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Chaffee died on July 31, 1903, and
Chamberlain (now 81 years old) received word via the mail. In October 16, 1903, Jason’s lifelong diary ends - he shot himself in the head with a shotgun on his front porch, tying the trigger to his toe with a length of string. According to their neighbor, they had
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Native
Americans and were well respected by their neighbors. They shared their food, labor, and money. Neither married and there is no evidence in their own extensive writings or those about them that they had or desired any female companions. However, many travelers left comments in the guest book
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Jason Palmer
Chamberlain was born in 1821 in Windsor County, Vermont and lived in Massachusetts and Connecticut during his childhood and early adulthood, working as a carpenter. In Worcester, Massachusetts, he met John Amos Chaffee who worked there as a wheelwright. John was two years younger, born
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In June 1903, Chaffee was afflicted with a painful skin disease. He accompanied a professor friend to San
Francisco to receive treatment. This was the last time the two were to see each other. A guest at the cabin wrote of Chamberlain, "His meditative, absent look, and day dreams indicate that his
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Despite the stable jobs and good pay, they left together for
Calaveras County to try their luck at gold mining on the Mokelumne River. Chamberlain later wrote: "We … then were so stricken with the mining fever and at times I think it as the worst move we ever made in leaving the City so full of
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In the winter season, they turned back to San Jose, working carpentry jobs and returning the next year again to mining with only moderate success. At last, in 1853, they settled in
232:"On Our Trip to the Yosemite Providence directed us to the Cheerful Cabin of Messrs Chamberlain and Chaffee Two Characteristic '49ers' whose attachment to each other has the true '
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The pair lived at this spot for the next 50 years, later building their own house and furniture and opening a way station for travelers. They befriended a few of the local
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of a male same-sex couple living in a relationship similar to marriage. There is some evidence they were the inspiration for Bret Hart's gold rush era story
227:"The artistic inclination of these gentlemen is quit apparent tho which one is the 'ladies man' we could not discover, each modestly declining the honor"
236:' ring, that touches sentiments so welcome May their ‘Golden Wedding’ to be celebrated in 1899 be a crowning event to their long history of Hospitality"
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were gold miners in
California who lived together for over 50 years. Referred to as the "wedded bachelors", they are a well-documented example in early
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planned to be buried side by side, though this was not carried out. Jason was buried at Divide
Cemetery, Groveland and John buried in Oakland.
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mind, thought, anxiety are in
Chaffee while he lingers in the East Bay Sanatorium at Oakland. A love could not miss his sweetheart more."
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Jason P. Chamberlain to Mary E. Griswold, Oct. 12, 1899, Jason P. Chamberlain
Letters, Huntington Library.
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Guest Book (June 1895), Chaffee and
Chamberlain Papers. Bancroft Library, Univ. of California, Berkeley.
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Guest Book (June 1903, Chaffee and Chamberlain Papers. Bancroft Library, Univ. of California, Berkeley.
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On January 24, 1849, Chaffee and Chamberlain left Boston together. Their 176-day trip aboard the
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brought them around South America's Cape Horn to San Francisco. At the height of the
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A History of Tuolumne County, California, Compiled from the Most Authentic Records
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292:"Photos of Originals in "Tennessee's Partner" Revealed in San Raphael"
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In their cabin in Second Garrote, Groveland, CA circa 1890.
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Roaring camp: The social world of the California gold rush
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CH Burden Undertaking Company Burial Records, 1890-1953
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bustle and business for the uncertainty of the mines."
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that offer some insight into the men's relationships:
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339:. San Francisco: B. F. Alley. 1882. p. 316.
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280:. WW Norton & Company. pp. 71, 336.
405:. Vol. XXX, no. 3. pp. 30–32
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448:History of gay men in the United States
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397:Benemann, William (May–June 2023).
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383:(Tuolumne Co. Historical Society).
160:John Chaffee and Jason Chamberlain
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379:Tuolumne Co. Historical Society,
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428:19th-century American people
403:The Gay & Lesbian Review
136:Self-inflicted gunshot wound
438:LGBTQ history in California
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99:Jason Palmer Chamberlain
399:"Absconding to Arcadia"
276:Johnson, Susan (2001).
106:Windsor County, Vermont
296:San Francisco Bulletin
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37:Woodstock, Connecticut
316:The Big Oak Flat Road
314:Paden, Irene (1955).
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124:Groveland, California
241:Death and aftermath
169:Tennessee's Partner
132:Cause of death
298:. August 21, 1925.
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176:where they lived.
234:Damon and Pythias
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89:Jason Chamberlain
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30:John Amos Chaffee
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153:John Chaffee
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20:John Chaffee
422:Categories
409:7 November
254:References
145:Gold miner
142:Occupation
71:Gold miner
68:Occupation
60:California
202:gold rush
198:Capitol
150:Partner
76:Partner
126:, U.S.
108:, U.S.
62:, U.S.
39:, U.S.
220:Miwok
411:2023
188:Life
114:Died
102:1821
95:Born
45:Died
33:1823
26:Born
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