William CHAMBERLIN

                   BIOGRAPHICAL AND RESEARCH NOTES:
    Information from the World Chamberlain Genealogical Society which includes land data and a transcription of the will are included in these notes.

James Chamberlin had land surveyed in Shrewsbury in 1741, hence he must have been born at least by 1720. He took up land on the south side of Forked River in 1742-1751, and his name is very frequently mentioned in ancient land records. On 19 Feb 1759, he bought land from his brother William which consisted of 30 acres at Barnegat. He was Grantee in East Jersey in 1762-1764, 1769, 1772, and so forth. In the deed of 1764, he was stated as being of Stafford. 
The birthdates of all but three children are educated guesses. It appears from the wording in his will that the younger children received most of the legacies, while the elder ones were only left token bequests, probably having already received gifts. 
He was bequeathed 5 shillings by the terms of his father's will in 1765. Undoubtedly he was the James Chamberlin who was baptized at Christ Church in Shrewsbury on 6 May 1750. Three days later a Lydia Chamberlin was baptized at the same place on 9 May 1750. I tend to think this Lydia was his wife. 
James Chamberlin and Richard Cramer sold land on Oyster Creek at Barnegat, 15 June 1773. He bought land of Abraham Cramer in the same place on the same day. A tract of land located by James Chamberlin on 19 Mar 1750, as recorded at the Surveyor General's Office at Perth Amboy, Book S-3, Page 141, is described as follows: Beginning at a dead Cedar tree on the south side of the South Branch of Forked River about 70 chains above said Chamberlin's house on a fresh meadow near the head of the tide running thence as the needle pointed. 
Seth Chamberlin felt this was the tract of land on which the original Chamberlin house stood, the one in which most of the family was born and raised in. Ralph Chamberlin visited the spot in December 1930, and found the stake which marked the spot where the dead cedar tree stood. The house and most other landmarks were destroyed in a forest fire in 1929. Part of this tract was still recorded in the Chamberlin name [1930]. 
Another tract located by James Chamberlin, 22 Aug 1764, is recorded at Perth Amboy, Book S-5, P. 188. On 17 Apr 1775, James Chamberlin and David Brown took the inventory of the estate of Ephraim Rulon, of Stafford Twp., Monmouth Co., NJ. 
James Chamberlin made his will on 4 Apr 1796; proved 18 Mar 1802. The text of his will reads as follows: 
In the name of God amen, I James Chamberlin, of the township of Stafford and County of Monmouth and state of New Jersey, being weak in bodey but of sound mind and memory, blessed be God, do this fourth day of April one thousand seven hundred and ninty six, make and publish this my last will and testament in manner following:
First, I give to my son James Chamberlin, ten pounds money of New Jersey. 
I give also to my son Thomas Chamberlin all messuage called the old homestead whare on I now live, excepting eight chains of breadth adjoining and being on the south side of Oyster Creek next to that I bought of Hollowell. Also, I give to my son Thomas one half of the cedar swamp bounded upon the north side of Oyster Creek; that is to say, the westermost part; also I give to my son Thomas, one half of the Cedar swamp on the south side of Oyster Creek; Also, I give to my son Thomas the survey upon the middle branch of Forked River adjoining John Stout's land. All the said parcels of land I give to my son Thomas Chamberlin to have and to hold to him and his heirs forever. Also I give to my son Thomas all my moveable estate belonging to me on the plantation whare on I now live. 
Also, I give to my daughter Elizabeth Chamberlin the messuage with appurtenances thereunto belonging, situated and bounded upon the north side of Oyster Creek excepting ten acres of meadow lying upon the Easterly side of a small creek called Deep Creek. Also I give my daughter Elizabeth the new survey upon the head of the above mentioned old tract. Also, the Cedar Swamp upon the south branch of Forked River. The said parcels of land I give to my daughter Elizabeth to have and to hold to her and her heirs forever upon the following conditions that the said Elizabeth, her heirs or executors shall well and truly pay to James Chamberlin, my grandson, forty pounds money of New Jersey, when he arrives at the age of twenty one years; and also to pay forty pounds money aforesaid to Jeffit Chamberlin, my grandson when he arrives to the age of twenty one years. 
Also, I give to my daughter Rebecka Brown, five chains of meadow beginning at the bay and running along the north side of the meadow which I shall hereafter give my daughter Lidia Bennet keeping said width of five chains to the upland. Also I give my daughter Rebecka all that mesuage and tenement which I bought of Timothy Wire; situated at the place called Wiertown, bounded by the Mill Creek on the south and fresh creek on the north; all said parcels of land and meadow I give my daughter Rebecka Brown to have to hold to her and heir heirs forever; upon the following conditions that is to say the said Rebecka Brown, her heirs, executors, shall and truly pay to my grand daughter Trusty Green fifty pounds good lawful money of New Jersey when she shall arrive to the age of twenty one years. 
Also, I give to my daughter Mary Lippincott the two surveys upon the south branch of Forked River adjoining John Holmes land. Also, ten acres of meadows reserved out of the old tract lying upon the easterly side of a small creek called Deep Creek. Also, I give to my daughter Mary, one-half or residue of Cedar Swamp upon the north side of Oyster Creek. All which parcels of land and meadow I give to my daughter Mary Lippincott to have and to hold to her and her heirs forever. 
Also, I give to my daughter Lidia Bennet, all that tract of land which I bought of Hollowell, lying and bounding upon the north side of fresh creek. Also I give to my daughter Lidia Bennet, three chains of meadow, reserved out of the old tract, or homestead beginning at the bay and running and bounding upon the north side of that I bought of Hollowell. And all and every, the above parcels of land, I give to my daughter Lidia Bennet to have to hold to her and her heirs forever. 
Also, I give to my daughter Hannah Carman, five pounds money of New Jersey. 
And I do make ordain and appoint my son Thomas Chamberlin, my sole Executor of this my last will in trust for the intent and purpose in this my last will contained. And I do hereby disanull, renounce all former wills and testaments before this date. 
In witness, I the said James Chamberlin, have to this, my last will and testament, set my hand and seal the day the year above written; the fourth day of April, 1796. 
James Chamberlin [L.S.] 
Signed, sealed and delivered by the said James Chamberlin as for his last will and testament in the presence of us. 
Thomas Woodmansee [L.S.] Charles Falkinburg [L.S.] David Woodmansee [L.S.] 
Thomas Woodmansee, one of the witnesses to the within will, being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God did depose and say that he saw James Chamberlin, the testator therein named, sign and seal the same and heard him publish, pronounce and declare the within writing to be his last will and testament and that at the doing thereof the said testator was of sound and disposing mind and memory as far as this deponent knows and as he verily believes, and that Charles Falkinburg and David Woodmansee the other subscribing evidences were present at the same time and signed their names as witnesses to the said will together with the deponent in the presence of the said testator. 
Thomas Woodmansee 
Sworn at Freehold the 18th Day of March 1802, before me Caleb Lloyd, Surrogate 
Thomas Chamberlin, sole executor in the within Testament named, being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, did depose and say, that the within Instrument contains the true last will and testament of James Chamberlin, the Testator therein named, so far as he knows and as he verily believes, that he will well and truly perform the same by paying first the debts of the said deceased and then the legacies in the said instrument specified so far as the goods, chattels, and credits of the said deceased can hereunto extend, and that he will make and exhibit unto the Perogative Office at Trenton, a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to his knowledge or possession, or to the possession of any other person or persons for his use and render a just and true account when thereunto lawfully required. 
Thos. Chamberlin 
Sworn at Freehold, the 18th Day of March 1802, before me Caleb Lloyd, Surrogate 
Inventory of the goods of James Chamberlin, deceased, as appraised this 17th day of July 1802, by John Woodmansee & Samuel Brown at the request of Thomas Chamberlin, Executor. 
One Desk 16.00 
One case of drawers and one chair 9.33 
One bed and beding and bedstead 20.00 
One looking glass 1.00 
One Cheast .50 
One warming pan .50 
One lot of iron ware 2.00 
One gun 3.00 
One wagon and two ox chains 4.00 
One dough trough and tow chains .33 
[Total] 56.66 
John Woodmansee 
Samuel Brown 

John Woodmansee, one of the appraisers of the within Inventory being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, did depose and say that the goods, chattels, and credits in the said Inventory set down and specified were by him appraised according to their just and true respective rates and values, after the best of his judgement and understanding and that Samuel Brown the other appraiser whose name is thereto subscribed was present at the same time and consented in all things to the doing thereof, and that they appraised all things that were brought to their view for appraisement. 
John Woodmansee 
Sworn at Freehold the 27th Day of July 1802, before me Caleb Lloyd, Surrogate 
Thomas Chamberlin, sole Executor of the last will and testament of the within named James Chamberlin, deceased, being duly sworn according to law did declare that the within writing contains a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased as far as have come to his knowledge or possession or the possession of any other person or persons for his use. 
Thomas Chamberlin 
Sworn at Freehold, the 27th Day of July 1802, before me Caleb Lloyd, Surrogate 

It is now believed, but not proven, that the two grandsons James and Jeffit Chamberlin, who were given bequests in his will, were probably sons of his daughter Elizabeth. As James must of been at least 76 years of age when he made his will, it seems that Elizabeth would have been close to middle age, and probably married. James refers to her in his will as my daughter Elizabeth Chamberlin, and in the same paragraph in which he bequeathed her legacies, he also required her to pay forty pounds to each of his two grandsons James and Jeffit, when they reach the age of 21. This seems to strongly indicate that James and Jeffit were her sons, and that her married name was Chamberlin. 
James made his will on 4 Apr 1796. On 29 Apr 1796, the Inventory of a Job Chamberlin, of Dover Twp., Monmouth County, was taken. It is very likely that Job was still alive when James made his will. Yet James makes no mention of Job which indicates he was not his son. Thomas Chamberlin, known to be a son of this man, was named Administrator on the estate of Job Chamberlin. 
On 27 May 1803, a James Chamberlin Sr., and wife Frances, of Dover Township, conveyed land in Forked River to Isaiah Wells, formerly property of Job Chamberlin, deceased. According to the wording of this conveyance, part of this land was bounded by the land of James Chamberlin, deceased, part was purchased from his (James Chamberlin, Sr.) sister Elizabeth, and part seems to have inherited from Job Chamberlin. The statement that some land was inherited from Job Chamberlin appears to be the only contradiction to my theory that Job Chamberlin was a cousin of his wife Elizabeth, and that he had at least sons Richard, James, and Jeffit, and that the James Chamberlin Sr., of the 1803 land record was Elizabeth's brother and Job's brother-in-law. An examination of the original land record is indicated which may clear up the matter. See the records of James Chamberlin [LN 35] and Job Chamberlin [LN 34]. 
Another point of this discussion is that James had a son James who was named in his will in 1796. Yet, in 1803, a James Sr. with wife Frances sells land who at first glance appears to be a nephew of the James named in the will of 1796, and son of Job Chamberlin. It would seem that James, son of James, being the elder man with the same name would inherit the title of Sr. upon his father's death, rather than the much younger nephew stated to be under age in 1796. This analysis seems to confirm that the James Chamberlin Sr., of 1803 is the son of this man and not the son of Job Chamberlin. The case is not clear as it is still possible that Job was an unnamed son of James. 


Sources:
Chamberlain Association of America, New Jersey Mss, New England Historic Genealogical Society Soc., SG/CHA/49-23, RC323-84 
Historical and Genealogical Miscellany of New Jersey, Vol. III, P. 154-164, Dr. John E. Stillwell, 1914 
New Jersey Archives, First Series, 42 Volumes 
Will of James Chamberlin, Monmouth County Probate File 8475M [G.S. Film No. 548,041 
East Jersey Deeds, Liber B-3, P. 237; Liber F-3, P. 19, 23-24; Liber K-2, P. 228-229, 231 
East Jersey Proprietor's Records, Records of the Surveyor General, Perth Amboy, Book S-1, P. 237; Book S-3, P. 141, 161; Book S-4, P. 292, 339; Book S-5, P. 181, 188-189; 
Ocean County Historical Society, Toms River, NJ., Deed of James Chamberlin, 1754 (not seen) 
History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey, by Edwin K. Salter