CHAMBERS, William Oliver

CHAMBERS, LITTLE, REESE, GORRELL, LEETZ

Posted By: Debbie Clough Gerischer, IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 1/14/2009 at 11:22:56

From
A Narrative History of The People of Iowa
with
SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY, BUSINESS, ETC.
by
EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M.
Curator of the Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa, Volume IV
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc.
Chicago and New York 1931
Page 182

WILLIAM OLIVER CHAMBERS was an early resident of Des Moines County, where he established his home and reared his family. His widow, Mrs. Chambers, has for many years been a resident of Burlington, where she carried on a business for a number of years.

William Oliver Chambers was born in Rome, Lawrence County, Ohio, January 1, 1842, son of Robert and Rebecca (Little) Chambers. He was educated in his native state and in 1861 came out to Iowa and bought land at Danville in Des Moines County.

On October 5, 1869, he married Eliza Marie Reese. The late Mr. Chambers was secretary of Danville Lodge of Masons for many years. He was a practical farmer, and followed farming until his death on February 5, 1881.

Mr. and Mrs. Chambers were married at Champaign, Illinois. Mrs. Chambers was born in Rome, Lawrence County, Ohio, March 7, 1853, daughter of Walter and Julia Ann (Gorrell) Reese, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of West Virginia, and a granddaughter of George W. and Sarah Reese, natives of New York State, and Levi and Rebecca (Leetz) Gorrell, the former a native of France and the latter of Massachusetts.

Mrs. Chambers at the death of her husband had a farm of eighty acres and two small children. She rented the farm and subsequently moved to Danville, where for eighteen years she carried on a dressmaking establishment After removing to Burlington, in 1910, she represented the Buckley Dress Goods Company for seventeen years. Her home is at 229 South Tenth Street. She is a member of the Eastern Star Chapter, and active in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mrs. Chambers became the mother of four children, Clarence, Harry, George and Albert. The only one now living is Harry, a resident of Los Angeles, California. Mrs. Chambers had one grandson and two granddaughters and three great-granddaughters.