Col. Benjamin Chambers was born in Lake Lough Neogh, Antrim, Ireland. He was the first White settler in Franklin Co., PA, and built a log cabin, grist, and saw mills at the conflux of the Conococheague and Falling Spring Creeks. He built Fort Chambers in 1756 surrounded by a 300 x 90 stockade as part of the town of Chambers. He gave land for the Falling Spring Presbyterian Church and also granted land in the town square for a Courthouse in 1774. The Courthouse was burned during the Civil War on orders of Confederate General Jubal Early by General John McCausland when the town would not pay ransom. Col. Chambers lobbied for Chambers Town to become the County seat of Franklin County and was named the County seat in 1784. Col. Chambers believed in religious freedom and rented land to Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Church of Christ churches. The annual rent was a single rose from each church. The ceremony of rose rent continues today.
Col. Benjamin Chambers was born in Lake Lough Neogh, Antrim, Ireland. He was the first White settler in Franklin Co., PA, and built a log cabin, grist, and saw mills at the conflux of the Conococheague and Falling Spring Creeks. He built Fort Chambers in 1756 surrounded by a 300 x 90 stockade as part of the town of Chambers. He gave land for the Falling Spring Presbyterian Church and also granted land in the town square for a Courthouse in 1774. The Courthouse was burned during the Civil War on orders of Confederate General Jubal Early by General John McCausland when the town would not pay ransom. Col. Chambers lobbied for Chambers Town to become the County seat of Franklin County and was named the County seat in 1784. Col. Chambers believed in religious freedom and rented land to Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Church of Christ churches. The annual rent was a single rose from each church. The ceremony of rose rent continues today.
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