George Chalmers (1824 - 1898)

Born 9 Jan 1824 in Church Calder, Scotland

Ancestors

Died 27 Jul 1898 at age 74 in San Juan, California

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George Chalmers was born in Scotland.

Biography

George Chalmers was born 9 January 1824 in Church Calder, Scotland to William Chalmers and Isabela Barker.^[1]

George came to America with his family in 1834 on the ship "Cyrus of Glasgow". They came via Montreal to Burlington, then to Newbury.^[2]

The following is from History of Newbury, Vermont:

Alexander Barker, James Latto, William Chalmers and Alexander Laing their families left Leven, Scotland, in March 1834, on the ship "Cyrus of Dundee." They sailed around the north of Scotland, after being by storms at the mouth of the Moray Frith. After a rough voyage of weeks, in which they saw no sail, they reached the mouth of the St. Lawrence, where they were detained a week by floating ice, and finally reached Montreal. They came by steamboat and canal to Burlington, thence by teams to Newbury, where all their families settled. They were hospitably entertained by Capt. Samuel Gibson, and others of their countrymen, till they could make homes for themselves and clear land. Nearly all of their company have passed away, and the few survivors have collected such memorials as remain. All were Presbyterians.^[3]

William (Chalmers), with his wife and five c., and Alexander Barker and family, came to America in the ship "Cyrus of Glasgow," 1834. They came via Montreal to Burlington, thence to Newbury in June and three years later settled on what was then called the Benjamin Leet place, where William and Henry, their sons now live and there spent the remainder of their industrious lives.^[4]

George was a carpenter and builder, working in Boston. He went to California in 1850 during the gold excitement. Carpenters were so scarce that he received ten dollars per day. Later he owned and operated a ferry. In 1854 he went into partnership with his brother Alexander raising cattle. He bought a tract of land ten miles square rearing thousands of cattle and cultivating land on a large scale. He also designed and built many buildings.^[5]

He was united in marriage about 1854 to a Miss Smith, who survived him with one daughter.^[6]

He died in San Juan, California in the fall of 1898.^[7] He is buried in San Juan Bautista Cemetery, San Juan Bautista, San Benito County, California.^[8]

Research Notes

The following source gives completely different information on the date and place of birth: "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYKC-5YW : accessed 22 April 2016), George Chalmers, 07 Jan 1825; citing , reference ; FHL microfilm 1,040,184.
Name: George Chalmers
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 30 Jan 1825
Christening Place: WEMYSS,FIFE,SCOTLAND
Birth Date: 07 Jan 1825
Father's Name: William Chalmers
Mother's Name: Isobel Barker

Sources

1. ↑ Wells, Frederic Palmer. History of Newbury, Vermont (Caledonian Company, 1902): Page 490
2. ↑ Wells: Page 490
3. ↑ Wells: Page 461-462
4. ↑ Wells: Page 490
5. ↑ Wells: Page 490
6. ↑ Wells: Page 490
7. ↑ Wells: Page 490
8. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=178008377 Find A Grave Memorial# 178008377

See also:

• Find A Grave Memorial# 178008377