John Curtis Chamberlain (June 5, 1772December 8, 1834) was an American attorney and

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

politician in the U.S. state of New Hampshire who served as a member of the

United States House of Representatives 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 house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

and as a member of the

New Hampshire House of Representatives The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court, the bicameral legislature of the state of New Hampshire. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 204 legislative district ...

Early life

Chamberlain was born in

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...

in the

Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in British America which became one of the Thirteen Colonies, thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III of England, William III and Mary II ...

. He graduated from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

in 1793. He

read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...

, being superintended by Benjamin West of Charleston. He was admitted to the bar in 1796 and began practicing law in Alstead, New Hampshire.

Career

Chamberlain wrote a series of essays as The Hermit which appeared for a year or more in "The Farmer's Museum" beginning in the summer of 1796. He also was ghost writer for Mrs. Susanna Willard Johnson's "A Narrative of the Captivity of Mrs. Johnson" in 1796. He was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1802–1804. In 1804, he moved to Charlestown, New Hampshire becoming partners with Benjamin West until West's death in 1817. Elected as a Federalist to the Eleventh Congress, Chamberlain served as

United States 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 ...

for the state of

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

from March 4, 1809 to March 3, 1811. After leaving Congress he resumed the practice of law. He served as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives again in 1818. He continued his practice until he moved in 1826 to Utica, New York. Chamberlain was elected a member of the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society in ...

in 1815.

Death

Chamberlain died in Utica, Oneida County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

on December 8, 1834 (age 62 years, 186 days). He is

interred Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

at Mt. Albion Cemetery,

Albion Albion is an alternative name for Great Britain. The oldest attestation of the toponym comes from the Greek language. It is sometimes used poetically and generally to refer to the island, but is less common than 'Britain' today. The name for Scot ...

, Orleans County,

Family life

Son of John and Mary Curtis Chamberlain, he married Nancy Hubbard on December 29, 1797; and they had nine children, Mary, Nancy Hubbard, John, Hubbard, William, Elizabeth Jane, Richard Hubbard, Harriett Prudence, and George.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain, John Curtis 1772 births 1834 deaths Politicians from Worcester, Massachusetts Harvard University alumni Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire Members of the American Antiquarian Society American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law People from Alstead, New Hampshire