Francis ‘of Jamestown’ Chamberlain

Evidence needed to support Francis ‘of Jamestown’ Chamberlain as husband of Agnes Chamberlain & father of New England colonists, William ‘of Woburn’ Chamberlain, Thomas ‘of Chelmsford’ Chamberlain, Sr., & Edmund Chamberlain - and them to each other as siblings.

Disputed children

From http://www.woosnap.com/chamberlain/dccfgr/ln06177.pdf

Prentiss Glazier has formulated a hypothesis to account for the earlier origins of this man, William ‘of Woburn’ Chamberlain, as well as his relationship to Thomas and Edmund Chamberlain, who appeared about the same time in New England. ...

The foregoing theory seems logical and worthy of serious consideration in all aspects except the supposed relationship to Francis Chamberlin. On this one point, I emphatically disagree. It would be nice and neat to connect these three men to Francis Chamberlain, but there is simply no evidence. The fact that “a” Thomas Chamberlain lived almost next door to Daniel Gookin in 1623 (12 years before William came to Virginia) is of questionable significance. The mention of a Francis Chamberlain marrying an Agnes Haiden in County Essex in 1615 [some sources give this date as 1613], also lacks any real weight. First of all, Francis was living at Elizabeth City, Virginia, in 1623-24, aged 45, with wife Rebecca, aged 37, and son Francis, aged 3 years. Even if he was the same man that married Agnes in 1615, why would he have left his three small sons in England and gone off to Virginia with a new wife and child? (In 1623, Thomas would have been about 8 years old; Edmund about 5 years, and William about three).

The strongest argument against this supposed relationship is that there is not one child (known) in the progeny of Thomas, Edmund, or William that bears the name Francis/Frances until the late 1790s. In those days of naming children after parents and relatives, it is illogical that not even one child or grandchild was named for their father.

There were many Chamberlain families in County Essex in the early 1600s. Without something more to go on, it seems useless to try and draw any definite conclusions. The genealogical criteria for suggesting a connection should be based on probability rather than possibility. Is it possible that Francis could be their father? Yes. Is it probable? No (my opinion). The degree of probabilty in this case is close to zero.

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Chamberlain-636

• Jamestown Church Tower
• Francis Chamberlain was a Jamestown colonist.
• flag of the Jamestowne Society
• Francis Chamberlain is a Qualifying Ancestor of the Jamestowne Society

Came to the Colonies (Virginia) in 1621 on the Marmaduke.[1] Wife is listed as Rebecca by 1624 in Elizabeth City, Virginia muster rolls.[2] He has a young son named Francis, age 3 listed as well.[3]

"Francis Chamberlain, presumably father of Thomas, Edmond and William, was the first to settle in the colonies. He came on the Marmaduke in 1621 and John Camden Hotten's Original Lists, p. 254, shows him at Elizabeth City, Virginia, in the "muster roll" taken 7 Feb 1624/5, age 45, with wife Rebecca aged 37, small son Francis aged 3, and four servants. Significantly, his household was next-but-one to that of Daniel Cookins [sic] who was the Daniel Gookin later leading the boatload of Puritan refugees fleeing Indian raids and landing at Boston in 1644, presumably with Thomas and William Chamberlain and others unnamed. The marriage of a Francis Chamberlain to Agnes Haiden in 1613/4 at Ugley, co. Essex, England, may have pertained to him.[2]

Francis Chamberlain and Agnes Hayden. 1580 Francis Chamberlain was born, I presume, in England. Francis contributed to our family gene pool a sense of adventure, entrepreneurship and bold risk taking. His connection, as father of Thomas, Edmond and William, is based on circumstantial evidence and can not be proved. However, unlike other prominent Chamberlain American immigrants, his connection can not be disproved. [4]

As a burgess, he was a Member of the Convention of 1625[5] and a signer of that Convention's Petition to the King.[6][7]

“1-The Arrival of Francis Chamberlain in the New World” < link >

From Dennis D. Chamberlain (2017)

”I believe Agnes Hayden is the mother and Francis is the father of the three brothers. It cannot be proven absolutely that the Francis who came to America is the same Francis. However, he came to America with a different wife, Rebecca. Why this is so can only be left to our imagination.Thomas and William grew up in England and came to Virginia 14 years later. Very glad you enjoyed the chapter”

---

Note:Notes from http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Grove/8284/chamberlain_page.html

 :

Francis Chamberlain was born in 1579. He married Agnes Haiden in Ugley, Essex County, England in 1615. Francis was a Separitist. They had 3 sons, namely, Thomas, WILLIAM, and Edmund.

William Chamberlain, son of Francis, was born about 1619/20 in England. He sailed from Gravesend, England in August of 1635 at the age of 16. He landed in Boston, then went to Woburn, and later to Chelmsford. William settled finally in Billerica. He married Rebecca. She died in prison on Sept. 26, 1692 in Cambridge, Mass. She was accused of possible witchcraft! They had 13 children, namely, Timothy, Isaac, JOHN, William, Sarah, Jacob, Thomas, Edmond, Rebecca, Abraham, Ann, Clement, and Daniel. William died on May 31, 1706.


Notes from http://www.chamberlain-society.org/Genealogy.php

William, his son, Lord of North Riston, was Lord Chamberlain to Henry II. and married the daughter of ___Clifton. He had taken prisoner Robert de Bellemont, Earl of Millain in Normandy, and Earl of Leicester in England, commonly called Blanchmaines, who had taken part with young King Henry, against his father.

Robert Chamberlayne his son, was father of

Sir Richard, who married Jane, daughter and heir of John Gatesden, by whom he had issue

Sir Robert, whose wife was a daughter of _____Griffith, of Northamptonshire.

Sir John Chamberlayne, Knt. his son, took to wife Jane, daughter and heir of John Mortein, son and heir of Sir John Mortein, (of an ancient knightly family,) by the heir of Ekney, and had issue Sir Richard, who by Jane, daughter of Sir John Reyns, of Clifton Reyns, Knt. was father of Sir Richard, John, of whom hereafter, and several other children; whereof Sir Richard settled at Sherborne, in Oxfordshire, where his posterity continuted till the reign of King James I. when John Chamberlayne, Esq; the last of that branch, died, leaving two daughters, his coheirs. The eldest married, first, Sir Thomas Gage, of Firle, in Sussex, Bart, secondly, Sir William Goring, of Burton, in the same county, Bart. The youngest daughter married the Lord Abergavenny.

Francis Chamberlayn Esq; late Member of Parliament for New Shoreham, and Richard Chamberlayne, Esq; of Princethorpe, in Warwickshire, were descended from this branch of the Chamberlaynes.

Notes from http://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/swan.htm

The following entiries were obtained from my Hotten book 8a from the Musters of the Inhabitants in Virginia 1624/1625 chapters, pages 201 thru 265, which lists the muster captain, and what ship the individual arrived on.

Coldham reports the Swan of Barnsataple was sent by the Virginia Company in March 1620 with 71 persons, pg 22
......Burton, Richard, 1624 voyage, aged 28 at muster in Elizabeth City as servant to Francis Chamberlin on 1621 Marmaduke.

Notes from http://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/bonanova.htm
Voyage dates for the Bona Nova are not definite, was there more than one voyage?

Bona Nova left London in 1618, arriving in Virginia, unknown date. The master was Captain John Huddleston.

Coldham reports Bona Nova sent by the Virigina Company August 1619 with 120 persons, pg 22

Passengers in alphabetical order: (Roll order listed below)


Chamberlin, Rebecca aged 37 at muster in Elizabeth City, wife of Francis on the Marmaduke.
Forth, John - aged 16 at muster in Elizabeth City, servant to Francis Chamberlin
Worlidge, William - aged 18 at muster in Elizabeth City, servant to Francis Chamberlin

April, 1622 The Bona Nova, from London, arrived at Virginia 
Passengers from the Port of London on the Bona Nova to Virginia:
Ship and Passenger Information:
Boyse, Allice~See name in Virginia Muster, January 24, 1624/5 (Her husband. Luke, arrived on the Edwin in May, 1619)
Chamberlin, Rebecca~Age 37 in Virginia Muster, February 7, 1624/5

Notes from http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?francis,haiden::...
Re: William Chamberlain of Billerica
Posted by: James Baldwin Parker Date: January 21, 2007 at 10:23:11
In Reply to: William Chamberlain of Billerica by Elizabeth Chamberlain Finn 3667 of 3936

regarding William's likely parents. Mostly, accounts in the last 50 years have speculated that William's parents were probably Francis & Rebecca Chamberlain of Elizabeth City, VA [ref. Hotten for this family, with a son named Francis b. c1621, which family disappeared from view after 1624 - I have here a fine commentary on the subject, prepared in 2003 by Philip J. Chamberlain, for anyone who is interested]. Also, speculation that this Francis was the same person as a Francis Chamberlain (b. c1580, of Billericay & Chelmsford, Essex Co., m. 1613). 
There is no direct evidence to connect the Francis of Elizabeth City with William, Edmund & Thomas, though the possibility remains. In fact, the genealogist, David Conrad Chamberlin, Sr., has presented strong rationale (arguments) to the effect that William, Thomas and Edmund were NOT likely son of Francis, particularly since the name Francis doesn't appear among their descendants in early generations. 
Further (ref. Chamberlain Key, Vol. VIII, No. 1, article authored by Frank D. Chamberlain and Philip J. Chamberlain) it has been established that the Francis of Virginia City in 1621 & 1624 CANNOT be the same person as Francis who married Agnes Haiden/Haydon, who was named executor in his father-in-law's 12 Mar 1624 Will, back in England - Francis couldn't be in two places at the same time.

.....- That William and his brothers were in Virginia, before coming to Massachusetts, is based on Hotten & Savage's account of the great massacre by Indians of some 300 persons in Virginia, beginning 18 Apr 1644, and transportation, by Capt. Daniel Gookin, of the "godly disposed persons" from Virginia to Massachusetts which arrived 20 May 1644. Felt stated that there were 70 persons living in Virginia who petitioned for the Puritan clergymen to go there in 1643, but this list has not been found. Daniel Gookin, Thomas Chamberlin, James Parker, Allen Convers and others were made freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, 29 May 1644, just nine days after the ship's arrival. Subsequent research has established a close relationship between the Chamberlain and Parker families.

Francis came to Virgina in the ship "Marmaduke" in 1621 and his wife Rebecca came in the "Bona Nova" in 1622. They had a son Francis and four servants in 1624.
1 2

• Not the same as Henry 'the Blacksmith' Chamberlain
• Francis ‘of Jamestown’ Chamberlain

Was the the father of the 3 brothers, Edmond, Thomas & William ‘of Woburn’ Chamberlain

• Birth: 1589 in Billericay, Essex, England, United Kingdom • LDS Baptism: 26 NOV 1999 Temple: OGDEN • Endowment: 9 FEB 2000 Temple: OGDEN • Ancestral File #: 8N0P-P5 • Death: Y

• Father: Richard CHAMBERLAIN b: 1545 in Newton, Harcout, Wistow, Leicester, England, United Kingdom • Mother: Christian SLOUGHTON b: 1578 in England, United Kingdom • • Marriage 1 Agnes HAIDEN b: 1591 in Billericay, Essex, England, United Kingdom 1 Married: 1613 in Ugley, Essex, England, United Kingdom 2 Sealing Spouse: 27 JAN 1998 in JRIVE • Children 1 Edmund CHAMBERLAIN b: 1617 in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom 2 Thomas CHAMBERLAIN b: ABT 1615 in Billericay, Great Burstead, Essex, England, United Kingdom 3 William CHAMBERLAIN b: 1 JUL 1620 in Hingham, Forehoe, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom 4 Francis CHAMBERLAIN b: ABT 1621 in Billericay, Essex, England, United Kingdom • • Sources: 1 Abbrev: Ancestral File
Title: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R) Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 JAN 1998;FamilySearch® Ancestral File? v4.19" 3 Feb 2001/i> Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 JAN 1998;FamilySearch® Ancestral File? v4.19" 3 Feb 2001/i> Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 JAN 1998;FamilySearch® Ancestral File? v4.19" 3 Feb 2001
Repository:Abbrev: Tag • Name: Family History Library 2 • 35 N West Temple Street 3 4 Repository: 5 
Title: Tag "The American Genealogist",
Repository: 6 Text: Came on the "Marmaduke" in 1621 to Virginia; on the Elizabeth City, Va Muster Roll 7 Feb 1625/25 as Francis (45), Rebecca (37), & Francis (3); 7 8 TAG 51 Pg 151

References

• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Feb 5 2017, 23:38:27 UTC
• The American Genealogist. New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .)
• GEDCOM Note http://www.plefka.net/Family/Family81.htm Immigrated to North America before 1621
• https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Chamberlain?iframe=yresults
• http://www.thechamberlainstory.com/2016/08/22/arrival-francis-chamb... cites

1. Supplement to Torry’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700, p. 51.
2. Prentiss Glazier, Chamberlain Families of Early New England, The American Genealogist, July 1975 p.151
3. Study the Y-DNA of Ernest Martin Chamberlain Jr., conducted through The Chamberlain Association, Certificate signed by David E. Rothschild, M.D., October 28, 2003.
4. John Camden Hotten’s Original Lists, p. 254.
5. www.historyisfun.org/jamestown-chronicles/timeline.html
6. Fredrick William Gookin, Daniel Gookin 1612-1687, His Life and Letters, Chicago 1912, p. 42
7. John Camden Hotten’s Original Lists, p. 254.
8. wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles I of England
9. Index Project Batch Number PO1675-1, Familysearch.org.
10. John Camden Hotten’s Original Lists, P. 84
11. Prentiss Glazier, Chamberlain Families of Early New England, The American Genealogist, July 1975 p.151
12. John Camden Hotten’s Original Lists, P. 127
13. Prentiss Glazier, Chamberlain Families of Early New England, The American Genealogist, July 1975 p.153
14. Abid., p. 151.
15. John Camden Hotten’s Original Lists, p. 137.

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Chamberlain-636 cites

1. List of Passengers on the Marmaduke Research and compilation by Anne Stevens, packrat-pro.com.
2. The American Genealogist. 51:151 New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1937-. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009 - .)
3. Jester, Annie Lash., Hiden, Martha Woodruff. 1883. Musters of the Inhabitants in Virginia 1624/1625, Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607-1625: FamilySearch International, Title No. 2058494., p. 58.
4. The Chamberlain Story
5. McIlwaine, H.R. ed. Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, 1619-1658/59 Richmond, Virginia, MCMXV. p. ix.
6. McIlwaine, pages 43, 44.
7. Jamestowne Society: Chamberlaine, Francis - A1509; Elizabeth City Co.: 1625 (Burgess). [accessed 13 September 2021]
8. McCartney, Martha: Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers, p. 195.
9. Jamestowne Society Qualifying Ancestor. (Says he was a Burgess, but he isn't in the Wikipedia list. Could be a mistake. He would qualify as a resident in the 1624/5 Muster.)
10. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
11. Chamberlain
12. Our Family Genealogy Pages
13. Family Group Descendant Tree
14. Chamberlain Genealogy
15. Francis Henry Chamberlin on FamilySearch
16. Francis Chamberlain + Agnes Haiden
17. The Chamberlain Story