John Chambers (abt. 1752 - abt. 1842)

Born about 1752 in North Carolina

Descendants

Died about 1842 at about age 90 in Carroll County, Tennessee, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Sabrina Stone [send private message]

Biography

Family

John Chambers was born approximately 1750-1752 in North Carolina. ^{[1][2] [3]}

Although his wife is unknown, we find he has at least 8 children, listed on his will. See a transcript of his will attached to this profile.

Henry Chambers (1790-1870) Mary Chambers (1790-1880) John Chambers Jr (1792-1860) Green B Chambers (1794-1873) James Chambers (1797-1860) Elizabeth Chambers (1802-) Wilson Chambers (1804-1886) Sarah Chambers (1806-)

The location of John in 1810 is as yet unkown.

The 1810 Index information for Stewart County, Tennessee, Early Census Substitutes, shows John's children, Henry and his brother Green, having moved to Stewart County, Tennessee. ^[4] There is no listing for John Chambers Sr., John Chambers Jr., nor James Chambers at this location. It is unclear where they were living. But also present on the 1810 Index Listings for Stewart County, Tennessee is William K Gately, husband of daughter Mary Chambers.

John and family are in Carroll County, Tennessee in 1811

In the 1811 Tax listings we find the following Chambers families: ^[5] (Page listings are for the pages specific to this county only.)

Henry Chambers (listed on page 3) Jonas Chambers (listed on page 6) John Chambers (listed on page 6) James Chambers (listed on page 6) John Chambers Sr. (listed on page 6) William Gately, the husband of Mary Chambers-John's daughter- (listed on page 6)

Also present on the 1811 Tax listings we find the following related family: William Ridings (possible connection to Sarah Ridings Chambers, the wife of John's son, Henry Chambers).

The location of John in 1820 is as yet unkown.

John's sons, Henry, Green, and James all show up in the 1820 Census for Stewart County, Tennessee. John Chambers Senior, along with his younger children, is missing from the 1820 Census. ^[6]

Possible Reasons for His Absence in the 1820 Census

Carroll County, Tennessee became a full county on November 14, 1821, when Governor William Carroll issued commissions appointing several men as Justices of the Peace for Carroll County. Before it's incorporation into a county, Carroll County was part of the hunting grounds of the Chickasaw Indian tribe.^[7] It is possible that if Henry moved on into this part of Tennessee before his sons, he would not have been listed on any Census.

It is also possible, given that in 1830 and 1840 we find him residing with his children, that he was living with one of his daughter's husbands. But we do know he was not in the household of any of the Stewart County children.

John Chambers is in Carroll County, Tennessee by 1830

In 1830, the family has moved into Carroll County, Tennessee. We seem to find John Chambers living with his son, Wilson Chambers. We find Wilson in Carroll County, Tennessee, USA with a Free White Male, age 70-79, living here. At this time, we find John Chambers Jr, John's handicapped son, over in Henry Chamber's household. He is listed on the Census as mentally handicapped. ^[8]

In 1840, John Chambers seems to be living with his son, Wilson, again. We find Wilson in Carroll County, Tennessee, USA with a Free White Male, age 80-89, living here. John's mentally handicapped son, John Chambers Jr, is still living with his brother Henry Chambers. We find him on Henry's Census. ^[9]

Military Service

We find John Chambers receiving a US Revolutionary War Pension in 1833 from the Western portion of Tennessee. ^[10] It is possible this applies to another John Chambers, but we also find on the 1840 Census, John Chambers is listed as being a war veteran. ^[11]

Death of John Chambers, Sr.

June 30, 1842, John Chambers, Sr. writes out his will. In this will, he lists the names of his children (as listed above). He bequeaths all debts owed to him to the future upkeep of his son, John Jr. John Chambers is unable to read or write so his mark is attested to on the document. During the September Term, 1842, of the State of Tennessee, his will is probated. [[1]]

Problems:

There is some general confusion regarding the early life, identity, and wife of John Chambers. Some believe he is the same John Patton Chambers who attested to his Revolutionary War service in a Pension request. From comparing these two men, it seems they are NOT the same man for the following reasons:

John Patton Chambers was born in Virginia and married a Rebekah Graham. Records show that her father consented to the marriage. It seems to have taken place in Halifax Virginia, although there are some records showing the marriage recorded in North Carolina.

John Patton Chambers' family is documented as having moved to North Carolina for a period after the War ended. He is shown to have returned to Virginia and then to have relocated to Tennessee, but not to Carroll County. It is believed he located to Robertson County, Tennessee.

John Patton Chambers' children's names in no way correspond to the names of the children listed on our John's will. Perhaps this is the most compelling of all the evidence. The children's names do not correspond and the ages of the births overlap, making it impossible that these are the same families. John Patton's children were as follows:

Frances (1795-1840) Elizabeth (1797-) Jane (1800-) Gools Berry (1802-1881) James H. (1804-) Clement (1807-1894) Hyram (1809-) Nancy G (1811-)

The most confusing aspect is that the two John Chambers seem to have been born in practically the same years and they seem to have died in the same exact year and in the same state. But attached to the website research listed below is a copy of the probated will of John P Chambers which lists his children, as shown above.

Here is extensive background on John P Chambers: [[2]]

Sources

1. ↑ 1830 Census Carroll County, Tennessee
2. ↑ 1840 Census Carroll County, Tennessee
3. ↑ Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library.
4. ↑ 1810 Federal Census Substitutes Stewart County, Tennessee
5. ↑ Early Tax Lists of Tennessee, 1811 listings for Stewart County, Tennessee.
6. ↑ 1820 Census, Stewart County, Tennessee, USA
7. ↑ History of Carroll County, Tennessee, Vol 1, By Turner, pg 5
8. ↑ 1830 Census, Carroll County, Tennessee, USA
9. ↑ 1840 Census, Carroll County, Tennessee
10. ↑ US Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files 1800-1900
11. ↑ 1840 Carroll County, Tennessee