Surnames and their meanings have always fascinated me. The Shamblin name is a variation of the name Chamberlain, which has several other variations.The meaning of the name is Chamber Keeper, and later would come to hold a position of great prominence.In effect, Chamberlains took care of the household of nobles. The Shamblin family probably came to Virginia from England. The furthest person I can trace my lineage back to is Isaack Shamblin, born about 1775 in Virginia. He was married to Martha S. Cunningham, born about 1765, also in Virginia. She died in March 1850.They had five children, one of whom was George Shamblin, my gggrandfather, born in 1804 1n Jackson County West Virginia, and died January 25, 1862. He married Barbara Ellen Parsons, my gggrandmother, January 9, 1822. She died April 14, 1871. They had nine children, one of whom was my g grandmother Harriet Shamblin. She was born about 1844, date of death unknown. She was the second wife of Jackson Garnes, My ggrandfather, who was born May 30, 1830 and died February fourth, 1910. While Jackson had nine children by his first wife, Elizabeth Burdette (1837-1874), he had three children by Harriet. One was my Grandfather Robert Harlow Garnes.

The roster of the West Virginia 3rd Cavalry co. G held some surprising information. In doing research for a previous journal,in which I wrote about Jackson Garnes and his triplet brother serving in that Union regiment, I recalled seeing the Shamblin name on the roster. To my astonishment, Lawson and Isaiah Shamblin were the older brothers of my great grandmother Harriet! To say the least, The West Virginia 3rd was well represented by my ancestors. Incidentally, the brother's first cousin Jesse Shamblin served in the confederate army and was wounded, captured, escaped, captured again and released at the end of the war.