Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameMatilda Jane Chambers
Birth15 Jul 1835, Robinsons, Aroostook Co, ME
Census23 Aug 1850, Baring, Washington Co, ME
Memoroll#273, pg 187
Census5 Jun 1860, Smyrna, Aroostook Co, ME
Memoroll#434, pg 66
Census26 Jun 1860, Twp 5 Range 3, Aroostook Co, ME
Memoroll#434, pg 95
Census3 Jun 1880, Oakfield, Aroostook Co, ME
Memoroll#476, pg 363
Census20 Apr 1910, Oakfield, Aroostook Co, ME
Memoroll#538, pg 110
Death2 Jun 1915, Houlton, Aroostook Co, ME
BurialSaint Marys Cem, Houlton, Aroostook Co, ME
FatherIsaac Chambers (1814-1893)
MotherMary Elizabeth Carlow (1815-1877)
Misc. Notes
Had her birth place as Butler, but her marriage and funeral records list it as Robinson.
Daughter of Issac Chambers (1814 St John, NB - bef 1870 Aroostook Co, ME) and Mary Carlo (1815 NB Canada - 12 Feb 1877 Oakfield, ME), both of New Brunswick; and oldest of 10 children. Listed as Matilda Chambers of Meddybemps in some records. A family story is that her mother was Native American but that has not been confirmed.
Living with her parents in Baring in 1850 and in Aroostook Co in 1860 as a domestic (22, New Brunswick).
Also listed as Matilda Robb (35, ME) with her husband Hugh Robb and two children, Henrietta and Mary in 1860 in Smyrna. So it appears that she was counted twice in the census.
Listed in 1910 (73, ME) as a widow of her second husband and living with the Murphy family of her widowed dau, Matlida. And her death record lists her as the widow of Michael Riley.

Death record from Dunn's Funeral Home Records, Cary Library of Houlton ME, courtesy of Sally Ferris.
Notes read - Age at Death: 79 years, 10 months, 18 days
Place of Death and Residence: Houlton
Bill to be Charged to: Smyrna Mills
Spouses
Birth1805, Belfast, Co Down, N. Ireland
Death1880, Oakfield, Aroostook Co, ME
BurialSouth Road Cem, Oakfield, Aroostook Co, ME
Memoon the South Oakfield Road (formerly called the Skittiook Road)
FatherJohn Robb (1763-1861)
MotherSarah Hanan (1775-)
Misc. Notes
Hugh Robb married Ann Buntin in Ireland. They and their three children, Mary Ann, Hugh Jr, and Thomas came to America, landing in St John, N.B. and walked to Calais, eventually settling on Robb Hill. "Apparently came to America when his son, Hugh Jr, was 14 (1846). They landed at St John, New Brunswick and no doubt walked to Baileyville."
Hugh is listed in the 1850 Alexander census as a head of household and a laborer with $200 worth of land. Neither he nor his wife could read or write, but both the boys attended school. After Ann's death, Hugh married Matilda Chambers of Meddybemps and moved to Houlton.
In 1860 he is listed as a farmer (51) from Ireland with Matilda (25) and daughters Henrietta (5) and Mary (7 mos).
In 1870 they are listed in Oakfield, Aroostook Co, ME. He is 66 and a farmer with $150 of land and Mathilda is 35. Their children are listed as Sarah C. (10), Matilda J. (8), Frances E. (5) and Rosa (3).
He is listed in the 1880 census for Oakfield, Aroostook Co, ME as age 74, a farmer who is blind and disabled by old age, and neither he nor his wife can read or write. He and both his parents were born in Ireland. His wife Matilda J. is 44, born in Maine, and both her parents born in New Brunswick. With them are Frances E. (16), Mina E. (6), James W. (8), and Mariel (1). Their daughter Rosa was listed on the next page as a servant with another family.

“Came over during the great potato famine in Ireland. Later went back to Ireland to get his son James when his mother died. James was rumored to have had downs syndrome. Hugh is buried in a cemetery on the South Oakfield Road (formerly called the Skittiook Road) in Oakfield, Maine and the only marker is a wooden cross with the dates of 1806 - 1880. There is a James buried beside him with the dates of 1865 - 1905.” - Sally Ferris
Marriage22 Nov 1858, Smyrna, Aroostook Co, ME
ChildrenHenrietta (1855-1942)
 Sarah C. (Mary) (1859-)
 Matilda J. (1862-)
 Rosa Jane (1866-1937)
 James W. (1871-1905)
 Wilhelmina (Mina) E. (1874-1900)
 Maria Gertrude (1878-1955)
Birth4 Oct 1874, Bangor, Penobscot Co, ME
DeathDec 1966, Bluffton, Beaufort Co, SC
Misc. Notes
He was 22 and she was 57 when they were married. Both were listed as living in Oakfield at the time.
Michael's parents were Edward Reiley (spelling different but could be error of recording) from Bangor, Maine and Mary Lacy (1842-1892).
He is listed on the death record for wife Matilda in 1915.
After Matilda’s death, he was remarried to Elizabeth Feury on 17 Apr 1917 in Portland, ME?
Marriage13 Feb 1896, Houlton, Aroostook Co, ME
Marr Memoby John R. Weed
Last Modified 10 Oct 2022Created 5 Aug 2023 using Reunion on a Mac