Individual Details

There were TWO Henry Chamberlins who arrived in Hingham, Massacusetts in the year 1638. One Henry, who was a shoemaker, returned to England, in about a decade. His wife was Grace. This Henry married to Jane, desginated as a blacksmith, and his progeny, remained. Unfortunately, early researchers combined these two very different men into a single person.

Beginning 17 Feb 1638/9, when Henry Chamberlin, blacksmith, received a town lot. There are a number of property grants to Henry Chamberlin, blacksmith, in the town records. He is referred to as "blacksmith" or "smith" as opposed to the records of Henry Chamberlin, "shoemaker".

Grace, wife of Henry, the shoemaker, testified in 1649, that her husband had gone back to England. There is a death record for her in Hingham, England, in the same Parish where several of their children were baptized and where they had sailed from in 1638. The records of Henry, blacksmith, continue in Hingham for many years. His origins in England have not been discovered.

The author of the article, The Two Henry Chamberlins of Hingham, Massachusetts, which appeared in the NEGH Register, Vol. 139, p.134, did a thorough examination of all land records, finding thirteen transaction. Of these, five called Henry Chambelin a blacksmith, four stated he was a shoemaker, four gave no occupation but the land descriptions could be traced to the proper Henry. There was no overlap - they were very different men.

Henry & Jane remained in Hingham at least until 10 Mr 1670/1 when he was granted Lot 35 of uplands in the third Division of Conahassett. They moved soon after to live with their son William in Hull where both sons Henry and William had settled early, circa 1654. Hull was about 2-3 miles across the "Broad Bay" from Hingham.

Henry's death date of 15 Jul 1674 is found in secondary sources without additional proof. His will dated 8 Dec 1673 was proved 29 Jul 1674, Suffolk Co, MA, so this seems reasonable. His will states he was sometime of Hingham but now of Hull, in county of Suffolk, blacksmith. He named his wife Jane, eldest son Henery Chamberlin, son William Chamberlin, and daughters Susan Cartor, Ursley Cole and Faith Patteson and a grandchild John Chamberlin, likely the son of his son , John who was deceased and is not in the will. He further states that his houses and lands were in Hingham, not Hull. Sons Henry and William to be Executors.

Since it is a matter of record that his two youngest daughters were married by 1655, it is likely all of the six known children were born in England prior to his emigration to Hingham, MA.

3 Mar 1674/5, the blacksmith's widow Jane, and sons Henry, Senr & William, Senr sold lands given by the Town of Hingham to Henry Chamberlin, deceased, former husband and father. This was ten parcels of land, all in Hingham, sold to Thomas Saywer/Sayer. Suffolk Deeds, [Boston, 1880-1906,] 13: 479-82.

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From WCGS:
This Henry Chamberlin, the BLACKSMITH, should not be confused with Henry Chamberlain, the Shoemaker (ID #i5537 - in the "Other Chamberlain" Tree), both of whom lived in Hingham, Ma. from about 1638 to 1645, when the Shoemaker returned to England and died there.

HENRY (1) Chamberlin, of Hingham and Hull, MA. Birthdate may have been about 1592. Ref. Glazier, Vol. 2, pp. 83-103 for descendants, sources. See CA Reports, 1906-1907, p. 34, for childrens' baptism.
Of the five well-known Chamberlain immigrants to New England, Henry has probably been the subject of more confusion and misinformation than any. This arose from the fact that for many years it was thought that only one Henry Chamberlin settled in New England when in fact there were two men of that name at the same general time period. The better known of the two, a shoemaker whose wife was Grace---, arrived on the ship "Diligent", 1638, with his wife, mother and two children, and he eventually returned to England, leaving no descendants in America. The other Henry, a blacksmith whose wife was Jane---, left fewer traces in the records but was the progenitor of all the known Henry descendants in the New World.
Persons who trace their ancestry to Henry must acquaint themselves with the article that finally clarified the understanding of this immigrant . The reference is: "The Two Henry Chamberlins of Hingham, Massachusetts: 1636-1649," by David Conrad Chamberlin, Sr., in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 139, April 1985, pp. 126-138. This article explains the manner in which the identity of the two Henrys was discovered and gives the essential facts of the families. Henry, the blacksmith, first appeared in New England in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, at Hingham, where he was received as a townsman on 17 Feb 1638-39 (Hingham Town Records, Vol. I, p. 81). Made a Freeman 13 Mar 1639 by the General Court, Henry and Jane probably lived at Hingham until at least 10 Mar 1670/71, when he was granted a lot and soon after removed to Hull, MA. His sons Henry and William were both early settlers of Hull about 1654. His will, dated Dec. 8, 1673, was proved 29 July 1674 [Suffolk Probate, Vol. 6, p. 54]. In it he names his wife Jane and his children except John, who was dead.* Also named was John's son John Chamberlin. His estate of 10 parcels of land in Hingham was sold March 3, 1674/75. Henry's burial place is unknown, but was probably on the old burying ground on the isthmus in Hull.
Earliest mention, of Henry Chamberlain, in 1567, Co. Norfolk, brother of Edward Chamberlyn, Lord of the Manor of Burnham Broome. Several Henry Chamberlain's in the county thereafter. Henry, the immigrant and blacksmith, has not yet been traced to any English family. Numerous sources are available pertaining to research in England to determine his origin.

Birth	Abt 1592	England
Marriage	Abt 1615	England - Jane/Jone [Chamberlin]
Death	Abt 1674	Hull, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
World Chamberlain Society		I937

Spouse	Jane/Jone [Chamberlin] (1595 - 1678)
Child	Susanna Chamberlin (1616 - 1697)
Child	Henry Chamberlin (1619 - 1678)
Child	William Chamberlin (1623 - 1678)
Child	John Chamberlin (1626 - 1666)
Child	Ursula Chamberlin (1632 - 1673)
Child	Faith Chamberlin (1634 - 1710)

Notes