William Richard and Biddy Ann Chambers came to Missouri prior to
1842 since the 1850 census reflects their first child was born in Missouri
about 1842.
In 1850 William and Biddy were living in Texas County, Missouri. Family
tradition states that they moved to Laclede County, Missouri shortly after
1850. Then William died shortly after this move and is buried in the Wood
Cemetary. I have not been able to find
any records to support his death.
William and Biddy had four children, Sarah Jane, Payton Gifford, William
Crumel 'Bud', and Elizabeth Elinder 'Eliza' Chambers.
Biddy Ann married Abraham Munholland in 1858. The 1860 census for Laclede
County reflects Abraham and Biddy living together with his children from his
previous marriage. It also reflects William and Biddy's children living in
the home.
In 1864 Biddy Ann married Moses Bean. Moses Bean was an early settler of
Drynob, Missouri. Moses ran a hotel in Drynob for many years, and the Bean
Ford on the Osage Fork was named after him. Jesse James once stayed at this
hotel during the time that Moses and Biddy were managing it.
The 1870 Federal Census for Laclede Co., Missouri reflects Biddy (age 45), a
mulato,
living in the Osage Township living next door to her son William Crumel who
had married Margaret Core by then. Biddy's name is reflected as Median on
the census. Moses had died. Biddy is reflected as the head of the household.
Living with her were the children she had with Richard: Payton (age 25) and
Eliza (age 21). Also living with them was one of Payton's son George R. (age
3).
Biddy's name has been reflected on documents with various names: Biddy,
Bidy, Bida, Beda and Median. Her real name is not known. Her marriage
certificate to Moses Bean reflects her name as 'Biddy'. These various on her
name are probably a result of her not being able to read or write.
Family tradition states that Biddy died in 1875 and is buried in the Woods
Cemetery, Laclede County, Missouri. Her grave is not marked.
Sarah Jane Chambers married George Allen
Simpson in 1859. They had 5 children that they raised in Laclede
County, Missouri.
Payton Gifford Chambers married Minerva Smith
in 1866. The 1870 census records reflect them living apart from
each other. They had twin boys, John M. and George R. After
Payton died in 1874, his son George R. is reflected as living in the
Isaac McCoin home and is an orphan on the 1880 census.
Elizabeth 'Eliza' married Isaac McCoin about
1869. I'm unable to find a marriage record for this fact.
However, according to the birth record for Riddie McCoin, her mother was
Eliza Chambers. Also the 1880 census reflects she is living next
door to her brother William C. Chambers just as she was in 1870 and
living with her and Isaac is Payton's son George R. Chambers.
Eliza and Isaac had 7 children, all raised in Laclede County, Missouri.
William Crumel Chambers stayed in Laclede County, Missouri all of his life
until he got ill and moved to Iowa to live with his son.
He married Margaret Core, daughter of David and Keziah (Hays) Core in 1868.
They had eight children. One of their children was William 'Bill' Chambers.
Who I am a descendant of.
William 'Bill' Chambers married Lura Jane James in 1894. Like his father
before him, he was a farmer. They had 10 children. When they first married
they lived and a farmed in near Drynob, Missouri and in 1917 they moved to
Phillipsburg, Missouri. One of their children was my Grandpa Truman T.
Chambers.
Truman T. Chambers was born in Drynob and then later moved to Phillipsburg
in 1917 with his family. He married my grandma Nora Rich in 1931. They had 3
children. They both went to Los Angeles, California in 1931 and this is
where they met each other. Grandma Nora was born in raised in Phillipsburg
around the corner from where grandpa Truman lived. They raised all three of
their children Barbara, Jerry, & Colin in Downey, California. In
1955, grandma entered a
land drawing to purchase property in the California Mohave Desert.
Aunt Barbara married Bill Mickens. They had 2 daughters.
Recently their daughter Linda was told about them robbing a Liquor
Store. She made a movie about this on
YouTube (click
to hear the story). They all live in California.
Uncle Jerry married Bobbie Whiting. They
live in Missouri. They had 3 daughters. Kellie Sue died at a young
age. The other two daughters are living in California.
My father, Colin lives in Missouri with his
wife Barbara. My father and mother, Linda Barnes had two children.
My sister lives in California.