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JOHN M. CHAMBERLIN, JR. Identified with a line of enterprise which has most important bearing in furthering the civic and material progress and upbuilding of any community, Mr. Chamberlin holds prestige as one of the leading and influential representatives of the real-estate, insurance and loan business in East St. Louis and is one of the well known, progressive and highly esteemed citizens of his native county. He has served in both branches of the state legislature and has been accorded other distinctive marks of popular confidence and esteem. Broad-minded, liberal and public-spirited in his civic attitude, he shows a vital interest in all that touches the welfare of his home city, county and state, and as one of the representative citizens and business men of Southern Illinois he is properly accorded consideration in this publication.

Hon, John M. Chamberlin, Jr., was born at Lebanon, St. Clair county, Illinois, on the 19th of August, 1872, and is a son of John M. and Margaret E. (Royce) Chamberlin. After duly availing himself of the advantages of the public schools of his native county he entered MeKendree College, in which excellent institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1890. Having learned the art of telegraphy he devoted his attention to the same for a period of five years, at the expiration of which he founded the Lebanon Leader, a weekly newspaper, in his native town. He continued as editor and publisher of the Leader for five years and made the same a model paper of its class.

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A stalwart and effective advocate of the principles and policies for which the Republican party stands sponsor, Mr. Chamberlin bas been a zealous worker in behalf of its cause. In 1900 he was elected to represent his native county in the lower house of the Illinois legislature, and he proved a discriminating and valued member of that body in the forty-second general assembly. In the autumn of 1910 he was elected to represent the forty-ninth district in the state senate, and in the same he has made an admirable record for earnest, loyal and progressive service, the while he has been assigned to various committees of representative order. Senator Chamberlin is a man of genial and democratic bearing and has a host of staunch friends in the county which has ever represented his home. He controls a large and important business in the handling of city and country realty, the extending of financial loans upon approved real-estate security and as representative of leading fire and life insurance companies. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias.

On the 26th of November, 1903, was solemnized the marriage of Senator Chamberlin to Miss Lulu M. Farthing, of Odin, Marion county, Illinois. She is a representative of one of the well known and honored families of Southern Illinois and is a daughter of William D. Farthing, a prominent and influential citizen of Marion county. Three children have been born to them, John M., Jr., William F. and Mildred.