CHAMBERS, JAMES, JR. (deceased), who for twenty-five years operated his farm near Curran, Sangamon County, was prominent in his community and interested in its welfare and progress. He was a successful farmer and devoted himself assiduously to developing his farm and bringing it to a high state of cultivation. He was born in Maryland, February 25, 1812, son of James and Mary E. Chambers, the former also a native of Maryland. The parents were farmers.

After obtaining an education in the public schools of his native State, James Chambers, Jr., helped with the work on his father's farm, living with his parents until he moved west and settled on a farm in Sangamon County, Ill. He was a man of quiet habits, cared nothing for public office, and was not connected with any fraternal orders. In politics he was a Republican and in religious matters was a prominent member of the Methodist Church.

Mr. Chambers married, in Springfield, Ill., March 30, 1852, Miss Mary Lee, who was born in Dover, Del., whose father was a farmer near Dover. Six children were born to Mr. Chambers and his wife, namely: Luella, born January 8, 1855, is unmarried and resides at Morrisonville, Ill.; Mrs. Nellie Bilderbach, born October 13, 1856, is a widow and resides at 1501 South College Street, Springfield; Alice, born October 4, 1858; Mary Emma, born June 22, 1860; Lydia, born November 9, 1863, deceased; James Williams, born July 31, 1866. Mr. Chambers died April 22, 1871, and was buried in a private burying ground near Curran. Mrs. Chambers is also deceased. They were well known and highly respected members of society and representative of the best interests of their community, their greatest public service being to rear their six children to honorable man and womanhood.