Individual Details

From World Chamberlain Genealogical Society:
The following biog. sketch was taken primarily from the genealogy of David Conrad Chamberlin, Sr:
Benjamin Chamberlain was baptized June 4, 1664/5, along with his brother Joseph and sisters Mary, Rebecca, and Anna, by Rev. John Eliot at his church in Roxbury, MA. Although there appears to be no record of his birth, his estimated birthdate is based on known, reliable information. He was named as his father's eldest son. Five children were baptized in 1665 and another born that same year. Allowing the usual two years average between births, it seems fairly certain he was born close to 1653. This date also gives his age at marriage as 24 years which seems about right. Daniel's History of Oxford states that Benjamin was about 70 years old when he settled in Oxford in 1713, but this statement has not been corroborated by the original records and does not seem likely. The Hist. of Roxbury, MA says he was "about 70" in 1713, which might indicate he was born as early as 1643, but probably exaggerated according to Prentiss Glazier. If he was born this early than he was too old to be the son of Sarah Bugbee.
Benjamin Chamberlain was named as Executor of his father's will, dated 12 Feb 1672/73; proved 18 June 1673. In addition, he received all his father's "housing and lands that are in my possession with all my stock of cattell ...," etc. He was also charged with providing and caring for his step-mother.
Benjamin Chamberlain and his brother Joseph both had military service during King Philip's War in 1675/76. They both enlisted perhaps in Concord, MA, 1675 in Capt. Jonathan Poole's Company and marched to the Connecticut Valley. Benjamin Chamberlain marched with the troops to Hadley and was with the company that defended Hatfield from Indians on Oct. 19, 1675. For this service he received 3 pounds, 13s & 8d in payment on 20 Dec 1675. It is supposed that Benjamin Chamberlain reinlisted under him the next spring, as it is certain he was one of his men. The company was at Capt. William Turner's "Falls Fight", May 19, 1676, at the place which has ever since been known as "Turners Falls." He later served at the Hadley garrison, for which service he received 6 pounds, 12s.
Benjamin removed with his parents to Sudbury, MA, 1668. After his military service, Benjamin Chamberlain returned to Sudbury where he married the following year and where all of his children were believed to have been born. Of Sudbury on 25 May 1685, he sold 3 3/4 acres of meadow land in Sudbury to his brother-in-law, Dr. Philip Shattuck, of Watertown. He sold his homestead of 80 acres in Sudbury on 20 June 1696, to John Abbott, of Andover, Mass, and removed to Lyme, CT. On 4 Feb 1702, John Abbott sold this land to Obadiah Wood, of Sudbury.
Of his sojourn in Lyme, little is known. His future son-in-law, Abraham Skinner came there in 1698. On 21 Nov 1698, Abraham Skinner was engaged by the town as a blacksmith and granted eight acres of land. On 26 Dec 1700, Benjamin Chamberlain was one of three men chosen as town surveyors. On 15 Sep 1703, at a town meeting, "Benjamin Chamberline Sener was chosed Heuward for the year ensueing..." In this record he was named as "Senior" which may indicate that his son Benjamin was also living at this place. As there seems to be no other record of his son Benjamin save for his birth record, this entry may provide an important clue. It has been supposed that Benjamin(3) died young but perhaps he was living at Lyme at this time. Benjamin's daughters Abigail and Rebecca both married while the family was at Lyme.
Benjamin Chamberlain, his wife Sarah, sons John and Daniel, daughter Abigail and her husband Abraham Skinner, removed from Sudbury to Oxford, MA 1713. He and his brother Joseph and Joseph's sons Nathaniel, Joseph, and Ebenezer, and Abraham Skinner, his son-in-law, were among the original proprietors of Oxford. His original homestead in Oxford was described in the Proprietor's records as follows: "No. 13, Benjamin Chamberlain, West of an 8-rod way adjoining Nathaniel Chamberlain on the south; 65 rods on Main street from Sigourney street to Quaboag Lane at the Benjamin place called 40 but in fact, nearer 50 acres ... " On 25 Jan 1714, Edmund Taylor relinquished his property rights in Oxford, in favor of Benjamin Chamberlin who took them for his son John.
At a town meeting held on 29 July 1714, it was voted to build a meetinghouse on the west side of the highway near Twichell's field. Among those chosen for the building committee was Benjamin Chamberlain. On November 1713, John Town, Samuel Hagburn and Benjamin Chamberlain were chosen to lay out a minister's lot and burying ground. He was selectman in 1714 and again in 1720. On 30 Nov 1714, Benjamin Chamberlain Senior, and Benony Twichell were chosen to lay out the meadow lands. He was also the chairman of a committee to confirm to the settlers their home lots when surveyed.
Benjamin Chamberlain's home lot was on the west side of the main street and included the old tavern property, sometimes referred to as the "old Campbell Tavern." He was one of the most venerable and honored of the first proprietors and stood with John Town as foremost in influence. On 18 Jan 1720/21, the church at Oxford was organized and a covenant written and signed. Among those that signed this document were: Benjamin Chamberlain and wife Sarah; Abraham Skinner, Philip Amidown and wife, Nathaniel Chamberlain ...," etc.
On 3 Mar 1720, Benjamin Chamberlin "of Oxford village for the love and affection which I do have for my grandson Abraham Skinner, convey to him a 60-acre lot on "prospect hill" in Oxford village - the 20th lot in the second range" (Suffolk Deeds, Liber 35, p. 267).
On 26 Dec 1720, Benjamin Chamberlain and son John Chamberlain, both of Oxford, sold to Ebenezer Learned, 60 acres of land in Oxford, "on Prospect Hill" with houses, orchards, etc.
About 1723, Benjamin Chamberlain sold his property in Oxford and removed to Colchester, Connecticut, as evidenced in the following deed: "May 31, 1723, Benjamin Chamberlain, of Oxford, husbandman, and wife Sarah, conveyed to Samuel Davis, of Roxbury, all of our housing and lands in Oxford, including my homestead of 150 acres bounding south on the highway to Brookfield and west to the river meadows; Joseph Rocket and others and the county road were on the northeast." In addition to this, they conveyed several other parcels. These deeds were acknowledged the same day in Boston. His wife Sarah, though mentioned in the deed, did not sign.
On 23 Nov 1723, Joseph Dana, of Oxford, recovered a judgement against Benjamin Chamberlain, of Oxford, husbandman (Massachusetts Early Court Files, Docket 17533). It is not clear from the information at hand as to why this judgment was rendered or what circumstances prompted the proceedings.
Also in Lyme, CT, then back to Oxford. Died after 1735, but before March 29, 1737. He was alive as late as June 1736, when the committee of the General Court of Massachusetts, approved his name on the list of the soldiers who had served in the "Falls Fight" as being entitled to receive land grants. In this record, he was referred to as being of Colchester, Conn. On 29 May 1737, John Chamberlain, Jonathan Tillitson and Rebecca his wife, Abraham Skinner and his wife Abigail, all of Colchester, Conn., the said John, Abigail and Rebecca being some of the children and co-heirs of Benjamin Chamberlain, late of Colchester, deceased, sold to "our brother Daniel Chamberlain, of Colchester, all the rights which we have in any land in the Province of Massachusetts Bay that did belong to our honoured father Benjamin Chamberlain, late of Colchester, or that might accrue to the heirs of said father ... in consideration of service done in the former Indian war at a place called "The Falls" above Deerfield, ... etc." On 11 Apr 1737, Daniel Chamberlain sold this right to James Scovell, of Colchester, Conn. This deed was recorded at Springfield, Mass. It is presumed that Benjamin's wife Sarah preceded him in death.
Ref. Roxbury & Sudbury Vital Records. Ref. Early Settlers of Watertown. Ref. Chamberlain Association News Jan 1983. Ref. "Chamberlain Chain" Branch #67, by Joyce (Tillotson) Loudermilk of Bend, OR, who cites the following sources: Savage's Genealogical Dictionary, I-352; David Conrad Chamberlin, Sr.'s lineage - some additional sources listed by David, with extensive biographical text as included above.
Ref. 4 Jul 2006 GenForum Chamberlain posting by Cat , seeking exact birth & death dates for Benjamin and his wife Sarah Ball. JBP's detailed 9 Jul 2006 GenForum response provides this information, primarily from discussion of these dates within DCC's FGR.

Birth	Abt 1653	Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Marriage	5 Jun 1677	Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts - Sarah Ball
Death	Bef 29 May 1737	Colchester, New London County, Connecticut
World Chamberlain Society		I314

Spouse	Sarah Ball (1655 - 1723)
Child	Daniel Chamberlain (1694 - 1774)

Father	Richard Chamberlain (1618 - 1673)
Mother	Sarah Bugbee (1630 - 1672)