Few families have a more interesting pioneer history than that of the Chambers family, of which John T. is the son, born three miles from Olympia, Wash., March 16, 1862.
His father, Thomas Jackson Chambers, was born in Tennessee, in the same house where his cousin, ex-President Andrew Jackson, had lived, when twenty-one years of age. Thomas J. Chambers crossed the plains in 1845, with his father, Thomas C, a brother of David J., and a large party of friends and relatives; on the first stage of their journey they reached Spanish Hollow, Mo. While there other families joined them and the large party started across the plains to the Pacific Coast, Thomas J. Chambers being Captain of the train of fifteen wagons, with two yoke of cattle to each wagon, and other loose live stock. They forded every stream between the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, and saw many herds of buffalo en route. At Fort Hall those of the company going to California turned south and the others kept on the way north, via the Lewis and Clark trail. They arrived at The Dalles, Ore., October 27, 1845, and started down the Columbia River in boats. Later, they started for Puget Sound, in the fall of 1847, journeying down the Willamette River and stopping en-route at Portland, which then consisted of six houses. At last they arrived at Olympia, Wash., where they found one log cabin. They later located at Chambers Prairie, three miles east of Olympia. The old linchpin emigrant wagon used by the Chambers family crossing the plains was exhibited at the Alaska-Yukon Exposition in Seattle and is now in the Portland Museum. The Chambers family also brought the first hall-clock and dressing-table to the state of Washington.
In 1849, Thomas J. Chambers came to California and followed mining on the American River, later returning to Washington where he also located on Chambers Prairie, engaging in farming. He served in the Indian War in Washington. In 1867 he located at Yakima where he resided until his death in 1913, at eighty-six years of age. His wife was America McAllister, born in Kentucky; she had crossed the plains with her parents in the pioneer days to Washington, where she resided until her death. Of their seven children, John T. is the youngest and was born on Chambers Prairie and educated in the public schools of Yakima, assisting his father at stock-raising.
At the age of seventeen, John T. Chambers began for himself, coming to California in 1879, and working on a ranch near Sutterville for a time. He next engaged in gold-mining on the San Joaquin River. In 1880 he came to Fresno and for one year drove a team, hauling freight to Pine Ridge. He then worked for Mr. Blasingame in the stock business, and later drove a ten-horse team over the mountains. From that he drifted into the cattle business and has been engaged in that line of business ever since. He owns 160 acres of grazing land near Sycamore, Fresno County, and ranges about 400 head of cattle, turning off 125 head yearly. He has made his home in Fresno since 1914, having served for two years as constable, at Academy.
Mr. Chambers' marriage, in 1884, united him with Jane Elizabeth Perry, a native of Fresno County, born in Centerville, a daughter of Peter and Amanda (Lowrey) Perry, the father being a native of North Carolina, and related to Commodore Perry, and the mother a native of Tennessee. Peter Perry was married in 1857 and crossed the plains to California [that same year] with the party that was massacred at Mountain Meadow[s]. [The Arkansas Emigrant Trains: "The Fancher Train", under the leadership of Capt. Alexander Fancher and "The Baker Train", under the leadership of Captain John Twitty Baker]. The party was divided into two trains, each taking a different route, and he was the captain of the train which escaped the [Mormons disguised as] Indians. He settled on Kings River, near Centerville, Fresno County, and engaged in stock-raising. His death occurred in 1876, while his wife died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers in Fresno, on March 23, 1919.
Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers seven children are now living as follows: Wayne, ranching on Pine Ridge; Eleanor [Eleanor Ann Savage Elliott], the wife of H. A. Savage, an attorney of Fresno; Nellie, the wife of E. F. Brieger of Tehachapi; Annie Laurie is Mrs. Howard Robert Perry, of Fresno; Belle Elizabeth, of Fresno; Ella a graduate of Fresno High School, now attending Fresno State Normal School; and John. Jr., attending Fresno High School.
Fraternally, Mr. Chambers is a Woodman of the World, and an Odd Fellow. Mrs. Chambers recalls her childhood days in Fresno County, when, instead of the teeming city of Fresno, there was one vast plain over which roamed antelope and wild cattle.
Source: "History of Fresno County" by Paul E. Vandor, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA, 1919, pps. 2278-79; and The Alexander Fancher Find A Grave Memorial #60459, Mountain Meadows Massacre Memorial; California, County Marriages, 1850-1952.
His father, Thomas Jackson Chambers, was born in Tennessee, in the same house where his cousin, ex-President Andrew Jackson, had lived, when twenty-one years of age. Thomas J. Chambers crossed the plains in 1845, with his father, Thomas C, a brother of David J., and a large party of friends and relatives; on the first stage of their journey they reached Spanish Hollow, Mo. While there other families joined them and the large party started across the plains to the Pacific Coast, Thomas J. Chambers being Captain of the train of fifteen wagons, with two yoke of cattle to each wagon, and other loose live stock. They forded every stream between the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, and saw many herds of buffalo en route. At Fort Hall those of the company going to California turned south and the others kept on the way north, via the Lewis and Clark trail. They arrived at The Dalles, Ore., October 27, 1845, and started down the Columbia River in boats. Later, they started for Puget Sound, in the fall of 1847, journeying down the Willamette River and stopping en-route at Portland, which then consisted of six houses. At last they arrived at Olympia, Wash., where they found one log cabin. They later located at Chambers Prairie, three miles east of Olympia. The old linchpin emigrant wagon used by the Chambers family crossing the plains was exhibited at the Alaska-Yukon Exposition in Seattle and is now in the Portland Museum. The Chambers family also brought the first hall-clock and dressing-table to the state of Washington.
In 1849, Thomas J. Chambers came to California and followed mining on the American River, later returning to Washington where he also located on Chambers Prairie, engaging in farming. He served in the Indian War in Washington. In 1867 he located at Yakima where he resided until his death in 1913, at eighty-six years of age. His wife was America McAllister, born in Kentucky; she had crossed the plains with her parents in the pioneer days to Washington, where she resided until her death. Of their seven children, John T. is the youngest and was born on Chambers Prairie and educated in the public schools of Yakima, assisting his father at stock-raising.
At the age of seventeen, John T. Chambers began for himself, coming to California in 1879, and working on a ranch near Sutterville for a time. He next engaged in gold-mining on the San Joaquin River. In 1880 he came to Fresno and for one year drove a team, hauling freight to Pine Ridge. He then worked for Mr. Blasingame in the stock business, and later drove a ten-horse team over the mountains. From that he drifted into the cattle business and has been engaged in that line of business ever since. He owns 160 acres of grazing land near Sycamore, Fresno County, and ranges about 400 head of cattle, turning off 125 head yearly. He has made his home in Fresno since 1914, having served for two years as constable, at Academy.
Mr. Chambers' marriage, in 1884, united him with Jane Elizabeth Perry, a native of Fresno County, born in Centerville, a daughter of Peter and Amanda (Lowrey) Perry, the father being a native of North Carolina, and related to Commodore Perry, and the mother a native of Tennessee. Peter Perry was married in 1857 and crossed the plains to California [that same year] with the party that was massacred at Mountain Meadow[s]. [The Arkansas Emigrant Trains: "The Fancher Train", under the leadership of Capt. Alexander Fancher and "The Baker Train", under the leadership of Captain John Twitty Baker]. The party was divided into two trains, each taking a different route, and he was the captain of the train which escaped the [Mormons disguised as] Indians. He settled on Kings River, near Centerville, Fresno County, and engaged in stock-raising. His death occurred in 1876, while his wife died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers in Fresno, on March 23, 1919.
Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers seven children are now living as follows: Wayne, ranching on Pine Ridge; Eleanor [Eleanor Ann Savage Elliott], the wife of H. A. Savage, an attorney of Fresno; Nellie, the wife of E. F. Brieger of Tehachapi; Annie Laurie is Mrs. Howard Robert Perry, of Fresno; Belle Elizabeth, of Fresno; Ella a graduate of Fresno High School, now attending Fresno State Normal School; and John. Jr., attending Fresno High School.
Fraternally, Mr. Chambers is a Woodman of the World, and an Odd Fellow. Mrs. Chambers recalls her childhood days in Fresno County, when, instead of the teeming city of Fresno, there was one vast plain over which roamed antelope and wild cattle.
Source: "History of Fresno County" by Paul E. Vandor, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA, 1919, pps. 2278-79; and The Alexander Fancher Find A Grave Memorial #60459, Mountain Meadows Massacre Memorial; California, County Marriages, 1850-1952.
Few families have a more interesting pioneer history than that of the Chambers family, of which John T. is the son, born three miles from Olympia, Wash., March 16, 1862.
His father, Thomas Jackson Chambers, was born in Tennessee, in the same house where his cousin, ex-President Andrew Jackson, had lived, when twenty-one years of age. Thomas J. Chambers crossed the plains in 1845, with his father, Thomas C, a brother of David J., and a large party of friends and relatives; on the first stage of their journey they reached Spanish Hollow, Mo. While there other families joined them and the large party started across the plains to the Pacific Coast, Thomas J. Chambers being Captain of the train of fifteen wagons, with two yoke of cattle to each wagon, and other loose live stock. They forded every stream between the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, and saw many herds of buffalo en route. At Fort Hall those of the company going to California turned south and the others kept on the way north, via the Lewis and Clark trail. They arrived at The Dalles, Ore., October 27, 1845, and started down the Columbia River in boats. Later, they started for Puget Sound, in the fall of 1847, journeying down the Willamette River and stopping en-route at Portland, which then consisted of six houses. At last they arrived at Olympia, Wash., where they found one log cabin. They later located at Chambers Prairie, three miles east of Olympia. The old linchpin emigrant wagon used by the Chambers family crossing the plains was exhibited at the Alaska-Yukon Exposition in Seattle and is now in the Portland Museum. The Chambers family also brought the first hall-clock and dressing-table to the state of Washington.
In 1849, Thomas J. Chambers came to California and followed mining on the American River, later returning to Washington where he also located on Chambers Prairie, engaging in farming. He served in the Indian War in Washington. In 1867 he located at Yakima where he resided until his death in 1913, at eighty-six years of age. His wife was America McAllister, born in Kentucky; she had crossed the plains with her parents in the pioneer days to Washington, where she resided until her death. Of their seven children, John T. is the youngest and was born on Chambers Prairie and educated in the public schools of Yakima, assisting his father at stock-raising.
At the age of seventeen, John T. Chambers began for himself, coming to California in 1879, and working on a ranch near Sutterville for a time. He next engaged in gold-mining on the San Joaquin River. In 1880 he came to Fresno and for one year drove a team, hauling freight to Pine Ridge. He then worked for Mr. Blasingame in the stock business, and later drove a ten-horse team over the mountains. From that he drifted into the cattle business and has been engaged in that line of business ever since. He owns 160 acres of grazing land near Sycamore, Fresno County, and ranges about 400 head of cattle, turning off 125 head yearly. He has made his home in Fresno since 1914, having served for two years as constable, at Academy.
Mr. Chambers' marriage, in 1884, united him with Jane Elizabeth Perry, a native of Fresno County, born in Centerville, a daughter of Peter and Amanda (Lowrey) Perry, the father being a native of North Carolina, and related to Commodore Perry, and the mother a native of Tennessee. Peter Perry was married in 1857 and crossed the plains to California [that same year] with the party that was massacred at Mountain Meadow[s]. [The Arkansas Emigrant Trains: "The Fancher Train", under the leadership of Capt. Alexander Fancher and "The Baker Train", under the leadership of Captain John Twitty Baker]. The party was divided into two trains, each taking a different route, and he was the captain of the train which escaped the [Mormons disguised as] Indians. He settled on Kings River, near Centerville, Fresno County, and engaged in stock-raising. His death occurred in 1876, while his wife died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers in Fresno, on March 23, 1919.
Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers seven children are now living as follows: Wayne, ranching on Pine Ridge; Eleanor [Eleanor Ann Savage Elliott], the wife of H. A. Savage, an attorney of Fresno; Nellie, the wife of E. F. Brieger of Tehachapi; Annie Laurie is Mrs. Howard Robert Perry, of Fresno; Belle Elizabeth, of Fresno; Ella a graduate of Fresno High School, now attending Fresno State Normal School; and John. Jr., attending Fresno High School.
Fraternally, Mr. Chambers is a Woodman of the World, and an Odd Fellow. Mrs. Chambers recalls her childhood days in Fresno County, when, instead of the teeming city of Fresno, there was one vast plain over which roamed antelope and wild cattle.
Source: "History of Fresno County" by Paul E. Vandor, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA, 1919, pps. 2278-79; and The Alexander Fancher Find A Grave Memorial #60459, Mountain Meadows Massacre Memorial; California, County Marriages, 1850-1952.
His father, Thomas Jackson Chambers, was born in Tennessee, in the same house where his cousin, ex-President Andrew Jackson, had lived, when twenty-one years of age. Thomas J. Chambers crossed the plains in 1845, with his father, Thomas C, a brother of David J., and a large party of friends and relatives; on the first stage of their journey they reached Spanish Hollow, Mo. While there other families joined them and the large party started across the plains to the Pacific Coast, Thomas J. Chambers being Captain of the train of fifteen wagons, with two yoke of cattle to each wagon, and other loose live stock. They forded every stream between the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, and saw many herds of buffalo en route. At Fort Hall those of the company going to California turned south and the others kept on the way north, via the Lewis and Clark trail. They arrived at The Dalles, Ore., October 27, 1845, and started down the Columbia River in boats. Later, they started for Puget Sound, in the fall of 1847, journeying down the Willamette River and stopping en-route at Portland, which then consisted of six houses. At last they arrived at Olympia, Wash., where they found one log cabin. They later located at Chambers Prairie, three miles east of Olympia. The old linchpin emigrant wagon used by the Chambers family crossing the plains was exhibited at the Alaska-Yukon Exposition in Seattle and is now in the Portland Museum. The Chambers family also brought the first hall-clock and dressing-table to the state of Washington.
In 1849, Thomas J. Chambers came to California and followed mining on the American River, later returning to Washington where he also located on Chambers Prairie, engaging in farming. He served in the Indian War in Washington. In 1867 he located at Yakima where he resided until his death in 1913, at eighty-six years of age. His wife was America McAllister, born in Kentucky; she had crossed the plains with her parents in the pioneer days to Washington, where she resided until her death. Of their seven children, John T. is the youngest and was born on Chambers Prairie and educated in the public schools of Yakima, assisting his father at stock-raising.
At the age of seventeen, John T. Chambers began for himself, coming to California in 1879, and working on a ranch near Sutterville for a time. He next engaged in gold-mining on the San Joaquin River. In 1880 he came to Fresno and for one year drove a team, hauling freight to Pine Ridge. He then worked for Mr. Blasingame in the stock business, and later drove a ten-horse team over the mountains. From that he drifted into the cattle business and has been engaged in that line of business ever since. He owns 160 acres of grazing land near Sycamore, Fresno County, and ranges about 400 head of cattle, turning off 125 head yearly. He has made his home in Fresno since 1914, having served for two years as constable, at Academy.
Mr. Chambers' marriage, in 1884, united him with Jane Elizabeth Perry, a native of Fresno County, born in Centerville, a daughter of Peter and Amanda (Lowrey) Perry, the father being a native of North Carolina, and related to Commodore Perry, and the mother a native of Tennessee. Peter Perry was married in 1857 and crossed the plains to California [that same year] with the party that was massacred at Mountain Meadow[s]. [The Arkansas Emigrant Trains: "The Fancher Train", under the leadership of Capt. Alexander Fancher and "The Baker Train", under the leadership of Captain John Twitty Baker]. The party was divided into two trains, each taking a different route, and he was the captain of the train which escaped the [Mormons disguised as] Indians. He settled on Kings River, near Centerville, Fresno County, and engaged in stock-raising. His death occurred in 1876, while his wife died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers in Fresno, on March 23, 1919.
Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Chambers seven children are now living as follows: Wayne, ranching on Pine Ridge; Eleanor [Eleanor Ann Savage Elliott], the wife of H. A. Savage, an attorney of Fresno; Nellie, the wife of E. F. Brieger of Tehachapi; Annie Laurie is Mrs. Howard Robert Perry, of Fresno; Belle Elizabeth, of Fresno; Ella a graduate of Fresno High School, now attending Fresno State Normal School; and John. Jr., attending Fresno High School.
Fraternally, Mr. Chambers is a Woodman of the World, and an Odd Fellow. Mrs. Chambers recalls her childhood days in Fresno County, when, instead of the teeming city of Fresno, there was one vast plain over which roamed antelope and wild cattle.
Source: "History of Fresno County" by Paul E. Vandor, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA, 1919, pps. 2278-79; and The Alexander Fancher Find A Grave Memorial #60459, Mountain Meadows Massacre Memorial; California, County Marriages, 1850-1952.
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