Daugther of Daniel and Eliza (Wood) Coryell.
She was born along the Wabash River.

Ruth Coryell's father died in the Civil War leaving her in the care of her sister. Her mother had died earlier. When Joseph Chamberlain's second wife was ill, they brought her in to help out.
After his 2nd wife dies, Joseph marries Ruth. They were married on 15 December 1873 in Memphis, Missouri. Ruth's first child, Nettie May, was already several months old and five more would join the family while they were living here. They are Joseph 1874; Horace H.1876, unknown died at birth, Sarah Rebecca 1879, and Fannie Maude 1881.
In 1882, they migrated to Washington. They came by emigrant train to San Francisco, California. They rode in a boxcar with three or four other families. They loaded in all of their belonging, then slept, ate, and lived there also. As they traveled across the country, they would be pulled over on a sidetrack so other families could load belonging in the boxcar and move in. From San Francisco, they went by boat to Portland, Oregon. Then they moved to another boat and went up the Columbia River to The Dalles, Oregon. From here it was by horse and wagon to Centerville, Washington. Their friends, the Eshelmans, from Missouri lived here. Joseph and Ruth ‘s son died while they were here.
They didn't like the cold winds that blew across the prairie, so the next year, they moved to Lyle, Washington. They bought the Fred Balch homestead that over looked the Klickitat River. This is where the other 5 children were born. They are Robert Homer 1883, Fred Joseph 1885, Emma Ellen 1888, Anita Violet 1890 and Minnie Ruth 1893.
Joseph died the 16th of November 1902 and was the second person to be buried in the Balch Cemetery at Lyle Washington.
Ruth was left with five children still at home, Robert age19, Fred age 17, Emma age 14, Anita age12 and Minnie age 9. Both boys helped on the farm until Robert got married in 1906. Then Fred took on the job by himself. After the girls were all married, and it was just Fred and Ruth on the farm, the First World War caused them to sell it. Fred expected to be called into the service and Ruth would need the money from the farm for her support. Ruth lived with her daughters until her death in Portland, Oregon, 13th December 1936. She was buried beside Joseph in the Balch Cemetery.