Chamberlin, William Benjamin M. D.

Submitted by Mike Miller

William Benjamin Chamberlin, M. D., of Baton Rouge, is a native son of Louisiana and has gained distinct prestige as one of the representative physicians and surgeons of East Baton Rouge Parish. His is specially high reputation in the surgical department of his profession, and to this branch of practice he gives primary attention.

The Chamberlin family was founded in the State of New York in the Colonial period of our national history, when the original representatives of the family came from England. Doctor Chamberlin is a scion of the fifth generation in line of descent from Benjamin Chamberlin, who was a patriot soldier in the War of the Revolution, and thus he is eligible for affiliation with the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Doctor Chamberlin bears the full patronymic of his grandfather, William Benjamin Chamberlin, who was born at Johnstown, New York, and who was well advanced in years at the time of his death, which occurred at his fine plantation home in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, where he established his residence when he was a young man and where he became the owner of several plantations. William B. Chamberlin was a lawyer of exceptional ability, and became one of the prominent members of the Louisiana bar. In the practice of his profession he was associated for a number of years with the late Colonel Favrot. He won further distinction by his service as a soldier in the Mexican war. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Clark, was born in West Baton Rouge Parish, and there passed her entire life.

William Benjamin Chamberlin II, father of him whose name initiates this review, was born on the old homestead plantation in West Baton Rouge Parish, in the year 1848. and he continued to reside in his native parish until his death, in August, 1911. He received in his youth good educational advantages, including those of the Jesuit College in the city of New Orleans. He never wavered in allegiance to the great basic industry of agriculture, became an extensive sugar planter, and was the owner of a fine landed estate in West Baton Rouge Parish. The democratic party ever held his loyal support, and while he had no ambition for public office, he gave effective service as a member of the board of control of the Louisiana State Penitentiary under the administration of Governor M. J. Foster. In the Masonic fraternity he served as master of his lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and both he and his wife were zealous communicants of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Mrs. Chamberlin, whose maiden name was Susan Victoria Devall, was born in West Baton Rouge Parish, in 1858, and her death occurred in New York City in 1890. Of the four surviving children, Dr. William B., of this sketch, is the eldest; Sue Devall is the wife of Dr. Henry A. King, a representative physician and surgeon of New Iberia, Louisiana; Mary Hester is the wife of John Harrop, who is engaged in the brokerage business at Baton Rouge; and Catherine is the wife of Sidney Cook, who is engaged in the practice of law in the City of Shreveport, this state.

Dr. William B. Chamberlin was born on the family homestead plantation in West Baton Rouge Parish, and the date of his nativity was January 13, 1879. He gained the major part of his early education in the public schools of Gloversville, New York, where for five years he resided in the home of his aunt, Mrs. George C. Burr, after the death of his mother. In 1900 he was graduated in the agricultural department of the University of Louisiana, from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Science, and at the university he became affiliated with the Kappa Alpha fraternity.

In preparation for his chosen profession Doctor Chamberlin entered the medical department of Tulane University at New Orleans, and in this institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1906 and with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In 1904-06 he gained valuable clinical experience by his service as an interne in the Charity Hospital of New Orleans. In 1907 he became resident physician in the New Orleans Sanitarium, where he continued his service until 1909. From that time forward to 1914 he was chief of the New Orleans clinic of Dr. H. S. Cocram. In the period of 1914-15 the Doctor was house surgeon at the Charity Hospital of New Orleans, and he then removed to Baton Rouge, where he established and opened St. Mary's Sanitarium, which he continued to own and operate until 1923. He now gives his attention to the practice of surgery, with offices in the Raymond Building, and in addition to his representative private practice he, is visiting surgeon to Our Lady of the Lake Sanitarium.

Doctor Chamberlin is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and has membership in the American Medical Association, the Louisiana State Medical Society and the East Baton Rouge Medical Society, as well as the Phi Chi medical college fraternity. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party. The Doctor is affiliated with Louisiana Lodge No. 102, A. F. and A. M., in New Orleans, and with Baton Rouge Lodge No. 490, B. P. 0. E. He is a loyal member of the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, is the owner of select real estate in Baton Rouge, including ,his attractive home property at 1303 Main Street, besides which h~ retains ownership of one-fourth interest in the fint old home plantation.

In connection with the nation's participation in the World war, Doctor Chamberlin early in 1918 volunteered for service in the Medical Corps of the United States Army. He was mustered into service in July of that year, and was sent to Camp Oglethorpe, Georgia, where he received his commission as captain in the Medical Corps. Thence he was assigned to duty at Camp Crane, Pennsylvania, but within a short time thereafter, in October, 1918, he went overseas as a member of Surgical Group No. 4, In France he was assigned charge of the surgical department in Camp Hospital No. 64 at Chattillion-sur-Seine, and he remained in France until May 1, 1919, when he embarked for the home voyage, his honorable discharge having been received July 29, 1919, at Washington, D. C.

At Chattanooga, Tennessee, in October, 1918, was solemnized the marriage of Doctor Chamberlin and Miss Mary Fleming, and in the same month he bade farewell to his bride and set forth for his service in France. Mrs. Chamberlin was born in the City of Brooklyn, New York, and her gracious personality has made her a popular figure in the representative social circles of Baton Rouge.

NOTE: The referenced source contains a black and white photograph of the subject with his/her autograph.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 63-64, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.