Col. James Chambers and Katharine Hamilton
Husband Col. James Chambers 1 2 3
Born: 5 Jun 1743 - Falling Spring, PA 2 Christened: Died: 25 Apr 1805 - Loudon Forge, Franklin Co, PA 2 Buried:
Father: Col. Benjamin Chambers (Abt 1708-1788) 1 4 Mother: Sarah Patterson ( - ) 2
Marriage: 16 Feb 1763 - Loudon Forge, Franklin Co, PA 3 5
Wife Katharine Hamilton 5 6
AKA: Catherine Hamilton 1 3 Born: 18 Dec 1737 or 1738 - County Tyrone, Ireland 3 5 6 Christened: Died: 14 Jan 1820 - Cincinnati, OH 3 5 Buried:
Father: John Hamilton (1702/1704-1755) 5 6 7 8 Mother: Isabella Potter (1710-1741) 5 6 7 8 9
Children
1 F Sarah Bella Chambers 1 5
Born: 1759 10 Christened: Died: 1834 10 Buried:Spouse: Andrew Dunlop (1764-1816) 1 10 11 Marr: 18 Nov 1790 10Spouse: Archibald McAllister ( - ) 5 Marr: 6 May 1826 10
2 M Benjamin Chambers 5
Born: 4 Jan 1764 - Chambersburg, Franklin Co, PA 12 Christened: Died: 27 Aug 1850 - Saline Co, MO 12 Buried:Spouse: Sarah Lawson Kemper (1780-1836) 12 Marr: 22 Jul 1801 - near Cincinnati, OH 12
3 F Charlotte Chambers 5
Born: 13 Nov 1768 10 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Col. Israel Ludlow (1765-1804) 1 5 Marr: 10 Nov 1796 - Loudon Forge, PA 10Spouse: Rev. David Riske ( - ) 5
4 F Ruhamah Chambers 5
Born: 13 May 1771 13 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Dr. William Berwick Scott ( - ) 13 Marr: 9 Jul 1795 13
5 F Catharine Chambers
Born: 26 Sep 1775 5 Christened: Died: 5 Oct 1775 5 Buried:Spouse: Did Not Marry
General Notes: Husband - Col. James Chambers
He was brought up in his father's mill, receiving only such educational advantages as were possible on the frontier. In 1775 he became captain of a company of riflemen from the Conococheague that marched to Cambridge to assist in the leaguer of Boston. The company marched by way of Harris' Ferry, Bethlehem, and New Windsor, on the Hudson above West Point, and arrived at Cambridge on the 7th of August. The men wore white frocks or hunting shirts, and round hats. They were expert with the rifle, and often picked off British officers and soldiers at double the distance of common musket shot. At Cambridge the Pennsylvania companies were formed into a battalion under Col. William Thompson. This organization was known as "Colonel Thompson's Battalion of Riflemen." The riflemen were placed on the outposts of the American lines near Prospect Hill. The men from the Conococheague were on the ground scarcely twenty-four hours before they exchanged shots with the enemy, and on the 26th day of August, Captain Chambers was in command of a detachment that in a spirited action prevented the occupation of Ploughed Hill. The company with the rest of the command, remained on the American front, facing Bunker Hill, until early in April, 1776, when the regiment was sent to New Utrecht, on Long Island.
Colonel Thompson having been appointed a brigadier-general and Lieut-Col. Edward Hand promoted to be colonel of the regiment, Captain Chambers became lieutenant-colonel, March 7, 1776. During the months of May and June a majority of the men was induced to re-enlist for two years, and July 1, 1776, the regiment was reorganized as the First Continental Infantry. It participated in the events leading up to the battle of Flatbush, and ending with the retreat from Long Island. Lieutenant-Colonel Chambers was in the battle of the 27th of August, but escaped unhurt. In the retreat from Long Island on the 30th the regiment formed part of the rear guard. After the evacuation of New York city the regiment went into camp above King's Bridge. For his share in Long Island campaign Lieut.-Colonel Chambers was promoted to be colonel, his commission bearing date from Sept. 28, 1776. He was assigned to the command of the Tenth Reg't, Pennsylvania Line, March 12, 1777, but exactly a month later he was transferred to the First Pennsylvania, his old regiment, with which he remained until his retirement, Jan. 1, 1781.
Colonel Chambers was in most of the battles of the campaigns of 1776-78. In the battle of White Plains he had little part, as the action was not general. He was in the winter campaign of 1776-77, in New Jersey, but apparently was not in the battles of Trenton and Princeton. Our first positive knowledge of his whereabouts in the spring of 1777, was his presence in the Jerseys while Washington's meagre army was skirmishing with Lord Cornwallis. He was one of the first officers to enter Brunswick in June, when Cornwallis was forced to quit the place. His regiment was afterward encamped on the mountain back of Bound Brook. In the battle of Brandywine Colonel Chambers was conspicuous for his energy and courage. His regiment was engaged at very close range and suffered severely. Although the enemy had come within thirty yards, and his fire was very galling, Col. Chambers succeeded in saving all the brigade artillery and retreated in good order to the next hill, where he was not followed. He received a Hessian bullet in his side, of which he made light in his letters, but which gave him much trouble during the rest of his life. Part of the First Pennsylvania was engaged in the unfortunate surprise at Paoli, but Colonel Chambers was absent, having been sent by Wayne to guide General Smallwood with the Maryland mili-tia to the camp at Warren. The regiment was also in the battle of Germantown, but the accounts of the operations of the right wing are too meagre and confused to enable us to learn the share of the colonel in that action. Colonel Chambers was at the winter encampment at Valley Forge, 1777-78, and he led his men at the battle of Monmouth-"the drubbing we gave them at Freehold Church," he called it in his letters. After Monmouth, when the army was again at White Plains, he was in command of the First Pennsylvania Brigade. His regiment was in the attack on the Bergen block-house, July 19, 1780. This was probably the last action in which it was engaged, while under his command. When the Pennsylvania line was reorganized, Jan. 17, 1781, he retired. Colonel Chambers carried with him into private life the regrets and affection of his officers and men, and the confidence and esteem of the Commander-in-Chief, that he had so long enjoyed.
Upon his return to Chambersburg Colonel Chambers resumed the duties of civil life with avidity. He bought from his father, Sept. 8, 1781, a tract of 220 acres of land, south of German street, on which he laid out a suburban town that he called Chamberstown, to distinguish it from the town of Chambersburg. This tract he afterward conveyed to his son-in-law, Andrew Dunlop. He was a pioneer in the iron industry in Franklin county, and built and conducted what was known as "Loudon Forge," above the village of Fort Loudon, where he made his home. He was one of the petitioners for the new county of Franklin in 1784, and was the first justice of the peace for Peters township appointed after the erection of the county. As such he was one of the judges of the county courts. He was a County Commissioner, 1793-96, and an Associate Judge, 1795-1805. Colonel Chambers was an original Federalist, and an ardent supporter of President Washington's administration. In the suppression of the "Whiskey Insurrection," in 1794, he took an active and leading part. He was made brigadier-general, and was given command of the Third Brigade. It comprised 1,762 men-568 from Lancaster county, 550 from York, 363 from Cumberland, and 281 from Franklin. William Findley in his "History of the Whiskey Insurrection" pronounced it the best equipped and best disciplined brigade in the expedition. [BAFCP, 4]
General Notes: Wife - Katharine Hamilton
She was brought to America by her parents in 1741, her mother dying on the day of their arrival. Mrs. Hamilton, the mother of Katharine (Hamilton) Chambers, was a sister of Capt. John Potter, the first sheriff of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in whose family her daughter passed her childhood and early girlhood.
1 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 181.
2 —, Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 4.
3 G. O. Seilhamer, Esq, The Bard Family (Chambersburg, PA: Kittochtinny Press, 1908), Pg 311.
4 —, History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1887), Pg 272, 625.
5 —, Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 6.
6 Carl Ross McKenrick, My Family and Antecedents (Baltimore, MD: Self-published, 1949), Pg 122.
7 John E. Alexander, A Record of the Descendants of John Alexander (Philadelphia, PA: Alfred Martien, 1878), Pg 28.
8 G. O. Seilhamer, Esq, The Bard Family (Chambersburg, PA: Kittochtinny Press, 1908), Pg 303.
9 John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1883), Pg 402.
10 —, Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 10.
11 John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1883), Pg 190.
12 —, Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 9.
13
—, Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 11.
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