The Chamberlain Story

Hi- Welcome to my website, “The Chamberlain Story.” My name is Dennis Chamberlain. I am a direct descendant of one of the three Chamberlain brothers, Thomas, Edmond and William who arrived in Massachusetts in 1644. If you have a Chamberlain in your direct family line, there is a good chance that we are cousins.

Dennis Chamberlain

I recently wrote out a time-line for the arrival and establishment of the Chamberlain brothers in the New World, adding related historical events to place them in the context of English and American history.

I wrote this for my immediate family, but then realized that there are literally thousands who are descendants of Thomas, Edmond and William Chamberlain. Therefore, I will be sharing this and other Chamberlain family stories on this website.

The view of American History through the eyes of our forefathers

The Chamberlain Story history timeline will show an unbroken chain of generations from Francis Chamberlain, who arrived in Virginia on the Marmaduke in 1621, to my father, Ernest M. Chamberlain, and his family during World War II. It will research the local and national history of their time. Students connected with the Chamberlain family will get a glimpse of history through the eyes of their forefathers, and see that American history is also their history.

My hope for this website is to show my grandchildren’s generation that the world where our ancestors lived was a different place. Therefore, people should not be judged by the world they were born into. Rather, they should be judged by what they did to make the world a better place.

America was born in a world where conquest and human bondage was the norm, and where one’s religion was determined by the Pope or a king. Our forefathers had to change their world step by step, by trial and error and by blood, sweat and tears. They ratified a Constitution for a free nation under God in order that “we the people” could establish “a more perfect union.” They gave gratitude and credit to God for their success in establishing a free nation.

“Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.” George Washington

The U. S. Constitution and the freedom it guarantees us had to be won and has to be continually defended by good people including those of the Chamberlain family.

I would love to hear that some high school or college student studied The Chamberlain Story time line in conjunction with their study of American history. if you do, please contact me.

Posts for the Chamberlain Story website fall into four categories:

1- Family History Timeline. A chronological story of the Chamberlain family in the context of local and American history.

Part 1- Chapters 1 through Chapter 8 tells of the families of Francis Chamberlain and his presumed sons, Thomas, Edmond and William including the eventful life of Paugus John Chamberlain famed for his duel with Chief Paugus.

Part 2- Chapters 9 through Chapter 28 tell of the families of Spencer Chamberlain, from his grandfather Thomas Chamberlain of Westmoreland, through the generations to my father Ernest M. Chamberlain during World War II.

2- Extra stories and Updates. Chapters E-1 to E-15

3- DNA Studies– studies of the Chamberlain family through DNA tests. Chapter D1-D4

4- History of the family of Alexander Spowart Izatt. Africa to Sterling Castle and from coal mines of Scotland to Cache Valley Utah.

For a link to of all stories see Table of Contents.

The Top 10 Posts of The Chamberlain Story in 2021

11,316 views in 2021, up from 9,592 in 2020.

1- Chapter E5- Sir Isaac Newton, Our (Almost) Direct Ancestor (1,606 views). Best month, July 2021, 163 views.
2- Chapter 5- Rebecca Chamberlain and the Salem Witch Trials (900 views). Best month, July 2018, 155 views.
3- Chapter 1- The Arrival of Francis Chamberlain in the New World (460 views). Best month, January 2020, 52 views.
4- Chapter E4- The Legend of the Indian Maiden Winona (441 views). Best month, November 2020, 98 views.
5- Chapter D1- The Chamberlain’s in America Y-DNA Link to William de Tancarville (391 views). Best month, August 2021, 54 views.
6- Chapter 9- The Mystery of Chamberlain Lake (362 views). Best month, July 2020, 68 views.
7- Chapter 21- John Harry Chamberlain, Pioneer Life on the Prairie (309 views). Record for most post views in a single month, Feb. 2021, 282 views.
8- Chapter E6- Sir Isaac Newton: the Athanasian Creed and Bible Prophecy (303 views). Best month, December 2021, 49 views.
9- Chapter E8- Rebecca Chamberlain and the Puzzle of Sarah Shelley’s Will (286 views). Best month, March 2021, 44 views.
10- Chapter 4- Three Chamberlain Brothers in an Indian the Storm of Fire (259 views). Best month, December 2021, 33 views.

Website’s original insights and new evidence:

The thing that makes family history interesting and exciting is that you never know what you will find. It is what it is. My research is continually seeking new twists and surprises along the way. My website presents new information that challenges current historical concepts.

Chapter 1. Who maybe was and who was not the father of Thomas, Edmond and William Chamberlain? What we learn from Y-DNA. Evidence that the baby, Francis Chamberlain, Jr. was born during his voyage on the Bona Nova.

Chapter 3. Evidence that Francis Chamberlain’s family and his servants moved to Barbados.

Chapter 5. The Chamberlain Story write-up of the Salem witch trials has made this post my most popular chapter.

Chapter 7. Evidence of the reality of the “Paugus” John Chamberlain story at Battle of Lovewell’s Pond. And, evidence that the date of the Battle of Lovewell’s Pond was May 8, 1725. (not May 9 as Fanny Hardy Eckstrom claimed)

Chapter 9. New information on the naming of Chamberlain Lake and clearing Chamberlain Farm in Maine.

Chapter 10. There were two John Chamberlains in Westmoreland NH in the 1700s. They have been confused as the same person. One is the son of Thomas the other is the son of Henry. The Chamberlain Story has sorted out who is who.

Chapter 14. Why Spencer Chamberlain’s blue eyes and his family’s connection to Maine is evidence that his mother Winona was Penobscot. This chapter presents a consecutive history of the North Eastern Indian tribes. My answer to a controversy: Did Penobscot Chief Joseph Orono actually live to be 113?

Chapter 15. Discovered that Increase Chamberlain, Jr. lived in Glover, Vermont where he died in 1810. Also, evidence showing Spencer Chamberlain and others were living in his household in 1790 and 1800. Nevertheless, Increase and Susannah were not Spencer’s parents.

Chapter 16. What is the path Spencer Chamberlain ran from Runaway Pond to the Mill in 1810.

Chapter 18. Discovered evidence that Alonzo Chamberlain was an agent for the underground railroad, and that Glover, Vermont was an UGRR station between Hardwick and Barton.

Chapter 22. The inspiring story of two missionaries who opened a new area of Clay County, Iowa. They covered the whole County by foot and served without “purse or script.” It is the untold story of how they taught Harry and Mary Chamberlain the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 25. Harry Chamberlain took the stand on April 13, 1925. He was a secret witness for the defense. Mark Collins had already been tried in the press and found guilty. Though never convicted in a court of law, he was viewed by nearly everyone as a cold-blooded murderer and possibly a serial killer. Harry’s testimony sent shock waves through the Salt Lake Valley and beyond.

Original Insights in Extra and DNA studies posts

Chapter E6. Explains Isaac Newtons religious beliefs and why they were his deepest secret. Also proves that Isaac Newton was not an Arian, nor did he believe he was “called of God” to interpret Bible prophecy as some have claimed.

Chapter E8. What is the family and maiden name of Rebecca Chamberlain? Is it Shelley or Addington? The Chamberlain Story analysis determines which is most likely.

Chapter D1. The study of Y-DNA to find the Chamberlain family groups that father-to-son lines connect them to Normandy before the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

Chapter D2. The Chamberlain Story found segment on chromosome 9 from 23&me analysis that has been passed down from one of the parents of Thomas, Edmond and William Chamberlain who came to America in the 1600s.

Chapter D4. The Chamberlain Story documented the authors 0.1% African DNA segment traced to his fifth great-grandmother, Jean Mitchell, born in Scotland in 1755. Posted June 18, 2021.

The true identity of the father of Spencer Chamberlain

The father of Spencer Chamberlain (1786-1853) found! Be sure to study carefully Chapter 10 and Chapter 15. His father has been a subject of search and debate for over 80 years. This is based on new information found through the research of The Chamberlain Story. This information was confirmed by Ancestry DNA in Chapter D3.

Epic battles of American History told in detail in The Chamberlain Story website.

Chapter 6– The Battle of Lovewell’s Pond in Fryburg, Maine and the famous duel between the Indian Chief Paugus and John Chamberlain. 1725

Chapter 12– The Battle of Bunker Hill and the two Chamberlain brothers from Westmoreland NH who were in the middle of it. 1775

Chapter 17. The Battle of Plattsburgh and Lake Champlain was one of the most decisive battles of the War of 1812. The incredible story of how an optimistic British Navy was defeated by the American fleet and how 2000 American ground forces held off 14,000 elite British troops. In 1814, Spencer Chamberlain enlisted in the Vermont 31st Infantry.