William Buchanan Chambers

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Husband William Buchanan Chambers ^{1 2}

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           Born: 14 Aug 1850 - Canonsburg, Washington Co, PA 1 2
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         Father: John Chambers (1813-1885) 1 2
         Mother: Catherine Ramsey (1813-1854) 1 2

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Wife

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - William Buchanan Chambers

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He received his education at the common schools of Canonsburg, Washington County, Pennsylvania, afterward attending Washington and Jefferson College to the close of the freshman year. His vacations he spent in his father's store, gaining an insight into commercial routine, but soon after leaving college he moved to McDonald Station, same county, where he was engaged as clerk in store of J. D. Sauters, and here he remained five years. Thence he proceeded to Pittsburgh, and clerked in a grocery store there two years, for the Valley Milk Co., after which he came, January 1, 1880, to Washington to fill the position of deputy sheriff, under George Perritte, who was then sheriff of the county. Mr. Perritte he succeeded, being elected sheriff in 1882, and served three years-from January 1, 1883, to January 1, 1886. At the expiration of his term he was appointed chief U. S. deputy marshal, under George W. Miller, marshal for the Western District of Pennsylvania, serving four years, and on the latter's removal, continued in office four months longer, under the present marshal, but being a Democrat, and the Government Republican, he was removed. He then returned to Canonsburg, where he remained unemployed until his election as treasurer of Washington County, overcoming a nominal Republican majority of 1,800, the first Democratic treasurer elected in the previous twenty-five years. He was the only Democratic county official, Washington being strongly Republican. While a student at college, he was a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and of the Philo-Union Literary Society of Washington and Jefferson College.
On his retirement from the office of sheriff, Alexander Wilson, Esq., offered the following sentiment, which was unanimously accepted by the assemblage:
William B. Chambers, Esq.:-A faithful officer, fearless in the discharge of his duties, pleasant in his intercourse with his fellow-citizens, kind and obliging to the members of the bar and officers of the court. He retires from the office of High Sheriff of Washington county with an honorable record for purity and integrity, and with the best wishes of all who have had official and personal intercourse with him.

He began his education in the common schools and afterwards attended Washington and Jefferson College until the close of the freshman year. While a student there he belonged to the Philo and Union Literary Society, and to the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. His vacations he spent in his father's store, gaining an insight into commercial routine. At the age of nineteen he left college to enter the mercantile business at McDonald, Pennsylvania, becoming associated with the firm of J. D. Sauters & Co., where he continued for six years. He then spent over two years in the employ of the Valley Milk Co., of Pittsburgh.
He had early begun to take an interest in public affairs, and as one of the young and active Democrats of the county, had rendered effective political service to his party. On January 1, 1880, he came to Washington, Pennsylvania, to fill the position of deputy sheriff under Sheriff Perritte, serving in that capacity three years. In 1882 he was elected to the office of sheriff, on the Democratic ticket, and served three years: from January 1, 1883, to January 1, 1886. At the expiration of his term he was appointed chief U. S. deputy marshal, under George W. Miller, marshal for the Western District of Pennsylvania, serving four years, during the first administration of President Cleveland, and also for four months, under Mr. Miller's successor, J. R. Hanna, the latter being an appointee of President Harrison. Mr. Chambers served for almost five years in that capacity, his removal being due to the change of party control in the government. He next returned to Canonsburg, where he remained unoccupied for a while.
In 1892 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for the office of county treasurer, and was triumphantly elected, overcoming a normal Republican majority of 2,000. He thus served until 1896. He was the first Democratic county treasurer that had been elected in twenty-five years. Later he was further honored by being appointed by Governor Patterson to a position on the board of managers of the Pennsylvania Reform School, at Morganza, Washington County, and held that position until 1897. In 1896 he was the choice of his party as a candidate for Congress in Washington County. At times also he has been a member of the town council and by appointment served as road and bridge reviewer.
On his retirement from the office of sheriff, at a banquet held by the Washington County bar, the following sentiment, proposed by Alexander Wilson, Esq., was unanimously accepted by the assembly:
"William B. Chambers, Esq.:-A faithful officer, fearless in the discharge of his duties, pleasant in his intercourse with his fellow citizens, kind and obliging to the members of the bar and officers of the court. He retires from the office of high sheriff of Washington County with an honorable record for purity and integrity, and with the best wishes of all who have had official and personal intercourse with him."

1 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 131.

2 Joseph F. McFarland, 20th Century History of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1910), Pg 683.