William Henry ("W.H.") Chickering (April 19, 1849 – April 21, 1915) was an attorney and one of the namesakes of the Gladding-Chickering House, where the Chickering family lived in the 1880s.

Chickering was born April 19, 1849, in Adams, Massachusetts. After graduating from Amherst College in 1871, he traveled to Hawai'i and taught at Punhou College for 2 years. In 1873 he returned to Massachusetts and attended Boston University law school, and in 1875 was admitted to the Massachusetts bar. 1

In 1876, Chickering married Caroline Amelia Clapp (Chickering) (August 12, 1851 – July 1, 1931) a Vassar College graduate, and they had 5 children. The Chickerings were members of First Congregational Church; Caroline was a member of the Ebell Society. The family lived in Oakland until 1913, when they moved to Piedmont. 5

  • Allen Lawrence Chickering was involved in his father's legal business for many years. Allen's son (W.H.'s grandson), William Henry Chickering (1916 – 1945), was a noted war correspondent for Time and Life during WWII and became friends with General Douglas MacArthur. He died aboard the USS New Mexico in Lingayen Gulf when it was struck by a kamikaze attack. 2
  • Harry H. Chickering was a mining engineer. He married Alla Sara Henshaw (Chickering), daughter of William G. Henshaw, in 1907. 3
  • Roger Chickering was in the insurance business. He married Theodora Parr (Chickering), and they had 3 children, Robert P., Roger W. and Dorothy. Chickering was an "ardent outdoor enthusiast" and a member of the Claremont Country Club and the Athens Athletic Club. Chickering died suddenly in 1929 after an operation. 4
  • Emily Chickering (Overbury) (Jones) married John T. Overbury, who was also a mining engineer, in 1907, and they had 1 child, Caroline. Overbury died in 1925, and Emily remarried.
  • Martha Alexander Chickering served for many years as a Red Cross executive in Alameda County. Immediately following WWI, she served in Poland, helping with relief for women there.

Links and References

  1. W. H. Chickering is Summoned by Death Oakland Tribune April 21, 1915 (p.2)

  2. William Henry Chickering 1916-1945 sfmuseum.net

  3. Alla Henshaw Soon to Marry Harry Chickering Oakland Tribune January 30, 1907

  4. Friends of Chickering Mourn Death Oakland Tribune January 8, 1929

  5. Chickering Rites Held in Piedmont Oakland Tribune July 2, 1931

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