Jacob Payson Chamberlain (August 1, 1802 – October 5, 1878) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from New York during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Life and career

Jacob P. Chamberlain was born in

Dudley, Massachusetts Dudley is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,921 at the 2020 census. History Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732. The town was named for landholders Paul and Will ...

on August 1, 1802. His family moved to

western New York Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY in ...

in 1807. He was educated there and became a school teacher and farmer and served as Varick's

Town Clerk A clerk is a senior official of many municipal governments in the English-speaking world. In some communities, including most in the United States, the position is elected, but in many others, the clerk is appointed to their post. In the UK, a To ...

before settling in

Seneca Falls, New York Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 8,942 at the 2020 census. The Town of Seneca Falls contains the former village also called Seneca Falls. The town is east of Geneva, New York, in the nor ...

, where he began a business career. Chamberlain owned and operated farms,

flour mills A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...

malthouse A malt house, malt barn, or maltings, is a building where cereal grain is converted into malt by soaking it in water, allowing it to sprout and then drying it to stop further growth. The malt is used in brewing beer, whisky and in certain food ...

distilleries Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heat ...

and

woolen mills Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...

, and was one of the original organizers of the first bank in Seneca Falls. Originally a Bucktail Democrat, he later became a Whig, and joined the Republican Party when it was founded in the mid-1850s. He served in several local offices, including school board member and village president. Chamberlain was an active supporter of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...

. In 1848 he attended the

Seneca Falls Convention The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention. It advertised itself as "a convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman".Wellman, 2004, p. 189 Held in the Wesleyan Methodist Church ...

and was one of the signers of the

Declaration of Sentiments The Declaration of Sentiments, also known as the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments, is a document signed in 1848 by 68 women and 32 men—100 out of some 300 attendees at the first women's rights convention to be organized by women. Held in Sen ...

which called for equal rights for women. He was a member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

in 1859. Chamberlain was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to the Thirty-seventh Congress (March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863). He was not a candidate for renomination and returned to his business and farming interests.

Death and burial

He died in

, October 5, 1878 and was interred in Restvale Cemetery.

Family

Chamberlain had an uncle named Jacob Chamberlain, and a cousin, Jacob M. Chamberlain. They lived in the same area, and they are sometimes confused with each other in records and documents.National Park Service
Biography, Jacob P. Chamberlain
Women's Rights National Historical Park, accessed January 21, 2013

References

External resources

* Retrieved on 2009-5-12 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain, Jacob Payson 1802 births 1878 deaths People from Dudley, Massachusetts People from Seneca Falls, New York New York (state) Democratic-Republicans New York (state) Whigs Members of the New York State Assembly People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) 19th-century American legislators