The Robbins-Everett-Chamberlin Homestead

Robbins-Everett-Chamberlin house, 1980s or later.

Historical Overview

A few dozen acres of farmland surround a 2-acre plot of land at 774 Village Road West. Inside this smaller tract are a 2-story L-shaped Victorian house set back from the road. It stands across a driveway from a reconstructed carriage house and original wooden barn. This property is the Robbins-Everett-Chamberlin homestead, and a member of West Windsor's "100 Club." 

The house was reputedly built around 1885[1] or 1890[2] by John Flock Robbins and his wife, Christiana H. Coleman.[3] Christiana had purchased the property - then including 34 acres of farmland around it - in 1888 from William and Phebe Cliver for $2,800.[4] Originally, the house did not contain  its rear extension (see adjacent photos). John was born at the Flock-Coleman farm in the nearby hamlet of Clarksville.[5] He was one of West Windsor's "Surveyors of the Highways" from 1886-1900[6] and was a journal in the New Jersey State Senate.[7] The 1880 census lists their daughter as Mary,[8] and the 1900 census shows a "boarder" at their house: C. B. Winter.[9]

The Robbins lied here for many years, but ultimately sold the property to John Humphrey in 1909.[10] It then passed to George W. Clayton in 1911[11] and further to James H. Everett and his wife, Rose Clayton (relation to George unknown) in 1916.[12],[13] The 1920 census shows then living here with two children (Frank and Florence) and James' sister, Elizabeth Rogers.[14] James was presumably a descendant an older James H. Everett, who lived at Everett's Corner nearby.[15]

Robbins-Everett-Chamberlin farmhouse, mid-1900s.

The Everetts lived here for many years. Florence was married to Frank Lawton Chamberlin in this house on April 28, 1935.[16] At some point, the couple inherited the house - supposedly shortly after their wedding[17] - and kept the home for several more decades. They are also said to have made a number of improvements to the house, including the addition of modern heating and plumbing, and the installation of "old growth" oak floors throughout the first floor.[18] Frank was very active in West Windsor, as its longest-ever serving Pound Keeper and Dog Warden (1938-71), and also a Constable, Special Officer, Assistant Tax Collector, and Road Department manager from the 1940s-70s.[19] For her part, Florence worked with the West Windsor Board of Education for half a century.[20]

Finally, in 1970, the Everetts sold the 36-acre homestead to Charles and Mildred Tyndale for $126,000.[21] The Tyndales would later split off the house and outbuildings as a separate 2-acre tract.[22] Like the Chamberlins before them, the Tyndales made a number of improvements to the house, the most significant being the installation of a modern kitchen in what was previously a dining room. Prior to this, a shed kitchen, located where the side door entrance exists today, was the primary place to prepare food, and the current dining room was the "back parlor."[23]

Chamberlin family, probably 1940s, next to their home. Left to right: Frank, Frank Jr., Isabel, Florence, James.

Further owners made further additions. Alan Pribula and Cheryl Deckert (1975-80) installed built-in hutches in the current dining room, replacing a closet and an entryway to the front parlor.[24],[25],[26] Clark and Delia Santee (1981-88) built an addition on the backside of the original house, doubling the structure's size. They also removed all outbuildings except for the main barn, and reconstructed a smaller barn as the carriage house (garage). And within the house, they reconstructed original Victorian woodwork ornamentation, opened up the previously-covered front porch, and installed late-1700s floorboards (originally located in a house in Gettysburg, PA) in the master bedroom.[27],[28],[29]

As of the time of this writing (September 2024), the homestead has long since passed to other owners.

Large barn (right) and smaller barn, mid-1900s.

Robbins-Everett-Chamberlin farm, mid-1900s. From Kristin Chamberlin.

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Bibliography

1. “Tour of the Santee Home.” West Windsor, NJ, 1985. Tour of 774 Village Road West (then called the "Santee Home" by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Created with input from the Santee family, who then lived there. A paper copy of the tour is located in the archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor at the West Windsor History Museum (50 Southfield Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550).
2. “West Windsor Tax Assessor Address List, 2019.” West Windsor, 2019. List of all residences in West Windsor with dates of construction, according to tax assessor. Sent to the Historical Society by Lorraine Jones and Dawn Moretti.
3. "Mrs. John F. Robbins." Trenton Evening Times. July 22, 1910.
4. Cliver, Phebe, Cliver, William, Robbins, Christiana H. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1885. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 147 Page 158.
5. "John F. Robbins is Dead at 83 Years." Trenton Evening Times. April 28, 1914.
6. ​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
7. "John F. Robbins is Dead at 83 Years." Trenton Evening Times. April 28, 1914.
8. ​United States Census, 1880 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1880.
9. ​United States Census, 1900 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1900.
10. Humphrey, John, Robbins, Christiana H. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1909. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 312 Page 335.
11. Clayton, George W., Humphrey, John. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1911. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 336 Page 104.
12. Clayton, George W., Everett, James H. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1916. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 387 Page 339.
13. ​United States Census, 1910 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1910. Sheet No. 3 shows a "Rose Everett" as the daughter of Frank B. Clayton.
14. ​United States Census, 1920 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1920.
15. Administrators of Francis S. Labaw, Everett, James H. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1839. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book A Page 588.
16. "Pretty Home Ceremony Marks Marriage to Frank L. Chamberlin." Trenton Sunday Times-Advertiser. April 29, 1934.
17. “Tour of the Santee Home.” West Windsor, NJ, 1985. Tour of 774 Village Road West (then called the "Santee Home" by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Created with input from the Santee family, who then lived there. A paper copy of the tour is located in the archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor at the West Windsor History Museum (50 Southfield Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550).
18. Ibid.
19. ​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
20. "Florence R. Everett Chamberlin." Town Topics. January 24, 1996.
21. Chamberlin, Florence R., Chamberlin, Frank E., Tyndale, Charles W., Tyndale, Mildred E. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1970. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1861 Page 823.
22. Tyndale, Charles W., Tyndale, Mildred E., Tyndale, Susan J., Tyndale, William C. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1970. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1989 Page 264.
23. “Tour of the Santee Home.” West Windsor, NJ, 1985. Tour of 774 Village Road West (then called the "Santee Home" by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Created with input from the Santee family, who then lived there. A paper copy of the tour is located in the archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor at the West Windsor History Museum (50 Southfield Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550).
24. Pribula, Alan J., Pribula, Cheryl D., Tyndale, Susan J., Tyndale, William C. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1975. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 1993 Page 520.
25. Deckert, Cheryl A., Employee Transfer Corporation. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1980. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2153 Page 631.
26. “Tour of the Santee Home.” West Windsor, NJ, 1985. Tour of 774 Village Road West (then called the "Santee Home" by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Created with input from the Santee family, who then lived there. A paper copy of the tour is located in the archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor at the West Windsor History Museum (50 Southfield Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550).
27. Employee Transfer Corporation, Santee, Clark E., Santee, Delia A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1981. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2155 Page 331.
28. Lopez, Ailyn Forts, Lopez, Robert, Santee, Clark E., Santee, Delia A. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1988. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 2442 Page 624.
29. “Tour of the Santee Home.” West Windsor, NJ, 1985. Tour of 774 Village Road West (then called the "Santee Home" by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Created with input from the Santee family, who then lived there. A paper copy of the tour is located in the archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor at the West Windsor History Museum (50 Southfield Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550).