My Great-Grandfather’s Grave

Those of you who have known me for a long time, know that my maiden name is Chabino.  When I was growing up, I was curious as to the origin of my name.  My father was estranged from his father and mother so he was no help.  As I got older I began the genealogical journey to figure out where I came from.  

Eventually the journey led to the grave of my great-grandfather in Seiling, Oklahoma (northwest of Oklahoma City).  His story is fascinating.  

John Henry Chabino was born on May 3, 1843, in Burlington, Vermont. His father, Antoine, was 32 and his mother, Marie, was 24. Antoine's surname was Charbonneau.  Antoine was born in Canada and emigrated to South Hero in Vermont in about 1835 where he married Marie Robillard.  So how did Charbonneau become Chabino?

In about 1850, the Charbonneau's made the journey to Wisconsin where the family settled.  At the age of 18, John Henry enlisted in the Union Army and fought in the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry on the Kansas/Missouri border.  It is at the time of his enlistment that his name is put on the roster as "Chabino".   In 1862, at the age of 19 he married Rebecca Phelps (she was 15). They proceeded to have six children together and lived in the Fredonia area.  After a bit of a scandal, John Henry and Rebecca divorced.

John Henry moved to Pratt, Kansas and in 1888 at the age of 45 married 14 year old Ida Bishop and they participated in the last land rush into Oklahoma in 1893.  The family settled in Seiling, Oklahoma. By the age of 35, Ida was a Civil War Widow, receiving a pension for her under-age children.  My grandfather was Clarence Chabino born in Pratt Kansas in 1889.