Wayne A. Chambers Recollections, June 2008

The occasion for this interview was a visit to Pennsylvania by niece Elizabeth Wilson Williams in June 2008. Wayne A. Chambers was in failing health, but always enjoyed company, and related these memories about his life. The names of living descendants to the best of our knowledge have been withheld from this site.

• Parents of Wayne A. Chambers were Ross Chambers & Emma Anderson. She was born in Sweden.
  Ross Chambers lived in Cherry Valley, Butler Co. Pa, occupation, police officer. He worked for A. W. Cook, at a wood shingle factory, met his wife in Maryland. Wayne said he was given the middle name Alfred after A. W. Cook, "not that it ever did any good".
• Children were, in order:
  • Roland Chambers, born near Oil City on the Rynd Farm. Roland married Jessie nee Chambers. Roland was a veteran of WWII, serving in Germany.(Wife Jessie's mother was Dora, father was active in the Methodist church of Colbrook, OH. Jessie was born 20 Feb. 1911 in the Methodist parsonage. Her father was not the minister. Jessie drew a 21-foot long family tree, and was secretary of the Chambers Reunion. Jessie died 10 June 2007; her memorial service was 25 June 2007. Bertha Chambers has a program from this service.
    See Jessie May Chambers Memorial Program for additional data.
  • Ethel Chambers, born near Oil City on the Rynd Farm.
  • Charlotte Chambers, born Williamsburg, Blaire Co. PA
  • Wayne A. Chambers, born Williamsburg, Blaire Co. PA
  • Edward C. Chambers, a twin, born in Indiana Co. PA
  • Ernest Chambers, a twin, born in Indiana Co. PA
  • Alice Chambers, born on Lydle farm near Salzberg, Armstrong Co. PA
  • Sam Chambers, born Slauger farm, Westmoreland Co. PA
  • Violet Chambers, born Apollo, Armstrong Co. PA
  • Dorothy Chambers, born Apollo, Armstrong Co. PA

• Wayne's Dad (Ross Chambers) got working papers when Wayne was 12 years old, nearing 13. If your father signed these papers in time of hardship, you could be excused from school to help work to support the family. Roland had climbed a pole and gotten shocked. He was working away from home on a farm, and climbed the pole to see a ballgame. When he didn't bring the cows home, the farm family looked for him. He came in and passed out. He was hospitalized for several months. Roland finished 8th grade, but Wayne had to quit to work. He started 5th grade, had skipped 4th grade. Only Charlotte went to high school.

• Wayne's occupation was carpentry. As a teenager he dug coal. After marrying, he lived at Fern, rented for 1 year. The second place was 1/2 mile south on Rt. ___, past where the Snack Shack is. (near intersection of PA Rt. 38 & US Rt. 322).
• In the spring of 1942 went into the army, was shipped to Germany on the Queen Mary, outfitted to transport troops. He was in Germany, Belgium, Holland, near the Russion line. The was a tank driver at the front, and sometimes a truck driver to the rear, driving a rations truck or a mail truck. He was back in October 1945.
• Wayne built the house they now live in. He build a 12 x 24 ft. shanty till the house was built; there was only the one son at that time. (So presumably the house was ready to move into before Oct. 1947 when a second child, a daughter, was born.) In 1968 Wayne added 2 more rooms, which today serve as the kitchen and living room. In the early 1970's he decided to brick the exterior of the house. In order to use the existing foundation, he moved each wall, one at a time, back four inches.
• Wayne worked for Carl Wagner 1972-1979. He worked for C & K Coal Co. as foreman, running dozers, mostly back filled, but also stripped coal at Ridgeway and New Bethlehem. In 1979 he was laid off from C&K, so retired. In the 1980's he rebuilt golf carts into miniature vehicles.