California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


 JAMES FENNER CHAMBERLAIN. Among the retired citizens of Merced who are drawing liberal 
incomes from extensive land holdings in Merced county, is James Fenner Chamberlain, 
representative of one of the old families established on the Pacific coast in 1849. Mr. 
Chamberlain, whose paternal great-grandfather followed the martial fortunes of Washington 
during the Revolutionary war, and whose maternal ancestors date their American occupation 
from the historic Mayflower, was born at Central Falls, R. I., October 18, 1847, a son of Adolphus 
Chamberlain, a native of Sharon. Schoharie county, N. Y. His mother, Eliza (Patt) Chamberlain, 
was born in Rhode Island, a daughter of Jabel Patt, born in Cumberland. R. I., and for many 
years machinist in the cotton mills of that place. 

Adolphus Chamberlain was a builder and machinist by trade and being of an ambitious turn of 
mind came west in February. 1849, leaving his family in Rhode Island, until such time as he had 
gained a start in California. Setting sail in the ship Shemoset, he sailed around Cape Horn, 
arriving at his destination in San Francisco after six months of ocean voyage. Not realizing his 
expectations in the mines on the Feather and Yuba rivers and at Hangtown, he returned to San 
Francisco and worked at his trade, being one of the contractors on the custom house and other 
buildings erected in the early days. Later he engaged in farming near Stockton and in 1860 
bought a ranch in San Joaquin county, which he successfully devoted to grain farming. For one 
year he lived in Nevada engaged in business, and April 7, 1865, came to Merced county, where 
he engaged in the dairy business on the Miller & Lux ranch. This proved a substantial 
undertaking, and included the milking and care of two hundred and fifty cows, and the 
manufacture of butter and cheese. These commodities were taken to Stockton arid to San 
Francisco by boat, netting their producer a handsome yearly income. In 1869 Mr. Chamberlain 
purchased four hundred acres of land in Merced county and engaged in the stock and dairy 
business. He also raised grain on this farm, and in its management duplicated his former 
pronounced success. His death occurred May 8, 1893, after a career of unusual activity. He was 
a typical pioneer, generous and unostentatious, making friends all along the course of his useful 
and well directed life. He was a stanch Republican, and in religion was broad and tolerant. His 
wife, who survived him until January 12, 1898, left two children, J. F. and Melissa, the widow of 
J. S. Potter, of San Francisco. 

James Fenner Chamberlain was twelve years old when he accompanied his mother and sister 
to the coast to join his father, leaving New York on the steamer Northern Star and Panama on 
the Golden Age. After landing in San Francisco he lived in Stockton until his sixteenth year. He 
then entered the employ of Miller & Lux, upon whose farm his father was a department 
manager, working for them at stock feeding, and still later building fences for them along the 
San Joaquin river. In 1875 he engaged in an independent trucking business, and in 1881 bought 
a farm six miles from Merced, where he engaged in grain raising, and where he now owns 
seven hundred acres, well improved, fitted with modern buildings and implements. In 1886 he 
moved to Merced and built his present fine residence, at which place he is living practically 
retired, although having the supervision of his country properties. Mr. Chamberlain and his 
sister still own the old homestead of nearly nine thousand acres, of which they rent all but eight 
hundred acres, and upon that they conduct a stock business, raising principally Shorthorns and 
Hereford cattle. He also leases his farm near Merced. 

Mr. Chamberlain married in San Francisco, Celina Fuller, a native of Rhode Island. They have 
one son, Fenner Adolphus, attending the University of California. Mr. Chamberlain is a 
Republican, and is fraternally connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which 
he is past grand. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is highly respected 
by his fellow townsmen in Merced, by the people with whom he has been connected 
throughout the county, and represents the solid and substantial men who have profited by the 
advantages of the great western country.