Individual Details

I have not found a marriage record and not really sure there was one. The Ashley family tradition is that Joseph "took off" after Olive's death, abandoning their baby son. Olive died in Kansas City in 1898. I believe he may have married a second time and was possibly the son of a George L. Chamberlain, born in Quebec, and his wife Sarah - IF my dad's story about the Chamberlains being from Canada is true. In 1925, his son Joseph, in the Iowa State Census gave his father's place of birth as England. Of course many of the stories my Dad told have proved to be untrue.

atDNA matches as 2nd or 3rd cousins to both my sister JoAnn and to her half-sister, Sandy, suggest a database which has a Joseph Leroy Chamberlin, born to Henry Chamberlin & Martha Jennie Kelly, in Brown Co, Ohio, 14 Oct 1868. There is a gap in his information which could allow for a marriage to Olive Ashley and the birth of the son, Joseph Leroy Chamberlin in 1896.
This man was married to Grace Lula Nichols, 7 Oct 1887, Bird City, Kansas - had one son in 1888 and they were divorced 31 Dec 1896 in Yuma, Colorado; Grace was the plaintiff. No way to know how long they had been apart - but did she divorce because she knew he had fathered a child by Olive Ashley?
Meanwhile, in 1900 - his grandmother Sophronia was living in Chicago with her son McPherson Chamberlin. Another of her sons - Calvin - died in Chicago in 1900. This Joseph not found but he did have relatives present in Chicago where the Ashley family was living. I cannot find him in any census in 1900.
He next appears marrying Catherine Kline Bird, 23 Mar 1901, in Manhattan, New York - they had several children. He died 1942 in Queens.
1915, NY State Census. Queens
Joseph Chamberlin, 44, Occupation: Dry goods
Kate, wife, 43
Walton, son, 12
Florence, dau, 10
Frank, son, 5
1920 Census. Queens, NY, Hh 46
Joseph Chamberlin, 53, b. OH, Manager, Department Store
Kate, wife, 46, b. NY
Walton, son, 16, Errand boy, Hardware Store
Florance, dau, 14
Frank, son, 9
Gladys, dau, 2 years, 8 months
Ada Bird, mother-in-law, 66, widow
1925 NY State Census. Queens. glenham St
Joseph Chamberlain, 53, no occupation
Kate, wife, 50
Walton, son, 22, Clericzl Work
Florence, dau, 19, Clerical Work
Frank, son, 15
Gladys, dau, 8, at school
Ada Bird, Mother -in-law, 72
1930 Census. Queens, NY, Hh 30
Joseph L. Chamberlin, 57, b. OH, Broker, Real Estate
Kate B., wife, 56
Florence K., dau, 24, Bookkeeper, paper house
Frank V., son, 20, stock clerk, paper house
Gladys J., dau, 12
1940 Census. Queens, NY, Hh 233
Joseph L. Chamberlin, 72, Real Estate Broker, own office
Kate B., wife, 66
Gladys, dau, 22
William Lichten, son-in-law, 25, Mechanic, Brass Foundry
Florence Jackson, dau, 34, Bookkeeper, Wholesale China Ware Co.


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Other research:

This is also possibly the man, after he left his baby son:
1900 Census. Marion Twp, Franklin Co, Nebraska.
Joseph Chamberlain, b. May 1875, age 25. Born Illinois, parents born England, working as farm laborer. He was boarding with the family of William A. Porter and likely he did not give the information. He was approximately the right age. He could also be the Joseph below who was a son of a Joseph born in England and wife Ruth.

The family story has always been that Joe McKim's father was "Canadian". Apparently he was not, but perhaps his parents were either Canadian or English immigrants in their lifetime. With that in mind, I looked for possible 4-year-old Joseph Chamberlains in the 1880 census, particularly with some of the family born England or Canada. Also the son Joseph would not be with them in 1900. Figured they likely lived in either Missouri or Illinois since that's were the Ashleys lived about the time that Olive would have met him. I found two possibilities:

This one located in Scotland Co, Missouri - the very northeast corner of the state and perhaps the least likely of the two for that reason. Just a bit too far away.
Jefferson Twp, Scotland Co, MO, p.163C, Hh 184
Jos Chamberlain, age 68, b. England, as were his parents
Ruth, age 24, wife, b. Iowa
Jane, age 24, dau, b. Illinois, both parents b. England
All born in MO with both parents b. England: George, son, age 22; Amanda, dau, age 20; Born in MO, mother b. Iowa [I doubt this, I believe these two were also from the first marriage: Emily, dau, age 19; William, son, age 14.
Probably Ruth's children: Nettie 6, Joseph 4, Horace 2, Rebecca, 6 months, b. in Dec 1879.
An online database notes that in 1900, this family was in Klickitat County, Washington. The son Joseph was not still with them. Joseph had immigrated in 1821 - had been here for 79 years. The first wife was Susannah Ettleman; Ruth Coryell, b. Jul 1850, was the second wife. In 1910, Ruth was in the same place as head of household.

The second and more likely possibility from 1880 is here:
Marshall Township, Saline Co, MO, p.484A, Hh 36
Saline Co is toward the center of Missouri, just two counties East of Jackson Co & Kansas City.
Geo. L. Chamberlain, age 29, born Quebec, parents b. Quebec
Sally N., age 23, wife, b. MO, father b. KY, mother b. IN
Lucy N., age 5, daughter, b. MO, father b. Quebec, Can., mother b. MO [all children have similar birth place information]
Jos. L., age 4, son
Peter N., age 3, son
Bertille B., age 1, dau

FamilySearch has the son of this George as Joseph Lucian, and has no further data except that he was born, 14 May 1875, died 21 Nov 1927. George's father said to be Pierre Noel Chamberland (1800-1878) of Quebec, in their tree. I did find a WW I draft registration with a slightly different birth - 19 May 1875. He was living in Denver in 1918. Wife was Cleota and he was working as a butcher which appears to be a family occupation (see later).

Selected Canadian records were free on Ancestry for a weekend and I found the following census from 1871 - this was the only George Chamberlain of the right age and he was in Quebec - in Nicolet.
John Chamberlain, age 48, Anglican by religion, "Anglaise" by origin, a "Cultivateur" by profession.
Mary, 48.
George 21. Fredy 19. Arthur 16. Charles 11. William 9.
Emilia 22. Sarah 14. Catherine 13.
Mary Mason, age 65

1861 Canadian Census. Nicolet, Quebec [Canada East]
John Chamberlain, [occupation in French], Born England; Anglican religion, age 41
Erie Pardy, b. Bas Canada, Anglican religion, age 41
Emilia, 12. George 10. Frederick 8. Cera 5 [female]. Arthur 6. Matilda 3. Charles 2.
Sara Chamberlain, 17 "Etrangers" in the family [not a member]
Mary Masson, b. Bas Canada Catholic, age 55, widow, not a member of immediate family
Bas Canada = Lower Canada, Quebec

1851 Census for Nicolet Parish is lost.


A Missouri marriage record, Saline Co, reveals that George L. Chamberlain married Sarah N. Hay on 12 May 1872. Officiated by J. F. Miller, JP.

1895 Kansas State Census. Signed as complete on 1 Jun 1895
Richland Township, Miami County
G. L. Chamberlain, age 46, male, born Canada, family came from Missouri to Kansas
S. N., age 40, female, born MO, as were all the children except the youngest - placing the move to Kansas between about 1892 and 1894.
Lucian, age 19, male [This would seem to be Joseph Lucian]
Peter, 17, male
Bertel, 15, female
Mary, 14, female
Lillian, 12, female
Ethalin, 9, female
Florence, 7 female
Geo. 4, male
Leo Chester, age 1, male, born in Kansas.

This family appeared to have been in Miami Co, Kansas in 1900, Stanton Twp, Hh 163.
Geo. L. Chamberlain, b. Aug 1846, age 53, married 28 years, b. Canada as were his parents
Sarah N., wife, b. Aug 1853, age 46, has had 11 children, all living, b. MO, parents b. KY
[none of the four older children from 1880 appear - but there are seven more - only the two youngest born in Kansas]
Mary E., dau, b. Aug 1880, age 20
Sarah L., dau. b. Jan 1882, age 18
Flora E., dau, b. Mar 1886, age 14
Florence P., dau, b. Dec 1888, age 11
George H., son, b. Dec 1889, age 10
Chester L., son, b. "A." [prob Aug] 1893, age 6
Francis N., son, b. Apr 1898, age 2
Note: Miami County Kansas is centrally located on the Missouri border, not far south of Kansas City. St. Joseph, MO where the family is found later is north of Kansas City, on the Missouri/Kansas line. The distance was not great and there would have been highways between the two.

In 1900, I did find a Peter Chamberlain, St. Joseph Ward 9, Buchanan Co MO. He was a butcher, born Feb 1877 in MO, age 23, and was boarding with the Kennerling family. Birthplace of parents unknown.

FindAGrave.com:
G. L. Chamberlain
buried Holy Cross Cemetery, Paola, Miami Co, Kansas
born 15 Aug 1845, Quebec, Canada
died 28 Aug 1902.

George died prior to 1910. Sarah was living in St. Joseph, Ward 9, Buchanan Co, MO, at 416 Massachusetts Ave. She was Hh 108:
Sarah Chamberlain, age 56, widow, had 11 children, all living, b. MO, parents b. KY, keeper of a boarding house.
Chester, son, age 16, b. Kansas, father b. Canada, mother b. MO, laborer at a wholesale house
Norman, son, age 12, b. Kansas [Francis N. in 1900]
Edward M. Powell, boarder, age 42, b. Ohio, laborer, packing house
Elmer Story, boarder, age 20, b. MO, clerk, packing house
Ethelyn Rigney, dau, age 24, widowed, no children, b. MO, father b. Can., mother b. MO [Flora E. in 1900]
Note: a number of men on this page were employed at the stockyards or packing house.

I did not find any of the family in Buchanan Co in 1920.

Norman F. Chamberlain died in 1914 - he is buried with his father in Miami Co KS and his stone says "Child of G. L. & Sarah Chamberlain". Born 1898, died 1914.
Florence Peck is also buried there and marked as a child of G. L. & Sarah chamberlain: Born 1887, died 1920. I found Florence as Florence P. Peck, died 28 Aug 1920, Shreveport, Caddo, LA, age 32. She was born in Missouri. Her father was George L. Chamberlain; her mother Sarah Hay.
Brydell E. Craig [she was age 1 in the 1880 census] died in Miami, Dade Co, FL on 3 Aug 1925. She was 44y 7m and 13d at the time of her death. She was born Marshall, MO and her spouse was Chas. L. Craig. Geo. L. Chamberlin was her father, born in Canada; Sarah W. Hay, her mother b. in MO. She was buried Woodlawn Cemetery on Aug 6th; her residence was 234 NW 2nd St in Miami.
Daughter Lillian [Sarah L.] married Martin Clark in Paola Kansas. He was 21; she was 19. They married on 15 Jan 1902. Clark's parents were Thos and Sarah Conner Clark. Lillian's were Geo. and Sarah Hay Chamberlain.


Now I found a marriage in St. Joseph, MO for a Joseph L. Chamberlain to Miss Cleota G. McQueen, also of St. Joseph, both over the age of 21. They were married by a Justice of the Peace, Henry W. Burke on 20 Jun 1902. Since Joseph Lucian named his wife Cleota in his WW I Draft registration - it is obviously this man. It cannot be ruled out that this is the same Joseph "Leroy" who married Olive Ashley prior to this marriage to Cleota.

In 1910, St. Joseph Ward 1, Buchanan Co MO, at 701 McDonald St, Household 384
Lizzie McQueen, age 52, widow, said married 25 years but then marked out, 3 children-all living, b. MO, parents b. KY, running a boarding house.
Cleo G. Chamberlain, dau, age 24, married 8 years, 1 child, b. MO
Mildred M., granddaughter, age 5, b. MO
Maud Andrews, niece, age 29, widow, 3 children, b. MO, seamstress, shirt factory
John W. D. Hall, boarder, age 70, b. MOreal estate agent
Jane Boggs, servant, age 17, b. MO, servant, private family
Clarence E. Williams, boarder, 23, b. NE, check clerk, dairy
Samuel M. Williams, boarder, age 41, married 17 years, b. MO, minister, M.E. church
Nannie L., age 39, married 17 yrs, no children, b. MO

I don't know where Cleo's husband Joseph Chamberlain was in 1910.

I did look back to find Cleota McQueen in 1900 - her mother was operating a boarding house even then in St. Joseph Ward 9, Buchanan Co, MO, Hh 144
Ella McQueen, b. Nov 1856, age 43, widow, 5 children - 3 living, b. MO
Modora, dau, b. Nov 1876, age 23, b. MO
Bessie, dau, b. Nov 1881, 18
Cleota, dau, b. Feb 1886, age 14
Five roomers, all men.
Although Ella claimed to be a widow, she had said she'd been married 25 years but then it was marked out. It appears her husband was a John E. McQueen as she and Madora were with him in Winthrop, Buchanan Co in 1880. At that time, Elizabeth Andrews, age 72, and John's mother-in-law was also living with the family. I believe I found John McQueen, b. Jan 1844, age 56, also saying "widowed" living as a boarder in Rush Township, Buchanan Co. Online databases claim he lived until 1913 and is buried Sugar Creek Cemetery in Rushville. However, no grave for him was noted for him there in a survey done 1984.

I also found from an 1881 History of Buchanan County:
John E. McQueen, East Atchison, was born Jan 12, 1844, in Boone Co, Missouri, and was brought to this place when about three years of age, and has since made his home in this vicity. He spent his boyhood days on a farm, here received his education, and followed boating on the river up to 1871, when he commenced the grocery and liquor business in East Atchison. He was married in 1875 to Miss Elizabeth Anderson, a native of this township, born Nov 9, 1856. They have one child living, Medora A; two are deceased. Mr. McQueen formerly belonged to the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Honor
[Bessie & Cleota not yet born when the article written]

This may have been Peter Chamberlain in 1910:
East St. Louis, Ward 7, St. Clair Co, ILL
Pt. Chamberlain, boarder, age 33, b. MO, father b. Canada, mother b. MO, clerk at the stockyards.

Joseph L. Chamberlain showed back up in 1920 with Cleota. Interesting that his father was born in Canada and he is a butcher, as was Peter Chamberlain.
1920 Census Denver, Denver Co, CO, Hh 35
Joseph L. Chamberlain, age 43, b. MO, father b. Canada, mother b. MO, owns his butcher shop
Cleota B., wife, age 32, b. MO, parents b. MO
Mildred M., dau, age 15, b. MO

Joseph apparently died prior to the 1930 census.
1930 Census. Denver, CO, Hh 89
Cleo G. Chamberlain, head of household, age 43, widow, b. MO, parents b. MO, supervisor of a laundry
Elizabeth McQueen [marked as "daughter" but surely her mother], age 72, widow, b. MO, parents b. KY

The very unreliable Ancestral file of the LDS church does list a Joseph "Lucian" Chamberlin, born 19 May 1875, Miami County, Kansas, died 21 Nov 1927. Parents were George Chamberlin and Sarah Naomi Hayes. The family as shown matches the family of George L. Chamberlain above. There are exact birth dates and many death dates - one would suppose there was a family record of some sort. The data does show all the children born in Miami Co, Kansas, but that was not the case - most were born in Missouri.

I believe that the Joseph Chamberlain who married Cleota McQueen was the son of George & Sarah. There still is no sound proof that he is the same Joseph Chamberlain that married Olive Ashley and had a son named after him, particularly in view of the following problems.

There is a conflict in the middle name of Joseph Chamberlain, son of George & Sarah, and the Joseph who was married to Olive Ashley. There is also a conflict found in the birth year of their son, named Joseph Leroy Chamberlain. If he was born in September of 1895, as stated in some records,, then it seems unlikely that his father was still at home with his parents in early 1895. However, he also gave a birth date of 1896 on earlier records, which would then make the situation more plausible.

In 1895, Joseph Lucian Chamberlain, age 19, was apparently still living at home with his family in Miami Co, Kansas. I have never found the marriage record for Joseph Leroy Chamberlain to Olive Ashley. Their son was born 11 September, either in 1895 or 1896 and he always said he was born in Chicago. At the time of his World War I application and marriage, he gave his birth year as 1896 - when he applied for his Social Security number in 1937, he gave the year as 1895, so that's what appears in the Social Security Death Index. Joe McKim's birth certificate gave his father as Joseph Leroy Chamberlain, Jr. and Joe as Joseph Leroy Chamberlain III. When Joe's father applied for his Social Security number, he gave both his and his father's names as Joseph Leroy Chamberlain - so certainly he believed that was correct. Since he was abandoned as a young child, he may have only been told he was named for his father and his father's name was also Joseph; therefore, assuming the middle name was also the same.

Birth	Ca 1875
Marriage	Abt 1895	Olive Ashley

Spouse	Olive Ashley (1876 - 1898)
Child	Joseph Leroy Chamberlain II (1896 - 1967)