Norman Campbell Chambers (1884 - 1966)

Born 27 Apr 1884 in Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York

Died 9 Feb 1966 at age 81 in Hotel Estoril-Sol in Cascais, Portugal

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Biography

Family and Early Life

Norman Campbell Chambers was born on 27 April 1884 in Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York, son of James Campbell Chambers and Jeannette Hargleroad. Norman’s father was a United States Counsel and was stationed overseas. He was their third child, but both of his older siblings died in 1881 at the ages of 4 and 2, before he was born. ^[1]

As a child, Norman returned with his parents and siblings Stockton and Edwin aboard the S.S. Normania, which sailed from Southampton and arrived in New York City on 27 June 1891. ^[1]

On 18 February 1892, Norman lived in Olean, New York with his parents and two younger brothers, Stocton (age 3, born in Germany) and Edward (age 1, born in Russia). His father was working as a counsel. ^[2]

In June of 1893, both his younger siblings died at the ages of 4 and 2. Out of five children, he was the only child in his family to live past age 5.

The family apparently returned to Europe and Norman and his mother Janette arrived in New York City aboard the S.S. Etruria on 1 August 1896. ^[1]

In June 1899, Norman applied for a US passport while living in Lawrenceville, New Jersey where he was a student age 15. He was reported to be 5 ft 8 ½ inches tall, had a high forehead, grayish-brown eyes, straight-medium nose, medium mouth, rather sharp chin, reddish-brown hair, fair complexion, and a rather long face. According to Family Search sources he also applied for passports in 1902, 1904, 1914, 1916, and 1919 and is listed on numerous ship passenger lists both before and after the Titanic disaster. ^[1][3]

Norman was married 12 March 1906 in Ithaca, New York to Bertha M. Griggs. He was almost 22 years old, and she was 26.^[1]

Titanic

Norman and Bertha boarded the Titanic at Southampton on 10 April 1912, occupying Cabin E8 in first class.^[1]

A newspaper story, widely published soon after the Carpathia arrived in New York City, stated:

“N. C. Chambers said that the Titanic struck the iceberg head-on. The passengers ran out, but being assured by the officers that the ship could not sink went back to their staterooms. After about two hours the alarm was sent out and the passengers started to enter the lifeboats. Mr. Chambers said that there was nothing like a panic at first, as all believed that there were plenty of lifeboats to go around.” ^[1]

Norman testified on the 13th day of the United States Senate Inquiry. He reported that he was a mechanical engineer residing at 111 Broadway in New York City. During the voyage he had gone to the swimming pool in the mornings. His testimony indicates he was in bed at the time of the collision and the he “noticed no very great shock.” Bertha asked him “to investigate what had happened, leaving her dressing. I threw on sufficient clothes, including my overcoat.” He went up to A deck and looked over the starboard side, but could see nothing. He went back down below and rejoined his wife and they went out to investigate again, noting that there was a list to starboard. He returned to the stateroom to finish dressing and at the end of the passage to saw the mail clerks, wet to their knees, and when he looked into the trunk room, could see that filled with water, within 18 or 24 inches of the deck above. He joked with the men about their baggage being completely soaked, “I personally felt no sense of danger, as this water was forward of the bulkhead.” Three officers came down and reported that the ship was not taking any more water. Norman and Bertha returned to their stateroom and their steward came by and told them they could go back to bed. He finished dressing and Bertha went out. She “came rushing back to me, saying that she had seen another passenger who informed her that the call had been given out for lifebelts and on the boat deck.” He went out and found their steward, who verified the order.^[1]

Norman put necessities into his overcoat pocket, including a small pocket compass and an automatic pistol. Bertha had already gone ahead carrying a lifebelt. They made their way upward, noting that people were not alarmed. They found the deck steward who gave them two steamer rugs. They went to the starboard side of the boat deck and Bertha took a drink from his flask, he filled his pipe, and then put on his lifebelt at Bertha’s urging, she having been alarmed since the collision. They wandered forward and Bertha climbed into Boat 5 and called for him to join her. He testified that he did not think it was safe, but jumped in, followed by two other men. The boat was lowered down and had difficulty releasing the ropes from the falls.^[1]

After the Disaster

On 12 September 1918, Norman registered for the draft. He reported that he was living at 236 East 70th Street in New York City with his wife Bertha. He worked as a mechanical engineer for the Niles-Bement-Pond Company. He reported that he was tall, medium height, had hazel eyes, and light brown hair. ^[4]

He appears to be listed twice in the 1920 census. In early January, he and his wife were living with his mother-in-law in Ithaca, New York. ^[5] On January 20/21, 1920, he and his wife are living in New York City, at North 70th St & New Amsterdam Avenue. ^[6]

In 1942, he registered for the WWII draft. He was living in New York city. ^[7] In September 1943, his mother died ^[8] and he seemed to inherit some land in Cattaragus County, New York. ^[9]

At the 1950 census, he was living with his wife Bertha at the Weylin Hotel, 40 East 54th St at Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York. ^[10]

Bertha died on 18 October 1959 and may be buried in Kensico Cemetery in Valhala, Westchester County, New York. ^[1]

Norman was married second to Isabel M. (Finegan) Cosgrove. Isabel was born 2 July 1909 in New York City, New York, daughter of William Henry Finegan and Margaret Albertine Tuthill. She had been previously married in 1930 to Dennis Theodore Cosgrove and they had divorced. Norman and Isabel lived at 45 Sutton Place South in New York City. ^[1]

In the winter of 1966 they were on vacation at the Hotel Estoril-Sol in Cascais, Portugal. Norman died there on 9 February 1966 following a cerebral thrombosis. His body was shipped back to the United States aboard PAA Flight 155 on 13 February 1966 to be sent for burial at the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York. ^[1]

Isabel died on 3 January 1999 in New York City. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12} Encyclopedia Titanica (2018) Norman Campbell Chambers (ref: #65, last updated: 3rd November 2018, accessed 30th March 2023 07:56:39 AM).Link
2. ↑ "New York State Census, 1892", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ92-Y9Q : 2 November 2021), Norman Chambers, 1892.
3. ↑ FamilySearch Person: MTFT-6K9
4. ↑ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6N1-LX9 : 25 August 2019), Norman Campbell Chambers, 1917-1918.
   

   Name: Norman Campbell Chambers

   Event Type: Draft Registration

   Event Date: 1917-1918

   Event Place: New York City, New York, United States

   Event Place (Original): United States, New York, New York City no 124

   Gender: Male

   Birth Date: 27 Apr 1884

   Birthplace: , , United States

   Citizenship Place: United States

5. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVSX-Z59 : accessed 16 October 2019), Norman C Chambers in household of Elma C Griggs, Ithaca Ward 3, Tompkins, New York, United States; citing ED 187, sheet 1B, line 61, family 27, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1265; FHL microfilm 1,821,265.
   

   Elma C Griggs Head Female 57 New York

   Bertha G Chambers Daughter Female 37 New York

   Norman C Chambers Son-in-law Male 36 New York

   Lolita Hodges Servant Female 19 New York

6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJYL-P4W : 2 February 2021), Norman E Chambers, 1920.
7. ↑ "United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR2Y-GMQ : 8 November 2017), Norman Campbell Chambers, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   

   Name: Norman Campbell Chambers

   Event Type: Draft Registration

   Event Date: 1942

   Event Place: New York City, New York, New York, United States

   Residence Place: New York City, New York, New York

   Gender: Male

   Employer: Norman Campbell/Chambers

   Birth Date: 27 Apr 1884

8. ↑ "Jeanette Hargleroad Chambers Obituary in Newspapers.com", Newspapers, accessed July 25, 2022, Clipping found in Times Herald in Olean, New York on Sep 8, 1943.
9. ↑ "United States, New York Land Records, 1630-1975", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CCVY-H2ZM : 1 March 2023), Norman Campbell Chambers, 1943.
10. ↑ "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:6XT1-2XGQ : Sat Apr 01 04:31:04 UTC 2023), Entry for Viola G Weiner and Aline W Rice, 23 May 1950.