Mellen Chamberlain was born in Pembroke, New Hampshire, June 4,
1820, son of Moses and Mary (Foster) Chamberlain. Moses was both a
farmer and owner of a country store; at both jobs Mellen assisted his
father. Mellen Chamberlain attended the Pembroke district schools and
the Pembroke Academy. In 1836, the family moved to Concord, New
Hampshire. While living in Concord, Chainberain attended the Literary
Institute for four years of study and also taught in the district
schools. He entered Dartmouth College in 1840, graduating in 1844.
During three of his college years, Mellen Chamberlain taught
school in Danvers, Massachusetts. Just before his college graduation
in 1844, Mr. Chamberlain was appointed principal of the high school,
in Brattleboro, Vermont. Resigning this position in the late Autumn
of 1846, he entered the Dane Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
receiving a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1848. In January 1849, Mr.
Chamberlain was admitted to the bar in Boston and opened a law office
on Washington Street.
The large farms of Chelsea were sold to land companies to be cut
up for building purposes. Mellen Chamberlain began a thorough study
of the titles to all the real estate in Chelsea. His knowledge became
so extensive that hardly a land title was passed without Chamberlain
being consulted. His investigations were entered in twelve large
volumes which were bequeath to the City of Chelsea and placed in the
Public Library.
On June 6, 1849, Mellen Chamberlain married Martha Ann Putnam,
daughter of Colonel Jesse Putnam of Danvers, Massachusetts. After
their marriage Mellen and Martha Chamberlain moved to Chelsea to
live. The Chamberlains, eventually built a home of their own at 309
Washington Avenue on the western slope of Powderhom Hill. At various
times after settling in Chelsea, Mellen Chamberlain served as a
school committeeman, selectman, and as an alderman. He was a member
of the committee that presented a charter to the legislature that
established Chelsea as a city in 1857. Mr. Chamberlain served six
years as City Solicitor. He served as representative to the General
Court and in 1863-1864 was elected to the State Senate. On June 29,
1866, Governor Bullock appointed Chamberlain Associate Justice of the
Boston Municipal Court. In December of 1870, Governor Claft appointed
Chamberlain, Chief Justice. In August of 1878, Chamberlain resigned
as Justice to accept the position of Librarian of the Boston Public Library.
On January 9, 1873, Chamberlain was elected into the Massachusetts
Historical Society. Mellen Chamberlain wrote numerous papers with
proven correctness, of various historical events and personages of
early American history. He made numerous interesting and invaluable
contributions to the Society’s published volumes.
On April 25, 1887, Mrs. Chamberlain suddenly passed away.
Childless and inseparable since marriage, it was a heavy loss for
Mellen Chamberlain. He resigned from the Boston Library, October
1890, because of failing health.
Home of Mellen Chamberlain
In 1876, Chamberlain was asked by the City Council to write a
history of the City of Chelsea. Upon investigation, he found there
were no files of the old town in the City Hall. He also could not
locate any historical papers in Revere. For the first one-hundred
years, Chelsea was a part of Boston without a life of its own. For
the second one-hundred years, its proprietors were mostly
non-residents, Chamberlain, had to examine the State Archives. the
Boston Town Records, the Suffolk Court records, the Registry of Deeds
and the Probate Office. The research and writing required a number of
years for its completion. In spite of his deteriorating health,
Mellen Chamberlain, completed ten bound volumes of manuscripts of
“The History of Chelsea” (1624 -1824). When published, the
manuscripts were printed in two volumes. Chamberlain did not live to
see his work published. With his failing health he developed heart
disease and accompanied by an attack of Bright’s disease, he passed
away June 25, 1900, at the age of seventy-nine. He was laid to rest
in the Danvers Cemetery by the side of his wife.
