Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Vol. 3.
Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 272.

FRANK LESLIE CHAMBERS

     One of the outstanding figures in the business circles of Eugene is Frank
Leslie Chambers, who for many years has been closely identified with important
enterprises, in which he has met with notable success, while in the civic life
of the city he has stood consistently for public improvement and for the
promotion of those interests which tend to advance the general welfare.
     Mr. Chambers was born in Oregon, Holt county, Missouri, on the 8th of
November 1865, and is a son of James B. and Martha J. (Nies) Chambers, the
latter a daughter of Jonathan Henry Nies, of western Pennsylvania. Frank L.
Chambers' maternal great-grandfather was Henry (Brady) dark, who was descended
from a Connecticut family. He moved to Fulton county, Illinois, about 1832,
locating in Canton, and married Patty Harrington of Delaware. Their daughter,
Eliza Ann, married Jonathan Henry Nies in 1839. Our subject's paternal
grandfather. Manlove Chambers, who served in the War of 1812, moved from New
Jersey to Bellefontaine, Logan county, Ohio, where he engaged in the practice of
medicine, and was also interested in mercantile affairs. His wife bore the
maiden name of Sarah Carlisle, and belonged to an old Delaware family. James B.
Chambers was born in Quincy, Ohio, in 1833, and when about twenty-one years of
age went to Iowa, where he was employed as a clerk. In 1865 he returned to his
native city, where he engaged in mercantile business until 1874, when he removed
to Sedalia. Missouri. In the following year he located in Mound City, that
state, where he lived until 1884. He then came to Dallas. Oregon, where he
formed a partnership with W. C. Brown, under the firm name of Brown & Chambers,
and engaged in the hardware business. In 1887 he sold his interest in the
business to William Faull and removed to Eugene, where he spent his remaining
years. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. To them
were born three sons: Frank Leslie, Charles N. and Fred E.
     Frank L. Chambers was given the advantage of a good education attending a
college at Mound City, Missouri, and studying in a school at Clarinda, Iowa. He
also spent two winters as a student in the normal school at Stanberry, Missouri,
and after the family came west he took a commercial course in the James Business
College at Portland. He then entered his father's hardware store at Dallas as a
clerk and eventually became his father's partner in the business. The father
sold his interest, and in January, 1887, the son sold out to H. B. Cosper.
Coming to Eugene, they were again associated in business, organizing the
Chambers Hardware Company, though the firm name at first was Chambers & Son.
Their store was located on Willamette street, south of Ninth street. In 1890
Frank L. Chambers purchased his father's interest in the business and was alone
until December, 1901, when he was joined by his brother, Fred E. Chambers, the
firm name becoming Chambers & Brother. On April 24, 1906, the business was
incorporated as the Chambers Hardware Company, of which Frank L. Chambers became
president and Fred E. Chambers, treasurer and manager. The former has also been
active in other business affairs of this city, being a director for thirty years
of the First National Bank of Eugene and at one time a director of the First
National Bank of Cottage Grove. He became a director of the Valley Improvement
Company at Hood River, operating an irrigation ditch. In 1890 he was one of the
organizers and a director of the Eugene Canning Company, which became a very
influential factor in stimulating the increase of orchards in this section of
the state. In 1904 he formed a partnership with Darwin Bristow in the
Chambers-Bristow Banking Company, which was consolidated with the First National
Bank four years later. Mr. Chambers was also one of the organizers and became
president of the Eugene Theater Company, and in various other ways he has
contributed to the upbuilding of Eugene. He is vice president of the First
Investment & Loan Company, one of the strong and influential financial
institutions of this city. In 1900 Mr. Chambers bought the water power which now
operates the ice plant, woolen mill and excelsior factory at Eugene. This power
originally served the flouring and planing mills. He holds no interest now,
having sold out in 1917. He is a director and one of the organizers of the
Oregon Drug Company; also was one of the organizers and was treasurer of the
Eugene woolen Mills. He is president of the University Holding Company, which
built the one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollar music department, and vice
president of the Alumni Holding Company, the gift campaign of President
Campbell. Mr. Chambers was twice president of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce,
being president in 1924-25, and was one of the committee of three which arranged
with the Southern Pacific Railroad for the exchange of lands at Springfield.
In 1891 Mr. Chambers was married to Miss Ida B. Hendricks, a daughter of Thomas
G. and Mary (Hazleton) Hendricks and a graduate of the University of Oregon. She
died April 9, 1900, leaving a daughter, Mary H., now the wife of W. J.
Brockelbank, of Paris, France. In 1904 Mr. Chambers was married to Miss Edith
Kerns, a daughter of Samuel and Eliza (Claggett) Kerns, of Eugene, and also a
graduate of the University of Oregon.
     Mr. Chambers is a member of Eugene Lodge, No. II, A. F. & A. M.; Eugene
Chapter, No. 10, R. A. M.; Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 2, K. T., of which he is a
past commander; Oregon Consistory, A., A. S. R., and Al Kader Temple, A. A. 0.
N. M. S., at Portland. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal
church, of which Mr. Chambers was a trustee for many years, and he is also a
member of the Commercial Club. In 1887 he joined the Oregon National Guard and
for twenty-six years served most of the time as regimental quartermaster of the
Fourth Regiment. For several years Mr. Chambers was managing director of the
Eugene Telephone Company before the Bell phone was put in, and he handled the
books and made collections for the Eugene Water Company. During the World war he
was chairman of the first Red Cross drive and was also active in Liberty Loan
drives, while his daughter was connected with the medical service at Des Moines,
Iowa, and Waco, Texas. A man of pleasing personality, cordial and unaffected in
manner, Mr. Chambers has long enjoyed well merited popularity throughout this
section of the state and is rightfully regarded as one of its representative men
of affairs.

     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in February 2012 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.