This is not my ancestor (at least as far as I know). However, while do
a search for Charlotte Chambers on the net, I cam across this piece and
thought it might help someone.
Lois in Auburn, CA
Ben Chambers
Irish immigrant Benjamin Chambers settled at the confluence of the
Conococheague Creek and Falling Spring in 1730.
He advertised his settlement in a 1764 issue of the Pennsylvania
Gazette: "The situation of this town is very good for water and stone,
free and marble, and sand all handy to the spot, and a well-timbered
part of the country adjoining it; within said town is a good grist mill,
saw mill, and grindstones going by water."
He twice lobbied for Chambers Town to become a county seat.
Chambersburg, named Franklin County's seat in 1784, later became a stop
on the Cumberland Valley Railroad and on the first transcontinental U.S.
highway, the Lincoln Highway.
Chambersburg's "first family" has played a large role in the community's
affairs since its founding.
Col. Chambers sought to encourage tolerance and religious unity and so
rented land to the Lutheran, Presbyterian and Church of Christ churches.
Annual rent: a single rose from each. The ceremony has survived for more
than 200 years.
"I think he must have been a man of vision," said John George, last
surviving sixth-generation descendant of Col. Benjamin Chambers and
retired county prothonotary. "Back in those days, those were uncertain
times he lived in. I¹ve often thought of what it takes to found a town.
I'm awfully glad I have some of his blood in my veins. (Retired Franklin
County Court) Judge (George) Eppinger said by the time the blood got
down to me, the good was bred out of it. Of course, I didn¹t agree with
him."
George's cousin, the late Lucy Benchoff, and her son, the late John
Benchoff, were the town's historical conscience in recent decades. An
auction of part of their collections in August drew 200 people downtown
to the Chambers¹ homeplace, rebuilt after Confederates burned the town
in 1864.
An eighth Chambers generation is growing up in Chambersburg.
For generations Col. Chambers¹ descendants have played large roles in
the community.
Brig. Gen. James Chambers, a son of Col. Chambers, distinguished himself
during the Revolutionary War and returned to Chambersburg and Fort
Loudon to a political life, county court judge, justice of the peace and
county commissioner. He was the first in the county to cast iron.
Charlotte Chambers, daughter of James Chambers, became one of the most
gracious and distinguished ladies in the history of the county. Her two
daughters married well, one to a man who would become a U.S. Supreme
Court justice and another to a man who became a U.S. senator from Iowa.
George Chambers, another grandchild of Col. Chambers, was elected to
Congress and served eight months as a Pennsylvania Supreme Court
justice. The largest landowner in the county at the time of his death in
1866, he also founded the county's first agricultural society. Six of
his houses burned in the Civil War fire, but of more importance to the
78-year-old man was losing his manuscripts and family heirlooms.
His sons, Benjamin and William, became a local attorney and bank
president, respectively.
By Jim Hook, Senior writer
Market Overview
Inside Public Opinion
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/index.html>
Cumberland Valley
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/cumberland.html>
Letterkenny Army Depot
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/letterkenny.html>
Local Economy
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/economy.html>
Largest Employers
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/employers.html>
Housing
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/housing.html>
Weather/Climate
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/weather.html>
Recreation
Golf Courses
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/golf.html>
State Parks
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/parks.html>
Biking
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/biking.html>
Hunting/Fishing
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/hunting.html>
Racing <
http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/racing.html>
Skiing
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/skiing.html>
Fairs/Festivals
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/fairs.html>
Attractions
Totem Pole
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/totempole.html>
Walking Tour
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/walkingtour.html>
Ship Walking Tour
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/shiptour.html>
Museums
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/museums.html>
Capitol Theatre
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/capitoltheatre.ht...
Colleges
Penn State, Mont Alto
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/pennstate.html>
Shippensburg University
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/shippensburg.html...
Wilson College
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/wilson.html>
History
Gettysburg
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/gettysburg.html>
Chambersburg Burning
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/burning.html>
Ben Chambers
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/benchambers.html>
Fort Loudon
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/fortloudon.html>
Underground Railroad
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/undergroundrr.htm...
Greencastle
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/greencastle.html>
Railroad Leaders
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/rrleaders.html>
James Buchanan
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/jamesbuchanan.htm...
Cumberland Railroad
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/cumberlandrr.html...
Edward Shippen
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/edwardshippen.htm...
Indian Routes
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/indianroutes.html...
Nellie Fox
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/nelliefox.html>
Antietam Battlefield
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http://www.publicopiniononline.com/communities/overview/antietam.html>
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