clothes and pulled him out.

At about age six, he was pinned against the barn between the two sharp horns of a Jersey heifer. The horns were just long enough and far enough apart that he was not injured.

On another occasion when Harry was driving in the cows for milking, the neighbors big black Angus bull came through the fence after him. Again, his dog saved him. He slowed the bull until little Harry got under another a fence and hid in the wheat field.

One day Harry and two friends thought it would be fun to hold on to his horse’s tail as it jumped over a large mud hole between the lane and the pasture. Harry took hold of Daisy’s tail, one boy grasped on to Harry’s coat and the third boy to clung to him. With the hit of a stick the horse was off and running toward the lane. She got ready to jump, but instead blasted Harry with both feet knocking him down and out.

When the circus came through town Harry’s father as mayor got free passes. However, that was too easy. Harry and some of his friends joined the circus, carrying water or what ever they could do. They decided to practice some of the impressive stunts seen there.

Harry soon learned how to ride his horse while standing on her back. He took the horse down the drive way and out to the main road. There he rode while standing on her back. They then turned around and headed the other direction. He intended to continue riding on the road past the drive way. The horse, however, had a different idea. She took a sudden and unexpected turn into the driveway. This threw Harry off balance and he fell to the gravel road on his head. A bump on his head remained through out his life as a lasting reminder. 

The boys had a favorite tree in the pasture which they often climbed. One hot day when Harry and his friends were playing in the tree, the cows gathered under the tree for shade. A big red bull wandered directly under Harry’s limb. Harry lost his balance and fell out of the tree and on to the bull straddling his back.  Harry later wrote, “I don’t know which of us was more scared, but we soon parted company and I was soon back in the tree.“¹

The first horseless carriage to pass through Spencer

Harry remembers the first automobile to come to Spencer, Iowa. On the morning of August 2, 1899 a Winton Motor Carriage passed through town and attracted a good deal of attention. The owner, A. E. Armstrong from Fort Dodge, and another gentleman were on their way to the lakes.³

The roads were muddy at the time. However, Mr. Armstrong informed the spectators, who had gathered around, that he could easily travel at a pace between ten and twelve miles per hour through mud, sand, or when going over hills. On good roads, he claims, he travels well over twenty miles per hour.³

This “automobile” was manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio. “The motive power is a gasoline engine. The rig is fitted after the style of a bicycle with large pneumatic tires, ball bearings ect. It has a top and is roomy and comfortable.”⁴

Harry later described it as, “a little chugg chugg one seat. It looked something like an old buggy which had a handle to steer it with, but it was quite a vehicle then”.¹

The French Twins

I inherited my great-great grandfather Alonzo Chamberlain’s photo album and am trying to identify each photo. Most photos are labeled “papa”, “mama”, or “papa’s mama’s sister” etc. The charming photo shown here was simply labeled “The French Twins.”

My third great-grandfather, Spencer Chamberlain, married Millie French. Therefore, I thought it would be easy to find some twins in the French family. I looked for seven years and couldn’t find any twins.

Recently, while reviewing my 23andme DNA relatives, I found that Simon Arthur French married Elnora Idelia Warren. Elnora is a daughter of Amanda Chamberlain Warren and therefore Harry’s cousin.

Aaron French (left), born  July 4, 1819 is the girls paternal grandfather, the name of his twin brother is Beuthel French. The girls are Jennie and Jeanette French born January 19, 1896.⁵

Amanda Chamberlain Warren is the maternal grandmother of the twins, and they are therefore, second cousins to my father Ernest M. Chamberlain.

The Chamberlain’s love of good food

In Harry Chamberlain’s story, he often mentions his appreciation of good food. This trait is legendary in our Chamberlain line, inflicting many of us including the author. It is interesting how Harry often associates pleasant memories of others with food.

Aunt Amanda– Harry and his family used to take the team and surrey to his Uncle Will and Aunt Amanda Warren’s. They lived in Willow Creek eighteen miles from Spencer. They had a large farm and Uncle Will was always good to him. Harry liked to buckle the sword on which William Warren wore during the Civil War. “They did not have any better things to eat than we did at home, but how I remember the pancakes Aunt Amanda used to make”.

The Missionaries- Harry’s mother joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in May, 1899. She was the only member of the Church in the vicinity. His father did not join the Church, but enjoyed talking about the gospel with the elders.  Their discussions often lasted late into the night. In those days, the missionaries traveled without purse or script and enjoyed stopping at the Chamberlain home.

One Christmas Elder Heber Wild and Elder Jensen told Harry’s mother to just relax and they would fix the Christmas dinner for the family. Elder Jensen had been a chef for a lumbering company before his mission. They went out and found a 26 pound turkey. “This they roasted and fixed all the trimmings— and what a dinner! How I can remember this Christmas, because Elder Jensen put the drumstick of this big turkey on my plate.”

Harry’s father, the Mayor of Spencer, Iowa- Harry’s dad had a couple of acres on the bank of the little Sioux River. The river was high and formed a pond below a large rock on the bank. Harry noticed some ducks on the pond. He went home and got his horse and a shot gun. It did not enter his mind that it was not duck season. Nor did his mind grasp the fact that his father was the Mayor and he shouldn’t shoot ducks out of season!

He tied up his horse and stealthily crept toward the pond. The ducks were still there. He leveled the gun against the rock and waited for the perfect moment. The ducks gathered together and- Blam!!! Two fine ducks with one shot. He proudly brought them home tied to the horn of his saddle. “When Dad come home and saw the ducks he nearly had a fit! We lived through it and those ducks tasted just as good out of season as in”.

Grandpa Alonzo Chamberlain- One day when Harry was on the way home from school, Mr. Haleck, the shoemaker, gave him a big red apple to take home to his Grandpa. “Well, to a boy my age and that time of day when you are hungry that apple kept getting smaller and smaller until there was no apple”. When Mr. Haleck called on Grandpa to see how he liked that big apple, Grandpa was heard to say, “What apple? I didn’t get any apple! That damn boy ate it up!”

Apparently, Alonzo also had our famous Chamberlain trait. Harry described his grandfather as “six foot one inch tall, large stature, a brilliant mind, and a good appetite… For his last meal he ate 13 large pancakes and coffee.”¹

The funeral Harry’s grandfather Alonzo Chamberlain

Grandpa Alonzo Chamberlain stayed with the family of his son in Spencer after his wife died. He made wonderful gardens and was a great help to Harry’s dad and mother. In the last few years of his life Alonzo was totally blind, but he was always patient and kind. “When so young you do not appreciate what wonderful people our grandparents are”, Harry later wrote.¹

Alonzo Chamberlain died in Spencer, Iowa October 16, 1902. Reverend L. Barber conducted his funeral at the home of his son. The impressive service revealed what but a few knew about the old man.

As a young man, Alonzo was deeply impressed by the suffering of the black race. He believed that human slavery was our great national curse. And, like Abraham Lincoln he thought and said this nation could not live part slave and part free. He had the physical and moral courage to assert his convictions at a time when to do so, even in the north, would subject himself to insult an often imperil his life.⁶

He was not a classical scholar. However, few men were as versed in classical literature as he. He was an omniverous reader with a great ability to retain and assimilate what he read. Even shortly before his death he could  quote leading authors of all ages both poetry and prose.⁶

“Although brusque in manner and positive in speech, his qualities of candor, sincerity and correctness of purpose were always so evident that they made him hosts of enduring friends”.⁶

An evergreen stood on a lot in Riverside Cemetery in Spencer, Iowa. Alonzo planted that tree, and cared for it through the years until the loss of his sight made this work impossible.⁶

Lydia A. Blanchard Chamberlain

Alonzo’s second wife Lydia A. Blanchard Chamberlain did not move to Spencer, Iowa with Harry and Alonzo in 1871. She remained in Shirland, Illinois. She was living there in 1880,⁷ and apparently was still there late in her life when this photo was taken in Beloit, Wisconsin.

However, when she died on November 14, 1893 at age 68, she was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Spencer, Iowa.⁸ It is likely that Alonzo lived alternately in both locations until she died in 1893.

Harry’s brother Ernest Clarence Chamberlain

Harry Chamberlain, Sr. sold his 55 acre farm south of town in the fall of 1902. It sold for $110 per acre to Sam Youde of O’brien County. This was a record price for land in Clay County at that time.⁹ They moved to a house in Spencer on Third Street.

Harry missed the home on the farm and recalls the times he would go down to the river to trap muskrats and an occasional mink. He remembers his brother Ernest, seven years older than Harry, would make figure four box traps to catch rabbits.¹

When Ernest was in high school he became a proficient hypnotist. He had groups come over to the house where he would put on shows which were a lot of fun.

After high school, on November 26, 1901, Ernest left for Minneapolis, Minnesota to attend the Northwestern Conservatory of Music.¹⁰ He was a wonderful, clean, religious young man and became converted, and was united with the Free Baptist Church in Minneapolis in 1902.¹¹  Known for his musical ability and perfect pitch,¹² he sang in the church choir and in a male quartet.¹

After completing his course there, he came back to Iowa in April, 1903.¹³ However, he soon returned to Minneapolis where he was offered a job at a company in piano tuning and repair.¹

“I am a piano tuner”

One incident happened to Ernest while he was working as a piano tuner. This story gave his family a good laugh.

Ernest was walking in an elite part of Minneapolis to do a job. A young lady, who had seen him pass by her house several times before, hailed him to come in. He had his little  black tool case with him and he went into her palatial home. After being there a while, he asked the young lady, “Where is it?” (meaning the piano). She pulled up her dress and showed him a big boil. This startled and embarrassed Ernest, who was always quite shy. “Oh”, he said, “did you think I was a doctor?”¹

“Never… a sensation of deeper sorrow than on this occasion”

Ernest was on top of the world. Everyone who knew Ernest loved and respected him. He met a young woman named Ester Chapman and they planned to marry. They would return to Spencer for their wedding on September 14, 1904.  A success in his work, his company made him an offer to take charge of their piano house in the west.¹

The newspaper reported their marriage and hailed his achievement and good fortune:

“Yesterday eve., at 7:00 at the home of the grooms parents occurred the marriage of Ernest Chamberlain and Ester Chapman of Maryville, Missouri. Elder J. W. Ellis of Spirit Lake, an uncle of the groom, performed the ceremony. The groom is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Chamberlain and is one of Spencer’s best young men. Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain will leave in a few days for Spokane, Washington, where the groom has secured a lucrative position in a large piano house”.¹⁴

However, tragedy struck on the evening of the wedding. He became seriously ill with a broken appendix. Ernest died one week later. Another newspaper reported the sad story:

Ernest C. Chamberlain was taken dangerously ill immediately after his marriage. A physician was called at once. Everything was done that could alleviate his suffering until 12:45 yesterday morning, (September 21). Never in the history of our city did the news that death had invaded one of our homes produce a sensation of deeper sorrow than on this occasion... 

There was that irresistible quality in his make up which drew people to him, always cheerful, always happy himself and with a smile and a kind word for all he met. A source of sunshine and gladness to a man’s heart. He was a graduate of Northwestern Conservatory of Music of Minneapolis, well equipped for the work of life, and was soon to move to Spokane with his young wife to enter an unusually promising career. Rarely a more promising future opens to the young. All the bright visions have been dissipated and gladness turned to mourning.¹⁵

A vision of the after life reported in the Spencer Herald

A large number of family and friends gathered and were with him that night. In their presence, he had a remarkable vision of the after life. The Spencer Herald reported the impressive experience:

Ernest was called home September 21st, at 12:45 am, at the early age of 20 years, 11 months and 19 days. But before death claimed him, he was able to give the young wife, parents and friends the assurance of a triumphant faith and life in God and left to grow brighter in their memory the beautiful vision and blessing which he received just before death.¹¹

This experience had a profound effect on young Harry Chamberlain who was 14 years old. He later recorded his memory of that night.

Before he passed away he had a vision of the other side. Papa, who was sitting on the bed holding his hands, said to him, ‘Ernest, don’t you want to live.’ Ernest said, ‘Papa, I wouldn’t want to live now if I could, everything is wonderful and beautiful.’ And just before he died he turned to Mamma, who was sitting at his head, and said, “Mamma, your religion is true.“

I was standing by Mother and when he said those important words it was like I had taken hold of an electric wire and the hair on my head seemed to stand on end and sizzle. Of all the relatives and those in the room, not even Dad who was sitting on the bed heard him say what he did, except Mother, myself and Myrtle, who was standing at the foot of the bed.¹  

It is hard to imagine the grief and disappointment felt by the family with the tragic loss of the husband of a new bride, and of their son and brother. Ernest had often told Harry that when he got into business he would have Harry join with him, “but this was not to be”.¹

The Chamberlain’s move to California

In October, 1904 a hunter near Spencer, Iowa shot and killed a strange bird unknown in that location. It was almost black with webbed feet and a hooked bill with a pouch under it. An investigation eventually identified it as a cormorant, a coastal bird which sometimes may nest in trees near fresh water lakes. Some of these birds had evidently drifted from there normal migration pattern. The hunter’s name was Harry Keese.¹⁶

In 1901, Harry Keese married Myrtle Mae Chamberlain. They had two daughters, Bonnie Beatrice Keese born August 15, 1902 and Bernice Gladys Keese born February 20, 1904 both were born in Spencer, Iowa. Bonnie and Bernice were, at the time, the only grandchildren of Harry and Mary Chamberlain.

In his “Life Story”, Harry Ellis Chamberlain introduced his brother-in-law as, “Harry (Hal) Keese whom I loved as a brother”¹

Hal Keese got a job in Visalia, California working at a newspaper. His wife Myrtle and their girls soon followed him. Harry and his mother also decided to go along. Harry Sr. thought it not wise to leave his law practice.

They moved to Visalia, CA in 1905 and rented a house on South Garden Street. The California winter surprised Harry as the trees had no leaves where he thought trees stayed green all year. One day at this location, Harry was sitting on the screen porch reading when he heard a thump. Upon investigation, he discovered a large caliber bullet, fired from a long distance, lodged in the railing in front of him.¹

They moved two more times to locations on Goshen Avenue. Harry enjoyed baseball, being in school plays and singing in a quartet while attending Tipton Lindsay Grammar School.

The next year Harry’s father came to California. He bought a ten acre ranch three miles from town. Charlie Kinkler, who lived across from their ranch, offered to save them the expense of moving. “We will take our flat box wagon and move you,” he said. That seemed fine and they loaded the wagon. They started off when a branch of a tree caught the glass of the dresser at the front of the wagon which tipped it into the mules. Away they went spilling things all along the road until they finally got them stopped. “Was Charlie’s father mad to think that happened to those mules.”¹

Natural disasters

Early on the morning of April 18, 1906, Harry was annoyed when he thought his brother-in-law Hal was shaking his bed. But, when he opened his eyes, there was no one was in the room. Harry’s dad was up early that morning and wondered what was making the water slop out of the ditches. They later learned there had been a major earth quake in San Francisco. In Visalia, it shook dishes off the wall but there was no major damage.

The 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck San Francisco, about 220 miles north-west of Visalia. At the time, San Francisco was the largest city in California with a population of 410,000. The earthquake destroyed bout 80% of the city and up to 3000 people perished. In 2019 it remains the worst natural disaster in California history.¹⁷

in Visalia in June 1906, just two months after the earth quake, the levee on the St. John River broke north of town. It flooded Visalia with up to two feet of water and severely damaged many of the orchards.¹⁸ The ten acres that Harry Chamberlain bought had choice fruit orchards.¹ The flood killed nearly all the trees on  the Chamberlain property.¹

Harry in the Giant Forest

Living in California was a happy time for Harry. There were lot of young people his age who would come over in the evening and play games. They also had a lot of fun picking fruit in the various orchards and also to make a little money.

Harry’s experience in milking and riding came in handy. The Lowerys had a home where they went during the summer, so they hired Harry to milk their cows. This was quite a chore because some of their thirteen cows had to be tied head and foot. However, they told him they got more milk and cream when he milked them than ever before.

The Lowerys had a herd of cattle on their ranch in the foothills. Each year they took this herd back to the to the high pastures near the Giant Forest. It took three days to make the trip. One year (about 1908), they invited Harry to bring his saddle horse and go with them. His father also went, but preferred to walk all the way rather than ride a horse.

The first night they camped at Big Meadow. They put the cattle into a corral. That night the animals got fussy. Lowery assured young Harry it was only because they sensed bears or mountain lions. Harry along with the others slept that frosty night on the ground under a canvass.

The next day they traveled through Redwood Canyon, “a most beautiful place”. They arrived and set up camp at Rowell Meadow. It was a beautiful moonlit night. As Harry was settling in for his second night of camping he raised up in his bed. The cattle saw that white canvass rise up in the moonlight and they were off and running, heading down the canyon. Both of the Lowerys jumped on their horses and headed them back. “I caused a commotion”, Harry later acknowledged.

They divided the cattle into several herds and placed them into different meadows and traveled between the various locations. One day, Harry and two others riding ahead, galloped into a little cove and caught a nest of rattlesnakes by surprise. “How they did rattle”. Harry said. Luckily, none of horses were bitten.¹

Some of the trails were very dangerous and they invited Harry along just to give him a good scare. One very narrow trail above Boulder Creek was just wide enough for one animal at a time. Several times some animal tried to crowd past and fell into the canyon to become food for the bears and other animals. Harry went along and didn’t think anything about it. They told his father he “was the damnedest kid they ever saw” because it didn’t scare him. Harry had explicit faith in his horse, and seeing them go, he thought he could too.¹

One day Harold Crismon and Harry took their rifles out for some target practice. That night as they were sitting around the camp fire his dad said, “Boy, you don’t know how close you got to your dad”. He then showed him a hole in the big hat he was wearing. He heard the bullet glance off a rock, and then went through his hat. They were more careful after that.

After two months in the forest, Harry wanted to go back to the valley where his girl was. So, one morning he strapped on his rifle, took a lunch, and was on his way. The ride was beautiful and when the sun set he rode by moonlight. He reached the foothill ranch at about nine that night. When he got home he learned that his girl had gone to the Giant Forest.¹

His two month trip into this beautiful redwood country full of huge trees, steep cliffs, bears, mountain lions and rattle snakes is one he would never forget.

President Joseph E. Robinson

In about 1908, Hal Keese moved from Visalia to Berkeley, California to work on the newspaper as a linotype operator. Harry’s father decided to sell his property and go back to Iowa. Harry’s mother decided to move to Berkeley with Myrtle and the grandchildren. This left Harry in a quandary of what he should do and where he should to go.

Mr. Burton, an elderly neighbor, wanted Harry to take care of his place for him. He promised him 80 acres of the land in California and a team of horses if he would stay until he was 21, about four years.  His father, understanding the complications that arise in families, advised him not to take the offer.

Harry took his father’s advice and decided to move with his mother to Berkeley. After being there for a while, the six members of the Keese/Chamberlain family moved to Oakland just across from the mission home for missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Harry’s mother joined that church in Spencer, Iowa in 1899. Finally, after eleven years, she lived near a branch of the church. For the first time, she could attend regular Sunday services. In 1910 there were less than 400,000 members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, most of whom lived in Utah or Idaho. There were no stakes in California. The first stake in San Francisco (the third in California) would be organized in 1927. While living a this location Harry became acquainted with the missionaries including Joseph E. Robinson, President of the California mission.

On Sunday, April 17, 1910 President Robinson  wrote about a meeting with Harry and his family

“I dined with Harry and his family and visited Garlicks and Kings. Afterward met with the Elders and Harry and talked with the latter until 1:30 am.”¹⁹

Harry was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 29, 1910 at the Piedmont Baths in Oakland, California by Elder Andrew V. Nelson.¹

On April 30. 1910 he was confirmed by President Joseph E. Robinson who recorded the event in his journal:

“Today went to Oakland early where we had a fine Priesthood Meeting. Thirty Elders including myself present and some local brethren. We had a most enjoyable time. I confirmed Harry Ellis Chamberlain a member of the church.”¹⁹

To be continued….

24- My Grandmother Annie Ankarstrand Chamberlain told me her story was too sad to tell. However, learning about her life gave me greater love and appreciation for her and her Swedish immigrant mother and father.

25- Harry Chamberlain, Key Witness in Salt Lake Murder Trial

© 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- Life Story of Harry Ellis Chamberlain, recorded by Martin and Genene Chamberlain, October 1972. Unpublished.
2- The Spencer Hearld, May 10, 1893.
3- Spencer Clay County News, August 3, 1899
4- The Spencer Hearld, August 2, 1899
5- FamilySearch.org
6- Orleans County Monitor November 3, 1902, Clay County News, Obit- Alonzo Chamberlain,
7- 1880 U. S. census
8- www.findagrave.com, Lydia A. Chamberlain
9- Ottumwa Semi-Weekly Courier, October 21, 190210- Clay County News, Spencer, Iowa, April 22, 1901

11- The Herald, Spencer, Iowa. Sept, 1904. (Copy of this news clipping was sent to DDC from Mary Parsons of Spencer, Iowa)
12- Family tradition
13- Clay County News, Spencer, Iowa, April 23, 1903
14- Times Republican, Marshalltown, Iowa, September 17, 1904
15- Clay County News, Spencer, Iowa, September 22, 1904
16- Evening Times- Republican, Marshalltown, Iowa, October 29, 1904
17- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake, (magnitude estimate, the Richter Scale was not developed until 1935)
18- Los Angeles Herald, June 15, 1906
19- Church History Digital Catalog, Joseph Edridge Robinson Papers, 1909-1910