CHAMBERLIN, Thomas

CHAMBERLIN, LANE, WOODBURY, HOADLEY, BURNS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/23/2015 at 01:32:52

Obituary ~ Thomas Chamberlin
August 2, 1816 ~ February 21, 1901

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
Thursday, March 17, 1901

Thomas Chamberlin was born at Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, August 2, 1816. When a young man he removed to Fredrickstown, Ohio, at which place he was married, September 3, 1844, to Miss. Elizabeth Lane. He continued to reside there until the year 1854, when he removed to Iowa City, Iowa. He lived there but one year and then came to this county, settling on a farm in High Point Township. In 1865 in order to give his children better school advantages, he removed to Garden Grove and has ever since made his home here.

Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlin were the parents of seven children, six of whom are still living, two of them in this place. Mrs. Chamberlin died July 20, 1876, and for several years Mr. Chamberlin lived with his youngest daughter, Mrs. Anna Woodbury. His last years were spent in the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ben Hoadley. He died February 21, 1901, aged 84 years, 6 months and 19 days.

Mr. Chamberlin united with the Presbyterian Church while yet in Pennsylvania and had ever since lived a most faithful member of that church. He had not been in Decatur County very long before he began to look up the prospect for organizing a church and that same year, he, in company with twelve others, organized what is now the Presbytrian Church of Garden Grove. All of these original thirteen members are now dead except Mrs. John D. Burns, who still lives among us and one other who lives near Leon. Mr. Chamberlin had held the office of elder continously for forty-five years.

The funeral services were held at the Presbyterian Church, Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., conducted by the Pastor, Reverend J. Q. Hall, and was attended by a large congregation of friends and neighbors. Few men live as pure a life and leave as pleasant a memory as did Mr. Chamberlin.

- Garden Grove Express

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2015