W.E. CHAMBERLAIN 

W.E. Chamberlain, one of the California pioneers, associated with Sacramento since the early days, is a native of Dunstable (now Nashua), New Hampshire, born October 31, 1801, his parents being Elijah and Elizabeth (Kidder) Chamberlain. The Chamberlains are one of the early New England families. Three brothers of that name came from England in the early colonial days, one of whom settled in Massachusetts. From him the subject of this sketch is directly descended. His father was an extensive Boston merchant, who had business interests at other places. The mother of the subject of this sketch was a native of Dunstable, New Hampshire, and her father was a minister there for many years. When W.E. Chamberlain, our subject, was an infant, she resided at Boston, but on account of her health she went to Dunstable to live. Daniel Webster, that great figure in American history, was a relative, and sometimes made his home there, so that our subject was as intimately acquainted with him as with a brother. W.E. Chamberlain went to Hopkinton to pursue his education, and while there lived with an aunt, Mrs. Webster’s mother. He attended school there and at Pelham and Hopkinton. While at Bradford he was compelled to quit school on account of being attacked with rheumatism. He wanted to go to West Point Military Academy, but his mother was unwilling. He entered a store at Andover, and in 1822 became a silent partner with Joel Carter in Boston. In 1824 the firm of Simpkins & Chamberlain, Boston, was founded. In 1827 Mr. Chamberlain went to Cincinnati, where he engaged as clerk in a store. He next went to Oxford, Ohio, where he engaged in business. In 1844 he went to Terre Haute, Indiana, where he was in business five years as a member of the extensive firm of Craft & Chamberlain. On the morning of the 1^st of January, 1849, he started for his place of business, when he met someone who told him his extensive lard works were burned down. He proceeded to the scene and saw that the report was only too true, and that everything was destroyed. At 10 a.m. he returned to his home. When asked by his wife what he intended to do, he said he was going to California. In connection with three or four others a party was formed for that purpose, but the others left Mr. Chamberlain out of the arrangements, concluding he was too old. He, however, not discouraged, arranged with two other men, and they outfitted and started, proceeding to St. Joseph, Missouri. They found it difficult to cross the river, and after that was accomplished many obstacles appeared ahead. There was a vast emigration ahead of them, and the grass was short; so they sold their wagons, having concluded to pack across. Before they got to Big Blue (two or three days after leaving the Missouri River), the signs of cholera became so numerous that Mr. Chamberlain’s partners, Messrs. Ketchum and Barber, became alarmed. In the morning, after a very stormy night, they came to Mr. Chamberlain and proposed to go back. He told them he would not, but would give them $100, and take two mules and part of the supplies, and go ahead. Two of the party that had left Mr. Chamberlain out on account of his age, Mr. Crawford and Colonel Hook (afterward sheriff of San Joaquin County) were overtaken, and he joined with them. The three proceeded on to Little Blue River, and there Colonel Hook was taken sick. Crawford then insisted on going back, but Mr. Chamberlain would not have it that way, and proposed instead to wait until a train came along, and put Colonel Hook aboard. This was done, and the two others proceeded on their way. After making the last crossing of the Platte, and after they had proceeded out of sight of it, Mr. Chamberlain became very sick with the dysentery. He said, “I will have to stop and rest,” but the Indian encampment could be seen in the distance, and Mr. Crawford refused to wait, as he said they would be killed by Indians. Mr. Chamberlain put up his little tent, and they finished their work of separating. Mr. Crawford was about leaving, when a train appeared over the hills, approaching them. The first wagon was that of a young Virginian, named Wilson. He put one of Mr. Chamberlain’s mules into his team, and they proceeded together. Mr. Chamberlain reached Sacramento August 23, 1849. A few days later he went with a young man from New York to a point on the Mokelumne River, five miles from Ione, and went to mining; but their efforts proved futile. He then went up on the Cosumnes River, and remained at Cook’s Bar until spring, when he returned to Sacramento and purchased a little store from Lindley & Booth. Mr. Dye built a store on the Plaza to rent to him, and after renting it about a year, Mr. Chamberlain purchased it. He carried on business there until burned out by the great fire of November 1852. He was elected city treasurer, taking the office in 1854, and serving one year. The next year he was elected city clerk and auditor. In the spring of 1856 he became connected with the bank of D.O. Mills & Co., and has so remained ever since. For a time he held the position of vice-president and director. He has been city treasurer also in 1863, 1864, 1867, 1868-’72, and two years since the last-mentioned date. Mr. Chamberlain was married in Searsport, Maine, while a resident of Cincinnati, to Mrs. Charlotte A. Kidder, a native of Searsport. She was a daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Averton) Kidder, a granddaughter of Dr. Averton, of Massachusetts, a celebrated physician. Her father was a Boston merchant, who, on giving up business, retired to a farm. Mrs. Chamberlain came to California to join her husband in 1853, via the Nicaragua route. The children did not come until two or three years later, having remained in Indiana, under the tuition of Dr. Scott, Mrs. President Harrison’s father. Three children have been born to them, viz: Edward (deceased), Florence L. and William Edwin. Mrs. Chamberlain departed this life June 1, 1888. Edward, the oldest son of W.E. Chamberlain, completed his education in Sacramento. He studied medicine with Dr. Moss, of this city, and assaying with Henry Hawks, of San Francisco. He became connected with smelting works, and went from there to Arizona to look at some mines. He practiced medicine there, and was hospital steward at Fort Yuma. He afterward went to Mexico, where he contracted yellow fever, and died in 1884, aged forty-three years, leaving two children. Florence L. is the oldest living child of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Chamberlain, and was born in Maine. She is the wife of Benton Julian, a native of Indiana, and they have three children, viz.: Edwin Benton, Harvey Hartley and Waldo Emerson. Mr. Julian has been intimately associated with educational matters in Sacramento in the past, having commenced teaching in the public schools in a business college in San Francisco in 1856. William Edward, the third child of W.E. Chamberlain, and a native of Oxford, Ohio, was educated at Phillips Academy and at Harvard, where he took the full course. He has been connected with a business college in San Francisco, and is a resident of Oakland, with business in San Francisco. He is married and has two children, viz.: William Edward and Florence Gladys.