Lewis Chamberlain was the oldest son of John Chamberlain and Rebecca Morris. He is my husband’s fourth great grandfather.

Birth

Lewis was born in 1712 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Marriage

In 1735 he married Lucretia Woolsey. Born about 1714, she survived him many years and died in Amwell Township, NJ, on January 15, 1812, at the age of 98.

Children

Lewis and Lucretia had twelve children, presumably all born in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

1. William, born September 25, 1736 in Ringoes (Amwell Twp.), Hunterdon Co., NJ. Married four times—the first three probably in Hunterdon Co., NJ. (1) Elizabeth Ten Broeck, June 8, 1758; (2) Anne Park, March 6, 1771; (3) Margaret Park, 1782; (4) Anne Marie Kemble, August 16, 1794, Lewisburg, PA. Died August 21, 1817, Kelly Twp., PA.
2. Sarah Chamberlain, born February 27, 1738 in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Probably died young or married and died without issue before 29 Apr 1772, at which time her father made his will as neither she nor any of her heirs were mentioned.
3. John Chamberlain, born May 27, 1739 in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Married Mary Stout, about 1757, probably Hunterdon Co., NJ. Died 26 Dec 1821, Bethlehem, NJ.
4. Hannah Chamberlain, born July 12, 1741, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Married Daniel Wolverton. Called “my daughter Hannah, wife of Daniel Wolverton,” by her father in his will and bequeathed the sum of £50 to be paid three years after his death. Said to have died 14 July 1819, Mt. Pleasant, OH. Nothing further known.
5. Rebecca Chamberlain, born November 19, 1743, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Married James or John Slack about 1764 (?), probably Hunterdon Co., NJ. Died about Feb 1776, Hunterdon Co., NJ.
6. Lucretia Chamberlain, born December 18, 1745, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Bequeathed the sum of £100 by the terms of her fathers will in 1772. However, she probably died unmarried about 1772-73. Many sources erroneously state she married a John Chamberlain of New York. However, it was her niece Lucretia Sutphen, daughter of her sister Anne who married John Chamberlin (her nephew—son of her brother Lewis). In the probate record maintained by Derrick Sutphen, co-executor of her father’s estate, is the entry: “March 1773. Paid Jacob Houghton for coffin for testator and his daughter Lucretia, £3.”
7. Elizabeth Chamberlain, born January 11, 1748, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Married Derrick Hoagland (b. 10 Dec 1745; d. 12 Nov 1827). Called “my daughter Elizabeth Hoogeland” in her father’s will of 29 Apr 1772, which bequeathed her £50 to be paid four years after his death. Died 7 Jan 1829. Nothing further known.
8. Lewis Chamberlain, born February 25, 1750, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Married three times, all probably in Hunterdon Co., NJ; (1) Mary Hagaman, 18 Jan 1773; (2) Sarah Fisher, about 1787; (3) Ann Fisher, about 1792. Died 30 June 1813, Reaville, NJ.
9. Anne Chamberlain, born April 13, 1752, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Married Derrick Sutphen, about Nov 1767, probably Hunterdon Co., NJ. Died 15 July 1838, probably Hunterdon Co., NJ.
10. Uriah Chamberlain, born March 26, 1755, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Bequeathed £100 of Proclamation money in his father’s will of 1772 in which he was to be paid when 21 years of age. (The legacy was paid to him 16 May 1776.) Married Mary Pipenger, by License dated 2 Jan 1773, Reading Town, Hunterdon Co., NJ. Emma Ten-Broeck Runk says her name was Sarah Pettinger. He served as a Sergeant in Capt. Polhemus’ company, First Regiment, NJ, Continental Line during the Revolutionary war. Uriah was taken prisoner on 27 Aug 1777 and incarcerated in the “Sugar House” in New York where he died before the end of hostilities in 1783. The authority for this last information is the bible record of his brother Col. William Chamberlin. There appears to be no record of any progeny. Nothing further known.
11. Rachel Chamberlain, born February 21, 1758, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Married Dr. John Andrew, by License dated 19 Oct 1773, Amwell, NJ. Died 19 Aug 1785, probably Hunterdon Co., NJ. +
12. Daughter Chamberlain, born June 7, 1763, in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Died there the same day.

Occupation

Lewis Chamberlain was one of the first civil officers in Hunterdon County, holding the office of Justice of the Peace under Royal Commission many years.

Death

Lewis died on May 3, 1772, in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. A notice of his death appeared in the Pennsylvania Gazette:

From my Chamberlain family notes:

In a deed recorded June 26, 1774, Lewis Chamberlain and Derrick Sutphen, Executors of the estate of Lewis Chamberlain deceased, conveyed to John Williamson, one half of the homestead farm of the decedent and a release of dower accompanying this deed was signed by Lucretia Chamberlain with her mark. She was a widow forty years and a member of the Baptist Church in Hopewell, nearly seventy years. (Plummer’s Mss. Vol. 4, p. 594.)

Burial

Lewis Chamberlain and his widow Lucretia are buried on their farm in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. There is a headstone in the Flemington Baptist Churchyard, Flemington, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It reads: “Buried on Homestead Farm, East Amwell Township.”

Will

Lewis Chamberlin made his will on 29 Apr 1772, proved 18 May 1772. The text of his will reads as
follows:

In the name of God Amen, I Lewis Chamberlin of the Township of Amwell, in the County of Hunterdon in the Western Division of the Province of New Jersey, yeoman, being sicke and weak of body but of sound and perfect mind and memory, praise be therefore given unto Almighty God for the same do make and ordain this my present Last Will and Testament in manner and form following, (that is to say): First and principally I commit my Soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it and my Body to the earth to be buried at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named and as touching the disposition of all such temporal estates as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me, I give and dispose thereof in way and manner following:

Item:

I will that all my just debts and funeral charges to be honorably & justly paid & discharged.

Item:

I will unto my eldest son William Chamberlin, one hundred pounds Proclamation money to be paid to him in one year after my decease.

Item:

I will unto my wife Lucresha Chamberlin the sum of Fifty pounds of like money to be paid unto her in one full year after my decease to be for her right of dower and also her choice of any one room of the house where I now dwell and also one bed and beding and furniture for the same such as she shall choose, and two cows such as she choose out of my stock of cattle to be kept for her winter and summer on the Plantation where I now dwell with every other necessarys she stands in need of for her comfortable subsistance in this world till the day of her marriage or day of her death which happens first to be.

Item:

I give the further sum of one hundred pounds to my son William Chamberlin which he had in his hands since seventeen hundred sixty & four with all the interest arising thereon to him.

Item:

I give unto my son John Chamberlin the Plantation on which he now dwells to him and his heirs and assigns forever, formerly the estate of Francis Quick, late deceased, said to contain two hundred forty & eight acres with his paying unto my Executors hereafter named, the sum of two hundred and eighty pounds Proclamation money for part of legasies hereafter mentioned.

Item:

I give unto my son Lewis Chamberlin the Plantation or homestead place that I live on with all my lot or tract of land lying in the rocks for timber to be for him his heirs and assigns for ever and also I give my son Lewis my Negro boy called Sasar, also three of my horses such as he shall choose and also one plow and one iron tooth harrow and my negro wench called Bett, but she shall remain in the service of her now present mistress untill her marriage or day of her death which happens first to be as aforesaid, but said wench with all her issue to my said son Lewis Chamberlin’s and it is my will and I do order that my son Lewis Chamberlin do take care and provide for his mother, the necessarys of life as aforesaid to her marriage or death as before excepted.

Item:

I will unto my son Uriah Chamberlin, one hundred pounds Proclamation money to be paid him when he shall arrive to the age of Twenty One years.

Item:

I give unto my Daughter Hannah, wife of Daniel Wolverton, the sum of fifty pounds like money aforesaid, to be paid to her three years after my decease.

Item:

I give unto my Daughter Rebecca Slact the sum of fifty pounds like money aforesaid to be paid her three years after my decease.

Item:

I give unto my daughter Lucresha, the sum of one hundred pounds like money aforesaid to be paid her three years after my decease.

Item:

I give unto my daughter Elizabeth Hoogeland the sum of fifty pounds like money aforesaid to paid her four years after my decease.

Item:

I give unto my daughter Ann Sutphen the sum of fifty pounds like money aforesaid to paid her four years after my decease.

Item:

I give unto my daughter Rachel the sum of one hundred pounds like money aforesaid to be paid her four years after my decease.

And it is my will and I do order that if any of my children above mentioned dying without issue that their share or legasies shall be equally divided to the survivors or survivor only Uriah excepted and to have no part.

And I do order and it is my will that my plantation on the north side of Newshanik, containing two hundred & twenty odd acres with all my movables (excepting what my wife and Lewis is to have) be sold at the discretion of my executors to pay the aforementioned legasies – but in case what is ordered to be sold including what my son John is to pay to my executors should amount to more that is above mentioned, then the overplus be equally divided amongst my above named children excepting Uriah as is above excepted), but in case it should so happen to come short then in such case I do order that each ones legasie to fall according to his or her sum (excepting Uriah).

I do hereby appoint my loving son Lewis Chamberlin and my loving son-in-law Derrick Sutphen, Executors of this my present last will and testament and I do give them full power to sell and convey the above said plantation north of Newshanik as full and as amply as if it could be or were my self and to make such deed or deeds of conveyance as the law directs in such cases, intreating of them to cause the same to be punctually performed and kept, hereby revoking and making null and void all other and former wills by one heretofore by me and declaring this only to be my last will and testament.

In testimony hereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy and Two — 1772.

Lewis Chamberlin [L.S.]
Signed, Sealed, Published and Declared by the said Lewis Chamberlin to be his last will and testament in presence of:
John Stout [L.S.]
Gershom Craven [L.S.]
Jacob Mattison [L.S.]

An inventory of his estate was taken on May 21, 1772, by Thomas Atkinson and Joseph Moore, appraisers, and was valued at 1,373:5:4 pounds. The final account of his estate was filed by his son-in-law Derrick Sutphen on 22 Sep 1789, before Richard Throckmorton, Surrogate. (New Jersey Archives, Vol. 34, P. 87; Liber 15, P. 435.) This record showed that the total demands against the estate amounted to 1,391:16:10 pounds as of 22 Sep 1789 and that 1,306:4:17 pounds remained for further distribution to the heirs.

Sources

www.chamberlain-society.org
FindAGrave.com