Paul Crosby Chamberlain was the fifth born son of Daniel Henry Chamberlain and Alice Maria Ingersoll. He was born on December 18, 1883 in New York, NY where his family lived after his father left the governorship of South Carolina. His middle name and birth information are found on his Sept. 15, 1911 passport application found on Ancestry.com.
Paul lived with his father and younger brother Waldo on the family farm in West Brookfield, at the time of the 1900 United States census. He was age sixteen and attending school at that time. He attended Yale Medical School beginning in Oct. 1901.
He became a journalist, according to the above mentioned passport application, and went to England. Paul served in the Royal field artillery and was wounded in the battle of Flanders in 1915. An article in the Springfield Daily Republican of Oct. 28, 1915 states that he was a 2nd lieutenant at the time, and recovering in the Ewell and Epson war hospital on Epson Downs near London.
A History of West Brookfield, 1675 - 1990, by Jeffrey H. Fiske, page 163, states that Paul and his wife were killed in a London bombing raid in December of 1940. According to this reference, Paul had become a British citizen after service in World War I, and was a member of the London home guard. England & Wales Death Index, 1916 - 2005, Ancestry.com has Paul C. Chamberlain, age 50, death Dec. 1940, Westminister, London, England. There is also an entry for a Marian Chamberlain at same time and location. England & Wales Marriage Index has entry in July - Sept. of 1933 for a Paul Chamberlain and a Marian Greenaway. Further research needed to confirm that the records refer to Paul Crosby Chamberlain, son of Daniel Henry Chamberlain.
I would be interested in learning more about the life of Paul Chamberlain from the time he left West Brookfield until the time of his death. Please contact me if you have photos or further information.
Further information about the Chamberlain family is available at West Brookfield, Massachusetts Genealogy Project
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Alfred Cornelius White, born Nov. 23, 1847 - Mayflower Descendant?
Alfred Cornelius White was born Nov. 23, 1847 in Amherst, Massachusetts to Samuel Newell White and Harriet (Chamberlain), both born in Brookfield. He came to West Brookfield with his parents and siblings sometime between 1850 and 1852 and settled on the White family farm. (now Salem Cross Inn) Alfred, the only male child among nine children in the family, appears to have left West Brookfield between 1870 and 1880, for a period of at least twenty years. He returned to the family farm sometime in the 1890's and became active in West Brookfield town and social affairs. He was a long time member of the school board, the West Brookfield Farmers' Club, the grange, and the Masonic Lodge.
Where was Alfred for those twenty or so years? According to his obituary in the Springfield Daily Republican of August 8, 1914, he lived in the south and west, and for a time was a "sheep raiser and ranch man in Texas." I have not yet found any evidence of his whereabouts during those years, but intend to continue my research. One might wonder about the circumstances of his leaving the family farm, and also of his return.
What of the Mayflower ancestors? It has been written, that Alfred's family was descended from Peregrine White, who was the first white male born in this country. I have not done the research necessary to verify this information, and some who have attempted to verify it, have been unable to identify the parents of John White, the first of this White Family to settle in West Brookfield. Readers might start a search by contacting the Mayflower Society.
Some information on Alfred and his family in West Brookfield may be found online at http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=wb2006&id=I4886
Where was Alfred for those twenty or so years? According to his obituary in the Springfield Daily Republican of August 8, 1914, he lived in the south and west, and for a time was a "sheep raiser and ranch man in Texas." I have not yet found any evidence of his whereabouts during those years, but intend to continue my research. One might wonder about the circumstances of his leaving the family farm, and also of his return.
What of the Mayflower ancestors? It has been written, that Alfred's family was descended from Peregrine White, who was the first white male born in this country. I have not done the research necessary to verify this information, and some who have attempted to verify it, have been unable to identify the parents of John White, the first of this White Family to settle in West Brookfield. Readers might start a search by contacting the Mayflower Society.
Some information on Alfred and his family in West Brookfield may be found online at http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=wb2006&id=I4886
Friday, November 18, 2011
Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Mary Catholic Parishes to Merge on Nov. 21, 2011
An article from the Catholic Free Press of Nov. 17, 2011 may be found online at http://www.catholicfreepress.org/lead-story-1/2011/11/17/brookfield-parishes-officially-merge/
According to the article, the new Parish will be named Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and although both churches will remain open, the West Brookfield Church with more space and more parking, will be the main church.
According to the article, the new Parish will be named Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, and although both churches will remain open, the West Brookfield Church with more space and more parking, will be the main church.
Useful Data in Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts Membership Cards
Members of the New England Historic Genealogical Society now have access to Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts Membership Cards, 1733–1990. They are available at https://www.americanancestors.org/ for surnames beginning with A thru T. The cards contain person's full name, date and place of birth, residence, occupation, dates pertaining to status in the lodge, and in some cases, date of death for those who died or left the organization before 1990.
The database may be searched by name, but for my purposes as a West Brookfield researcher, I found it helpful to search by only the name of the lodge in West Brookfield, which is Bay Path. I went to the search screen and selected the Category, Societies and Organizations; then the Database, Massachusetts: Grand Lodge of Masons Membership Cards, 1733 - 1990; then I scrolled down the page to where it said Lodge and typed in Bay Path. There were 105 entries from which I was able to extract information which I had not previously found, such as birth dates post 1915, and death dates predating the Social Security Death Index.
What's next? I can search for West Brookfield men who left town and became members of Masonic Lodges in other towns using the name search function. I can use dates of death to look for obituaries at http://www.genealogybank.com/. I can look for census and vital record information on https://www.familysearch.org/ for free, or on paid sites such as Ancestry.com. I can use address information to search the http://www.masslandrecords.com/Worcester/
I hope my readers find this information helpful.
The database may be searched by name, but for my purposes as a West Brookfield researcher, I found it helpful to search by only the name of the lodge in West Brookfield, which is Bay Path. I went to the search screen and selected the Category, Societies and Organizations; then the Database, Massachusetts: Grand Lodge of Masons Membership Cards, 1733 - 1990; then I scrolled down the page to where it said Lodge and typed in Bay Path. There were 105 entries from which I was able to extract information which I had not previously found, such as birth dates post 1915, and death dates predating the Social Security Death Index.
What's next? I can search for West Brookfield men who left town and became members of Masonic Lodges in other towns using the name search function. I can use dates of death to look for obituaries at http://www.genealogybank.com/. I can look for census and vital record information on https://www.familysearch.org/ for free, or on paid sites such as Ancestry.com. I can use address information to search the http://www.masslandrecords.com/Worcester/
I hope my readers find this information helpful.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Some still without power in West Brookfield
It has been almost a week since 15" of snow fell in West Brokfield, and many homes are still without power. Snow covered trees and branches, with leaves still on them, are laying across power lines and roads. Some power and phone lines were even ripped from homes. Patience is wearing very thin for even the hardiest of folks blame the power company for not trimming the tree branches which were hanging over the lines.
Those familiar with the area know that cell phones do not work in some locations due to the lack of cell towers and the hilly terrain. Communication is difficult, if not impossible.
Snow is beginning to melt slowly, and businesses along Route 9, where there is power, are open. Gas stations and restaurants, especially, are doing a booming business. I would imagine that people who cut and sell wood are doing well, too.
Schools remain closed. Quaboag Regional High School is still operating as a shelter for people who need a warm place to sleep, or perhaps a warm shower.
Today's Quaboag Current does have some storm related stories and photos. You may view them online at http://quaboagcurrent.com/
Those familiar with the area know that cell phones do not work in some locations due to the lack of cell towers and the hilly terrain. Communication is difficult, if not impossible.
Snow is beginning to melt slowly, and businesses along Route 9, where there is power, are open. Gas stations and restaurants, especially, are doing a booming business. I would imagine that people who cut and sell wood are doing well, too.
Schools remain closed. Quaboag Regional High School is still operating as a shelter for people who need a warm place to sleep, or perhaps a warm shower.
Today's Quaboag Current does have some storm related stories and photos. You may view them online at http://quaboagcurrent.com/
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
James Dillon - born Nov. 2, 1807 in Ireland
Ancestry.com has a database called, Selected U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1966. A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to find an entry in Vol. 3-468, Worcester Superior Court, for James Dillon of West Brookfield. The index card gave Nov. 2, 1807 as his date of birth, and Ireland as his place of birth or allegiance. His naturalization date was January 1, 1860. This source is the only one I have found which gives a date of birth. James' death record , [Massachusetts, Worcester, West Brookfield Deaths, 1860, Vol. 140: Pg. 258,] does not give his age at death, nor does it name his parents. It does say that he was born in Ireland. Census records seem to indicate that 1807 certainly could be the correct birth year for James.
I know that James came from Ireland sometime between 1846 when his son, John was born or baptized in County Galway, Ireland, and 1849, when a daughter Honora, was born in West Brookfield. James and his wife Honora (Liddy) had a least four children when they came to the United States from Ireland. The first known child, was a daughter Sarah, born or baptized in Galway in 1839. Sons Patrick, John, and James, also were born or baptized in County Galway. West Brookfield vital records reveal five children born to this couple in that town.
James worked as a laborer in town, possibly on the railroad. The 1850 census indicates that he was unable to read or write. He died on April 16, 1860 of Dropsey, according to West Brookfield records. He was a storekeeper at the time of his death. The 1860 Federal Mortality Schedule has an entry for James Deland, of West Brookfield who died of "Consumption Blood." This James Deland's age was noted as 56, and birth place was given as Ireland. He was a day laborer who had been ill for 11 months. Burial was in St. William's Cemetery in Ware.
Three sons of James and Honora Dillon, Patrick, John, and James, fought in the Civil War.
More about the family of James and Honora (Liddy) Dillon may be found on the West Brookfield Genealogy Website http://westbrookfieldgenealogy.org/genealogy/ This is a free site, and no log in is needed in order to search the site.
The County Galway birth/baptismal records may be purchased from http://www.rootsireland.ie/ Three of them are from the civil parish of Oranmore in County Galway. The fourth says, " St. Nicholas Combined N&E," on the Parish/District Line. Witnesses are noted on all four records.
I know that James came from Ireland sometime between 1846 when his son, John was born or baptized in County Galway, Ireland, and 1849, when a daughter Honora, was born in West Brookfield. James and his wife Honora (Liddy) had a least four children when they came to the United States from Ireland. The first known child, was a daughter Sarah, born or baptized in Galway in 1839. Sons Patrick, John, and James, also were born or baptized in County Galway. West Brookfield vital records reveal five children born to this couple in that town.
James worked as a laborer in town, possibly on the railroad. The 1850 census indicates that he was unable to read or write. He died on April 16, 1860 of Dropsey, according to West Brookfield records. He was a storekeeper at the time of his death. The 1860 Federal Mortality Schedule has an entry for James Deland, of West Brookfield who died of "Consumption Blood." This James Deland's age was noted as 56, and birth place was given as Ireland. He was a day laborer who had been ill for 11 months. Burial was in St. William's Cemetery in Ware.
Three sons of James and Honora Dillon, Patrick, John, and James, fought in the Civil War.
More about the family of James and Honora (Liddy) Dillon may be found on the West Brookfield Genealogy Website http://westbrookfieldgenealogy.org/genealogy/ This is a free site, and no log in is needed in order to search the site.
The County Galway birth/baptismal records may be purchased from http://www.rootsireland.ie/ Three of them are from the civil parish of Oranmore in County Galway. The fourth says, " St. Nicholas Combined N&E," on the Parish/District Line. Witnesses are noted on all four records.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Eli M. Converse - West Brookfield Merchant - born October 31, 1850
Eli M. Converse was born in Brookfield on October 31, 1850. His parents were James, a shoemaker, born in North Brookfield, and Mary, born in Brookfield.. Eli spent his boyhood in Brookfield and married Nancy M. Prouty there on May 1, 1878. Nancy died on October 14, 1883. On December 20, 1887 Eli married a school teacher from Brookfield named Lucy Maria Dunton. They moved to West Brookfield probably the following year. A daughter Elsie was born in 1889 and a son Robert came along in 1891.
Eli was engaged in commerce in West Brookfield, owning and operating a general store in the Wheeler-Conway Block, first with Frank Blodget and then by himself. The business was sold to Charles O. M. Edson in 1914.
Eli served the town of West Brookfield as a selectman and school committeeman. He also served in the Massachusetts Legislature in 1911. He died in his home on School St. on February 24, 1936 after a long illness. His obituary appeared on page four of the Springfield Daily Republican on February 25, 1936.
Sources: A History of West Brookfield :1674 - 1990 by Jeffrey H. Fiske
Obituary of Eli M. Converse; Springfield Daily Republican, Feb. 25, 1936; p.4
Vital records of Brookfield and West Brookfield, MA
Eli was engaged in commerce in West Brookfield, owning and operating a general store in the Wheeler-Conway Block, first with Frank Blodget and then by himself. The business was sold to Charles O. M. Edson in 1914.
Eli served the town of West Brookfield as a selectman and school committeeman. He also served in the Massachusetts Legislature in 1911. He died in his home on School St. on February 24, 1936 after a long illness. His obituary appeared on page four of the Springfield Daily Republican on February 25, 1936.
Sources: A History of West Brookfield :1674 - 1990 by Jeffrey H. Fiske
Obituary of Eli M. Converse; Springfield Daily Republican, Feb. 25, 1936; p.4
Vital records of Brookfield and West Brookfield, MA
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