Chambers, Daniel H.

LAWRENCE, WATKINS

Posted By: BCGS
Date: 12/13/2009 at 21:06:06

Daniel H. Chambers was one of the pioneer settlers of Bremer county, arriving at Waverly in 1855. He remained in this county but a comparatively brief period, yet continued a resident of this part of the state, removing afterward to Butler county. Subsequently, however, he returned to Bremer county, where he remained to the time of his death, and throughout the period was one of the representative and highly respected agriculturists of his community. He was born in December, 1821, in the state of New York, and was a son of Christopher Chambers, a representative of one of the old colonial families founded in America by German ancestors.

When twenty years of age Daniel H. Chambers removed to Belvidere, Illinois, where he was employed for three years. During that period he was married, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary L. Lawrence who was also a native of New York, born in September, 1828. The Lawrence family is of English extraction and the father of Mrs. Chambers served as a soldier in the war of 1812. After some years' residence in Illinois Daniel Chambers, with his wife and the three children who had been born to them, started for Iowa, the journey being made with ox teams to Waverly in 1855. During the brief period of his early residence here he broke some land with four yoke of oxen, the land at that time being owned by Specular Smith, a well known pioneer settler, and now used as the county fair grounds. Mr. Chambers afterward removed to Clarksville, Butler county, where he purchased a tract of land in what is known as Turkey Grove. Seven years were spent upon that farm, after which he sold the property and bought land at Janesville, Bremer county, upon which he also lived for seven years. In 1868 he purchased the farm now occupied by his son G.A. Chambers, a tract of land four miles north of Waverly, upon which he continued to reside until his death. He was quite successful in business affairs, which he at all time capably and intelligently conducted, thereby acquiring a large fortune. Unto him and his wife were born seven children, of whom four are yet living: Mrs. Lydia J. Watkins; Reno, who is living at Sunnyvale, California; Charles L., a resident of New Hampton, Iowa; and George A., who occupies the old homestead farm in this county and is mentioned on another page of this work.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Daniel H. Chambers lived to advanced age, the death of the former occurring in October, 1899, and the latter in December, 1904. They were both members of the Baptist church and were people of sterling worth, held in high esteem by reason of their many good traits of character. Mr. Chambers was one of the leaders of the republican party in Bremer county and, while he held only minor township offices, he probably could have had almost any political position for the asking. He preferred, however, to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs and the interests of his household and in that way he lived a quiet but useful life, making him at all times worthy of the esteem which was everywhere given him.

History of Bremer County, Iowa Vol. II 1914