MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 337 



SKETCHES OF DECEASED MEMBERS 



of the executive committee of the Michigan State Agricultural Society 

 who died during the year ending September. 1902. 



Hon. William Chamberlain was born at Pembroke, New Hampshire, 

 In 1836 the family moved to Concord, N. H., and in 1843 to Berrien 

 county, Michigan, where they soon settled near Three Oaks and cleared 

 the farm which Mr. Chamberlain still owned at the time of his death. 

 He was also for nearly thirty years engaged in mercantile business with 

 his brother, Hon. Henry Chamberlain, and others in Three Oaks, His edu- 

 cation was obtained in the district school but he became a well disciplined 

 and broad minded man. 



He held many offices in the school district, township and village, was 

 postmaster from 1865 to 1870, superintendent of the county poor for 

 many years, member of the house of representatives in 1871-73, state 

 senator in 1879-81, and president protem. in 1881. a member of the com- 

 mission to revise the tax laws in 1876, was member of the prison board 

 from 1885 to 1893, and warden of Jackson prison from 1893 to the time 

 of his death. 



He was elected a member of the executive committee of this society in 

 February 7, 1834. He was the son of Moses and Mary Foster Chamberlain. 

 1880 and elected president in 1885 serving for the years 1886-87, also 

 being ex-officio a member of the committee since that time. He was 

 always active in the work of the committee and society and commanded 

 a large influence in its proceedings. 



He was one of- the strong men of the state, an honorable, christian 

 gentleman, known, honored and respected throughout the State. 



He died suddenly from an attack of heart trouble at the Great North- 

 ern hotel, Chicago, November 7, 1901, while enroute to attend a meeting 

 of the National Prison Congress at Kansas City. His wife, Mrs. Caroline 

 S. Chamberlain, and five children survive Mr. Chamberlain. 



Hon. Wm. L. Webber was born at Ogden. Monroe county. New York, 

 July 19, 1825. In 1836 he came to Michigan with his parents who 

 settled on a farm in Hartland, Livingston county. During his boyhood 

 he attended school in winter and worked on the farm in summers. At 

 nineteen he began teaching school. At twenty his mother died and he 

 then left home and started out for himself, entering the office of Drs. 

 Foote and Mowry at Milford, Michigan, to study medicine where he 

 remained two years. He then abandoned the study of medicine for law. 

 For the next four years he taught school, spending his spare time in the 

 study of law, and in 1851 he opened a law office in Milford where he 

 remained two years. He then went to Saginaw where he practiced law, 

 and was for many years attorney of the F. & P. M. railroad. 



He held the offices of prosecuting attorney, mayor of Saginaw, state 

 senator in 1874, and was the democratic candidate for governor in 1876. 

 He was prominent in railroad and business affairs in Saginaw and was 

 well known and respected throughout the state. 



He was always interested in agricultural pursuits and for many years 

 conducted a farm, having at one time a herd of Ayrshire cattle. 

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