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Author: clarkealexandra
Surnames: Chamlers
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.chalmers/268.2/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
My family on the maternal side came from Aberdeenshire, Scotland immigrating to Oregon
from that county in 1868/9. My great-great grandfather's name was William Chalmers and
his eldest son, Alexander Chalmers, was my great- grandfather (there were 6/7 children
Alex was the eldest). The Chalmers family has a recorded history at the Washignton County
Historic Society in Hillsboro, Oregon. They were founders of The Old Scotch Church in
Washington County. The church has a website, so you can get more information there. My
ancestors were breeders of Shorthorn cattle and Clydsdale horses in Scotland for over 200
years at their farm "Old What" situated on the Mains of Old What in
Aberdeenshire and leased. They decided to move to the United States because they could own
their own land.When they arrived in Oregon, they purchased a farm of around 1,000 acres
from Colonel Cornelius and another of around 400 acres.
My great-great grandfather's brother James Chalmers was a missionary for the London
Missionary Society and one of the first missionaries to China in the late 19th c. prior to
Hong Kong becoming a leasehold of England. He was the first person to translate the bible
into Chinese, one of the founders of the Anna Memorial Hospital
(non-denominational-charity) in Hong Kong, son-in-law developed the Peak in Hong Kong and
knighted by the Queen, Dr. Chalmers and his wife are buried in the Happy Valley Cemetary
in Hong Kong, there is a plaque with his name on it at the Presp. Church in Hong Kong. I
tell you of him because Hong Kong is close to your location and the given name your are
researching. If you can get a copy of the book "William Chalmers" 1725 --- from
the Washington County Historical Society, it may answer some questions for you as it has
quite a bit of information and respective family trees in it. Sincerely yours, Alexandra
Chalmers Clarke
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