Personal Information Page For
John Chambers
and Sarah McCullough


On this page you will find

Introduction
History of Richland County by A.J. Baughman, 1908
1820 Census, Richland County, Ohio
1830 Census, Richland County, Ohio
- John Chambers and Andrew Chambers
1850 Census, Richland County, Ohio
Abstracts of Wills, Richland County, Ohio
- John Chambers


Introduction

John Chambers (brother of Thomas Chambers who married Elisabeth McCullough) ancestor of Erskine Chambers in the following biography, was b.abt.1786 in Ireland, died June 19, 1858, in Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, married Sarah McCullough (she b.1796 in Amwell Twp., Washington Co., Pennsylvania, d.April 16, 1866, in Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, sister of Elisabeth McCullough who married Thomas Chambers). John and Sarah are buried in Ontario Cemetery. Their family consisted of the following known children:

1-Susanna C., born March 15, 1814, in Pennsylvania, died March 26, 1893, in Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio.:
2-Elazan Chambers, born 1835 in Ohio, m.Robert Smith:
3-Elizabeth Chambers, born 1828 in Ohio, died after 1880 in Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, m.Hugh McCullough:
4-Emily Ann Chambers, born 1825 in Ohio, died after 1880 in Springfield Twp.  Richland Co., Ohio, m.John McCullough:
5-Samuel G. Chambers, born in Pennsylvania.
6-James Harvey Chambers, born b.May 02, 1821, in Ohio, died November 08, 1902, in Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, m.Elizabeth Morrow, she born January 10, 1823, in Pennsylvania, died November 27, 1901, in Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio.

1860 Federal Census, Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, Roll 1028 Book 1, Page 84b, Household 1166:
Chambers, James, Age 38, Farmer, Born Ohio
Chambers, Elizabeth, Age 35, Born PA
Chambers, Erskin, Age 5, Born Ohio
Chambers, John, Age 3, Born Ohio
McColough, Mary, Age 17, Born PA

1870 Federal Census, Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, Book 1, Page 344b, Household #237:
Chambers, Harvey, Age 46, Farmer, Born Ohio
Chambers, Elizabeth, Age 46, Keeping House, Born Ohio
Chambers, Erskine, Age 16, At Home, Born Ohio
Chambers, Chalmers, Age 13, At Home, Born Ohio
Mitson, Laura, Age 14, At Home, Born Ohio
Peter, Dillon, Age 17, Farm Laborer, Born Ohio

1880 Federal Census, Springfield, Richland, Ohio, Family History Library Film 1255061, NA Film Number T9-1061, Page Number 225D:
Harvey CHAMBERS1 Self M Male W 59 OH Farmer PA PA
Elizabeth CHAMBERS2 Wife M Female W 57 PA Keeping House PA PA
Chalmers CHAMBERS3 Son S Male W 22 OH Working On Farm OH PA

1900 Federal Census, Springfield Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, Roll 1317 Book 1, Page 152, Household #103:
Chambers, James, Age 79, Farmer, Born Ohio
Chambers, Elizabeth, Age 77, Born PA
Chambers, Erskine, Age 46, Farmer, Born Ohio
Chambers, Elizabeth, Age 43, Born Ohio
Chambers, Arthur, Age 16, Born Ohio
Chambers, Clarence B., Age 15, Born Ohio
Chambers, John E., Age 8, Born Ohio

Abstracts of Wills, Richland County, Ohio - (RW 11, p.275, written 11April 1855 ------ probated 24 August 1858)
Chambers, John:
To wife Sarah, $1500.00, brown horse
To daughter Susannah Chambers, $800.00
To daughters Eliza McCullough and Sarah Marie Caldwell, $200.00 each
To daughter Emlian McCullough, $300.00
To daughter Elazan Chambers, $500.00
To two sons Samuel and James Harvey, residue of estate
Executors: Sons, Samuel and James H. Chambers. (Author's note: only James was appointed executor)
Bondsmen: John Roosberry, Alexander Morrow. Appraisors: David Bell, M.B.Crouch, Orrin Webster
Witnesses: William McBride, William Hartupee, John H. Millikin

Mentioned in obituary of Elizabeth Chambers - THE MANSFIELD NEWS - 27 November 1901, Vol. 17, No. 229, submitted by Amy, which notes that Mrs. Elizabeth Chambers is survived by her husband and two sons. Erskine Chambers resides on the home place, and Chalmer Chambers, the other son, lives at Elcajon, Cali. Funeral services at 1:00 Thursday afternoon, conducted by the Rev. Frank D. Findley of the United Presbyterian Church. Burial at Ontario.

Vital Records: Marriage Records -- Early Marriage Records, 1851 -Source: THE OHIO LIBERAL, 02 July 1884, Vol. 12, No. 12 January 1851 - James H. Chambers and Elizabeth Morrow

7-Sarah Marie Chambers, born 1825 in Pennsylvania, m. first John Caldwell (he born 1821 in Pennsylvania).; m. second Leesa Stevens. Sarah and John appear in the 1850 census:

1850 Federal Census, Buffalo Twp., Washington Co., Pennsylvania, Roll 834 Book 1, Page 441b, Household #106:
Caldwell, John, Age 29, Innkeeper, Born PA
Caldwell, Mary, Age 25, Born PA
Caldwell, Samuel, Age 1, Born PA
This family needs to be checked more thoroughly

8-Margaret Chambers, bornabt.1818, d.August 12, 1840, in Troy Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, m.Joseph Roe:
9-Thompson Chambers, born Pennsylvania.
10-William Chambers, born in Pennsylvania, died Richland Co., Ohio.


History of Richland County by A.J. Baughman, 1908

Erskine Chambers

Erskine Chambers resides on one of the fine farms of Richland county known as Idealyld and lives in the old brick house which was built in 1832 by his grandfather, John Chambers. Its well kept appearance, however, gives little indication that it has passed the three-quarter of a century mark in its existence.

John Chambers of Springfield Township, Richland County, Ohio --- date unknown) , the grandfather, and his brother, Andrew Chambers, came to Richland County in the beginning of the century and the former entered land in Springfield township. The brothers built a cabin on the land and cleared some of the place, spending the greater part of the summer here, but returned for the winter to their former home in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The next spring John Chambers, with his family, then consisting of his wife, Sarah, and two children, came to make their home in the little cabin in Springfield Township.

When he took possession there was a camp of Indians on the place and they remained for four years or more but were always friendly and peaceable. The family, however, endured many of he hardships, trials and privations incident to pioneer life. The nearest flour mill was at Zanesville, Ohio, about one hundred miles away, and the methods of travel at that time rendered it a very arduous task to reach the mill. To do so John Chambers would take one sack of grain on the horse which he rode and two sacks on the horse which he would lead or that followed him and thus go to mill. The country was thickly wooded and frequently there was no wagon road, so that he had to follow a trail, and there were no bridges, so that he had to ford the streams. This was occasionally a hard thing to do when the streams were out of the channel and flood high. When he would get to Zanesville he would have to wait his turn to have his grist ground. On the way the horses were liable to rub the sacks off against the trees, yet in time the animals became so accustomed to carry a load of this kind on their backs that they would with great dexterity swing around the trees with their load undisturbed.

While John Chambers was away to mill his wife remained at home with their several small children, nor was her life free front tile hardships and privations. There was an Indian camp not more than seventy rods from her cabin. She also had to care for the stock and had to carry the water from the spring about forty rods away. Shortly after the arrival of the family here she took her teakettle with her, having no bucket for the purpose, and started up the stream from which she had obtained water before. When she had proceeded a little distance she saw a tiny branch which she followed out to small bank, where she found water rising. Taking her hands she scooped out a little basin, then she Stood and watched it fill up and flow over until the water ran clear, then she filled her kettle. This was time first time a white person had taken water from that spring. It remained, however, the source of water supp]y for the family and some of their descendants, who have always owned the home, and few pass by in hot weather without stopping to get a cool, refreshing draught from this spring.

On one occasion when her husband was absent on a nine days' trip to mill Mrs. John Chambers was visited by squaws who came to beg. This was not an unusual circumstance, for they begged nearly everything. At that time, however, they brought a small vessel, which would hold about an ordinary cupful, and asked for cow's butter. Mrs. Chambers was never in the habit of refusing them anything she could possibly spare them, especially if her husband was away. She filled the dish as full as she could and then gave it back. They took it and pressed the butter down with fingers that could scarcely have been dirtier and then banded it back for her to fill again, which she at once did. The warriors, or men of the tribe, never came to the cabin while her husband was away but he would not be home an hour until a number of them would come to him. He was always their friend and they never attempt to molest him or his family in any way.

John Chambers was among the first to take up land in Richland county and he aided in laying broad and deep the foundation upon which its later prosperity and progress has been built. Two children were born unto him and his wife in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and seven were added to the household in Richland county. These were Samuel G., Susan, Margaret, Eliza, Thompson, James H., Emily Ann, Sarah and Eliza Ann.

The eldest, Samuel G. Chambers, went to Grand View, Louisa county, Iowa, in 1849, locating on a farm there. He was married June 18, 1852, to Rosanna Ronald, and they had five children, Sarah Emily, John Knox, Martha Josephine, William Elsworth and Samuel E. They lived near Grand View until 1880 and were then residents of Brown County, Kansas, until 1896. Samuel G. Chambers lived to be ninety years of age. His eldest daughter is the wife of Dr. H. P. Skiles, a prominent and well known physician of Chicago, residing at 963 Monroe street, and they have a family of five children, Vera Gertrude, Clara J., J. Herbert, Frank Chambers and Arthur.

John Knox Chambers, the eldest son of Samuel G. Chambers, married Annie Walker and they have one child, Mary C. They reside at the old home in Kansas.

Martha Josephine Chambers, the second daughter of Samuel G. Chambers, is the wife of James Casson, and they have four children: Francis, Bertha, Fred and Leila Casson.

William Elsworth, the second son of Samuel G. Chambers, married Bessie Moore and lives at Parker City, Utah. They have two children, William and Harriet Chambers.

Samuel E. Chambers, the youngest of the family, married Celia Casson, has three children, May, Gertrude and Samuel George Casson, and they live at Parker City, Utah.

Susan Chambers, the second child of John Chambers, who founded the family in Rihland County, never married, but lived on or near the old home for over eighty years. The third child, Margaret Chambers, became the wife of Joseph Roe but at her death left no children. Eliza Chambers, the fourth child, became the wife of Hugh McCullough and had one daughter, Nettie McCullough. The fifth child, Thompson Chambers, died in infancy.

The sixth child, James Harvey Chambers, married Elizabeth Morrow. He purchased the old home from his father, John Chambers, and there made his home throughout his entire life, covering eighty-one years. He was one of the foremost farmers of the county and a lover of good stock. Unto him and his wife were born two sons: Erskine and John Chambers. The latter married Irene Copeland and they have four children: William C., Harvey, Elizabeth and Ruth. They now live at Lakeside, San Diego County, California., where Mr. Chambers has been engaged in raising fruit since 1897.

Emily Ann Chambers, the seventh child of John Chambers, became the wife of John McCullough, of Mahoning County, and they live on the old McCullough homestead near Portland. They had one child, Sarah Jeannette, who was liberally educated and became time wife of Joseph Roe McKnight, a successful attorney of Norwalk, Ohio. Their children are three in number: Edna Ninette, the wife of H. E. Graham, manager of time Oil Belt Telephone Company and a resident of Cygnet, Ohio; John Bronson McKnight, an attorney located in the mining district at Vernon, Nevada; and Ethelberta wife of Samuel Caldwell and they had three children: John Caldwell, who married McKnight, who became the wife of A. B. Rundell, a real-estate dealer of Norwalk, Ohio, by whom she has one son, John McKnight Rundell.

Sarah Chambers, the eighth child of John Chambers, became the wife Lessa Stevens and had one son, Oscar Caldwell; Hettie Caldwell, the wife of Jonathan Uhlich, a farmer and superintendent of the Children's home in Richland county; and Minnie Caldwell, the wife of George Schanes, manager of the electric plant at Cardington, Ohio. Eliza Ann Chambers, the ninth member of the family, became the wife of Robert Smith, who died shortly after their marriage.

The old home is now occupied by Erskine Chambers. This land was entered by John Chambers in 1809 and was deeded to him in 1814, while in 1857 it was deeded by him and his wife Sarah to their son, James H. Chambers, who in 1902 deeded it to his son, Erskine Chambers.

Erskine Chambers, the son of James H., married Miss Lizzie Boyce and to them have been born three sons. Harvey Arthur married Nancy Fisher, had one son, Arthur Erskine, and died at the age of twenty-two years. The younger sons, Clarence Boyce and John Erskine, are both at home. The father, Erskine Chambers, purchased the old home farm from his father. He had always lived on this place, which is dear to him through the memories of his boy as we1l as with the associations of mature year. The place is often spoken of as a model farm and indeed it possesses all of the accessories and conveniences of a model property of the twentieth century. The family have named it ldealyld.

When Mr. Chambers was nineteen years of age he purchased three registered hogs and since that time he has been continuously engaged in raising registered stock, including hogs, sheep, cattle and horses. His brother John was a partner with him in his stocks raising for years, although they each owned separate animals.

When his sons reached the age of nine and ten years Erskine Chambers made them partners in business, believing that an interest on one’s occupation should grow as one's years advanced. Today they are young men and the firm is known as Erskine Chambers & Sons of the ldealyld Stock Farm. Many premiums have been awarded to the stock fed, raised or bred on the old farm and indeed it is a well known fact that some of the finest stock produced in Ohio has been here raised.

The family occupy the old brick residence, which was built by the grandfather in 1832 and which is yet in an excellent state of repair. The work of improvement and development has been carried on along the most progressive lines of modern agriculture and the name of Chambers has long figured as a prominent one in agricultural circles here. Most of the family have also been most active in support of public measures, contributing to the general welfare, and Erskine Chambers is no exception to this rule.


1820 Census, Springfield Twp., Richland County, Ohio, taken from Rootsweb at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohrichla/index.html.
 2 males under 10, 1 male 26-44; 3 females under 10, 1 female 26-44.


1830 Census, Springfield Twp., Richland County, Ohio, taken from Rootsweb at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohrichla/index.html.
1 male 5-9, 1 male 15-19, 1 male 40-49; 1 female under 5, 2 females 5-9, 2 females 10-14, 1 female 15-19, 1 female 30-39. Page 60.

Also living in Springfield Twp. was Andrew Chambers, brother of John Chambers
1 male 5-9, 1 male 15-19, 1 male 40-49; 1 female under 5, 2 females 5-9, 2 females 10-14, 1 female 15-19, 1 female 30-39. Page 60.


1850 Census, Richland County, Ohio, Springfield Township (unfortunately I didn't record the film number)

Chambers, John --- farmer --- age 64 --- born 1786 --- place of birth Ireland
Chambers, Sarah --- age 54 --- born 1796 --- place of birth Pa.
Chambers, Susan --- age 34 --- born 1816 --- place of birth Pa.
Chantin, James --- farmer --- age 27 --- born Pa.
Chantin, Emily Ann --- age 25 --- born 1825 --- place of birth Ohio (was this a first marriage for Emily Ann?)
Shaffer, John --- age 14 --- born Ohio
Snodgrass, James --- age 2 --- born 1848 --- place of birth Ohio

Also in Springfield Township were the following Chambers individuals, although the relationship, if there is one, is not known at this time:

Chambers, D.S. --- cabinet maker --- age 22 --- born Ohio
Chambers, Charity --- age 22 --- born Vermont
Chambers, William A. --- age 8 months --- born Ohio
Drake, Peter --- cabinet maker --- age 23 --- born Ohio

Chambers, John --- wagon maker --- age 27 --- born 1823 --- place of birth Ohio
Chambers, Catherine --- age 26 --- born Ohio
Chambers, Lucilla --- age 3 --- born Ohio

Chambers, Andrew --- farmer --- age 55 --- born 1795 Pa.
Chambers, Isabel --- age 52 --- born Pa.
Chambers, William --- age 22 --- born Ohio
Chambers, Harriet --- age 19 --- born Ohio
Chambers, Elizar --- age 15 --- born Ohio
Chambers, Gaylord --- age 13 --- born Ohio
Chambers, Isabel --- age 8 --- born Ohio


Abstracts of Wills, Richland County, Ohio - (RW 11, p.275, written 11 April 1855 ------ probated 24 August 1858)

Chambers, John:
To wife Sarah, $1500.00, brown horse
To daughter Susannah Chambers, $800.00
To daughters Eliza McCullough and Sarah Marie Caldwell, $200.00 each
To daughter Emlian McCullough, $300.00
To daughter Elazan Chambers, $500.00
To two sons Samuel and James Harvey, residue of estate
Executors: Sons, Samuel and James H. Chambers. (Author's note: only James was appointed executor)
Bondsmen: John Roosberry, Alexander Morrow. Appraisors: David Bell, M.B. Crouch, Orrin Webster
Witnesses: William McBride, William Hartupee, John H. Millikin