THE LIFE OF OLIVE COOPER

OLIVE C. CHANDLER COOPER

My great-great grandmother

Wife of Edward Bryant Cooper

Mother of Edward Lee Cooper

                              THE LIFE OF OLIVE C. CHANDLER                                 

© 2018 by Caroline Cooper Olson

Phoenix, Arizona

OUR CHANDLER ancestors speak to us through the mists of time by their names, their faces in old faded photographs, and fascinating stories about their lives ~ uniting us across the generations as a very special family.

I’m pleased to share a story about my paternal great-grandmother, who was Olive C. Chandler, born 9 May 1859 in Cambridge, Story County, Iowa, the daughter of Sereno Chandler and his wife Laura Tillotson. Olive is a direct descendant of Ichabod Chandler.

Lineage: Ichabod Chandler (1762-1838) had a son named Josiah “Little” Chandler (1792-1868) whose son was Sereno Chandler (1826-1898), whose daughter was Olive C. Chandler (1859-1928).

Olive C. Chandler was named in honor of her paternal great-grandmother Olive Fish who was married to Ichabod Chandler. Olive’s middle initial C. probably is for Catherine, the name of her paternal grandmother, Catherine Prior, who was the wife of Josiah “Little” Chandler.

It was Josiah Chandler who persuaded relatives and several friends to travel across country in 1855 to settle in the wilderness of Iowa. Josiah Chandler founded a new township that he named Cambridge in the center of the state. Early settlers included Josiah’s son Sereno Chandler and his wife Laura, who traveled from Maine in a covered wagon to make a new home in Cambridge.

Olive’s father Sereno Chandler was a landowner, farmer and served as a Private in the Iowa militia during the Civil War. Of special interest is that Olive is a direct descendant through her Chandler ancestors to Mayflower passengers John Alden, William and Alice Mullins and their daughter Priscilla Mullins who arrived in America in A.D. 1620 from England and founded Plymouth Colony.

Olive’s mother, Laura Tillotson, was a true pioneer woman who faced many hardships and challenges as she raised eight children while also caring for her three younger siblings. I traced Laura Tillotson’s ancestry back to Richard de Tilston, born circa A.D. 1040 in either Normandy, France or England. Laura Tillotson was also a direct descendant of kings in England and royalty in Wales, a distinction passed on to her daughter Olive Chandler and Olive’s descendants.

Olive has been described by relatives as very pretty, with warm blue eyes, a gentle nature, kind, with a sweet sunny disposition, and bright. She was well educated, knew the important social graces, and learned how to cook, entertain, manage a household and large family by helping her mother.

When Olive was 14 years old, she met her future husband. He was Edward Bayne Cooper, age 23, tall, handsome, and already a successful businessman. Edward was born in the village of Freethorpe in Norfolk, England on 13 October 1850. At age 5 he sailed with his parents, siblings and their servant girl across the treacherous Atlantic Ocean, a dangerous voyage with icebergs floating in the shipping lanes between England and North America.
Edward grew up on a large farm near Lake Ontario in New York. He was taught a strong work ethic, Protestant values, and was very intelligent. He received an academic education in New York, then journeyed west to seek his fortune, settling first in Cambridge, Iowa. There, he established a lumber business and livery stable and became acquainted with the Chandlers, who were the most prominent family in Cambridge.

A few years later, when Olive was 17, Edward Cooper was impressed that she was the young lady he wanted to marry. He asked her father for her hand in marriage and Sereno Chandler approved of their engagement, but insisted Olive should wait until she was 20 to marry.

Land opened to early settlers in the new village of Adrian, Nobles County, Minnesota, about 400 miles north of Cambridge, and Edward Cooper saw the opportunity. While his fiancé Olive taught school in Cambridge, he moved to Adrian where he prospered by raising livestock. Edward often returned to visit the Chandler family in Cambridge, and on New Year’s Day ~ January 1, 1880, he and Olive were married in a beautiful ceremony.

The happy newlyweds settled in Adrian, Minnesota. Nineteen days after their wedding, Edward and his bride received 80,000 acres of land in Nobles County, Minnesota. The land purchase was documented in the History of Nobles County, Minnesota, page 220.

Edward also owned the Olive Branch Stock Farm, named to honor his beloved wife Olive, that consisted of 160 acres, situated a quarter mile south of Adrian. It was fully stocked with purebred Galloway cattle, Shire and Standardbred horses, and Shropshire sheep. I saw an ad on the front page in the Homestead newspaper dated March 6, 1891 that described Edward Cooper’s Olive Branch Stock Farm as “Importers and breeders of pure bred stallions and mares – Percheron, Clyde, Shire and French coach stallions and mares from the best families in Europe. They are also winners of twenty-three First prizes in Europe and America, which is a guarantee of individual merit and soundness.”

Percheron, Clydesdale and Shire horses are enormous, powerful animals, used as war horses and for pulling heavy loads, much in demand at the time.

Olive’s husband Edward provided well for his wife and family. He bought a section of land at Adrian “on which he built a beautiful home which occupies one of the most prominent and picturesque sites in the city,” to quote the description in the Biographical History: Nobles County, Minnesota. Edward, a very strong, energetic man, also planted shade trees, a fruit orchard and large vegetable garden to provide for his family. It was an ideal place for Edward and Olive to raise their eight children, out in the fresh country air, close to nature. Old black and white photos show the family in front of their Victorian three-story mansion.

Olive Chandler Cooper was proud of her husband’s ability to prosper in their family businesses. History books recorded that, “Edward Cooper, one of the most extensive stockmen of Nobles County …. is one of the largest horse, cattle and hog buyers and shippers in southwestern Minnesota.” His family also owned several hundred acres of land for grain farming, and stores in Minneapolis.

Olive created a comfortable, cozy home for her husband and family of four sons and four daughters. She was talented with needlework, and known for her charity work helping others in the community and was active at church. She decorated her home with beautiful furnishings, including original Tiffany stained glass lamps that have been passed down in the family for decades, along with other antiques.

As the wife of a powerful businessman, Olive Chandler Cooper was a gracious hostess who entertained important dignitaries, relatives and friends with elaborate dinners in their formal dining room. The 1900 Census shows that Olive and Edward had a live-in servant girl who helped Olive with household chores.

Olive was 47 years old when she gave birth to her eighth child. She and Edward brought up their sons and daughters to “not boast about themselves, to not talk about private family matters to others, to be humble and always do the right thing, to be clean and neat, and to show generosity to others.” They and their children were described as “bright, with a witty sense of humor, intelligent, strong-minded, enthusiastic, friendly, and their sons were tall with blue or gray eyes, and handsome. Their daughters were very pretty, with gentle eyes and light hair, and were aristocratic, elegant, well-mannered, and knew the social graces,” like their mother, Olive.

Edward and Olive, always ready for new opportunities, moved the family to the boomtown of Great Falls, Montana by 1915. He built a spacious two-story home with six bedrooms in town, and claimed homestead land for a cattle ranch. Eventually, Edward’s family owned thousands of acres of land in Montana for wheat farming and grazing cattle and real estate investments that benefitted their sons and daughters and descendants.

Olive Chandler became acquainted with the famous Western artist, Charles Marion Russell, whose home and art studio were four blocks north of the Cooper home. Olive purchased several of his oil paintings showing the frontier life in the Wild West. I recall four of Charles Russell’s paintings hanging in our home when I was a child that were passed down in the family.

Edward Bryant Cooper owned several properties in Great Falls, including a tavern where he and his friends sometimes met for a friendly game of poker. One evening in 1921, the stakes were very high and Edward won 9,600 acres of land near Amarillo, Texas. Two years later, he discovered oil on that land which greatly increased the wealth for himself, Olive and their eight children and their descendants. The Cooper oil wells continue to pump “black gold” today – 95 years later – and many members of the family receive monthly royalty checks.

My family’s lineage includes Olive’s and Edward’s son named Edward Lee Cooper, who is my grandfather. He was born 22 May 1884 in Adrian, Nobles County, Minnesota and died December 1972 in Dallas, Texas. He married Mabel Corrine Stenson, born 27 August 1891 in Spring Valley, Minnesota and died 27 December 1970 in Great Falls, Montana. Their son Lee Edward Cooper II is my father, born 29 March 1916 in Great Falls, Montana and died 5 April 2004 in Arkansas. Lee Edward Cooper II married Emma Rose Jones, born 7 November 1921 in Denver, Colorado and died 18 October 1994 in Phoenix, Arizona. I am their daughter – Caroline Cooper, born in January 1941 in Denver, Colorado and was married to Dr. Dennis Olson. We have two sons, Stephen and Darren Olson and a grandson, Brennan Christianson.

My great-grandmother Olive C. Chandler Cooper passed away quietly on 26 August, 1928 at the age of 69. She was gently laid to rest in Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana. Olive is remembered as a lovely, gracious, kind, gentle, elegant, spirited and aristocratic lady who loved God and her family. She remains highly regarded by all who knew her.

Edward Bryant Cooper died at age 90 on 27 January, 1941 and lies buried beside his beloved wife, Olive in Great Falls, Montana. Their legacy of love and devotion to their family lives on. ❖

Thanks to Caroline Cooper  who sent me this story. Its nice to get stories about our Chandler ancestors. If you have a story about your ancestor and would like me to publish it please contact me: barb95831@gmail.com

NEW YEAR WISHES

CHRISTMAS WISHES

If you would like to share something about your Chandler ancestors or would like to see a specific topic related to genealogy appear in the Courier please write to Barb.

I was not aware of this bit of Christmas trivia and thought you all might enjoy it.

BANNED IN BOSTON

Christmas  was banned in Boston from 1658 to 1681. The puritans  believed it was an insult to God to observe a day associated with ancient paganism.

Christmas trees, decorations, and traditional Christmas foods such as mince pies and puddings were  banned traditional Christmas foods such as mince pies and pudding. Stores remained open all day on Christmas, and town criers walked through the streets on Christmas Eve calling out “No Christmas, no Christmas!”

Christmas did not become a legal holiday until 1856

 

 

 

 

ICHABOD, JOSIAH, JARIUS, ALPHONSE, HOWARD, AND RAYMOND CHANDLER

left to right
young man sitting on the ground is Raymond Chandler (1893- 1971) man standing is Howard Chandler (1869-unknown) and the older man sitting is Alphonse Chandler (1841-1908)

Happy 2017. Our member, Mike McDonough, shared this picture along with his lineage to Ichabod. If any member would like me to post their lineage information. Please send it to me along with any pictures you have. Thanks, Barb

PEASE NOTE–The information regarding Raymond Chandler I initially had written was incorrect. The correct information is below.  Thanks

———————————————————————————-

Mike McDonough> Marqaret Chandler (mother)> Raymond Chandler (grandfather)>Howard Chandler (great grandfather)>Alphonse Chandler (great great grandfather)> Jarius Chandler (great great great grandfather)>Josiah Little Chandler (great great great great grandfather>Ichabod Chandler (great great great great great grandfather)

JOSIAH “LITTLE” CHANDLER

Josiah “Little” Chandler was born 18 July 1792 in Poland, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Maine was part of Massachusetts till it became a state in 1820) to Ichabod and Olive Fish Chandler. (1) His siblings were; Elihu  Elnathan (1795-1884), Ruth (185-?), Ichabod Jr. (1786-1856), John “Fish” (1789-1826), Judith (1791-1878, Abel (1796-1881), Sylvanus (1799-1882) and, Freeman (1801-?). (2)

It is not known if Josiah and Catherine were married. According to Vermont Vital Records Catherine’s last name was Prior.(3)

Both Josiah and Catherine are listed as living in Bonus, Boone, Illinois and Union, Story, Iowa in the 1850 and 1860 census. (4)

The children born to Josiah and Catherine were; James (1815-?), Amanda (1817-?), Olive (1819-?), Josiah L. (1822-?), Sereno (1826-1898), William (1830-1900), and Jarius (1815-1862), (5)

Josiah played a large part in the history of Cambridge Iowa. An excerpt from a town hisory reads; “In 1851 a Maine man, who had spent some years as superintendent in the Lake Superior copper-mines, and afterward located in Illinois, came to Story County site prospecting. This was Josiah Chandler. He looked over the Skunk bottoms, then water covered, and selected an elevated site, which was then surrounded by water, but above high-water mark, as that on which he should settle. This is now owned by J. Lee. He went back and persuaded Sylvanus and Jairus Chandler and others with families to come with him, and work a saw-mill in the midst of the valuable timber that lined the bottoms. Within a couple years after his first arrival, a log store and inn was built by Jairus Chandler. It is not known just when Josiah and Jairus, with Mr. Alexander, secured the site of the present town as above entered, but it may have been as late as 1854. Josiah concluded he would plat a town of about square dimensions, with its streets running parallel to the river instead of in cardinal directions. He did so, and named the new town Cambridge, and, of course, the plat is like the old French surveys. The center is near the school building in the park. The plat was not recorded, however, until November, 1856, although it is Dr. Grafton’s opinion, that it was laid out probably three years before. The saw-mill, built in 1854, did a good business, with J. Batterson as sawyer, and in August, 1855, the house now used by McKee’s meat market was built on the plat. The first store was built not far from the site of Baldwin & Maxwell’s.

In the winter of 1855-56 thirty-one persons were led to the new town by Mr. Chandler, and the entire company wintered in the McKee house, with curtains for partitions. Among these were Wallace Williams, G. A. Macy (a blacksmith), Isaac Mitchell, Esq., Joseph Jones, Esq., John Cook, Sebastian Rubar and others. On one of his trips that winter Mr. Chandler met in stage coach to Des Moines a young Baltimore physician, Dr. W. H. Grafton, and persuaded him to come to Cambridge and look over the site.” (6)

Josiah built a saw mill on Skunk River in 1853, which was the nucleus of the town of Cambridge. (7)

He died in 1868 and is buried in Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Story, Iowa. Catherine died in 1863 and is buried in Cambridge Cemetery.  (8)

An outdoor recreation area in Cambridge is named after Josiah Chandler. An excerpt from an article about the area reads: “The recreation area is named after Josiah Chandler, one of the first settlers in the Cambridge area. Chandler came to the area looking for minerals to mine, but instead found an unlimited supply of timber. After scouting the area, Chandler went back to Illinois and convinced his brothers to settle here with him and build a sawmill.” The full story is online at; http://www.amestrib.com/news/cambridge-dedicates-josiah-chandler-outdoor-recreation-area

1. Ancestry
2. Ancestry
3. Ancestry
4. Ancestry
5. Ancestry
6. 1890 Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Story County, Iowa Page 207
7. History of Story County, p. 52
8. Ancestry

JARIUS CHANDLER

Jarius was born 14 April, 1815 in Minot, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Maine didn’t become a state until 1820) his parents were Josiah and Catherine Prior Chandler, (1) His siblings were; James (1815-?), Amanda (1817-?), Olive (1819-?), Josiah L. (1822-?), Serno (1826-1898), and William (1830-1900). (2)

He married Julia Blake about 1840 in Maine. (3) Their children were; Alphonse (1841-1909), Wallace Washington (1846-?), and Alice (1858-1944). (4)

Julia and Jarius are listed as living in Foxcroft, Piscataquis, Maine and Union, Story, Iowa in the 1850 and 1860 census. (5)

Jarius played an instrumental role in the early history of Cambridge, Iowa as these excerpts show;

The first resident of the town of Cambridge was Jarius Chandler, building his house near the saw mill. (6)

“CHANDLER’S SAW MILL” was on Skunk River in, or at, the northeast corner of Cambridge, and was built in early times, 1853 or 1854, by Mr. Jairus Chandler. it was a water power saw-mill, and was built before the Grafton & Chandler flouring mill.  (7)

Within a few years after he arrived Jairus Chandler built a log store and inn. (8)

A (post office was also established at Cambridge, of which Jairus Chandler was the first postmaster. For a time, this office supplied mail to an office in Ballard Grove, but there was no regular carrier. (9)

He died about 1862 in Story county. It is not known where he is buried. (10) Julia remarried and died in  1878. (11)

1. Ancestry
2. Ancestry
3. Ancestry
4. Nevada Historical Society
5. Ancestry
6. The History of Story County 1887 Page 52
7. The History of Story County 1887 Page 52
8. The History of Story County 1887 page 386
9. 1890 Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Story County, Iowa page 126
10. Nevada Historical Society
11. Nevada Historical Society

ALPHONSE CHANDLER

Alphonse was born 28 March, 1841 in Newport, Penobscot, Maine to Jarius and Julia Blake Chandler. (1) His siblings were; Wallace Washington (1846-?), and Alice (1858-1944). (2)

In 1862 he married Ellen J. Banks. (3) Their children were; Howard (1869-1913) and Edward (1864-?) (4)

Alphonse were listed in the 1870 census as living in Union, Story, Iowa, in 1885 Cambridge, Story, Iowa and in 1900 lived in Des Moines, Polk, Iowa. (5) Their children were; Howard (1869-1913), and Edward (1864-?).

He died 12 July, 1909 in Cedar Rapids, Linn, Iowa and is buried in Murdoch-Linwood Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. Ellen died 17 Feb, 1930 in Oak Park, Cook, Illinois and is buried in Murdoch-Linwood Cemetery Cedar Rapids. (6)

1. Ancestry
2. Ancestry
3. Ancestry
4. Ancestry
5. Ancestry
6. Find A Grave

HOWARD CHANDLER

Howard was born April 1869 in Story county, Iowa to Alphonse and Ellen J. Banks Chandler. (1) His sibling was Edward (1864-?). (2)

In 1891 he married Geraldine Guthrie in Nevada, Story, Iowa. (3)  Their children were; Raymond (1892-1971), Ellen (1895-1904). (4)

Geraldine and Howard are listed as living in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota in the 1900 census and in 1910 as living in Schenectady, Schenectady, New York. (5)

Howard died 14 July, 1913 in Bloomfield, Oakland, Michigan his place of burial is unknown. Geraldine died after 1940. (6)

1. Ancestry
2. Ancestry
3. Ancestry
4. Ancestry
5. Ancestry
6. Ancestry

RAYMOND CHANDLER

Raymond was born in Iowa to Howard and Geraldine Guthrie Chandler. (1) His sibling was Ellen (1895-1904) (2).

He married Mary Welliver. (3) Their child was: Margaret (?) who married Mr. McDonough, Mary Ellen (1915-1990), and Raymond Jr.(1922-1989)  (4) Raymond and Mary Welliver divorced. In 1938 Raymond married Mary White.(5)

“Raymond and Mary moved to Levering Michigan and  buy a house, motel and bar called the Log Cabin.” (6)

He died 4 March, 1971 in Cheboygan, Cheboygan, Michigan, and is buried in Saint Clement Catholic Cemetery in Pellston, Emmet, Michigan.Mary died 15 Sept, 1982 and is buried in Saint Clement Catholic Cemetery.(7)

1. Ancestry
2. Ancestry
3. Ancestry
4. Lineage given by Mike McDonough
5.  Information by Mike McDonough
6. Information by Mike McDonough
7. Find A Grave.

ICHABOD AND ELIHU CHANDLER by Barb Chandler

Happy holidays; I thought it would be interesting to make a list of all Ichabod’s descendants and their children. If you have stories, pictures, etc. could you send them to me (along with sources) and I will post them in the Courier. Also, please include your lineage to Ichabod; for example mine is; Barb Chandler>Paul Chandler( father)>Everett Chandler(grandfather)James Chandler Sr.(great grandfather)Elihu Chandler(great great grandfather) Ichabod Chandler(great great great grandfather).

I’m putting up the information I have on Ichabod and his son Elihu since they are two of my ancestors, if you have anything on these men that I have not included please let me know so I can post it.

By sharing our genealogical information we can get to know other members of CFA, and their ancestors a bit better

ICHABOD

Ichabod the son of Jonathan and Rebecca Packard Chandler was born 19 September, 1762 in Duxbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony. When Ichabod was born Duxbury was part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony since Massachusetts was not a state until 1788.  (1) His siblings were: Hannah 1769-? John A. 1758-1858, John 1756-1756, Nathaniel 1762-1854, Reuben 1765-? and Avira 1767-1860. (2)

He married Olive Fish 29 Jan, 1784 in Pembroke, Massachusetts Bay Colony. (3)

The children of Ichabod and Olive were; Elihu Elnathan (1795-1884), Ruth (185-?), Ichabod Jr. (1786-1856), John “Fish” (1789-1826), Judith (1791-1878), Josiah “Little” (1792-1868), Abel (1796-1881), Sylvanus (1799-1882) and, Freeman (1801-?). (4)

Ichabod fought in the Revolutionary War twice.  Once, when he was 13 years old he and his father served in the Lexington Alarms n 1775. (5) Two years later, in 1778, he spent 2 months and 4 days at Castle Island. (6)

Between 1783 and 1785 Ichabod followed his father and brothers to Bakerstown. Massachusetts Bay Colony. When Jonathan brought his sons to Bakerstown, Maine or Massachusetts had not become states yet. Maine was part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony until 1820.  Even though there was no mention of Ichabod’s mother or his sister traveling to Bakerstown at the same time. Perhaps the men came to Maine before Rebecca and Hannah so they could get everything ready.  (7)

In 1806 Ichabod and Olive were received into the second Congregational Church in Minot, Massachusetts Bay Colony. (8)

Olive died in Maine 1832. Her place of burial is unknown.

Ichabod died in Maine in 1838. He is buried in Lee Cemetery, Dover-Foxcroft, Piscataquis, Maine (9)

1.  Ancestry
2.  Ancestry
3.  Ancestry
4.  Database of names in the library of Edmund Chandler Family Association (no longer available)
5.  Database of names in the library of Edmund Chandler Family Association (no longer available)
6.  F.W. Cook, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 11, 1929.
7.   The History of Androscoggin County Maine by Georgia Drew Merrill, editor 1891
8.  The History of Androscoggin County Maine by Georgia Drew Merrill, editor 1891
9.  Find A Grave

ELIHU ELNATHAN CHANDLER

“Elihu, was a man of sterling habits and absolute integrity deeply religious and true to his convictions in every sense of the word. He had very limited education, yet he could repeat many quotations from the Bible, letter perfect, and clothed his prayers with beautiful language.” (1)

He was the son of Ichabod and Olive Fish Chandler was born 27 January, 1795 in Poland, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. When Elihu was born, Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since it didn’t become a state until 1820. (2) His siblings were; Ruth (185-?), Ichabod Jr. (1786-1856), John “Fish” (1789-1826), Judith (1791-1878), Josiah “Little” (1792-1868), Abel (1796-1881), Sylvanus (1799-1882) and, Freeman (1801-?). (3)

In 1832 Elihu came west to Henderson county Illinois. Where he helped build and guard the forts during the Blackhawk War. (4)

“In 1834 he crossed the Mississippi, and came to the little town of Burlington (known then as Flint Hills) and helped lay out Jefferson Street (the main thoroughfare in Burlington). At that time, there were only a few log houses. Late in 1834 he purchased 320 acres of rough hilly land 18 miles west of Burlington for $1.25 an acre. He chose the site so he could have wood to burn and wild game for food.” (5)

He married Jemima Mathis Dobson June 1835 at Augusta Township, Henry, Iowa, When Elihu married Iowa was part of the Wisconsin Territory since it didn’t become a state until 1846. (6)

Jemima came to Augusta Township with her mother, sister and brother-in-law from Green county Kentucky, and articles of religion from Bush Baptist church. They wanted to organize a community church, and invited a minister from Illinois to help them organize a Baptist Church. In 1834 people begin holding meetings in a cabin in Augusta 10 miles south of Burlington. In 1838 Elihu became one of the first members of the new church. The church, known as Long Creek Baptist, was the first Baptist Church in the State of Iowa now known as Danville Baptist Church. (7)

The children of Elihu and Jemima were; James (1836-1908), Elihu Jr. (1838-1843), Sophronia Jane (1841-1864), and Ruth Olive (1843-1887). (8) They both were on the 1850 and 1870 census as living in Baltimore Township, Henry, Iowa. (9)

Elihu died 1884 in Baltimore Township, and was originally buried on a farm in Henry county. His body was re-buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Pleasant Grove Henry, Iowa. (10)

Jemima died 1888 in Baltimore Township, and is buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Pleasant Grove, Henry, Iowa. (11)

1. Everett Chandler’s letter to his son Paul.
2. Ancestry
3. Ancestry
4. Obituary
5. Everett Chandler’s letter to his son Paul.
6. Ancestry
7. History of Danville Community
8. Family History
9. Ancestry
10. Find a Grave and Obituary
11. Find a Grave

SUMMER 2015 EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

Summer greetings to all! I have been very busy these past months with both genealogy and non-genealogy business. Much has been going on behind the scenes both with our Edmund Chandler Chandler family chapter and at the CFA.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

The contents of our ECFA web site are in the process of moving to the Chandler Family Association Edmund Chandler Chapter as we merged with the CFA last year. The Edmund Chandler family was the 13th genetic Chandler family to be recognized, so we are Chapter 13. Our founder, James, and the CFA editor, Claudia, have been working hard making this happen. You can go to our ECFA web site, http://www.edmundchandler.com , where you will find a clickable link for our new CFA Edmund Chandler Chapter 13 site or you can go directly to our new site: Chandler Family Association – Genetic Chandler Family #13 – Descendants of Edmund Chandler born England 1588
With the exception of the Members’ Only section which will be moved in the near future, everything has been moved over to our new site. If you are a paid member and want to access the Members’ Only section and library, you can e-mail me, Carol, at docabye@aol.com for the new password.
Because of the difficulty, impossibility according to Claudia, of creating a Members’ Only section at the CFA web site, most of our library and other Members’ Only material will be available to everyone at our new site. Claudia is the editor of the CFA newsletter, information and computer wrangler. If you wish your Edmund Chandler lineage to be on the public lineage page, Chandler Family Association – Members’ Lineages , you can contact Claudia to have your lineage added to this page. Barb, our Edmund’s Community Courier editor, has already her lineage posted. The databases will be in the CFA library.
A big thank you to Claudia of the CFA and our ECFA, founder James for tackling the enormous project of moving our huge amount of records, maps, photos and information – about 1200 pages in the library alone. As the CFA is a big group (about 700 members worldwide), there are many hands to help with administrative chores so updates to the CFA web site will be frequent.

IN THIS ISSUE

*SEARCHING FOR EDMUND’S ORIGINS
*BILLIE’S BOOK ON JOSEPH CHANDLER AND SOME OF HIS DESCENDANTS
*O’NEIL FARM A 300 hundred-year-old farm owned only by Chandlers, Averys and O’Neils) will be a part of the 2020 quadricentennial celebrating the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Your connection to the farm is either as a direct descendant of one of the Chandlers who owned the farm or as a many times removed great nephew or niece.
*JULIA F. CHANDLER BIBLE An 1887 Bible with births, marriages and deaths going back to the 1700s.
*IRVING W. AND WILLIAM (WELLER?!) L. CHANDLER A Chandler brick wall broken down. This one led back to William L. Chandler of Bartlett, New Hampshire
*DNA NEWS We have two new YDNA matches with the Edmund Chandler family. Also, a simple explanation of the several kinds of DNA tests and a simple explanation of how ethnic origins and cousin finding works and whether or not this may pencil out for you.
*SOME CFA NEWS Latest on the 25th anniversary and annual meeting, trip to England and more.
*TIPS AND USEFUL LINKS *COMING UP

SEARCHING FOR EDMUND’S ORIGINS

Where was Edmund from? That has been the really big question for years. Our member, Billie, has a hot lead. I am hoping that we can spend time researching that lead further.

BILLIE’S BOOK

Billie has finished writing her book on Joseph Chandler, his land, and some of his descendants. Joseph was Edmund Chandler, the immigrant’s son. The writing is done, next will be adding the maps, photos and illustrations. When that is done it will be published.

THE O’NEIL FARM:History – Historic O’Neil Farm

Avery / O’Neil dairy barn taken around 1890.

The O’Neil farm, with a rich and deep Chandler history, will represent Duxbury as part of the Plymouth quadricentennial which will be celebrated in 2020.
It is the last working dairy farm in Duxbury and is one of the last historic working farms on the South Shore of Massachusetts. Carl O’Neil, the support of the town of Duxbury, donors and The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts arranged to have the farm permanently preserved as a working farm several years ago. Carl O’Neil, a descendant of Edmund Chandler, the immigrant, still operates the farm.
Part of the farm was first purchased in 1715 by Samuel Chandler (Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant) and his cousin, Joseph Chandler, (Joseph > Edmund, the immigrant.) Joseph married Martha Hunt and later moved to Maine selling his portion to his son, Philip. Only three families – the Chandlers, Averys and O’Neils have owned the farm over the last three centuries. Past owners of the various portions of the farm include Nathan Chandler, Ira Chandler, Nathaniel Lewis Chandler, Horatio Chandler as well as other Chandlers.

Chandler / Avery / O’Neil Homestead .

An Avery married a Chandler and an O’Neil married a Chandler further extending the Chandler connection to the farm. It was not a straight line inheritance by one branch of the Chandler family as the land that makes up the farm was bought, inherited, sold and bought again by various Chandlers.
To see pictures and to read more about the history of the farm, which includes more information about the Chandlers, click the link; http://www.historiconeilfarm.org/history.html

Horatio Chandler ( with oxen.

Today, the farm consists of 145 acres and 40 cows. You can participate in group tours, organized events such as Farm Day, or hike the one mile Chandler trail which includes wild lands. There are also programs for pre-school and school children.
If you have information or a story about the O’Neil Farm, they would appreciate hearing from you.

JULIA F. CHANDLER BIBLE

Lynn Holmes, from Virginia, recently gave a Bible with the inscription, “Julia F. Chandler from Mother, Dec.25th 1887” to the CFA.

It was not her Bible, but part of a collection of antiques owned by her antique store-owning grandparents. The query went out, “Who was Julia F. Chandler?” As the lady lived in Virginia, researching Chandlers from the south seemed the logical place to look first. I mistakenly thought that there was not much chance that they were Edmund Chandler descendants until I got the first real clue that Julia was from Freeport, Maine and that there was a Winslow in the family – lots of Winslows in New England.
When I began reading the names listed in the Bible, I said an out loud “Oh, my gosh!” as there were Chandler names that I recognized as being Edmund descendants. There was Julia’s uncle, Rufus Chandler, who died in Texas, another Rufus and others that we had in our database.
Julia’s mother, who gave her the Bible, was Almira (Webster) Chandler. Although it is very difficult to read it appears that Edward, Julia’s father, died at sea in 1857 the year that Julia was born. Edward does not appear in the 1860 US census which would lend credence to that being the correct date.
Julia’s lineage starting with Julia is: Julia F. Chandler> Edward Chandler+Almira Webster> Rufus Chandler+Abigail Dennison> Jonathan Chandler+Rachel Mitchell> Joseph Chandler+Martha Hunt> Joseph Chandler+Mercy?>Edmund Chandler, the immigrant,+?
The Bible lists Chandler marriages, births and deaths going back to her g-grandfather, Rufus Chandler (born in 1766), his wives Nancy Cushing and Abigail Dennison, and their children. There are also many Websters and some Waites. Claudia, the editor of the CFA newsletter, sent me copies of the pages which she enhanced for easier reading, although some of them are still extremely faded. I will transcribe them and hopefully we can post the transcriptions.
As the Bible was published in 1887 the names and dates were filled in most likely by Julia and she continued to add to it until the early 1900s. Groups like the Mayflower Society and DAR are picky about when Bibles were published as anything entered into a Bible before the date of publication was considered after the fact and not as good as information entered at the time of the event. Nonetheless, the entries in this Bible seem to be fairly accurate, either copied from another source, an older Bible perhaps, or taken from records. Some of the records we already have, although some of them may be exclusive to her Bible as many Maine vital records have been lost.
Julia was born Nov. 4, 1857 in Freeport, Maine. She married Wilbur Allen or Allan (misspelled “Allar” in some records) on June 6, 1896 in most likely her hometown of Freeport, Maine although the marriage was also recorded in nearby Portsmouth, New Hampshire.Freeport is a southern Maine coastal town, probably most famous today for being the home of the L.L. Bean store.
She was 39-years-old when she married and subsequent censuses show no children. We would like to find the nearest living relative of Julia, probably a descendant of one of her nieces or nephews to perhaps reunite them with the Bible. The antique store, owned by Lynn Holmes’ grandparents, was located in Leeds, Maine.
Julia’s siblings were: Mary A., Benjamin W., Augustine W., and Edward H.
If these names ring a bell let me know. I will be working on the transcription of the Bible records.

IRVING W.CHANDLER AND WILLIAM L. CHANDLER, “WELLER” CHANDLER

When it rains it pours. After fruitlessly chasing after so many Chandlers who did not lead back to Edmund, I got two within a couple of months. First, there was finding Julia’s family and then tracing the family of Irving Chandler.
I am on the CFA Genealogy Panel which means that this is where the Chandler brick wall questions go. Queries come in from Chandlers all over the world. Occasionally, I get sent inquiries with a New England and possible Edmund connection.
This time it was Irving W. Chandler, who was born in New York c. 1866. Irving turned out to be the first Edmund Chandler descendant to be born in New York that I have come across. An earlier Edmund Chandler descendant family lived in New York for a while then he and most of his family returned to their home state.
According to the 1870 and 1880 US census Irving was a resident of Ellenburg, Clinton, New York. Clinton County borders Vermont. His father, George, married in Colchester, Vermont, but was born in New Hampshire. Irving worked in the textile industry and ended up living in Methuen, Massachusetts.
Misspellings, frequent moves and apparent early death of George made this family difficult to trace. Irving’s mother was, ”Victoria Robertoh”, “Victra Robardo,” “Victoria Roberts”, and “Victorine Robertold”, possibly Victoria Doe, and finally “Anna” according to various records. I am still not sure about the spelling of her last name. With such a wide variation of names, Familysearch did not pick them up as the same person.
Continuing with the wild spelling I came across “Weller” Chandler recorded as George’s father and Irving’s grandfather. Both Dick and I searched for clues as to who this “Weller” was. Dick found a Weller marrying a Chandler in northern Vermont. I found a Wheeler Chandler, who was also an Edmund descendant, but he was not “Weller”.
The clue that solved the puzzle was where George came from. It was Bartlett, New Hampshire and there was a George of the right age whose father was William L. Chandler in the 1850 and 1860 censuses which we figured somehow had mutated into “Weller” in other records. I didn’t have the original records, only transcripts, so we don’t know if it was bad handwriting, bad spelling or bad transcribing or a combination there of which created “Weller.”
Here is Irving’s lineage starting with Irving:
Irving Chandler> George W. Chandler+Victoria Robertoh> William L. Chandler+Betsey Harriman>Jonathan A. Chandler, Jr.+Ruth Stevens> Capt. Jonathan Chandler+Sarah Pierce> Joseph Chandler+Deborah Bonney> Benjamin Chandler+Elizabeth Buck> Edmund Chandler, the immigrant+?
A more complete account with source links will be in the Genealogy Panel report.
There are a couple of Edmund chapter members who descend from William L. Chandler. Have any of you ever heard of him called “Weller?”
Here is a link to the Bartlett Historical Society which may be helpful:http://www.bartletthistory.org/bartletthistory/collections.html

DNA NEWS

Another two men who took the YDNA test as part of the Chandler DNA project have found matches with the Edmund Chandler family.
The first testee descends from Edmund’s son, Joseph, through his son also named Joseph and his son Philip. Philip stayed in Duxbury and did not migrate to Maine as did his parents and some of his siblings.
The second testee descends from Edmund Chandler through his son Benjamin and his son Joseph. This Joseph Chandler and family migrated from Duxbury to Connecticut with descendants ending up in Piermont, NH.
Hopefully, a third Edmund descendant is in the works for taking the YDNA test soon.
We still have a standing free offer for a Zebedee Chandler of Plympton, Mass (born c. 1711) descendant to take the test as a match would confirm that this Zebedee did descend from Edmund Chandler.
We are also in the hunt for a descendant of Capt. William Chandler originally of Deptford, Kent, England and later of Portsmouth, New Hampshire to test.
Of course, the hunt still continues in England for testees who would match the Edmund Chandler family.
Also, we at the Chandler DNA project had a big surprise, or shock was more like it, when we got the results back from a descendant of another early New England Chandler family (not Edmund) that matched a southern Chandler family. We are still working on that one. Dick will have a story about it in an upcoming issue of the CFA newsletter.
There are several DNA tests now on the market, YDNA, mitochondrial DNA and autosomal DNA. There is a new YDNA test called “Big Y”, but it is expensive and not for surname projects such as our Chandler YDNA project. “Big Y” is for research that goes much farther back than surnames. YDNA testing has proven to be an excellent way to break down brick walls as the testee either matches members of that family or not. It follows the male line only, which in our culture follows the surname, unless there was an unofficial adoption, name change or event outside the marriage.
The mitochondrial test is for the female line and is only in the beginning stages. Not that many have taken this test as opposed to the YDNA test, so not a lot to compare to. It is much more difficult to trace the female line because the surnames change every generation, although the mitochondrial DNA does not.
Lastly there is the autosomal test which is becoming very popular although it is still in the beginning stage as it tests both the male and female side. It sounds great, but you can end up spending a lot of money and not really find out anything useful, especially if you are searching for ancestors who are farther back than fourth cousins. Once you get to fourth or fifth cousins and even often with them, you can get so many hits it can become meaningless.
The autosomal test is more of a cousin finder and loosely an ethnic origin finder. Children inherit half of their genes from one parent and half from the other parent. It is like reaching into a jar and grabbing a handful of colored marbles (genes) from father and then reaching into another jar and grabbing a handful of colored marbles (genes) from mother. Each jar is filled with different colored marbles (genes) inherited from their parents, grandparents and so on. As it is random we don’t get equal amounts of genes from our grandparents, their parents and so on.
Siblings have close, but not identical DNA. Only identical twins have identical DNA. One sibling might inherit that “light cerulean blue colored marble” (gene) from gggg-grandfather and the other sibling might not inherit that “marble” or may not even inherit any colored “marbles” (genes) from gggg-grandfather.
Although autosomal testing can be very helpful in the right situation as in looking for fairly close relatives, it can also get very expensive if you decide to start testing not only yourself, but siblings and cousins trying to track down an elusive farther back ancestor. It could still end up for naught.
Again that is why YDNA testing is so helpful to genealogists because the male “Y” chromosome is inherited almost unchanged through the generations. Generally you only have to pay for one test. There is no random inheritance of the “Y” chromosome (genes are in the chromosomes). The father will pass it to his son and to his son and so forth.
I took the plunge and took the autosomal test as I had very little information about my Polish grandfather and I wasn’t completely certain about that. I was looking for close relatives not distant ones. It was helpful in that it correctly identified my second cousin although we already had made contact thorough traditional genealogy research.
I did find out that I tested nearly half eastern European with maybe a dab of Finnish/Western Russian which fit into what I thought. No dab of Yakut Siberian reindeer herder for me like my Danish side cousin so no packing my bags for a genealogical excursion to Siberia!
You can’t take the ethnicity part of the test as an exact science as few populations are very “pure.” It can offer clues and can also create confusion with mistakes, but it is kind of fun. People who identify as English often show a lot of Scandinavian or Western European. Those Vikings sure got around!

CFA NEWS

In September, the 25th Anniversary celebration and annual meeting will be held in Louisville, Kentucky which will include a river boat cruise. There will also be announcements on what the chapters are doing. I will be sending a summary of what has been going on with Edmund Chandler research.
As the CFA is a big, worldwide group, there is a lot of business to take care of regularly. Sometimes small — key chains, no, and sometimes very big – a trip to England, yes! I have been only on the periphery of some of the Chandler administrative and organizational tasks, like the trip to England, but have been involved with others such as the Genealogy Panel and Chandler DNA project.
If you are interested in Chandler emblazoned pens, t-shirts or a nice tote bag click here: Chandler Family Association – CFA Merchandise

If you are a paid member, you probably got the brochure on the trip to England. There is now a waiting list. It will not be an ordinary tourist outing as it is being custom tailored, by both Chandlers here and Chandlers in England with several surprises planned. The tour will hit popular tourist sites as well as specific Chandler such as Wiltshire. Wiltshire is the ancestral home of genetic Group 7 which includes descendants of John Chandler of 1610 Jamestown and George and Jane Chandler of Pennsylvania/Delaware.
Boy, did I wish we knew where in England Edmund came from so that Edmund’s birthplace could have been included on the tour. We are still working on Edmund’s English origins and hopefully, someday Edmund descendants can visit where he came from.

TIPS AND USEFUL LINKS: Chronicling America « Library of Congress

The above came from our member, Bob. It is the Library of Congress digitized newspaper collection. Click on this link to go to the collection: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/newspapers/

Southern California Genealogical Society: Official Web Site
A reminder, if you want inexpensive home computer access to library editions of Fold3, World Vital Records, My Heritage, and webinars you can join the SCGS for $35.00 per year, link above. All of these resources are available online at your home so you don’t need to live in Southern California to benefit. They are also subject to change. You also may be able to get discounts on DNA testing.

If you do live in Southern California, they have a large library, special interest groups, field trips, “lunch and learn” and put on the second largest genealogy convention in the country, the Jamboree available. A couple of their current projects include creating a facsimile of the 1890 census for Los Angeles, California and raising funds for digitizing pension records for the War of 1812.

COMING UP

The Revolutionary War series got put on the back burner while settling into the CFA and researching other Edmund descendants. I hope to work a little more on Edmund’s origins with help and eventually I will get back to the Revolutionary War.
Until next time, happy ancestor hunting!
Carol

May 23, 2015 Edmunds Community Courier

The Generations Project, a television series that explores the family histories of ordinary people airs on BYU television Dish Network channel 9403, DirecTV channel 374, and online. The series  sponsored by Rootsmagic is on the web at; http://www.byutv.org/show/6f62558b-fc6f-49c5-b8c6-2473785a5b44/the-generations-project

If you want to watch the episodes online, click ‘watch’ on the main page.

APRIL 7, 2015 EDMUNDS COMMUNITY COURIER

MANIPULATION, GREED, ENVY, AND MURDER

by Barb Chandler

We make the following extracts concerning the death of Mr. Rufus Chandler of Freeport, in this state. The account of his brutal murder must be read with poignant feelings of grief by his numerous relatives. The letter is dated “Rusk Texas, September 27, 1849. It is from a friend of the deceased to Captain Joel Chandler, one of the relatives.

Mr. Chandler came to this place about two years ago, or something near that time I think. He came with Hogg, and by his solicitation, from Monterey, shortly after the battle at that place. Hogg was a professed lawyer–he had a license to practice, but no legal attainments. He ascertained the superior legal abilities of Mr. Chandler, and concluded to turn them to his own advantage and profit. He was a man of some property-had been a member of the convention which formed our State Constitution, and also a member of the first Legislature, and he induced Mr. Chandler to believe he was a man of considerable influence, and proposed a partnership with him in the practice of law. Mr. Chandler being penniless and in delicate health, and in a land of strangers accepted his proposition and entered into partnership with him. Hogg was determined to be the big man at the bar, and keep Chandler in the background; so, when they would get a case he would get Mr. Chandler to fix it up for him, point out the law to him, and instruct him how to manage it; and he would appear at the bar while Mr. Chandler must chop wood, build fires, and make fences. Mr. Chandler remonstrated with him as to such a course-and remonstrances doing no good, he dissolved partnership with him. Hogg became exasperated with this and ordered him not only to leave the place, but to leave the Judicial district. Mr. Chandler told him he would consult his own feelings about that. He went into the country a short distance, and taught for a while at a school. Soon, however he got a case in court, upon the management of which the people found he was a man of no common abilities. His practice grew by degrees and he came back to town. In February of 1845 I came here with a printing press; and being a member of the bar entered into partnership with Mr. Chandler in the practice of law. A short time after I came, Hogg met with Mr. Chandler at the bar on the opposite side of the case; if he could not be thus employed, he would volunteer his services. On every occasion Hogg would take it upon himself to get into a personal quarrel with Mr. Chandler and grossly insult him. being so far undone by Mr. Chandler’s skill and ability, he would rave and foam. These occurrences happened frequently, until on last Christmas day, Mr. Chandler and myself attending a case in Probate Court, and Hogg had volunteered on the opposite side. He, as usual took occasion to insult Mr. Chandler, who in defense gave a harsh retort; upon which Hogg drew a pistol, put it within a few inches of his side and snapped it. He threw the pistol at him but missed him. He drew a second pistol and fired at him, burning Mr. Chandler’s face, but the ball missed him and wounded an old man who was in the Court House. Persons interfered at the affair ended at this time. Mr. Chandler acted on the defense all the time, but with cool and deliberate bravery. Steps were now taken to stop the matter before it should go any further. It was proposed that both parties should drop it without it going any further. To this Mr. Chandler agreed, but Hogg would by no means consent. He was envious of Mr. Chandler’s success in the practice of the law-for his business increasing, and he was fast gaining distinction. Finding that Hogg was determined to assassinate him Mr. Chandler met him on the street and shot at him wounding him in the arm and spine, and would no doubt have killed him if Hogg had not run. Hogg then removed about a mile into the country and kept closely confined for about six months, pretending all the while to be near dying. In the meanwhile, the Grand Jury of this County found a found a true bill against him for shooting at Mr. Chandler in the Court house, but refused to find a bill against Mr. Chandler for shooting Hogg afterwards. A day or two previous to Sunday the 10th of June, it was reported that Hogg was about to die. On Saturday night, Hogg came into town to his office with some hired ruffians armed with double barrel shotguns and pistols. Hogg, in the company of two of these ruffians, secreted himself behind a house which Mr. Chandler had to pass in going from his office to his boarding house. When he approached, within about 15 steps of where Hogg and his men were secreted, Hogg shot him down. A gentlemen ran up to prevent Hogg from shooting again, but those with Hogg presented their guns and kept him back. Hogg then fired the other barrel of his gun as Mr. Chandler lay on the ground-and then advanced and fired two pistols at him. He and his men then ran off and stayed in the woods for a while. The hired assassins left the country, and Hogg came in, underwent investigation before the Justice of the Peace and was admitted to bail. On the next term of Court, which will be in about six months, he will undergo a mock trial and be acquitted. Such is the course of law here. Mr. Chandler died about a half hour after he was shot. He spoke but little. He said he was not afraid to die, and requested that relatives might be written to. I could say many things of this truly worthy man, but my sheet is full. He was my friend-I loved him, and revere his memory. “C” Source: Saturday, October 27, 1849, Maine Cultivator and Hallowell Gazette (Hallowell, ME)

Mural of Courthouse in Rusk

Horrid Affair–We are pained to announce that Mr. Rufus CHANDLER was killed on Sunday morning, the 10th, in the street of Rusk, by Gen. Joseph L. HOGG. The Rusk Pioneer furnishes the following account of this lamentable tragedy: “Some five or six months ago, a difficulty occurred here between these two men which came near resulting fatally. From that time until the time of the killing, Gen. HOGG was not known to make his appearance in town. On Sunday morning, just after sunrise, Mr. CHANDLER was passing from his office to the tavern in doing which he had to pass at a right angle with a long row of buildings on the street; just as he passed the back end of these buildings, from a distance of about 30 steps, Gen. HOGG fired upon him with a double barreled shot gun, which felled him to the ground; three other shots were then fired at him as he lay–literally tearing him to pieces. Gen. HOGG, with two or three other men, armed with double barrelled shot guns, and who were with him at the time of the firing, immediately left town. He has since sent word into town that he was willing to give himself up and submit to the law, provided his person could be secure from a mob. He need rest under no such apprehensions, for we do not believe that any portion of this community desires any more from Gen. HOGG than a submission to the laws of the country; indeed, we feel assured in saying that those whom he may esteem as his bitterest enemies would be among the foremost in opposing any thing like mobocracy. “In the death of Mr. CHANDLER, the community has lost a highly esteemed and useful man; and his friends have sustained a loss which cannot be repaired. In point of talent he stood high; in honesty, integrity and morality, he was scarcely excelled. Some two years ago he came to this place, from the army, in Mexico, clothless and penniless, a long way from his native State, (Maine) and in a land of strangers. By a course of untiring perseverance, industry and devotion to his profession as a lawyer, he was fast gaining distinction and reputation at the bar; but he has suddenly been cut off in the morning of life, and now lies beneath the cold sod, with none but stranger friends to mourn over his grave. Source: July 12,1849 Texas Telegraph http://www.genealogybuff.com/tx/tx-harris-obits6.htm

We welcome your suggestions for future articles. Please send them to Barb Chandler at barb95831@gmail.com

FEBRUARY 20, 2015 EDMUNDS COMMUITY COURIER

This edition of the Courier features Captain John Chandler; founder of Chandlersville, Ohio, and his brother Dr. Jesse Chandler.

EMIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT
by Barb Chandler

Inspired by talk how Ohio had rich soil Captain John Chandler(1757-1829), who fought in the Revolutionary War during the battle of Bennington, decided to move his family to Ohio. In 1797 they joined a group of fifteen families led by General Rufus Putnam on their way to Balpre, now known as Newbury township, in Washington county.

Captain Chandler was not satisfied with this location and, after some exploration, moved his family to Salt Creek in the spring of 1799. He was the first pioneer who settled in Salt Creek (later named Chandlersville).

He and his sons set to work clearing the land. They built a cabin, shed for their livestock, prepared the land for cultivation, and started a garden that grew into a productive farm.

Before two years elapsed Captain Chandler had opened and placed under cultivation a large and productive farm. Satisfied that his family were comfortable, Chandler changed begin negotiations with the owners of the Marietta Company, who manufactured salt, for the sale of the Salt Works. He became owner, and the company was known as Chandler’s Salt Works. Chandler and his sons conducted the business of salt manufacturing for six or seven years after they got possession of the works furnishing salt to neighbors for many miles around.

Early pioneers making salt.

When Chandler acquired the salt works there were only a handful of families. Over the year’s people begin to settle in the Valley and called it their home, the territory became known as Salt Creek Township.

THE MAKING OF A TOWN

A blacksmith was essential in pioneer day. A blacksmith mended wagons, made tools and farm equipment. Captain Chandler learned the blacksmithing trade from his father and started a blacksmith shop near his cabin. He taught his boys the trade, which proved of great advantage to them during the years when the settlement was developing.

An important event in the history of the neighborhood was when John Chandler, son of Captain Chandler, erected, or caused to be erected, the first mill in the township. Its site was on the creek about a mile below the salt works. The mill stones were procured in the neighborhood. Its use consisted principally in grinding corn.

Another son of Captain John’s, Zachary Chandler, had the neighborhood in mind, when he started the first tavern. He opened a frame building in 1815. Zach Chandler’s hotel, or tavern, was sought out by the wayfarer, the accommodations were minimal. In those days, straw beds and tallow dip candles were luxuries ; and since Zach had a monopoly in this business, no one complained.

The Post office owes its inception to Captain John Chandler. He was acting Postmaster as
early as 1804, and held that office many years.

The settlement of this village, the only one in the township of Salt Creek, is substantially the same as that of the township itself. It was laid out hy John Stevens, who gave it the name it now bears, in honor of Captain John Chandler, the first settler and a very public-minded person.

Captain John Chandler’s lineage is; Edmund Chandler(1587-1662), Benjamin Chandler(1644-1691), Joseph Chandler(1694-1774), Benjamin Chandler(1727-1777)

A PIONEER DOCTOR

Many of Captain John’s relatives were early settlers in the area; among them was his brother Dr. Jesse Chandler(1764-1814).

Dr. Chandler earned his degree in Vermont, and practiced medicine for a few years. After the death of his first wife Mary Binham in 1804 Dr. Jesse Chandler moved his family from Tinmouth, Vermont to Springfield in Muskingum County, Ohio, which was just across the river from the town of Zanesville.

His practice extended over all the western part of the county, into the adjoining counties. He traveled on horseback sometimes following trails or bridle paths from house to house. He spent a large part of his time in the saddle, and was always ready to respond to calls. He would often ride a dozen miles, furnish the medicine needed and charge one dollar. Visits in the village were fifty cents.

In the fall of 1809 a bad case of smallpox developed in the town. Some of the older people had been inoculated with with small-pox, but the children and many adults had no protection. They were given diets to follow, and a general inoculation took place. For the most part all did well, but a few young men. Dr. Chandler turned his house into a hospital, took these young men in charging them nothing, and brought them safely though their illness.

In the winter of 1813-14 an unknown epidemic broke out in Putnam. An editorial in the Zanesville Express on January 12, 1814 describes the epidemic and Dr. Chandler’s heroic efforts to save lives.

Suddenly a 12-year-old girl died. People called her disease “prevailing malignant fever.” Panic more terrifying than the excitement of the small pox epidemic of a few years earlier followed her death. Within two weeks 12 other Putnam residents died. Out of about 75 families, with a population of about 300, that was an alarming death rate. Dr. Jesse Chandler, the Putnam physician worked heroically to relieve suffering and save lives. As more settlers arrived, he could not answer all the calls He asked Dr. Isaac Fowler of Rutland, Vt., to come and assist him. In 1814 Dr. Chandler still worked alone in Putnam. One day he came home late at night, exhausted from attending many cases of “prevailing malignant fever.” He was feeling unusually languid and tired when he went to bed. Soon he told his wife that he felt “the sinking chill which characterized the plague’s opening attack.” One hour later he could not speak. After suffering for 34 hours, he died on Jan. 20, 1814.

His obituary in the Zanesville Express January 1814 reads as follows:
Died, at his residence in Springfield (now Putnam) on Thursday the 20th Doctor Jesse Chandler in the 50th year of his age. “He has left a disconsolate family and numerous connections to deplore his loss. In this man were all those qualities which constitute an affectionate husband, a kind and tender parent, and a sincere and ardent friend. He was active and vigilant in the discharge of his professional duties; was indefatigable in his researches after the means by which he could relieve those who were laboring under various maladies to which the human system is subject. It was his study to alleviate the sufferings of his fellow creatures.” The obituary dosed by saying that “Long will the inhabitants of Springfield and its vicinity lament the hour when death separated this invaluable man from them.” SIX DAYS later Dr. Chandler’s son, Zeno Chandler, age 16, died of the plague. Before Dr. Chandler died, the people of the little village of Putnam, then called Springfield, were in a state of fear and trembling. After his death deprived them of a physician, they lived in consternation and terror.

Dr. Jesse Chandler’s lineage is; Edmund Chandler(1587-1662), Benjamin Chandler(1644-1691), Joseph Chandler(1694-1774), Benjamin Chandler(1727-1777)

We welcome your feedback if you have any comments, questions,  or ideas for future articles. Send them to; Barb Chandler barb95831@gmail.com

SOURCES

1794 History of Muskingum County, with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers. http://archive.org/stream/cu31924028848673/cu31924028848673_djvu.txt

Pioneer Physicans of the Muskingham Valley. http://collections.nlm.nih.gov/ocr/nlm:nlmuid-56510690R-bk
Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohmuski2/saltcreek/saltcreekhist.html

Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohmuski2/saltcreek/saltcreekhist.html

JANUARY 2015 EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

EDMUND CHANDLER FAMILY ASSOCIATION NEWS
JANUARY 2015

by Carol May

I am hoping to focus on the New Hampshire Chandlers and the Revolutionary
War in an upcoming issue, but in the meantime, here is a short update on the news –

CHANDLER DNA PROJECT NEWS

by Carol May

Results are still coming in from the Englishmen who took the DNA test after responding to the 500 letter Chandler DNA project mailing. The latest is that a match has been found between the descendants of Roger Chandler, who arrived in Concord, Mass before 1637, and an Englishman. The English testee traced his Chandler line to William Chandler who married in Yorkshire, England in 1763. Yorkshire is in northern England. Roger of Concord’s daughter married a Heald whose roots go back to North Umberland which is also in Northern England.

In the past, it was wondered if Roger Chandler of Concord, Roger Chandler of Duxbury and Edmund Chandler of Duxbury were all related. DNA tests show that descendants of Roger of Concord do not match the descendants of Edmund Chandler so they are not related through the male line.

Roger of Concord was not mentioned in any documents, deeds or birth records showing a connection to Roger of Duxbury and he was not in his will. Also, if the age that was given on Roger of Concord’s gravestone is correct, Roger of Duxbury’s wife, Isabella Chilton, would have been in her early fifties when he was born, not a plausible scenario. Roger Chandler of Duxbury has no known male line descendants as his documented son, Samuel, died without issue so we cannot do a DNA test on his line. With all of that, it seems very unlikely that Roger of Concord was Roger of Duxbury’s son, although it could be possible that they were related.

However, there is a stronger circumstantial link between our Edmund and Roger Chandler of Duxbury. Perhaps they were brothers or cousins. Edmund and Roger of Duxbury were in Leiden, Holland at the same time and both were witnesses on the same legal document. They also both emigrated at about the same time from Leiden, Holland to Duxbury. They both had sons named Samuel, which leads me to my pet theory is that Edmund’s and/or Roger’s father may have been named Samuel – just speculation on my part.

Roger of Duxbury married in Kent which is in the southern part of England. If Roger came from Kent, maybe Edmund also came from Kent. Our member, Dick, has tried to find a connection between Edmund’s other known associates and their English origins without luck.

Some have wondered if Roger and Edmund were brothers, why weren’t their children or grandchildren named Roger? Probably the reason is that most of the Plymouth colonists chose names from the Bible for their children as they were very religious. You see few non-Bible names like Henry, William, Charles or Roger appearing in the second generation of the Plymouth colony. Names from the Bible dominated for over 150 years in the Plymouth colony.

Now onto another New England Chandler whose male line descendants have been on our wish list to test for years, William Chandler of Newbury, Mass. A male line descendant of his has been found and hopefully will be DNA tested soon. Most of the New England Chandlers whose roots are pre-1800 go back to one of four Chandler families – William of Roxbury, the most prolific, Edmund of Duxbury, probably the second most prolific, Roger of Concord, and William of Newbury. I call them the “Big Four.” Will the William of Newbury descendant match any of the other Chandler families, one of the unmatched Chandlers, or possibly an Englishman? We don’t know but hope to find out.

Still on our list to test is a male line descendant of Zebedee Chandler of Plympton, Mass. We think that he is part of the Edmund Chandler family, but are not sure. He was born c. 1711. We want to find out and are still offering a free DNA test for a proven descendant as a match could rule him in or out. If any of you come across a possible candidate for DNA testing let us know.

Also, I am in the hunt for a descendant of a couple of very obscure Chandlers, William Chandler of Portsmouth, New Hampshire and possibly a couple of Boston Chandlers for DNA testing.

The more Chandlers that are tested the better as we may find a match for Edmund in England, which is our main focus now, or anywhere in the world as a distant cousin of Edmund could have had descendants that migrated to even places as far away as Australia. Trace that person’s roots and we might find where Edmund came from.

TV NEWS
“SONS OF LIBERTY”

by Carol May

As we are currently focusing on the Revolutionary War, it is fortuitous that the History Channel will have a multi-part series beginning on January 25th called the “Sons of Liberty.” This is a dramatic telling of the story of the people who were the prime movers of the American Revolution in New England – Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere and others. The Sons of Liberty came together in Boston and their protests and actions — liberty poles, the tea party, bonfires where effigies of English official were burned, and secret meetings in taverns — were mirrored in the other towns of New England and in the actions of our Chandlers. The Committees of Correspondence and Safety sprang (see previous issues of the Courier for Chandler involvement) from these early protesters of taxation and laws inhibiting the freedom of the colonists.
Sons of Liberty meetings were held in secret in Boston’s Green Dragoon Tavern. If you missed the story on Bell Tavern and the role that taverns played in early New England, go to a previous of the Courier to read it.

To show what an influence the Sons of Liberty had, in response to the 1773 Boston Tea Party of which they were the instigators, a committee of men in New Gloucester, Maine paid a visit to Peleg Chandler, owner of the Bell Tavern, to enter a protest and the seize the box of tea he owned. Chandler replied “I bought that box of tea and paid the price and if any man attempts to seize it I will shoot him.” The leader of the committee went back and reported “Peleg Chandler says that he will shoot any man who attempts to take his tea, and by G—he is a man of his word!” The tea was not molested. This was from the Lewiston (Maine) Evening Journal, Aug. 30 1924 sent to me by our member, Steve.

Lest anyone think that Peleg had Tory inclinations, he was a fervent patriot and risked life and fortune by serving on the New Gloucester Committee of Safety and later as its chairman. See a previous issue for the full story of Peleg Chandler. He probably figured that once he bought and paid for that box of tea it was his and free of any Tory taint.
Whether or not the TV mini-series “Sons of Liberty” is a stirring story of the Boston patriots or a dramatic dud, I don’t know as I haven’t seen any reviews, but give it a look and then you can decide for yourself.

“GENEALOGY ROADSHOW”

by Carol May

This PBS series is back on Tuesday evenings (check your local listing). Unlike the other popular TV genealogy programs, this one focuses on ordinary folks. You submit your story and family genealogical mystery and if your question is persuasive enough, you might get chosen. The lucky picks get top genealogists to crack those cases and the results are shown on TV.

Happy New Year and may more brick walls come tumbling down!

WINTER 2014/15 EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

All articles in this edition of the Courier by Carol May

Finally, we are back with our Revolutionary War series after a very busy, busy year. Our Edmund Chandler Family Association is now a chapter of the Chandler Family Association. The CFA has over 700 members and is worldwide and not Chandlers are all related. Find out more about the merger in this issue.

It was also very busy year for me personally as my brother and I took a trip to the Czech Republic and Austria to see where my grandmother’s family came from. Family tree in hand we visited a lot of villages. You can read about researching ancestors across the pond versus US research in this issue.

Other big news, is that our member, Billie’s, 153 page book will be coming out soon. She is adding the pictures and maps now. Her book will include Joseph, Edmund, the immigrant’s son, and his land, the mystery Chandlers, mystery no longer, Capt. John, Nathaniel, Mercy and some of their descendants, and also Benjamin Chandler. By meticulous research she has been able to correct many long-held mistaken beliefs and incorrect research as well as add to the knowledge about these people. We will keep you posted when the book comes out.

In case some of you missed them, Barb, our editor posted several stories in the last several months on the Civil War and other topics. Member, Susan, and Barb, researched Elbridge Gerry Chandler and his Civil War service. Especially fun was Barb’s story on the Chandler Band, still in existence today and is still playing. If you scroll back through the Courier you can read the stories and see the video clip on the Chandler Band.

Our big research topic this issue is Peleg Chandler, chairman of the Committee of Safety for New Gloucester, Maine during the Revolution, and the owner of Bell Tavern. Also, related stories about Bell Tavern, a lively story taken from his son’s diary chronicling his journey from Bell Tavern to Massachusetts, and the settling of New Gloucester and the block house. If you have Maine ancestors they most likely stayed in Bell Tavern and also find out about what taverns, an essential part of the community, were like.

All this and more! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

*CFA AND EDMUND CHANDLER FAMILY NEWS Including membership news, DNA news and a CFA sponsored trip to England for 2016

*PELEG CHANDLER AND TIMELINE He was also a church warden. Find out what that was. Hint, he had a pole.

*BELL TAVERN The story of Bell tavern and what taverns were like way back then.

* NEW GLOUCESTER AND THE BLOCKHOUSE Find out about block houses and frontier existence.

*PELEG CHANDLER, JR.’S JOURNEY TAKEN FROM HIS DIARY FROM MAINE TO MASS IN 1790

*BIG CHANGES AT ANCESTRY. COM

*TV NEWS

*SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY Join and get free home online access to Worldwide records and Heritage Quest, plus more

*RESEARCHING IS RESEARCHING, BUT WITH TWIST: RESEARCHING IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

*UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS More on the wives of the Zebedees and the wives of Rev. Abel Chandler.

CFA AND EDMUND CHANDLER CHAPTER NEWS

We will be maintaining our ECFA web site until spring of 2015 as it is paid up until then. After that our Members Only Library, other information and databases will be preserved for the members to access in a new format at the CFA site.

Our formerly ECFA members and now Edmund Chandler chapter members of the CFA, are now getting the award winning CFA newsletter by e-mail although a snail mail paper copy can be requested. We will still have the Courier and the Yahoo Chandler lineage site which are free. Our group originally sprang out of the Chandler lineage site and you can still use it as a searchable resource, although you will find that many of our early posts show that we did a lot of floundering as we looked for answers.

If you wish to join the CFA and the Edmund Chandler chapter you can go to www.edmundchandler.com and click the link about membership or go to the Chandler Family Association web site www. chandlerfamilyassociation.org One year membership is $20 and you don’t have to prove your lineage.

DNA NEWS

With the contribution that the ECFA made, a large mailing was sent out to Chandler men in England for DNA testing and we are getting sign ups as a result. Dick, our EC chapter member and CFA VP, as well as Errol Chandler our CFA VP from England are working hard on this project.

No matches for the Edmund Chandler family yet, but we are hoping. To read more about DNA testing, including a map where many American Chandler families originated from in England, refer to a previous issue of the CFA newsletter.

TRIP TO ENGLAND FROM THE US AND A TRIP FROM THE UK TO THE US

A trip to England is in the planning stages by the CFA for 2016 which will be guided by Englishman Errol Chandler. Several American Chandler families have been traced to English villages and the plan is to visit those sites and other sites of general tourist interest. We still don’t know where Edmund came from. A brochure about the trip will be sent out when the itinerary is worked out. Also, if there is enough interest, a guided trip for UK Chandlers to the US is in discussion. Check with the CFA for more info.

PELEG CHANDLER

April 27, 1735-August 24, 1819

LINEAGE: EDMUND, THE IMMIGRANT>JOSEPH>JOSEPH>PHILIP

Peleg Chandler was the patriarch of the New Gloucester, Maine branch of the Edmund Chandler family, arriving there prior to 1763. His descendants distinguished themselves in business, the law and architecture as well as other fields. Much has been written about his descendants. Indeed, the amount of shelf space dedicated to his descendants in the Fogler Library can be measured in yards, but not much was known about Peleg. Some of Peleg’s notable descendants include: archictect, Theophilus Chandler and economic historian, Alfred Dupont Chandler, who we have written about previously. Also businessmen, Solomon Hewett Chandler Sr. and Jr. and lawyers like Peleg, Jr. Peleg W. and Charles P. Chandler to name a few of them.

Especially confusing was Peleg’s Revolutionary War service. We had to find the primary evidence that he was a member and later chairman of the Committee of Safety for New Gloucester and not just rely on anecdotal evidence and old books. The Committee of Safety provided the civilian leadership of the local militia, spied on the British, acquired munitions and suppressed Tory or Tory benefitting activities.

After a long search, we queried T.S. Blake, author of the book “New Gloucester” (available from Amazon and also as an e-book) and curator for the New Gloucester Historical Society. Blake searched the old handwritten New Gloucester records and there, dated March 19, 1776, the records show Peleg being appointed to the Committee of Safety.

Peleg’s s first cousin, Ebenezer Mason, son of Jonas Mason and Mary Chandler, also served on the New Gloucester Committee of Safety. In Duxbury, Peleg’s brother, Perez, served on the Committee of Correspondence, the precursor to the Committee of Safety. Perez was profiled in the Winter/Spring 2014 issue of the Courier.

The city of New Gloucester lists Peleg as a Revolutionary War patriot and his name appears on the town monument dedicated to those who served. His descendant Cleaveland Angier Chandler (Horace P.>Peleg W. >Peleg >Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant) claimed Peleg as his Revolutionary War ancestor for the Massachusetts Society Sons of the American Revolution in 1897 for serving on the Committee of Safety for New Gloucester, Maine from 1778-1784.

Anecdotally, Mary Chandler Lowell in her book “Chandler-Parsons…,” states that Peleg served on the committee for many years. Also, from the book “Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts”, Peleg is listed as the chairman of the Committee of Safety, but did not provide documentation. No one has applied for DAR membership as his descendant, but will be able to do so now that primary proof has been found.

New Gloucester Rev. War Memorial.

PELEG CHANDLER TIMELINE

1735, April 27 Peleg was born in Duxbury. Mary Chandler Lowell speculated in her book, “Chandler-Parsons…”, that Peleg was named after a friend and neighbor of his father, Peleg Wadsworth. The name Peleg comes from the Old Testament and means when the earth was divided, referring to an event at the time. Some scholars also believe the name has something to do with the sea. The Biblical Peleg was the son of Eber. Peleg is a popular last name in Israel.

Mary Chandler Lowell also wrote that Peleg “early on manifested very strong mechanical tastes.” He was handy as he created chairs, the church door and other objects. He was a blacksmith from a long line of blacksmiths as was his father, Philip, his grandfather Joseph and his great grandfather, also named Joseph.

Prior to 1762. Peleg moved from Duxbury to North Yarmouth, Maine. According to Mary Chandler Lowell, Peleg moved to Maine to help his grandfather, but that does not seem likely as Peleg was only 9-years-old when his grandfather, Joseph, died in 1744.

Peleg’s grandfather led the first wave of Chandlers to move to Maine when he moved there in 1729. He was soon followed by his wife and children, with the exception of Peleg’s’ father, Philip, who remained in Duxbury with his family. “It was probably Philip’s intent to move to North Yarmouth as well as he owned land there. Philip must have changed his mind as he bought his father’s homestead farm in Duxbury in 1735 and remained in Duxbury,” according, Lora Altine Underhill in her book, “The Genealogy of Edward Small…”.

Family lore has it that Peleg came with relatives to Maine. His sister, Elizabeth (Betsey), moved to Turner, Maine in 1850 after marrying Ezekiel Bradford. She and Peleg were the only children of Philip to move to Maine. Did Peleg come with them or later on possibly with other relatives? We don’t know.

It does seem logical that Peleg would move to Maine at some point to help as both his father and his grandfather’s heirs had land and business in Maine.

1762, December 9 Peleg marries Sarah Winslow in North Yarmouth, Maine. This is the first record that we have of him in Maine. He and Sarah would have 11 children, eight surviving until adulthood. Sarah became known for her cheerful countenance. He put his wood working skills to use when he carved chairs for his bride using only a knife.

1763 Peleg and his bride leave North Yarmouth for New Gloucester, a distance of 15 miles. They made the journey by ox-cart, “the first wheeled vehicle that had ever been used to perform that journey.” He built a small first house and would later build a large house for his family which would later be also Bell Tavern.

Home of Andrew C. Chandler. On the site where Peleg built his house in 1762, probably to the back and right of this house. Photo by Steve Chandler

While Peleg was not amongst the first settlers of New Gloucester, he would play a key role in the formation of the town. That was the first year that meetings regarding New Gloucester were held in New Gloucester and not in Gloucester, Massachusetts which is where most of the settlers came from and from where the grant was obtained. The proprietors voted to build a school house the next year which was one of the requirements of the grant.

1764 Peleg’s father dies in Duxbury. Philip willed that his land in Duxbury and North Yarmouth be divided amongst his six sons.

1765 Establishing a church was the last remaining key item that remained to be fulfilled in order for New Gloucester’s land grant requirements to be considered officially met. In 1765 the “grant conditions were fulfilled by hiring an Orthodox Congregational minister, Rev. Samuel Foxcroft of Boston, a Harvard College graduate.”

This was an historic moment of which Peleg and his wife, Sarah, played a key part as they were two of the five members who founded the church. It now meant that every legal requirement was met and that land could now be conveyed without worry. New Gloucester had fought off a claim earlier on in the courts that could have ruined the community if the claimants had prevailed, but now they could not be “warned off” by possible future claimants, lose what they had built, or be forced to pay twice for their farms.

It was such a joyous occasion for the town, that the proprietors approved the very large outlay of “26 pounds and thirteen shillings and four pence” for the celebration. Parson Smith, of Portland, Maine, also assisted in the “jolly ordination” and he wrote that “we lost sight of decorum.” If the attending ministers “lost sight of decorum” we can only assume that the eight male members of the church, which included Peleg Chandler, also “lost sight of decorum.” With 26 pounds and change to celebrate, it must have been a real party!

1771, January 1 A proprietors’ meeting was held where Peleg Chandler was voted to be a part of the committee to build a meeting-house (church). Half of the job was bid off by Peleg for 2 pounds 19 shillings and when no one bid on the other half, Peleg bid 3 pounds 1 pence for the other half of the job.

It was voted by the committee that Peleg would receive the money for the sale of the pews. Many members of the community bought pews and Peleg kept pew #34 and also pew #36 which was in the gallery. Like the block house, the church was also multipurpose as gun powder was stored in the closet under the pulpit. It was distributed to the parishioners on Sundays as needed for defense.

While the church was useable, it was not finished because not all those who pledged to pay did so and after several years could no longer afford a full-time minister. There were Baptists and Shakers in the community now who were disinclined to support a Congregationalist church. The proprietors did not press the issue. In 1802 the proprietors voted to relinquish title and it became the property of the First Parish to be used for town meetings and the grounds around it for a training field, pound, stocks, and whipping post.

1838 Congregational church. Photo by Steve Chandler

Peleg, according to a poem, written over a century later, was the church warden. Church wardens were chosen for their exemplary character. They kept the peace within the church, watched over the congregants’ behavior, and punished those who did not attend church without a valid excuse. In the Massachusetts Bay Colony if the church warden caught someone being truant, without a valid excuse, the truant was pilloried and the truant’s ear was nailed to the wood.

Peleg and his fellow church warden did wield poles to wallop those who fell asleep during church services. Whether or not, Peleg nailed ears to wood, we don’t know, but there were stocks and a whipping post nearby. Peleg’s son, Peleg, Jr., was accosted by a church warden for traveling on Sunday in near Hingham, Massachusetts, but talked his way out of it by saying he was going to stop at a nearby inn, which was technically true as he stopped long enough for a mug of cider and continued on his way to stay with his uncle Perez Chandler. Peleg, Jr. was barely 17 when he undertook this trip to teach in Halifax, Mass. to earn enough money to continue his education in law. Perhaps that and being the son of a church warden made him savvy enough to avoid spending the Sunday in the stocks.

From the poem by Jabez H. Woodman A.M., the New Gloucester schoolmaster, on the occasion of the New Gloucester Centennial in 1884:

“Josiah Smith and Peleg Chandler

Were wardens then appointed,

To flourish poles on the Sabbath Day

And thus keep things well jointed.”

1773 Peleg builds his large house which would later become Bell Tavern. It was located on a hill at the four corners.

1774, February 8 The Proprietary elected a committee to petition the General Court of Massachusetts for the incorporation of New Gloucester into a town. The Court agreed and New Gloucester became a town. A warrant was issued to Peleg Chandler, by Col. William Allen, for him to call a meeting of the freeholders and others who were qualified to vote. On Sept. 7, 1774, the first board of town officers was chosen.

1775 Upon hearing about the Battle at Lexington, which was fought on April 19, 1775, a town meeting was called in New Gloucester and it was voted to have 20 men ready at the shortest notice to support the colonists against the British. Like Duxbury and many towns in New England, New Gloucester was resoundingly patriot.

1776 Peleg establishes Bell Tavern in his house. The sign outside read:

“Bell Tavern. Peleg Chandler. 1776. Entertainment for man and beast”

“Success to the Friends of Liberty”

There is only one reference to the phrase ”Success to the Friends of Liberty” so that may require further research.

1776, March 19 A town meeting was held and Peleg Chandler was appointed to the Committee of Safety. He was also voted to be the pound keeper. Pound keepers in those days kept stray livestock until their owners could reclaim them and usually pay a fine.

He later became the chairman of the Committee of Safety, serving until the end of the Revolutionary War. The Committee of Safety, which succeeded the Committee of Correspondence when war broke out, provided recruitment and the civilian leadership of the local militia. They organized spying on the British, acquired munitions and gun powder. They put pressure on the local civilians to buy American and support the war effort. As Peleg was also the owner of Bell Tavern, the militia probably met there.

1776, May 21 The town voted “That if the Honorable Congress should, for the safety of the Colonies, declare them independent of Great Britain they will solemnly engage, with their lives and their fortunes, to support the Congress in the measure”. Two infantry companies were organized with Captains Isaac Parsons and William Harris commanding them.

1784 Several sources say that Peleg was appointed to the General Court of Massachusetts, but we have not found proof. More research needs to be done.

1790, November 30 Peleg, Jr. leaves Bell Tavern to travel to Halifax, Massachusetts where he will teach school in order to earn money to go to college. (Read about his journey in C. Talbot Rogers story taken from Peleg, Jr.’s diary in this issue)

1797 Peleg builds an ell onto the already large Bell Tavern for his son, Peleg, Jr. Peleg Jr.’s mother disapproves of her son practicing law, so he instead provides much needed assistance with his father’s busy, tavern, smithy and large farm. After his parents were gone, Peleg, Jr. did practice law to much success.

1819, August 24 Peleg Chandler died and was buried in the Lower New Gloucester Cemetery. His wife, Sarah, died in 1823. Bell Tavern was sold when he died in 1819.

SOURCES:

Fogler Library: Finding Guide to the Chandler Family Papers

The collection contains the personal and business papers of several generations of the Chandler family of New Gloucester, Maine. It centers primarily on materials of Peleg, Philip, Solomon Hewett (both elder and younger), Charles Parsons, Charles Peleg, and Andrew Campbell Chandler, as well as business records of Bearce & Chandler, a grocery business of Dexter Bearce and Solomon Chandler.

Chandler-Parsons: Edmund Chaundeler, Geoffrey Parsons and Allied Families – Mary Chandler Lowell – Google Books

This is probably the most well-known book about the Chandlers of New Gloucester, including Peleg, her ancestor. She collected information from vital records, old letters and family recollections. Unfortunately, there are some inaccuracies although as brilliant as she was (she was both a doctor and a lawyer), she was occasionally at the mercy of the inaccurate recollections of others. She also lived at a time when most business was conducted by mail or in person.

Maine Society Sons of the American Revolution | Graves

Full text of “The Gray and New Gloucester register, 1905”

History of New Gloucester including Peleg Chandler and Bell’s Tavern

New Gloucester Historical Society

New Gloucester Revolutionary War monument with list of names including Peleg Chandler

Historical Society – New Gloucester, Maine 

Main page

New Gloucester – Thomas P. Blake – Google Books This outstanding book is filled with historical pictures, stories and information about the founding and early days of New Gloucester. If you have any ancestors that came from New Gloucester, not only Chandlers, take a look at this book. Available from Amazon books. It was written in 2009.

History of New Gloucester, Maine

This gazatteer was written in 1886 by George G. Varney who wrote many short histories of Maine towns.

Full text of “A genealogical record of the descendants of Thomas Penney of New Gloucester, Maine”

Source of the poem.

Full text of “The Gray and New Gloucester register, 1905”

Chandler Family Papers, 1831-1890, n.d. (Bowdoin – George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives)

BELL TAVERN

Bell Tavern being moved in 1978 down the hill to its present location. It had been the post office, but after it was moved it became a residence.

Taverns and inns played an integral part of early New England towns and Bell Tavern, opened in 1776, was classic example. Taverns were not lowly places on the edge of town away from respectable folks, but were located prominently in the center of town and often, as in the case of Bell Tavern, across from the church. Taverns were considered essential, proper meeting places for social discourse, business and governance and licenses to operate a tavern were issued by the town.

Taverns were where the town folks met after church and work to exchange news, engage in gossip, hold lively debates, pick up mail, make business deals, and conduct town business. The taverns gave congregants a chance to warm up after church because the churches were unheated. Many a lively political debate must have taken place with locals and travelers during the Revolutionary years with most, if not all, the locals railing against the British. Business, both official and unofficial, was a carried on in taverns, militias met and patriots held meetings in secret. The First Continental Congress met in a tavern. Bell tavern supplied lodging for jurors and witnesses for the Court.

Taverns also served as recruitment depots and deployment for militias which is probably one of the reasons why Peleg was chosen as the Chairman of the Committee of Safety for New Gloucester. Free ale was one of the inducements for showing up for militia drills.

If your ancestors were from Maine, most likely they stayed or at least stopped at Bell Tavern as it was strategically located on the crossroads of the coastal road and the road going inland to what would become Poland, Minot, Lewiston, Auburn and Turner, Maine amongst other interior cities.

As many people in those days were illiterate, taverns had signs with pictures on them so people could identify them. Bell Tavern had a picture of a bell and the words:

Bell Tavern

Peleg Chandler. 1776. Entertainment for man and beast”

“Success to the Friends of Liberty”

Newly painted sign.

Many have speculated about how Bell Tavern got its name. The origin of the names of many taverns is unknown. During the Revolution some taverns had signs which reflected the owner’s political sympathy. Some speculated that the bell signified that the tavern was open for business. As Peleg was known for having the “voice of a Stentor”who could call men in from the fields so it probably did not stand for a dinner bell. Others speculated that it stood for the call for young men to fight for liberty. It did not stand for the actual Liberty Bell as that bell probably did not ring on July 4, 1776 because at that time the steeple was in very poor condition. The first documented reference to it as the “Liberty Bell” appeared in an abolitionist poem written in 1839.

However, the church bells in Boston rang so much over repeals of taxes, and objections to the British before 1776, that people complained. The church bells continued ringing probably throughout the colonies during the Revolution and beyond over important events. So perhaps the bell in Peleg’s sign did stand for recruiting of men for the fight or the church bells that rung for liberty.

As roads were built, taverns were considered a necessity. In Massachusetts taverns were located every 8 miles so both humans and horses could rest.

News from papers, pamphlets, broadsheets and letters would come to Bell tavern and taverns like it from towns like far-off Boston, Philadelphia and Duxbury. Those who were able to read, would read the news aloud to those who could not. During the Revolutionary era things were happening so fast that people were desperate to read or hear about what was happening because it directly affected them. The taverns were also the first post offices as mail was put on a table and was considered public news for everyone to read before it was picked up or carried on.

The tavern owner’s wife and daughters, even very young ones, worked in the tavern, but all other women were only allowed to buy liquor and then leave. Later on large taverns had a separate area for women. No “tarrying” by women was allowed. Everyone drank in those days, even children, as water was often unsafe to drink. Hard cider made from apples was ubiquitous.

Originally only “fit” men were given licenses to operate taverns, although eventually three quarters of the taverns were run by women, mostly widows, so they would have a source of income so they would not become a burden on the town.

“Fit” men were upstanding citizens considered capable of running a tavern. To be a considered a successful “fit” man, he was expected to be married and supporting a well-behaved household where all obeyed him. The reasoning was if a man could not run his household he could not run a tavern. Badly behaved children, wives and even servants were a reflection on that ability. Men could be punished for the transgressions of members of his household. Very patriarchal!

Unmarried men were not considered “fit” and were more or less considered like big children. Peleg certainly filled the requirement of being a “fit” man as he was one of the founders of the local church and all of his children were dutiful and became very successful in their own right.

Tavern owners were expected to keep order in the tavern, like they did in their households, and not allow patrons to become drunk and disorderly. The town leaders determined what could be served and limited the hours when a tavern could be open. For example, they were expected to shut fairly early on Saturday evening presumably to make sure that the patrons would be awake and sober and in church the next day. Peleg, as church warden, would round up those who were missing from church without a valid excuse, and being hung over was not a valid excuse, and put them in the stocks. If the hung-over individual did make it into church but fell asleep, he would give him a wallop with his pole. In fact anyone who fell asleep for any reason could be walloped.

Of course alcohol being what it is and the loosening of the church and its requirements, drunkenness became such a big problem that it prompted the temperance movement, with Maine figuring prominently. The dilemma became how to continue with taverns, where all local politicians and townspeople gathered, but at the same time eliminate drunkenness and the evils that were associated with it? In modern times, one of the solutions has come full circle, with again the tavern keepers being held responsible, or partially so, for keeping its patrons from becoming wildly drunk.

Taverns also supplied entertainment. Dancing was popular during the Revolution. Cards, gambling and other diversions were also popular, probably more so as the church’s influence began to wane.

Fast food and colonial and Revolutionary times don’t seem to belong in the same sentence, but Americans desire for a quick meal was as strong then as it is today. Fast food is not a modern invention. An English visitor way back then complained about how we (Americans) rushed through our meals in order to get back to work in the fields and farms. Maybe the difference was that here, unlike England in those days, the inhabitants mostly owned their fields and farms.

Taverns had to supply food that could be eaten quickly or on the go in a stage coach. Colonial era fast foods such as johnny cakes, biscuits and hasty pudding were American inventions. Also, popular was potted meat or fish. The meat was boiled then pounded with fat and spices and put into an earthen jar and sealed with hot fat or butter. Sandwiches could be made quickly for stage travelers to take with them by spreading the potted meat on bread for sandwiches. Mincemeat pies were popular both here and in England as they were also handy for travelers to take with them. The poorer folks ate the whole mince meat pie including the crust, while the wealthy ate the filling. “Slow food” like baked beans and Indian pudding were also popular. Slow to cook, but quick and convenient to prepare or re-heat.

The need for speed also changed weights and measures for food. In England ingredients were weighed, here tavern owners relied on spoons and cups as they were faster.

The quality of the food and accommodations varied widely. Some taverns offered big meals with eggs, steak, sausages, fish, bread and more for breakfast, lunches were more modest, dinner could be another big spread, but others offered little choice and what was available was terrible. Peleg Chandler, Jr. had to scrounge for himself while staying in one ill-run tavern on his journey to Massachusetts. (See accompanying story)

After Peleg Chandler died in 1819, Bell Tavern was sold. With the arrival of the railroad, the need for taverns for travelers declined as trains did not need to rest like horses and oxen. Over the years Bell Tavern served as a dance hall, store, post office and home. The ell that Peleg had built for his son, Peleg, Jr., was moved to 5 Cobb’s Bridge Road. In 1978, Bell Tavern was moved several hundred feet down the hill to 410 Intervale Rd. where it stands today as a beautifully kept house.

This is where the Bell Tavern was originally sited…now a residence.
                                                                        Photo by Steve Chandler

SOURCES:

New Gloucester – Thomas P. Blake – Google Books

Daily Life of the American Colonies: The Role of the Tavern in Society

Fit Men: New England Tavern Keepers, 1620-1720 | Zach Carmichael – Academia.edu

A Place of Reading: Revolutionary Taverns

Taverns of the Colonial Period related to My Brother Sam is Dead

Liberty Bell Timeline

NEW GLOUCESTER, MAINE AND THE BLOCK HOUSE

Block houses were essential for settling the then frontiers of Maine, New Hampshire and other New England states. The settling of New Gloucester was probably very similar to the settling of many New England frontier towns.

The first settlers were given a grant from the parent town of Gloucester, Massachusetts, hence the name New Gloucester, in 1735. There were conditions that they had to meet in order to get full ownership.

It was rough going for the townspeople as not only they had to endure all of the hardships of creating a settlement they were driven out, as were most of the colonists in Maine, during the French and Indian War. Their log houses and sawmill were destroyed. After five years most of the New Gloucester settlers returned.

For defense, they built a block house which was completed in 1754. It had large second story windows that swung inward on hinges so that the inhabitants could fire their guns if under attack. The block house was 50’x50’ and the stockade was 110’ on each side made up of a palisade of 10-12’ logs topped with sharpened points. For several years the 12 families who inhabited the settlement lived within the fortress with only the men and their large dogs venturing out during the day.

The New Gloucester block house was fortified with two swivel guns, 25 pounds of powder and 75 pounds of lead and for several years soldiers were garrisoned there to defend it. The block house served as the settlers’ home, fort and church until the French were driven out of Canada in 1760 and they could rebuild their log homes and begin building a church about a decade later which Peleg was heavily involved. The block house, no longer needed, was sold in 1787 for seven bushels of corn and was used for the very mundane purpose of housing hogs.

SOURCES:

Full text of “The Gray and New Gloucester register, 1905”

http://www.mainegenealogy.net/individual_place_record.asp?place=new_gloucester or New Gloucester, Cumberland County, Maine | Maine Genealogy

History and list of books about early New Gloucester, Maine

Peleg Chandler

By C. TALBOT ROGERS

T HIS is the story of a “Journey to

Hallifax”-a journey which covers

but a relatively few miles, and

only a few days in the early life of a

young man from Maine; a young man

of courage and ambition, who in spite of

disappointment and frustration achieved

better than average success in his chosen

profession, and whose son in turn went

even further to become nationally known

in that same profession.

The journey began from the steps of

the old Bell Tavern, in the then-busy

and thriving town of New Gloucester.

The date was Monday, November 30,

A.D. 1790, at one of the clock; and in a

handwritten, carefully sewn booklet,

well preserved, the story of that trip is

easily and simply told. This booklet, now

in the files of the Historical Society of

New Gloucester, is done in the characteristic

penmanship of the day, with the

old-fashioned “s” in the middle of words,

and the front and back covers embellished

with well-formed flourishes. The

front cover states simply: “Peleg Chandler’s

Journal from New Gloucester to

Hallifax,” while on the back cover the

writer identifies himself as follows:

“Peleg Chandler Jr is my name. New

Gloucester is my Native Place. Written

at Hallifax the 12th day of February,

1791, A.D.”

It was not an extremely hazardous

trip, even in that day. The threat from

hostile Indians had passed ; possible bounty

was not worth the risk to highwaymen ;

and surely young Chandler was safe from

those present-day threats to life, limb,

and property, drivers who pass on the

right, cut in from the left, and weave

from lane to lane, driving on a mixture

of gasoline and alcohol-from whom

may the good Lord preserve us all! Even

so, it was by no means a pleasure jaunt,

and few of us would willingly attempt it

today under the same conditions and circumstances.

For a boy barely beginning

his seventeenth year, it was a major undertaking.

Before starting with him on this journey,

let us look for a moment at the background

of this lad. His father, Peleg

Chandler, Sr., born in 1735, had married

Sarah Winslow of North Yarmouth,

in 1762; and the journey which that

young couple undertook deserves mention.

According to the story, their wedding

trip from North Yarmouth to New

Gloucester was made in an oxcart, the

first two-wheeled vehicle that had ever

been over the road. Since the wedding

was on December 9, it is surmised that

it must have been a very open winter indeed,

unless the trip was postponed until

later in the spring; and at any time at all

it must have been a rough bumpy journey

over a road nothing at all like Interstate

95, or even old-fashioned U. S. I.

Peleg Chandler, Sr., is described as

an “honest citizen, a blacksmith by trade,

and a good one”; and evidently his skills

were not limited to the smithy. One of

the founders of the “Orthodox” First

Parish Church, he served as Town Warden;

during the Revolution he was one

of a committee to fix prices, for many

years he was a member of the Committee

of Safety, and in I 784 he was Representative

to the General Court of Massachusetts.

About I 7 73 he built the Bell Tavern,

45

46 Old-Time New England

which today houses the United States

Post Office, and here as host to jurors and

witnesses in a busy shire town he was well

known throughout the county, and indeed

through all of Massachusetts, since

many of the family, including his father,

Philip, had remained in and around Duxbury,

where the first Chandler had settled.

In that same year, I 773, young Peleg,

Jr., was born; so that when in 1790 he

began this journey to Halifax he had

passed his seventeenth birthday by a scant

three months. Of course, at seventeen

many a lad had left home for college ; but

Peleg, Jr., was not going forth as a student.

He was, at that tender age, about

to become a schoolmaster, to help earn

his way through college.

Halifax is a long, long way from Cumberland

County, Maine–even today in a

modern car over modern highways-and

one wonders why the people of Nova

Scotia had to come all the way to New

Gloucester to find a schoolmaster. Of

course, by ship from Portland to Halifax

would be an easy trip, but it proved by

no means as simple as that. Somehow, as

the journey progressed, he seemed to be

heading always in the wrong directionuntil

finally it developed that there was

-and still is-another Halifax, in Massachusetts,

some thirty miles or so south

of Boston.

However, let the lad speak for himself.

Let us start with page one of his journal.

November the 80th A.D. 1790 Monday at

one of the clock set out to go to Hallifax to

keeping school. Went as far as Moses Haskell

that night. In the morning Moses and myself

set out together. We rode as far as Elwells and

stopped and drank a mug of cider. We then put

on as far as Hammons in Stout Water [Stroudwater?]

and then stopped and bated our horses;

then put on for Bradbury’s Tavern in Pepperlsburough

[now Saco], and got there about dark.

Put up our horses and called for our suppers;

and in about half an hour had it. We drank six

dishes apiece and eat as much toast as we could.

Then went to playing checkers with the landlord,

beat him 5 or 6 times and then went to

bed.

This was his first night on the road,

after staying in the home of his friend

Haskell, and so far the journey had not

been arduous. In fact the next day was

not too bad.

In the morning we got up, paid our reckoning

as quick as possible and set out. We arrived

at Sauce Bridge a little after sunrise and after

long debate with the tollman went over. We

rode till about one of the clock . . . stopped and

bated our horses and roasted our turkey and eat

it with the help of a mug of cyder and after

suitable refreshment we set out again. Rode

very fast all the afternoon and about dark arrive

at Capt. Shannons in Dover near the

bridge, put up our horses and called for supper

and had it brought to us, consisting of chocolate

and biscuit toast. We drank 8 cups apiece

and as much toast as possible and after suitable

time to settle it, we retired into a warm bed

where we prostrated our languid limbs till the

ensuing morning.

Service in the tavern was not so good

next morning; certainly not up to modern

standards set by Howard Johnson or

Holiday Inn motel chains.

In the morning about an half an hour betwixt

break of day and sunrise got up, went

into the kitchen, and sat down over an handful1

of coals. We sat awhile but nobody appeared;

then to fly round and make as much noise as

possible. By and by along comes a negro as

black as the D—l and made up a fire big

enough to roast an ox. We sat down awhile but

no landlord appeared. We asked the negro

whether the landlord laid abed till noon commonly.

He went and called him and we got

away as quick as possible (it being cold enough

to freeze one). We rode till about z of the

clock in the afternoon which brought us to

Capt. Sanborns in Hampton. Stopped and bated

our horses and set out again about sunset. We

got to the Newberry ferry but could not get

over till about dark.

And now it was that I had to part with my

friend Haskell. Nobody can tell what I felt

when I had to leave him at his uncles and seek

Peleg Chandler 47

for a tavern, not knowing where to find one,

and being almost froze standing so long at the

ferry awaiting for the D—d ferry man, he being

almost intoxicated.

soon as possible, it being Saturday morning

and I having about 80 miles to go before I got

to Duxborough.

But I got off on the old mare and drove on

for dear life. I had gone about a mile when I

beheld a sight which excited a great deal of

joy to think that I had got home for that night.

Went in and got the old mare taken care of.

But how do you think that I felt to see it look

likely to storm before morning . . . and being

so near to Haskell and was not agoing to stay

with him.

Very understandably the seventeenyear-

old lad was beginning to feel the

pangs of homesickness, and no wonder.

But as the night wore on, things got

worse :

About seven of the clock I thought I would

go to bed not having any stomach to eat any

supper so I drank half mug of cyder and went

to bed. About midnight the storm came on and

sure such a storm I never saw. It snowed,

rained, hailed all together as hard as ever it

did in the world. But that ain’t the worse of it.

I like to frozed to death for the want of bedclothes.

I got up and put on my clothes but it

could not keep me warm. About dav or a little

before up I got and down I goes and sat down

where the fire should be. Bv and bv thev began

to get up and glad was I, but could not get out

doors the wind blew so hard. About 9 of the

clock I called for some breakfast and soon had

it but could not eat any of it, hardly, feeling

so like the Old Boy.

Perhaps it was not food that he needed,

so much as the sight of a familiar face, or

a friend, for

At ten o’clock I thought I would go and see

Haskell, it being so stormy that I could not

ride, so I went and dined with him at his uncle?.

After dinner I wished him good by and left

him in a good harbour, and set out, it being

about z of the clock. I needed but a little more

sail to go as fast as the wind would convey me.

However, I rode about ten miles which brought

me to Ipswige, went in to the ale house and got

some ale and then drove on about a mile and

put up just over the bridge.

About 12 of the clock at night it cleared

away pleasant and calm which caused me sweet

repose. In the morning I arose and set out as

Duxborough was the town now known

as Duxbury, not many miles from Plymouth,

where Edmond, the first of the

Chandler family in this country, had settled

in the 1630’s. The old family home

was now his immediate destination, but

with 80 miles to go, young Peleg had at

least one more night on the road. And

so, leaving “Ipswige,”

I put on as fast as I could and about z of the

clock arrived at a tavern about IO miles out of

Boston. There I bated myself and horse and

then set out for Boston where I arrived about

q of the clock. .

Went to see Greene and he avowed that I

should stop with him all night and play checkers,

so I consented. We walked all over town

together. About dark we went to his lodgings,

he ordered a fire built in one of the chambers

and it was done, so we went to playing checkers.

We had not played so long before along

comes Sam with his bottle of wine, so we drank

wine and played checkers till about 3 of the

clock in the morning. I told them it was almost

meeting time and I wished to go to bed.

We slept till about sunrise at which time I

got up and told them I must be going. They

swore I should not stir till I had drunk half

pint of wine so I drank it and left them, got

my horse and set out, it being Sunday morning.

The old saying, “the better the day,

the better the deed,” was never accepted

by our Puritan ancestors; and our hero

was soon in trouble with the law.

Rode as far as Arnolds in Brantry and called

and got mug of cyder. I then put on and met a

Warden agoing home from the forenoon meeting.

He t>d me I must not ride there Sunday.

I told him I would put up at the tavern just

ahead. So I did put, long enough to drink a

mug of cyder and then put on and rode along

till I came to Hingham meeting house.

Meeting was just done as I got by the meeting

house. The people being acold ran as fast

as they could and so overtook me. The Warden

told me it was against the law to travel Sunday

there. I told him I would put up at Cathmores,

so he let me go and I did put up long

48 Old-Time New England

enough to drink some cyder and then put on

again and about sunset arrive at Uncle Perez’s.

This was not by any means young

Chandler’s only journey from New

Gloucester. He must have gone over the

same roads again when in 1792 he entered

Rhode Island College, now Brown

University, as a member of the sophomore

class, 1795.

Uncle Perez must have lived in Duxbury,

the ancestral home of the Chandler

family. Our hero was now among friends,

the worse of the journey over.

Monday I went to Kingstown [Kingston]

and stayed till about 9 of the clock. Tuesday

then to Duxborough again and Wednesday

went to Halifax.

Called to Watermans to inquire for the

Committee and the house was chock full people

and there I found the committee. We went in

to a chamber and agreed with me, which was

the 9th day of December.

So I went to Gideon Soule’s and kept school

in his house one week till the Schoolhouse was

fixed, then to Thad Torrv and boarded there

one week. January the 12th went to Ephraim

Tinkham’s where I am now this day, which is

the 12th day of February.

And so the journey to Halifax was

safely completed, after six nights on the

road. Today we could leave Bell Tavern

at one of the clock and be in Duxbury

in time for supper; an easy trip, over modern

turnpikes and expressways. No need

to be starting at dawn or before or to put

up with drowsy landlords who sleep till

noon,.nor need we fear the wardens, if

it happens to be the Sabbath when we

make our journey.

After graduation from college he returned

home, anxious to study law, but

his mother’s wishes, and his father’s need

for help with the farm-blacksmith shoptavern

enterprises caused him to put aside

his ambitions. Peleg, Jr., never gave up,

however; and the time came when he

was at last free to take up his chosen profession

first in New Gloucester then in

Bangor. Of these later years his son, Peleg

Whitman Chandler, has written:

Coming upon the stage at so late a day (after

the birth of to children, and well into his forties)

he could not of course expect to take the

highest position. But he was a man of marked

ability, of great wit and humor, fairly read in

the law, and an advocate of more than average

success. In t 8 I 9, before the separation of Maine

from Massachusetts, he was appointed a Judge

of the Court of Sessions. holding the office for

several years after Maine became a State and

until his removal to Bangor. He continued in

the profession until his death in 1848, at the

age of 74.

BIG CHANGES AT ANCESTRY.COM

Ancestry.com has eliminated several of their programs, but will continue with autosomal DNA testing. NONE OF THIS AFFECTS OUR CHANDLER DNA PROJECT AS OUR PROJECT IS WITH THE FTDNA AND OUR CHANDLER PROJECT IS UNDER OUR CONTROL.

Gen Forum, which probably many of you have used, became READ ONLY September. That means you will no longer be able to post or answer questions on the Gen Forum boards such as the Chandler board. Family Trees stored there will also be READ ONLY. Sad to lose the Gen Forum Chandler board, but Rootsweb is still alive and kicking so it is business as usual for their boards and family trees.

Of course we are always here for your Chandler questions.

Ancestry and other genealogy sites were hacked in the early summer, but were back and working after being off for a few days. One nifty site that I found to check if a site is down or the problem is at your end is: Is It Down Right Now? Website Down or Not?

TV NEWS

This past year, new episodes of “Who Do You Think You Are?” on TLC and “Finding your Roots” on PBS were aired. If you missed them, you might be able to catch them in re-runs. As they are popular shows they should be back with new episodes in 2015. PBS’ “Genealogy Roadshow”, which features ordinary folks, will be coming back. Check the PBS site to see if they’re still accepting submissions if you are interested.

For Revolutionary War buffs, the AMC series “Turn” has been renewed for 2015. This show was inspired by the true story of the first Patriot spy ring known as the Culper Ring. It is set mostly in New York.

Here is the official site and current schedule:

TURN: Washington’s Spies – AMC

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

If you live in other parts of the Country, you probably are thinking what could the SCGS have possibly anything to do with me?

If you join you will get free access on your home computer, wherever you are located, to Heritage Quest and World Vital Records. They also have webinars where you can watch lectures and demonstrations by experts from your home computers.

If you are in the LA area, you can visit their library and access Ancestry.com, Fold3 beginning in January, and other resources through their library computers. You can also order Family History microfilm from the LDS.

I attended the Southern California Genealogical Society’s annual Jamboree in June. It is held at the Marriott Hotel in Burbank next to the airport and is the second largest genealogy conference in the country. In addition to the commercial booths (Ancestry, NEHGS, RootsMagic, FTDNA, etc.) many genealogical societies also have booths such as the Jamestown Society, DAR, Mayflower Society, Civil War groups and many more. World renowned experts gave lectures on a variety of topics.

It was free to visit the booths and go to the Genealogical Roundtables on Friday morning. The big prize at the raffle was a trip to the Mormon library in Salt Lake.

I did my part by bringing flyers for the Chandler Family Association, which now includes us, for the freebie literature table. I only brought 20 flyers as I thought how many Chandlers can there be? All of the flyers were gone before noon the next day! Next year I will bring more flyers.

Southern California Genealogical Society: Official Web Site

RESEARCHING IS RESEARCHNG BUT WITH A TWIST:

RESEARCHING IN THE US AND CZECH REPUBLIC

Eventually, you may want to jump the pond and research ancestors there. Hopefully, we will be able to do that for Edmund Chandler one day.

My brother and I were finally able to make a long-held family dream come true to visit the Czech Republic where my grandmother and her family came from. My first trip abroad! No Chandlers involved, but here is a comparison of US vs. Czech research and of course this was also going to be a genealogy trip.

I had a place to begin my research as I had family documents—marriage and birth and couple of town “citizenship” documents. “Citizenship” for lack of a better word, meant that the town had to take of the citizen if he or she became indigent.

As in New England it was not easy to become a “citizen” of a town that you were not born in. In early New England newcomers could be “warned out” even if they had money so in case they ever became indigent the new town would not have to take care of them.

Historical research began at home online just as I would for US research. I studied history, old maps and new maps. Was I thrilled to find my ggg-grandfather listed in a directory as the forester for an estate!

Carol at the gate to her grandmother’s house.

I was even able to find my grandmother’s house on a satellite map with a street view for this small Czech village as Czech online maps show house numbers. Empress Maria Theresa decreed that houses should have numbers in the 1700s and those same numbers are used today unless a house burned down and was replaced.

Carol in front of the house where her grandmother was born in the Czech Republic

Right on the christening certificates, etc. were the parents and grandparent names, addresses and occupations.

A genealogist’s dream, except the documents were in Czech, German or Latin or a combination! Czech is not an easy language as the nouns can change endings as well as the verbs. Also some letters are interchangeable. My brother and I only knew a few Czech words, mostly foods, and the words – dobre pes – good dog!

Just like with US research, I encountered bad handwriting, bad spelling and antique words which slowed down the online dictionary translation. Also, like the US, town, district, area names and boundaries, and countries changed over the years. Many of the names switched back and forth from German to Czech.

I did as much as I could with the records that I had, but then it became time to hire a professional Czech genealogist in order to research archival records. I have not attempted researching Czech records online yet as they are not indexed, even though they can be looked up by region, town and year. Fortunately, most Czech records were not destroyed during the war. It cost me $190 to have one part of my Czech family researched and it was money well spent as I made a list of the ancestral towns and we visited most of them. So much for the idea of one ancestral village! Dobre pes!

RESEARCH TIPS

CEMETERY SYMBOLISM

Our founder, James, sent this handy link explaining some of the meanings behind gravestone symbols.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/a-graphic-guide-to-cemetery-symbolism

WHY WAS MY ANCESTOR BORN IN MORE THAN ONE PLACE?

We know that is impossible, but why do I find multiple birth places for my ancestor?

In New England traveling ministers would record the baptisms they performed as they traveled from town to town. Towns would then take the entire list, not just the ones that were from their town, and include them in their vital records. That’s how one of my ancestors came to be “born” in three different towns in two different states.

Sometimes, when people migrated, their children could be recorded in two different states, or the state they migrated to even though the children were born in the old state. In the case of Jonathan and Rebecca (Packard) Chandler’s family, the grandchildren, or at least some of them, were born in Duxbury, but their births were recorded much later on in Maine. Delayed recording of vital records by ministers and towns also contributed to mistakes because of faulty memories.

The censuses are another source of birth place mistakes. The enumerator could have been asking anyone in the household or a neighbor the questions and they often were mistaken, but those mistakes often hold clues. One man had his birth place listed in three different states on three different censuses across the country. One was correct, but he had resided in all of those states.

UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS

The mystery of the wives of the Zebedee Chandlers and wives of Rev. Abel Chandler is very gradually, being solved, but as some mysteries are being solved new mysteries arise. The saga of the wives could make either a soap opera or a mystery — “In Search of the Wives.”

With the Zebedees it seems that Betsey Briggs is no longer a mystery, but now Mrs. Mary J. Wheeler is. Did Mary marry Zebedee #3 or Zebedee #2?

With Rev. Abel Chandler the mystery is did he marry, divorce, and then remarry Phebe Matney?

Or are there mistakes in the records?

THE ZEBEDEE CHANDLERS

Our last update on the Zebedees of Plympton, Mass and environs was in the July 2010 issue of the Courier. As a refresher there was the original Zebedee and his son and grandson all named Zebedee. Since the last update pictures have been posted on Find A Grave of Lakenham Cemetery, Carver, Plymouth County Massachusetts where Zebedee #3 and two of his wives are buried.

Here is the timeline for the marriages of Zebedee #3 and maybe #2:

July 1, 1804 marriage intentions were filed (from Plympton vital records) for Zebedee #3 and Ruth Cole. She died on August 27, 1834 and is buried in Lakenham Cemetery.

Sept.12, 1838 a Zebedee Chandler marries Bathsheba J. Burt (AKA Bert) from Carver from Massachusetts vital records. She probably married Zebedee #3 as she was between 40 and 50 on the 1840 census and Zebedee #3 was between 50 and 60 and Zebedee #2 was between 70 and 80. We haven’t been able to find a gravestone for her.

April 4, 1841 a Zebedee Chandler marries Mrs. Mary J. Wheeler from Middleborough vital records. Did she marry Zebedee #2 or #3. We don’t know. If she married Zebedee #3 she only lasted a few months. Also, we have not found a gravestone for her.

Sept. 17, 1841 Zebedee Chandler #3 marries Betsey H. Briggs of Freetown, Bristol County, Mass from Massachusetts Vital Records. No marriage intentions were filed. Betsey is buried in Lakenham cemetery as is their daughter, Abby Marie Chandler. Betsey’s gravestone reads: “In memory of Betsey H. Chandler wife of Zebedee Chandler who died May 12, 1845 in 35^th Year.” Zebedee died in 1849 and is also buried in Lakenham cemetery.

Vital Records of Plympton, Massachusetts to the year 1850, Deaths, p. 457
Chandler, Zebedee, widr, farmer, b. P. [dup. h. Zeruiah (d. Benjamin Cushman and Zeruiah), s. Lt. Zebedee and Repentance (second w.), dropsy, Jan. 23, 1844, a. 79y 9m 1d in P. [Jan. 24, C.R. Jan. 23, G.R.1] 

REV. ABEL CHANDLER

It appears now that it was Abel Chandler, Jr. who was enumerated in the 1850 census for Jersey, Jersey Co. Illinois and not his father, Rev. Abel. Our editor, Barb, figured that out as the age was difficult to read. Enumerated with Abel, Jr. were wife Xoa (AKA Zoa), their children, and most likely brother, Alvin Chandler. We don’t know what happened to the young children enumerated in the 1840 US census for Hebron, Maine with Rev. Abel. Rev. Abel also moved to Illinois but could not be found in the 1850 US census.

Abel, Jr. probably died prior to the 1860 US census, because only Alvin, Xoa and her son Charles B. Chandler were enumerated in the 1860 US census and not in Ohio, but back in Maine. One daughter probably died young and the other daughter, although I couldn’t find her in the 1860 census, survived and was found in later censuses.

An Abel Chandler in a household of four was enumerated in the 1855 Illinois state census in Morgan County, Illinois. This was probably either Rev. Abel or his son Abel, Jr.

Rev. Abel married Phebe Matney in Howard County, Missouri in 1846 as he was in Howard County writing a letter to probably his brother Elihu Chandler on Dec. 31, 1857. He wrote that “I have not been keeping house again for over two years, neither do I know as I ever shall. About this, I do not mean to worry, for all that, would not add to my happiness or any one else.” He wrote that he was enjoying success with his circuit riding preaching and would continue with it.

There was a Phebe Chandler enumerated with presumably her daughter, in the 1860 US census in Morgan, Illinois. Assuming that this was the same Phebe, she is obviously not dead and neither is Rev. Abel as he shows up again in the 1880 US census.

So what happened to Phebe Matney?

It is possible that they divorced. Divorce, surprisingly, became very popular in Illinois during that time. Many of Abraham Lincoln’s legal cases during that time were divorces. With Rev. Abel being constantly on the move, maybe that was too much for Phebe.

However, that was apparently not the end for Rev. Abel and Phebe as there is another marriage record for Abel Chandler and Phebe(y) Matney(Motney) that occurred later in that same year (1860) after the census was taken. This was 12 years after their marriage was recorded in Missouri. Did they remarry? Was this a clerical mistake? We don’t know. According to Schuyler County, Illinois records, an Abel Chandler and Mrs. Phebey Matney obtained a license in Schuyler County Illinois on November 1860. Their marriage was announced in “The Schuyler Citizen.”

If they did re-marry what happened to her? As always with Rev. Abel Chandler there is always another mystery.

Sources:

The marriage license was issued November 29, 1860 in Schuyler, Illinois.  Barb found the marriage in Illinois Marriage Records, the official online records for Illinois. Matney was probably transcribed incorrectly as “Motney.”

The marriage of “Able” Chandler and Mrs. Phebe Matney on November 29, 1860, was also announced in “The Schuyler Citizen” 

DECEMBER 7, 2014 EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

 SARAH ODIORNE CHANDLER’S HEADSTONE UNCOVERED

 When Ed Avis of Litchfield, Maine was researching the history of his new home for the town’s centennial he found a deed that read his home was built circa 1790 and that a portion of the property be reserved as a burial ground;

DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAVEYARD

by Ed Avis

“After the death of Thomas and Elizabeth MORGRIDGE, the property was divided into eight portions among their surviving children.  William MORGRIDGE was appointed by the other heirs as their attorney to sell the property.  The original probate records are still on file at the Probate Court in Augusta, folder number M6.  The house and 108 acres (the northerly 6/8 portion of the property) were sold to Charles K. ALLEN on 22 SEP 1853.  Of particular interest is a section of the deed which reserved “one fourth acre of land for a Burying Ground, with the right to pass to and from the same to be laid out in nearly a square Southerly of the gully where the graves now are so as to include all the graves and the trees on the South side of the gully so that the graves shall be protected from washing out“.  This same phrase appears in other deeds, the last being in 1870.  All mention of the graveyard disappears in later deeds and the site was lost to memory.  Checks with local historians, people who have lived in the house this century, town office records, and the Maine Old Cemetery Association revealed no records that the graveyard existed.  After several months of searching, the graveyard was located in September 1995.  To date, four inscribed headstones have been located.  The oldest is a small fieldstone inscribed “B.M. 1803“, which is almost certainly the grave of Thomas and Elizabeth’s daughter, Elizabeth (Betsey), who died at age 14 on 26 JUN 1803.  A second small fieldstone is simply inscribed “M.B.“, and likely stands for “Morgridge Baby” since there are no known names associated with the house with those initials.  The third marker is a commercially produced marble headstone inscribed “Sacred to the memory of ELIZABETH M. ROBINSON, Wife of Benj. Robinson, who died Oct. 19, 1854“.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Morgridge and the second of their children to bear that name (the first Elizabeth, mentioned above, had died prior to the second Elizabeth’s birth).  The last stone located was an unexpected find.  It is also a commercially produced marble marker inscribed “SARAH A., wife of E.G. CHANDLER, died May 2, 1857“.  This was apparently Sarah (Odiorne) Chandler, who lived nearby and may have been related to the Jack family who owned the house at the time of Sarah’s death.  In addition to the four identified markers, there are three or four large fieldstones without inscriptions that likely mark other graves.  A best guess as to others buried there includes (at least) Thomas MORGRIDGE (d. 1838), Elizabeth MORGRIDGE (d. 1840), their son, Timothy MORGRIDGE (d. 1818), plus Benjamin ROBINSON (d. 1859) and Mary S. {    } JACK (d. 1869). “

KENNEBEC JOURNAL NOVEMBER 21, 1995

SARAH ODIORNE CHANDLER’S HEADSTONE

SARAH A. WIFE OF E.G. CHANDLER DIED May 2, 1857 AGED 27 Yrs. 6 Mos. She sleeps in Jesus and is blessed, How sweet her slumbers are. [From suffering] and from sin released And free from every care.

 

NOVEMBER 24, 2014 EDITION OF EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

TIDBITS ABOUT THE LIVES OF OUR ANCESTORS

by Barb Chandler

John Foster (1921-2003)

Like many men after the bombing at Pearl Harbor John I. Foster joined the Air Force. He enlisted in 1942, After training he was assigned to the 14^th Air Force with the “Flying Tigers,” and was sent overseas in 1943. He returned to the United States in 1946.

In 1943 the 14^th Air Force was established by a special order from the President. Prior to this date the squadron was made up of volunteers, the American Volunteer Group (AVG), chosen from active duty servicemen. Their mission was to reorganize China’s Air Force and to provide aid to China in the form of airplanes.

“The Flying Tigers of 14th AF conducted fighter and bomber operations along a wide front that stretched from the bend of the Yellow River and Tsinan in the north to Indochina in the south, from Chengtu and the Salween River in the west to the China Sea and the island of Formosa in the east. Members of the 14^th AF were also instrumental in supplying Chinese forces through the airlift of cargo across “The Hump” in the China-Burma-India theater.” Source: 14^th Air Force Flying Tigers, http://www.military.com/HomePage/UnitPageFullText/0,13476,703323,00.html

John’s lineage is: Edmund Chandler <b 1587 ENG >Joseph Chandler<b 1646 MA >Edmund Chandler <b 1670 MA> Capt. John Chandler<b 1696 MA> Jonathan Chandler<b 1731 MA>Ichabod Chandler<b1762 MA>Elihu Chandler<b 1795 ME>James Chandler<b 1836 IA>Sophronia Jane Chandler<b 1857 IA>+John “Smiley Foster<b 1855 IA>Clarance “Cap” Foster< b 1886 IA>

Everett R. Chandler (1910-2012)

Everett Chandler worked at the post office since 1939, when he enlisted in 1942 he served in the Naval Fleet post office out of San Francisco until his discharge in 1945.

“After Pearl Harbor, when wartime secrecy shrouded the movement of ships, it became necessary to have a central distribution point. Two main Navy post offices were established – one in San Francisco, California and one in New York City. All mail for ships and stations in the West or Pacific Ocean was directed to San Francisco. Mail for East Coast Stations and the Atlantic Ocean went to New York City. In this manner the locations of ships and stations remained unknown to all with the exception of those charged with routing the mail.” Source: United States Fleet Post Office http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/fposf.htm

Everett’s lineage is: Edmund Chandler <b 1587 ENG >Joseph Chandler<b 1646 MA >Edmund Chandler <b 1670 MA> Capt. John Chandler<b 1696 MA> Jonathan Chandler<b 1731 MA>Ichabod Chandler<b1762 MA>Sylvanus Chandler<b 1799 ME>Elbridge Gerry<b 1827 ME>Vestel Noah Chandler<b 1869 IA>

Floyd Chandler(1919-1988) served with the Army in India, Burma and China during World War II. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and was discharged in 1945.

Floyd’s lineage is; Edmund Chandler <b 1587 ENG >Joseph Chandler<b 1646 MA >Edmund Chandler <b 1670 MA> Capt. John Chandler<b 1696 MA> Jonathan Chandler<b 1731 MA>Ichabod Chandler<b1762 MA><Rev. Abel Chandler b 1796 ME>Abel Chandler Jr.<b 1821 ME>Charles B. Chandler<b 1840 ME>Charles Aubrey Chandler<b 1877 ME>

During World War II Harvey S. Dartt, Jr(1908-1997)was a member of the Seabees in Okinawa.

“The Seabees played a key role in the last big operation of the island war, the seizure of Okinawa. The main invasion forces landed on Okinawa’s west coast Hagushi beaches on Easter Sunday, 1 April 1945. Off the amphibious landing craft and over pontoons placed by the 130th Naval Construction Battalion went the 24th Army Corps and Third Amphibious Corps. Right beside them were the 58th, 71st and 145th Naval Construction Battalions. A few days later, two additional Naval Construction Battalions, the 44th and 130th, landed. The fighting was heavy and prolonged, and organized resistance did not cease until 21 June 1945. The Seabees’ task on Okinawa was truly immense. On this agrarian island, whose physical facilities a fierce bombardment had all but destroyed, they built ocean ports, a grid of roads, bomber and fighter fields, a seaplane base, quonset villages, tank farms, storage dumps, hospitals, and ship repair facilities.Nearly 55,000 Seabees, organized into four brigades, participated in Okinawa construction operations. By the beginning of August 1945, sufficient facilities, supplies, and manpower were at hand to mount an invasion of the Japanese home islands.” Source: Seabee History: Formation of the Seabees and World War Two http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq67-3.htm

Harvey’s lineage is;  Edmund Chandler <b 1587 ENG >Joseph Chandler<b 1646 MA >Edmund Chandler <b 1670 MA> Capt. John Chandler<b 1696 MA> Jonathan Chandler<b 1731 MA>Ichabod Chandler<b1762 MA>Elbridge Gerry Chandler<b 1827 ME>Sarah Newella Mae Chandler(Adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hanworth)+Harvey Dartt, Sr<b 1866 WI>

ATTENTION CIVIL WAR ENTHUSIASTS

Charles Harrison Chandler(1821-1899)

There are Civil War records for two men who have the name Charles H. Chandler. One is listed as a private in the 2^nd Maine Calvary, and the second is listed as a Lieutenant Colonel with the 6^th Maine Infantry. Neither man has a birth date listed on the military records on Ancestry. Can any of you tell by the uniform if this is an officer or enlisted man?

 

We welcome tidbits about the lives of your ancestors, pictures with clips giving the lineage of your ancestor, genealogy tips, or anything you believe pertains to genealogy or Chandler history.

OCTOBER 10, 2014 EDITION OF EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

CHANDLER BAND – UPDATE

by Barb Chandler

After I posted the article on the Chandler Band, I received these pictures from Rory McNeil who has a friend who plays the in the band. He reported that the Band continues to be active, and that they are very discerning about the quality of musicians.

ANNIE JUMPER BROWN – POET

by Barb Chandler

Only child of Dr. Nicholas and Huldah Chandler Jumper was born in Minot, Maine April 17, 1824, and died in Auburn, Maine January 1881. When five years old her family removed to Parkman, Maine where he died in 1834. The wife and daughter soon returned to Minot. Anna showed a great fondness for books, and not finding the school privileges needed, Rev. Elijah Jones, a rare scholar, offered the orphan girl the privilege of studying with his own daughters, whom he had educated chiefly at home. Anna’s taste for poetry and her fondness for writing verses of rare sweetness attracted the attention of her friends. She wrote a parody of Hood’s “Song of the Shirt,” entitled “Song of the Shoe,” which was printed in the Maine Farmer. Sometimes teaching, sometimes working in other ways, her girlhood drifted, not carelessly onto womanhood. She was, for a long time, a pupil in Lewiston Falls Academy, under E.P. Weston, and it was during her school days there that she met her future husband. She was a regular correspondent of a Boston journal, and contributed poems to Arthur’s Magazine and other periodicals, sometimes writing sketches and stories as well as verse. She was married to Mr. Oliver H. Brown of Raymond, Maine March 1851. From this time Mr. Brown became a resident of Minot until 1854, when he removed to Auburn, Maine. Mrs. Brown possessed a symmetrical Christian character. She read human nature well, and rarely bestowed her friendship upon unworthy persons. Whom she trusted it was safe for others to trust. Naturally reserved yet possessing a quiet dignity that won the love and respect of her associates. An ardent lover of nature, she drew inspiration from nature. Her most intimate friends were scarcely aware of her gift of song for she had hidden herself behind a nom de plume, and when detected, would assume another. From a large collection of MSS, and printed verses, the following may convey some idea of her gifts as a poet. From: Poets of Maine

Several of her poems are online at; Poets of Maine; Annie Jumper Brown http://books.google.com/books?id=pwguAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA416&lpg=PA416&dq=annie+jumper+brown+maine+poet&source=bl&ots=Om5A91fSVe&sig=R4gqgiKUxRXna-UPKy98i7dheLo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=j14YVMOnB6aM8QGcpYCAAg&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=annie%20jumper%20brown%20maine%20poet&f=false

Ann Susan “Annie” Jumper Brown’s lineage is: Edmund Chandler b 1587 ENG >Joseph Chandler b 1646 MA >Edmund Chandler b 1670 MA> Capt. John Chandler b 1696 MA> Jonathan Chandler b 1731 MA>Avira b 1767 MA>Huldah Chandler b 1789 ME+Dr. Nicholas Jumper b 1787 ME

**CORRECTION: Two pictures of soldiers whose names are unknown were removed since they were not of Elbridge Gerry Chandler.

ELBRIDGE GERRY CHANDLER

Elbridge Gerry Chandler – Photo contributed by Darlene Jones and William Chandler and donated to Courier by Susan Silva .

by Susan Silva  and Barb Chandler

I saw behind me those who had gone, and before me those who are to come. I looked back and saw my father, and his father, and all our fathers, and in front to see my son, and his son, and the sons upon sons beyond.
And their eyes were my eyes.
Richard Llewellyn

“My journey begin in the spring of 2013 when my husband and I visited friends in Washington D.C. I thought it would be nice to drive to Point Lookout state park, where the Potomac meets Chesapeake Bay. I wasn’t aware of any historical significance of that location and just thought it would be a beautiful drive.” Susan said, “When we arrived, I realized there had been a large military camp and prison there during the civil war. Our trip was awesome and when I started working on my genealogy, when I read Elbridge’s transcript of injury a chill went down my back. I was astounded to learn that this location was where he had been at the General Hospital for several months! That fact along with the fact that he saw Robert E. Lee surrender at Appomattox just made my heart sing! Is that why I was so drawn to that area? Who knows? But it is pretty amazing to think of all those ancestor’s who went before us. History truly does live in all of us!”

Born 18 May 1827 in Foxcroft Maine, Elbridge Gerry was the son of Sylvanus and Sarah Harlow Chandler. On November 27 1854 he married Sarah Annie Odiorne in Richmond, Maine. They had one child, Sarah E., born about 1857 in Maine. Sarah A. Odiorne Chandler died May 5 1857, on the 7^th of May 1858 Elbridge married Caroline T.S. Foote. The couple had two sons, Elmer Augusta Chandler born Jan.10, 1860 and George Franklin Chandler born Sept 3 1861 before Elbridge answered the call of his country.

Elbridge Gerry Chandler – Photo contributed by Darlene Jones and William Chandler and donated to Courier by Susan Silva.

On August 13, 1862 Elbridge enlisted in Company E, Maine 1^st Cavalry Regiment. His unit number was 10141014. He served with distinguished service. He was involved in battles of Antietam Md., Gettysburg Pa., Richmond, Va., Spotsylvania Court House, Va., Malvern Hill, Va., and Sailors Creek, Va. On May 29^th 1865 Elbridge mustered out having the rank of full corporal, and returned to his family in Maine.

He was disabled after sustaining injuries due to his service, and applied for a pension.

Transcript of Injury–Elbridge G Chandler 4-10-1883:

In a charge was thrown from my horse by his falling and my back was

so badly hurt that I was sent to the Hospital at City Point while

there was taken with cronic diareah [sic] after staying there from

foor[sic] to six weeks was then trasfered to Point Lookout, Maryland

where I was treated for 3 to 4 months was examined and marked for the

Condemned Yankee Corps but would not go there so I was sent forward

for duty and I went through the last of the campaign and was glad to

see Lee surrinder was discharged by Special Order don’t remember—

number and after my discharge was treated by Doctor Russell of

Wilton, Franklin County Maine-and that the first year after my

discharge was confined to my bed about one half of my time and under

medical treatment all the time during said year, and that since that

time have been continually with the cronic diareah neuralgia and the

piles, and previous to my enlistment was free from all of said

disabilities and that since my discharge have not been able to

perform more than one third of manuel labor of a well man. And it is

impossible to make the required Proof for the following reasons to

wit: Because was absent from my command at the time of my hurt. and

was sent to the Hospital by officer that were unknown to me. and

that my Captain was killed a few days before the surrender of Lee.

9-27-1883:

Sometime in July 1863 I was taken sick while on detached duty the

Doctor called it intermittant fever and was sent from there to

Washington and remained in the hospital 2 or 3 days, then was sent to

the dismounted camp in Washington. Was kept there sometime can’t say

positively how long. The was sent to my regiment at Coal Harbor.

That in the spring of 1864 after the Command had made it first Rode.

Then I was tetailed to 30 with it sick and wounded to White House

landing was then mounted and with about 175 men of our command and

was ordered to Melvern Hill to take it works and while in Battle line

there was some 12 or 15 of the left wing where I was stationed. I

was cut off by the Rebel Cavalry. My horse fell and hurt my back and

was sent to City Point Field Hospital put under its charge of some

Doctor don’t remember the name. While there took the cronic diareah

and was sent from there to Point Lookout, Maryland to the General

Hospital was treated there some three months and was then sent from

there at my own request to City Point dismounted Camp from there

returned to my Regiment and after the surrender of Lee was discharged

by Special Order for all soldiers whose terms expired sometime in

August. That the first Physician that I was treated by was D.L.

Russel of Wilton, Maine who was the examining surgeon of that

District in 1865. I made an application for Pension at that time by

his advise and he sent his certificate at that time to the

Department. Since I came west was treated by Dr Phipps of El Dorado

Springs Missouri have also been treated by Dr Hayes of Cambridge

Story County Iowa also by Dr Crammer of Newell Iowa Buena Vista

County also Horace M Stevens of Cambridge Mass was my Regiment

Surgeon whose affidavit is on file in the Department. Source: Pension file NARA.

Elbridge moved his family to Iowa. Where six children were born: Henry Hartman Chandler born 1867, Vestal Noah Chandler born 1869, Charles Chandler born 1870, Clara A. born 12 October 1871, Sarah Newella Mae Chandler born 7 June 1873 (was adopted by the Haworth family) and, Arthur Elmer Chandler born October 1876.

Caroline Adora Foote died on Dec. 31, 1879. Elbridge married his first cousin Medora Elizabeth Chandler, daughter of William and Phebe Mason Chandler, on 3 Feburary, 1886. The couple had a daughter; Golden O. Chandler born 19 January, 1888.

Elbridge Gerry Chandler died 10 October, 1901. His obituary, written by his sister Sarah H. Chandler Miller was published in the Maxwell Tribune October 24, 1901: Died in his home in Pleasantville, Iowa, October 10^th, Elbridge G. Chandler aged seventy-four years and six months. Mr. Chandler was born in Foxcroft Maine, in which state he continued to reside until the Civil war, when in response to his country’s call he enlisted in the first Maine cavalry where he remained for some time. About thirteen years ago he removed to Pleasantville. He has been in very poor health since he returned from the war, and death came as a happy release. He was a sincere Christian and to him death had no terrors, and although death came suddenly, being confined to his bed only a few days, yet it found him ready. His wife and daughter Clara, from Arizona, came with the remains to Cambridge, October 15^th, and the morning of the 16^th a short service was held at the home of his brother, after which he was laid to rest in the Cambridge Cemetery. Cambridge dispatch. The subject of the above sketch was the eldest brother of Mrs. J. H. Miller, of this place. She went from here to Cambridge to be present when his remains were brought to that city and to attend the funeral. Mrs. Miller has the sympathy of many friends in her sorrow.

“I believe Elbridge’s war injury affected the remainder of his life and I think it was a struggle for him. He had buried two wives and I believe he had difficulty supporting his family. He adopted out a younger daughter, as he wasn’t able to care for her. His chronic ill health probably gave him a poor quality of life. His obituary explains it well when it says “death came as a happy release”. Whoever wrote that gave us an inside view that perhaps he was suffering and he was glad to “go home to his maker, Susan stated.”

Susan Silva’s lineage is; Edmund Chandler b 1587 ENG >Joseph Chandler b 1646 MA >Edmund Chandler b 1670 MA> Capt. John Chandler b 1696 MA> Jonathan Chandler b 1731 MA>Ichabod Chandler b 1762 MA>Silvanus Chandler b 1799 ME>Eldridge Gerry Chandler b 1827 ME>Elmer Augustus Newell Chandler b 1860 ME>Dearl Chandler b 1896 Idaho>Peggy Chandler b 1931 WA+John Silva Jr. b 1930 Colorado

SOURCES

1^st Maine Calvalry; http://www.mainecav.org/

Point Lookout State Park and Civil War Museum; http://www.civilwar.org/civil-war-discovery-trail/sites/point-lookout-state-park-and-civil-war-museum.html

HANNAH CHANDLER ROPES CIVIL WAR NURSE AND SOCIAL REFORMER

by Barb Chandler

Hannah Chandler Ropes (1809-1863)

When her husband, William, left Hannah Chandler Ropes  to raise their two children Alice (1841-1918) and Edward (1837-1931). Her life changed dramatically.

DEVELOPING SELF-RELIANCE

Shortly after her divorce she moved with her daughter from their home in Waltham, Massachusetts, to Kansas to join her son who was homesteading in near Lawrence. She had become very interested in the abolitionist movement. Anti-abolitionist raiders caused Hannah and her family to take up arms to protect themselves against constant attack. Many in the community became sickened with malaria and typhoid and asked Hannah to nurse them. Eventually, she contracted malaria. After her recovery Hannah and her children returned to Massachusetts in 1859.

NURSE AND SOCIAL REFORMER

In 1862 Hannah’s son enlisted in the 2nd Massachusetts regiment. His enlistment motivated her to offer her nursing skills to the Union, and was named Head Matron of the Hotel Hospital in Georgetown. In one of the letters to her mother Hannah confessed that her work in the hospital wards was maternally inspired, as her patients reminded her of her son, Edward, “…and it seemed as though these patients were he, in fifty duplicates.”

Her workload was heavy and the hectic pace, unrelenting. In addition to bathing and feeding the patients and disinfecting the wards. She provided palliative care to the sick and injured, working to relieve their pain and symptoms.

Hannah wrote to her mother in the fall of 1862: “I can’t go back (home) unless you need me more than the soldiers do… I have given myself up to this work, not for salary and laziness, but for love of country.”

The conditions in the Union Hotel Hospital where Hannah worked were far from ideal. It was described as a tavern converted into use as a military hospital after the original area hospitals could no longer handle the ever increasing casualties. The dilapidated building was poorly lit with few windows, and outfitted with antiquated plumbing supplying water to the kitchen and the adjacent toilets. Louisa May Alcott, who worked with Hannah, described the squalid surroundings in her journals. “It was well-ventilated for five panes of glass had compound fractures…,” she wrote. “Poke up the fire…for a more perfect pestilence box than this house I never saw…cold, damp, dirty, full of vile odors from wounds, wash-rooms & stables.”

Hannah criticized the lack of sanitation, the indifference and cruel treatment of soldiers. She often butted heads with military physicians who resented the presence of women in the hospital. But her strong sense of justice kept her from backing down and she fearlessly reported on incompetent surgeons, uncaring ward physicians and bullying orderlies. She even turned in a hospital steward who was pilfering the money budgeted for the hospital’s laundry soap. The hospital matron’s high professional standards and diligence earned her the admiration of Union Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, who reviewed her written exposes of unfair practices at the hospitals.

On January 9, 1863, Hannah wrote in her last letter to her son, briefly mentioning that she and Miss Alcott had “worked together over four dying men and saved all but one…we both took cold…and have pneumonia and have suffered terribly.”

On January 20, 1863, Hannah Ropes lost her bout with typhoid pneumonia, and died.

Ropes’ good friend and supporter, Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts eulogized Hannah’s life and contributions in a letter: “Mrs. Ropes was a remarkable character, noble and beautiful and I doubt if she has ever appeared more so than when she has been here in Washington, nursing soldiers.”

Hannah Chandler Ropes lineage is; Edmund Chandler b 1587 ENG >Joseph Chandler b 1646 MA >Joseph Chandler Jr. b 1672 MA>Phillip Chandler b 1702 MA>Peleg Chandler b 1735 MA>Peleg Chandler Jr. b 1773 MA

SOURCES

Civil War Primer by Pat Granstra; http://www.civilwarprimer.com/2012/03/hannah-ropes-the-other-woman-behind-little-women/

Hannah Ropes Union Civil War Nurse; http://civilwarwomenblog.com/hannah-ropes/

The Oregon Herald, 150^th Anniversary of Nurse Hannah Rope’s Death and Oregon’s Civil War Nurses;

http://www.oregonherald.com/oregon/local.cfm?id=2897

Do you have an idea for a story you’d like to see? Or, a Chandler ancestor you’d like to have featured. Please contact Barb Chandler at barb95831@gmail.com

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014 EDITION OF EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

CHANDLER BAND

by Barb Chandler

Bands come and go, but Chandler’s band continues to make music today.

In 1833 the Chandler band, known as the Portland band, had its start. When D.H. Chandler became the conductor in 1843 it was renamed the Chandler Band. Under Chandler’s leadership the band became one of the finest performing bands of its kind.

In 1861 at the request of General Francais Fessenden the members of the Chandler’s band were mustered into service of the Union Army serving until the end of the Civil War and have received accolades for their musical talent:

A COMPLIMENT TO CHANDLER AN HIS BAND

“The band of the 10^th Maine Regiment is composed of musicians residing in Portland and vicinity, and its leader is Mr. D.H. Chandler of this city. In the Martinsburg Virginia we find the following in relation to this band: The 10^th Maine Regimental band came up from Harper’s Ferry to attend the Union meeting Saturday night last. For this kindness they have the unfeigned thanks of our citizens. They discoursed the most excellent music to the delight of all who heard them. After the meeting adjourned they serenaded the venerable Judge Pendelton, now in his 84^th year, though weak and feeble physically his patriotism has suffered no decay with accumulating years. They also complimented Com. Boarman, one of our leading Union citizens, with a serenade. We hope they will visit us again.” Source: Wednesday, April 30, 1862, Portland Daily Advertiser, Page 2  

After the war the band played at both public and private venues. Since 1875 it has played for Bowdoin College commencements, led this country’s Centennial Celebration Parade in 1876, playing at the Bicentennial Celebration Parade in 1976 at Concord, Mass.

Chandler’s Band, Portland, 1898 – Maine Historical Society

Click on this link https://archive.org/details/VeteransMemorialBridgeDedicationCeremony to watch the Chandler Band play during the dedication ceremony of the new Veterans Memorial Bridge connecting Portland and South Portland in 2012.

The founder and conductor, Daniel H. Chandler(1818-1902) who was born in New Hampshire and is the son of Daniel(1754-?) and Sarah Danforth Chandler(1784-1860) is probably not in the Edmund Chandler line.

Source: Chandler’s Band http://www.chandlersband.com/

PRIVATE SETH CHANDLER WELCH

by Barb Chandler

Seth Welch(1839-1862), son of Thomas and Angerona Chandler Welch, enlisted in Company B 11^th Infantry Regiment Maine on 8 November 1861. He died in June 1862 at Savage Station Virginia.

According to a document found on Fold 3 Seth became sick while on duty near Chicken-howling Railroad Bridge in Virginia and was taken to the regimental hospital in the Bradley house being very sick with pneumonia and inflammation of the lungs. On the 27^th or 28^th of June he was sent to Savage Station where he was captured by the enemy and soon after died.

During the Civil War Savage Station was a field hospital, located in Henrico County Virginia on what was the Richmond and York River Railroads. A battle between Union and Confederate soldiers was fought there on June 29, 1862. Union forces were overwhelmed and withdrew abandoning supplies and more than 2, 5000 wounded soldiers in the field hospital. More than likely Seth was one of the soldiers who were abandoned. He was taken prisoner and died at Savage Station, Virginia.

Savage Station, Va. Field hospital after the battle. (Gibson, James F., photographer).

Seth’s lineage is; Edmund Chandler>Joseph Chandler>Capt. John Chandler>Jonathan Chandler>Ichabod Chandler>Ichabod Chandler,Jr.>Angerona Chandler Welch

MERCY CHANDLER TYLER

by Barb Chandler

Overlooking the Siskyou mountains, in a tree-lined meadows with an abundant water supply Thomas Stephen(1810-1880) and Mercy Chandler Tyler(1812-1899) made their home. They lived on a farm in Tyler Gulch in of Scott’s Valley, Siskyou, California.

                                           Scott Valley California

Thomas and their oldest son, Justin, worked on the farm, and tended the apple orchard while Mercy probably raised vegetables for the family garden as part of her household chores.

Both Thomas and Mercy had New England roots. Thomas was born in Massachusetts and Mercy was born in Maine. They were married at Turner Maine in 1833. Their first two children, Justin Spalding Tyler(1834-1906) and Elizabeth Ober Tyler Sperry(1836-1876) were born in Maine.

The family moved to Illinois in 1837 where the rest of their children were born; Sarah Jane(1839-1851), Julia Ann Tyler Wike(1844-1915), Charles Alonzo “Charley” Tyler(1858-1931), Alvira “Vi” Tyler Thomas(1844-1910), Emma Urania Tyler(1851-1924), and Harriet Marie “Hattie” Tyler Thomas(1852-1881).

The Tyler’s traveled from their home in Illinois to California in 1867 with three of their children and joined their oldest son Justin who had moved to the state during the gold rush.

Mercy died 17 April 1899:

THE LATE MRS. MERCY TYLER

“Mrs Mercy Tyler, the deceased, was born in Minot, State of Maine, on the 19th day of February, 1812. Her maiden name was Chandler, and she was the third of a family of eleven children. Her parents were of American birth, and her father during her infancy was a soldier in the war of 1812.

For 21 years her home was in Minot. Then she went to Turner, Maine, where in 1833, she was married to Mr. Thomas S. Tyler by Rev. Mr. Greely. In 1837 she removed with her husband and two children to Griggsville, Ill., where they lived until 1869. During their residence in Illinois six children were born into their home. In 1869, accompanied by three of their children, they removed to California and located with their oldest son on the property now owned by Mr. Wm Grider in Sciad Valley, and from there they in 1871 removed to Scott Valley. Mr Tyler died January 4, 1880, since which time Mrs Tyler made her home with her youngest son Charles Tyler, a few miles from Fort Jones.

Of the eight children of the deceased, five still live, i.e. Mr J.S. Tyler, Mrs J. Wike of Illinois, Mrs Thomas of Shasta Valley, Mrs A. Milne of Scott Bar and Mr Charles Tyler of our own community. Four of the surviving children are with us today. She leaves behind thirty-seven grand children and twenty great grandchildren.

For years, or since the age of 19, she has been a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having joined the church at Bath, Maine, in 1831. From Bath she received a certificate of membership, and was transferred to the church at Griggsville, Ill., and by letter from Griggsville, she became a member of the M.E. Church in Fort Jones. As her Pastor, it has been for me to pray with her in her late home, and her sightless eyes would fill with tears as she unite with me before the Father’s throne. She rested from her labors on April 17th, 1899, in Shasta Valley, where she was visiting her daughter.

Mrs Tyler’s remains were taken from the home of her daughter Mrs Alvira Thomas in Shasta Valley, near Montague, to the Methodist Church in Fort Jones, followed by her children, grand children and great grandchildren, and many friends, and laid in the Fort Jones cemetery by the side of her husband who died January 4th, 1880.” Source: April 26, 1899 Scott Valley News.

Mercy’s lineage is;

Mercy Chandler>Jonathan Chandler+Mercy Hall>Nathaniel Chandler>Ruth Fish>>Jonathan Chandler+Rebecca Packard>Capt. John Chandler+Bethiah Rickard>Edmund Chandler+Elizabeth Alden**>Joseph Chandler+Mercy unknown>Edmund, the immigrant+unknown.

Anthony and Emma Taylor Milne – Picture donated by Rory McNeil

                         Milne Family – Picture donated by Rory McNeil

Top: George Washing Wilke and Julia Tyler Wilke Bottom: Thomas Stephen Tyler and Mercy Chandler Tyler

George and Lola Tyler. – Picture donated by Rory McNeil

Mercy Chandler Tyler—>Charles Alonzo Tyler—>Thomas George Tyler—>Rita Tyler McNeil—>Rory

Thanks to Rory McNeil for providing the information and pictures that appeared in this article. Mercy is her great great grandmother. If you would like to connect with another Mercy ancestor Rory’s email is; rorymc@snowcrest.net

 Do you have an idea for a story you’d like to see? Or, an ancestor you’d like to have featured. Please contact Barb at barb95831@gmail.com

AUGUST 26th, 2014 EDITION OF EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

CHANDLER/LINCOLN CONNECTION

by Barb Chandler

Are you an ancestor of Abraham Lincoln? Perhaps these clues may help you decide.

This letter by Mary Alice Chandler Kelly(1878-1969), daughter of James S.(1836-1908) and Lucetta Miller Chandler(1836-1928), had been circulating in my family for years;

“My grandmother, Nancy Hanks Miller(1794-1873), was a cousin of Abraham Lincoln’s mother. Both had the name of Nancy Hanks. Grandfather Billie Miller and Nancy Hanks were married in Kentucky. The came with the Lincolns to Illinois. From there they came to Iowa settling a few miles from New London and Mt. Pleasant. They had 13 children and raised two others. Mother(Luicetta) was born after the family came to Iowa, June 25 1836. She was the first white girl born in Pleasant Grove Township.

Grandmother played a vital part in Lincoln’s life by weaving material and making his clothes, not by machine but by hand; also nursing him through typhoid fever.”

While I was researching another one of James Chandler’s children; Nancy Chandler Chadwick(1860-1937). I found more information about a Chandler/Lincoln connection in this addition to her obituary;

“In making application for membership in the Journal’s Three-Quarter Century club last summer, Mrs. Chadwick gave this information on the blank where space was provided for any specially interesting facts about the life of the applicant: My grandmother and Abraham Lincoln’s mother were cousins both named Nancy Hanks. My grandmother’s name was Nancy Hanks Miller. Abe Lincoln was employed to teach the district school in the Miller neighborhood. Naturally he went to live at the home of my grandmother. While there he fenced my grandfather’s land. He also split rails for jeans to make his pants and my grandmother wove the goods and made the pants. My mother’s older sister had a dress bought of Lincoln when he peddled goods. He drove a horse and wagon at that time.” Source: Washington Evening Journal dated 25 January 1937

I wanted to find some verifiable information connecting the Chandler family to Abraham Lincoln, and hit pay dirt when I found this letter penned by William Miller, husband of Nancy Hanks Miller;

William Miller to Abraham Lincoln, Wednesday, May 11, 1864 (Promotion for Elisha Wright)
From William Miller to Abraham Lincoln [With Endorsement by Lincoln]1, May 11, 1864

New London
Henry County Iowa
11th May, 1864

My dear Sir

You may not reccollect an old man now tottering on the verge of the grave — then living in Macon County Illinois who wore the name of William Miller and married your Cousin Nancy Hanks

With the keenest remembrances of old times I will never forget Your visits to my humble home which you will reccollect although plain was free as the air to yourself. Providence has far exceeded your expectations and mine in placing you in the great White House. Whilst age has made me feeble When in Illinois, I was so well acquainted with you that I could venture to talk to you about everything and I hope your elevation to place has not changed your native kindness

You will perhaps reccollect Aunt Nancy’s Sister, Celia Hanks, she You will reccollect married John. D. Wright who afterwards came to Des Moisnes Iowa– John was our County Surveyor was a member of the Legislature and of the State Convention which formed Our Constitution and was withal a very honest clever man

Poor Celia died about twenty years ago when her twin Children, Elisha and Electa were one month old– I took them children and raised them. Elisha had a very good Education and clerked in a Store until the war broke out and then he volunteered to go to the war to help Cousin Abe (as we all call you) preserve the Country Elisha is a good sensible honest trust worthy boy, and has been in many hard fights. And is a good Soldier I want him to get promotion after so much fighting and suffering He is worthy of a place in the Regular Army as Lieutenant and will in such position never disgrace his Kinsman who can easily give him the appointment he so richly deserves He is a private in Company K. 19th Iowa Infantry

I need not add more which will tire You, I am now upwards of seventy and have to get a friend to write for me as I dictate as I am feeble.

I feel anxious before I die to do something for my dear relative Elisha and feel sure that you will do this for me.

Aunt Nancy is feeble like myself. She joins in my love

to you that God will bless you

in this great time of

trouble

I am your Cousin

Affectionatily

William Miller

[ Endorsed by Lincoln:]

William Miller — Bill Miller

[Note 1 Miller was married to Nancy Hanks, a daughter of Lincoln’s great uncle William Hanks. Her brother was Lincoln’s cousin and Indiana companion, John Hanks. Elisha Wright, in whose behalf Miller writes, did not receive a commission in the U. S. Army, but he was considered for the position as secretary for the Montana Territory. See Lincoln, Memorandum on Montana Patronage, [June 1864].]

Source: Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mal:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28d3298900%29%29

The Chandler/Lincoln connection comes through James S. Chandler’s marriage to Lucetta Miller.

James S. and Lucetta Miller Chandler

 

James S Chandler’s lineage is ; Edmund Chandler >Joseph Chandler >Edmund Chandler > Capt. John Chandler > Jonathan Chandler > Ichabod Chandler > Elihu Chandler > James S Chandler

Are you a distant cousin many times removed to Lincoln? If you have researched this line I would love to hear the stories you have found.

FREEMAN CHANDLER JR. SHEEP RANCHER

by Barb Chandler

Siskiyou County(red dot)

Freeman Chandler Jr.(1828-1900), son of Freeman(1801-?) and Esther Austin Chandler(1797-?), owned a large sheep ranch on Willow Creek in Siskiyou County California. Freeman raised and ran sheep on the Willow Creek mountain area, Chandler Glade being one of his camps. Evidence remains of a ditch he started to convert water down the hill to their ranch.

To see a  map of Chandler Glade click this link: http://california.hometownlocator.com/maps/bigmap,n,chandler%20glade,fid,258196.cfm

Source: Biography of Freeman Chandler, Jr. found on a family tree at Ancestry.c0m

CHANDLER OKLAHOMA LAND RUN OF 1891

by Barb Chandler

Did one of our ancestors try to stake a claim in Chandler, named for Judge George Chandler who was a Congressman and commissioner of the Washington Land Office.

Chandler Oklahoma(red dot).

During the time of the Chandler land run Levi Jason Chandler(1838-1901), son of Sylavanus(1799-1882) and Sarah Harlow Chandler(1803-1880), was relocating from Iowa to Oklahoma. In the 1880 census he was living in Troy, Iowa, and in 1900 census he lived in the town of Miami Oklahoma.

Levi Jason Chandler

Perhaps Levi was one of the riders that this newspaper article describes:

IT WAS A WILD RUSH. HOW SETTLERS ENDERED THE TOWN SITE OF CHANDLER-MANY REPORTED KILLED.

“Gutherie, O.T., Septembe 29-”Couriers who have arrived here this afternoon gave the following particulars and horrible details which attended the opening of the government town site of Chandler in the Sac and Fox reservation, which was opened to settlement on week ago:

The town site was opened to settlement at 12 o’clock yesterday, and the scene which followed the volley of musketry which announced the opening of the town site was amazing.

A mass of 3,000 excited men and women, intent upon securing a lot, had gathered about the boundary of the town. Some were on horses or broncos and others on foot, stripped of all superfluous clothing, each carrying a sharpened stick with the name and notice of the lot taken thereon, all strung to the highest pitch of excitement.

At 12:00 o’clock sharp the signal was given and with a mighty yell from 3,000 throats, and admid the cracking of whips and volleys of oaths, shouts, and curses, a conglomerate mass of men and women, on horseback and foot, rushed like manics for the town lots. The clambered up the steep cliff.

LIKE SOLIDERS CHARGING A FORTRESS.

The line was one mile long on each side and half-mile long on each end. The rush was toward lot 38 which was reserved for a courthouse.

As the angles of the advancing lines met many riders were unhorsed and hurled pell mell into the road. Many persons are reported killed and others as having received severe injuries. Miss Daisy, a representative of the Guthrie News, was thrown from her horse at the beginning of the race and striking her head on a rock was killed. The excited and merciless crowd had no time to attend the dying and rode over the body of the unfortunate woman, until it was recognized by a friend who took it out of the surging mass of humanity.

As there were three or four times as many people as there were lots the result could be easily foretold. There are from three to six claimants for a great many of the good lots tonight. On every hand can be heard curses. It will take considerable time to adjust these differences. An Indian killed a white man over a quarrel in one of the tents were liquor was being sold.” Source: Wednesday September 30, 1891, Daily Inter Ocean(Chicago, Ill.), VolumneXX, Issue 190, page 1.

Whether Levi Chandler was part of this or not is a matter of speculation. The land rush is a page from our history that describes what people went through to settle our country.

July 19th Edition of Edmund’s Community Courier

 

     I’m planning to put articles on the Courier more frequently. If you would like to receive a notification by email rather than waiting for an announcement as soon as an article is added please add your email by click on “Email subscription”on the right hand side of the page . Thanks Barb Chandler

    GENOGRAMS FOR THE GENEALOGIST by Barb Chandler

     Family Systems Theory is being applied by genealogists to gain self-knowledge and insight into their family dynamics through diagramming behavioral patterns of ancestors using a Genogram.

     A Genogram is a diagram outlining the history of the behavior patterns such as; abuse, alcoholism, or domestic violence, of a family over several generations.

     It’s amazing the insight a person can gain by using a Georgram. I am a former crisis therapist trained in Family Systems Theory and whenever I opened cases, I used a Genogram to help me understand the family as a whole. I had a hard time believing that something as simple could help me so much.

Should you should decide to use a Genogram to gain insight into your families functioning; understanding the basic concepts of Family Systems is helpful.

     If you watched the PBS series in the 1980’s “On The Family” hosted by John Bradshaw you’ve been exposed to Family Systems Theory. During this series; Bradshaw talked about the family unit and how each member plays a role to reduce tension in order to maintain stability. Bradshaw used a mobile to illustrate the primary concept of this theory; that families generate a field of energy that impacts every member.

     The primary goal of the family unit is to maintain stability by reducing tension, each member of the family has their role to play in this endeavor according to their birth order. In general it has been found that the first child acquires the values and goals of the parents, the second child acquires the griefs of the parents, the third child acquires the unresolved conflicts between the parents, and the fourth child will acquire the unresolved conflicts of the entire family system; the fifth child will behave as a first child, sixth as a second, and so on.

     The other way a family reduces tension and maintains stability is to pass their dysfunctional behavior on to future generations. For example, the wife is profoundly depressed and lies in bed all day. Her husband, in addition to his work schedule, does the cooking, etc. This change in roles establishes a new equilibrium in the family which can lead to dysfunction since the husband may not be able to maintain this new role over a long period. In order to reduce tension and maintain stability their dysfunctional behavior is passed on to future generations.

     To illustrate how Systems Theory can be applied to genealogy; I’ll use my research as an example. When I discovered a newspaper article stating my gg grandparents divorced because of “extreme cruelty.” I felt that by digging further into this family I might gain some insight into my own family. In light of the newspaper article and other facts obtained it became clear that this family had many issues which more than likely were never resolved and in order to maintain stability passed it on to other generations. Gathering this information helped me explain probable reasons for the behavior of my immediate family.

     WikiHow at http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Genogram gives detailed instructions on how to make your own Genogram . There are also a number of “how to” videos on YouTube.

     I’ve described Family Systems in a nutshell. If you would like to learn more Bowen Family System Theory and Practice is a very good resource, and can be found at: http://www.familysystemstraining.com/papers/bowen-illustration-and-critique.html

     I have been preparing descendency lists on Chandlers beginning with Ichabod’s children, I’m finding some interesting information which I plan to put on the newsletter periodically. I would love,  to see more stories about your Chandler ancestors or genealogy in general from the membership. Please consider sending these to me. My email is barb95831@gmail.com Thanks.

Edmund’s Community Courier April 24, 2014

Hi everyone,

Our web master and founder, James, will be updating our ECFA web site.

First, our membership list. Nearly all of you have renewed your membership, but there are a few stragglers.  If you intend to remain in our group, please send your dues to our treasurer, Bob. Otherwise I will have to delete your name from our Membership List.

The list includes lineages and e-mail addresses for our members. It is organized by family groups so I hope will be easy to find members who are the most closely related to you.

The updated list will go into the MEMBERS’ ONLY section so only members will have access to the list. It will not be available to the public. If you don’t wish to have your e-mail address listed, let me know.

Also amongst several other stories to be updated is our BRICK WALL list. If you have a Chandler brick wall, please send it James at romans12jc@gmail.com to add to the list.

We have been in talks with our Chandler Family Association  liaison about our annual problems with our internet server for our web site. Our server is paid every year on time, but they can’t seem to figure that out without a lengthy struggle with them.  We have also had our site go down a couple of times because of our server.

We are going to be looking into using the same internet server as the CFA uses. The Chandler DNA Project is sponsored by both our group and the CFA, but the project page is on our web site.

As I mentioned previously, the CFA originally began many years ago as a group dedicated to descendants of John Chandler of 1610 Jamestown.  Research over the years and  DNA testing showed that there were dozens of Chandler families who did not descend from John Chandler in their group.

So now the CFA is moving toward having chapters of different Chandler families under the umbrella of the CFA.  We are exploring joining in an affiliation with them, but would keep our own identity and projects so there would not be a material change in what we do.  An affiliation would avoid duplication of research and server problems.  It would also provide us with back-up structure and an additional place to house our research so it would not be dependent on so few.

Here is their link:

Chandler Family Association – About the CFA

We will keep you all posted on our talks with them and if any of you have suggestions or comments please let us know.

Lastly a little TV news.  The Revolutionary War is finally getting a little TV time with “Turn.”  It is on AMC. It is about a ring of Revolutionary War spies known as the Culper Ring who really existed.  They probably were in liaison with the Committees of Correspondence, but I haven’t seen the show yet so can’t say for sure. I believe that it takes place in the Middle States.

“Salem” is on WGN America.  I don’t get that cable channel, but it takes place during the witch hunts. The LA Times reviewer admired the costumes, but not the show that much. From what I read, it is not historically accurate and has gone the fad route of fixating on witches.

Until next time, happy hunting!

Carol

EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER WINTER/SPRING 2014

 

Chandler research marches on as usual and as usual instead of taking a straight line into the current topic, this time the Revolutionary War (although I did get there!), the path led to assisting in further research into Joseph’s will and his son Edmund’s inventory (half of our group descends from Joseph), the hunt for Edmund’s origins through DNA testing, breaking down more brick walls and making new discoveries, and more which are all featured in this issue.

Our Revolutionary War series continues with Part 2, “The Stirrings of Revolution: the Committees of Correspondence and Safety” of which two of our Chandlers were members. They were brothers Perez Chandler of Duxbury, who we will feature this issue, and Peleg Chandler of New Gloucester, Maine, who we will feature next issue.

I am working on a “Revolutionary War Timeline” which, as research progresses, I hope to add the various Chandler Revolutionary War veterans and Patriots to their place in the Timeline. At end of the series I hope to post the Timeline.

Next issue, in addition to Peleg Chandler, we hope to move on to military or Patriotic service by other Edmund descendants. Benjamin Chandler descendants have not been forgotten as we plan to feature Capt. Jonathan Chandler of the Battle of Bennington and some of the New Hampshire Chandlers in future issues. Judah Chandler will reappear as well as he participated in the capture of the British ship Margaretta in the Battle of Machias.

Also, Billie’s story of “The War of Richard Jenkins’ Ear” will be featured. Yes, this was a real war, ill-fated and ill advised, which Nathaniel Chandler was caught up in.

A reminder to those who are members of the ECFA, renewal notices have gone out. Dues go to maintaining the website, DNA research, and hopefully soon to re-vamp and update the website. Our member, Dick, is pushing DNA research into England and we want to be ready to provide funds for tests or upgrades if need be.

HELP NEEDED

If any of you have any tech skills such as knowledge about web sites or Rootsmagic that would also help. A lot!

Lastly, if any of you have pictures, stories, small or big, involving Chandlers please send them to me or to Barb for the Courier.

DNA NEWS

The search continues for DNA matches with the Edmund Chandler family in England. Currently we are waiting for test results for a Chandler testee from Essex, England whose lineage traces back to William Candler who was born in the 1700s. It was also a hot bed of religious dissent during Edmund’s time and Edmund was a dissenter which is why he left England. While a match wouldn’t necessarily tell us who Edmund descended from it would give us the likely place that he came from.

We struck out with a testee from Buckinghamshire, England, but we are not giving up on Buckinghamshire yet as that one testee may not be representative of all of the Chandlers in that area.

We found out about Buckinghamshire Chandlers from Orland Chandler, who has just rejoined our group. Buckinghamshire first interested Orland as a possibility for Edmund’s origins as the Chandlers who lived there were blacksmiths and a few years later they became famous for their bell making foundry. Those bells still ring today. There were also at least two Edmund Chandlers from the same era as our Edmund and there were also religious dissenters in the area so you can see why the Edmund Chandler research radar went on high alert.

As Dick wrote, this kind of research is a roller-coaster ride as we have had hopes raised and dashed in the past. If the Essex testee’s comes back as promising, the ECFA will pay for the upgrade if need be.

The video above shows the  raising the 2nd bell at Mentmore so that it can be rung for full circle change-ringing. This ring of 5 bells was cast by Chandler of Drayton Parslow in 1668 and installed in the timber frame which was made at the same time. The bells have never been removed from the tower or re-tuned, so sound as they did when they were first installed.

Monastic building at Coggeshall abbey.

Coggeshall – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The town where William Candler came from in Essex, England

 ECFA NEWS

Books by Our Members

“The Genealogy and Real Estate of Joseph Chandler, Sr. of Duxbury, Massachusetts”

Our member, Billie, is still revising and expanding her book “The Genealogy and Real Estate of Joseph Chandler, Sr. of Duxbury, Massachusetts: With Proof of the Identity of his Grandson Capt. John Chandler.” She is adding new maps and adding more information about Joseph’s family. When it is finished a copy will be posted in our Members’ Only section.

Since the last issue, I assisted Billie with research into Plymouth Colonial law and dissecting Joseph’s will and son Edmund’s inventory. We have a copy of both Joseph’s will and Edmund’s inventory in the “Genealogy of Edward Small” in our Members’ Only library. She traced the real estate after identifying it by searching over 400 deeds, but there were still points in Joseph’s will and Edmund’s inventory that remained confusing especially dealing with the houses. There were issues involving Joseph and Edmund that were intertwined which made research complicated. There were also land transactions outside of the will and inventory which Billie has traced and which are now more fully explained and will be added as a chapter in the book. Billie’s work involved finding out who owned the land, and who had life estates, and who ended up with the land, and what Edmund’s assets and debts truly were.

This research, added with Billie’ prior monumental tracing of the land further supports that Capt. John was the son of Edmund and Elizabeth (Alden) Chandler.

 “The Immigrant,”

Our member, Al, is also in the process of editing his historical novel, “The Immigrant,” which is scheduled to be published this year. This book does not involve a Chandler, but his ancestor, John Law, who was taken prisoner at the battle of Dunbar, Scotland and endured a death march to Durham Cathedral and then expelled from the country. He was shipped, along with many other Scottish prisoners, to Boston. England dealt with the rebellious Scots by shipping them to New England, so if you have an early Maine ancestor of Scottish descent that is how he may have gotten here as that is where they ended up.

There is a sort-of Chandler connection in that the ship John Law was transported was named the Unity. Over a hundred years later there was another ship, also named “Unity”, which was involved in the capture of the British ship, Margaretta, at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Judah Chandler was a Patriot involved in the capture of the Margaretta.

 New Members

This time we have a returning member and a new member.

We welcome back Orland Chandler who is back in full swing with Chandler research. In addition to his Buckinghamshire research, he was the one who discovered that Edmund, the immigrant had, a son named John, who died on the way to the Barbados. This discovery has been attributed others, but it came originally from Orland. Orland has a double connection to Edmund. Orland descends from both Capt. John Chandler and Nathaniel Chandler. Orland’s Capt. John line starting with Orland is:

Orland Chandler>Archie Donald Chandler>Hamer Lorenzo Chandler>Samuel Poole Chandler, Jr.>Rev. Samuel Poole>John Chandler, Jr.>Jonathan Chandler>Capt. John Chandler>Edmund Chandler>Joseph Chandler>Edmund Chandler, the immigrant.

His Nathaniel Chandler line is the same until we get to John Chandler, Jr. John Chandler, Jr. married his third cousin Mercy Sprague. Starting with that Mercy it is:

Mercy Sprague>Mercy (Chandler) Sprague>Nathaniel Chandler>Edmund Chandler>Joseph Chandler>Edmund Chandler, the immigrant.

Orland is not the only one with a double Chandler connection. I descend from both Edmund and Roger (who may be related to Edmund) and our member Cynthia, descends from Edmund and a Southern Chandler. Figuring that out took a lot of research!

We also welcome, new member, another Barbara Chandler. This Barbara is from Kingston, Mass, a neighbor of Duxbury. Her husband has deep Chandler roots in Duxbury and was the fire chief there. Her late father-in-law, Raymond P. Chandler, was a selectman and an athletic field is named after him. We hope to get picture of the field.

Her husband’s line is starting with his father is:

Raymond P. Chandler>Parker B. Chandler>Alden Chandler>Isaac Chandler>Ephraim Chandler>Nathaniel Chandler>Philip Chandler>Joseph Chandler>Joseph Chandler>Edmund Chandler, the immigrant.

 THE PLAQUE

No, it hasn’t been forgotten and we are still ready and willing to go forward with it. Unfortunately, there has been foot dragging by the town and the fellow in Duxbury who was enthusiastic about the Chandler research died. As I wrote previously, the Chandlers were a major family in the development of the town. Joseph Chandler originally owned what became the heart of the town –cemetery, church, town government buildings and more. There is still the Chandlerville area, a Chandler elementary school, Chandler Street and the aforementioned athletic field.

The good news is that our new member, Barbara, lives nearby and hopefully will be able to assist Billie in getting the plaque approved and placed.

 THE CHANDLER FAMILY ASSOCIATION

As many of you are aware of, the CFA is our sister group. They now include not only Chandlers who descended from John Chandler of 1610 Jamestown, Virginia, but all Chandlers other than those who descend from Edmund. We would like to explore further contact and relationships with the CFA as it could help streamline Chandler research. We will keep our ECFA members posted on what we find out and will have discussions with our members in the future on how we should proceed.

 THE WEB SITE

I have been trying to get a web site guru lined up amidst all of the other Chandler projects since last year. I did find someone, but have not yet heard back. If that does not work out, I will have to find someone else. Our web site does need updating and I am trying to find someone to re-vamp and it and make it easy to add updates.

 RESEARCH TIPS

NEW NAME OR ORIGINAL PLACE NAME?

One of the dilemmas that genealogists face is how to fill in birth and marriage places, etc. when the name of the place changed. The genealogy standard is to list it by the name that was used at the time. However, this can be confusing for non-genealogy relatives or even fellow genealogists if they are not familiar with the history of the area. That is how you may find your ancestor lived in maybe two different states and perhaps several different counties and towns, but never moved.

What seems like a more sensible approach is to list both the name of the place at the time the event occurred and the present name. That approach would seem to eliminate a lot of confusion.

The article “A Proposed Standard for Names, Dates and Places in a Genealogical Database” by Gary Mokotoff is an excellent discussion of the issue. Unfortunately, the article has disappeared from its former internet home, but as it is popular in genealogy circles you may be able to find it somewhere on the net.

 

POUNDS, PENCES, HALF PENNIES

 

Generally speaking, understanding the old British monetary system, which began after the Norman Conquest in 1026 when the pound was divided into twenty shillings, is not a concern. The system was used until 1971.

However, you may be faced with it, if you have to figure out a will or estate inventory as Billie and I did when working on the Joseph Chandler project. Pounds, shillings, pences, guineas, farthings, etc. are all in oddball amounts which make for fun figuring for math lovers and hair pulling for the math impaired. Here is the link that explains the old British system:

Understanding old British money – pounds, shillings and pence

WHAT’S NEW AT FAMILYSEARCH

They are continuing to add new vital records and features, so check back periodically. They also have much more research material online and news updates. More and more books have been digitized and some will eventually be posted online.

More genealogy programs including Rootsmagic and Legacy can now be directly linked to the Familysearch web site making the transfer of information direct. You can check to see if your program will link with them.

They also have a toll free help line. For this issue, I fruitlessly looked for a family tree. I gave up and called them. They have assistants located at their home computers waiting to help people. After no wait! I was connected to a fellow in British Columbia, Canada.

I was told that it turns out that they have their old family trees (you remember those error ridden things) archived in one section. If you want to see the new interactive and correctable ones they are in a separate section. You have to sign up to see this section. It is free and nobody bothers you once you sign up. You can also keep a Source Box at Familysearch to place your Familysearch “finds” from vital records, censuses and the like.

I didn’t bother to sign in which is why I couldn’t find that elusive family tree, but the help line assistant guided me right back to it.

Other free services can be found at the Family History Centers which are located worldwide. You can access Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest and Find My Past (UK) FREE on their computers. Check their web site www.familysearch.org to find a location near you.

From home and for free, you can access their “Wiki. They are like Wikipedia and some are terrific and some are not and not every place or topic has a Wiki yet. The maps are helpful. Here are a couple of samples.

Grafton County, New Hampshire | Learn | FamilySearch.org

Danville, Maine | Learn | FamilySearch.org

TV NEWS

PLYMOUTH

The TV mini-series, tentatively titled “Plymouth” is still a go with NBC. It will be produced by Mark Burnett, of “Survivor” and “The Bible” fame. It will cover the voyage of the Mayflower and the settling of Plymouth Colony. It is still in development and is not yet in production (I got that from Mark Burnett Productions). TV and film production are perilous voyages themselves with many projects being sunk along the way, but things are looking good right now for “Plymouth.” I will keep you posted. Edmund didn’t arrive until c. 1630 so probably a little late to include him, but if the production covers a lengthy period of the Plymouth Colony, and if we are lucky, he may be included as he was appointed Constable in 1636/37.

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

The TLC cable network has renewed this genealogy series and has ordered 10 new episodes for 2014. This is the show that traces the family trees of celebrities. They do show the actual places where their celebrity guests’ ancestors are from and you do get a glimpse of the places, libraries and courthouses where the historical papers are trotted out to view, although we don’t get to see the multitude of researchers toiling away in the archives or slogging through graveyards. Air dates for 2014 have not yet been announced.

THE STIRRINGS OF REVOLUTION

The Committees of Correspondence and Safety

The beginning of the Revolutionary War era began in 1763 after the French and Indian War. This war ended the French threat to the American Colonies, but the war’s expense and the expectation of future defense expenses caused the British to decide that the American colonists should pay more taxes.

The series of taxes the British imposed plus other laws exerting British control of the colonies caused rising protest and anger amongst the colonists. The colonists felt that they were being denied their rights as Englishmen hence the rallying cry” “No taxation without representation!”

This taxation and trampling of rights by the British caused Samuel Adams, in 1772, to persuade the Boston town meeting to form a Committee of Correspondence which prepared and sent a statement of rights and grievances to the other towns. Committees had been formed previously, but only temporarily and only for grievances about a specific issue. The idea of such a Committee spread throughout the colonies and soon most towns had a permanent Committee of Correspondence to keep in touch with other towns over grievances with the British and later to serve as a shadow government opposing the British.

 Two of our Chandlers, brothers Perez Chandler of Duxbury, Massachusetts and Peleg Chandler of New Gloucester, then Massachusetts and now Maine, were appointed to serve on their local Committees of Correspondence and later Safety. Town records have not been researched to find out what specific actions they took, but we do know in general how the Committees of Correspondence and Safety functioned. Later as war broke out they became known as Committees of Safety. The Committees of Safety functioned as local governments and had the power to call out the local minutemen and muster the militia when needed and punish those who did not respond.

In the early days of the Revolutionary period the first job of the Committees was to disseminate information to the local townspeople as Samuel Adams and others felt it was imperative to have an informed citizenry. News was spread to the farthest edges of the colonies by ships and couriers on horseback in handwritten letters and printed pamphlets. Many the Committee members were also members of colonial legislative assemblies and many were active in the secret Sons of Liberty.

The Committees became the leaders of the American resistance to British actions at first in opposing and protesting British taxes and policies and later the Committees led the war effort on both a state and local level. It was the colonial and local Committees who took charge in reviewing merchant records looking for those who tried to defy the boycott, declared by Congress, of imported British goods and then they published the names of said merchants. They encouraged the colonists to buy American and avoid luxuries from England. The Boston Tea Party and other “Tea Parties” such as the one in Marshfield which adjoined Duxbury were instigated by the Committees of Correspondence and Safety.

Strident objections and warnings about British rule proliferated. In 1775 New Hampshire’s residents were warned by the Provincial Congress that “Tyranny already begins to waive its banners in your borders, and to threaten these once happy regions with infamous and destestable slavery.”

The Committees became a shadow government organized by Patriot leaders operating under nose of England and ultimately the First Continental Congress emerged from them. About 7,000 to 8,000 men Patriots served on these Committees. Loyalists were excluded. They set up espionage networks to ferret out those who were disloyal to the cause and they displaced Royal officials which led to the toppling of the entire Royal government in each of the colonies. By the end of 1774 and early 1775, the Committees supervised elections of provincial conventions which took over the operation of the colonial government. Once war broke out, it was the Committees who supervised the local militia’s response to the British threat.

The Committees became the brains and structure behind the Revolution and without them, instead of a Revolution, there would only have been separate and uncoordinated protests and uprisings which would have undoubtedly been quashed by the British.

From the shadow governments of the Committees came the beginnings of what was to become the government of the United States.

SOURCES AND ITEMS OF INTEREST:

Coming of the American Revolution: The Committees of Correspondence

Committee of correspondence – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SparkNotes: Samuel Adams: Section 8: Committee of Correspondence

Committees of Correspondence | American Revolution | 1773 | Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum

Committee of Safety: Definition from Answers.com

http://www.committee.org/PCOS11Massachusetts.htm Information on the Committees of Safety

http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/makingrev/crisis/text6/bostonpamphlet.pdf The Boston Pamphlet produced by the Boston Committee of Correspondence

Samuel Adams – American Revolution – HISTORY.com A very nice reenactment video of the Sons of Liberty and the founding of the Committees of Correspondence

PEREZ CHANDLER

Philip>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant

July 10, 1730-Jan. 28, 1800

Perez Chandler supported the Revolutionary cause by serving on the Duxbury Committee of Correspondence and Safety. He was selected on March 17, 1777. That might sound a quill pen pushing job, safely tucked away in a Meeting House, but it was a job that involved both risk and intelligence. The Committees of Correspondence and Safety, were the brains of the Revolutionary War effort, communicating and coordinating with other towns at with at first protests then later war planning and strategy. The Revolution never would have succeeded without that “shadow government” network.

As leaders they would have been the first ones to be sought by the British and probably the first to have been charged with treason and maybe hanged if the war had been won by the British.

Perez was 47 years old when he was appointed to the Committee. He may not have participated as a soldier in the Revolution, but he was a soldier when he was younger during the French and Indian Wars. Those wars were expensive and which was one of the causes of the British trying to extract more taxes out of the colonists which in turn led to the cry of “No taxation without representation” which in turn acted one of the catalysts for the Revolution.

The Duxbury town records may have a record of exactly what Perez did, but it is also possible that records were not kept or were destroyed lest fall into the hands of the British. The records would have to be searched to find out. We do know in general what the Committees did (see accompanying story).

We do know that there was a Liberty Pole in Duxbury, which was the site of protests against the British and there was a “Tea Party” in neighboring Marshfield, the most Tory town in New England, which may have involved the Committee that Perez served on. To read about the Liberty Pole, go to our back issues of the Courier on our web site.

The name Perez seems like an unusual name for a Revolutionary War New Englander as it sounds Spanish. However, Perez, like most of the forenames used in the Plymouth Colony, which included Duxbury, came from the Bible and not even England much less Spain.

According to the online, “Baby Name Wizard,” Perez, also spelled Pharez or Peretz, was the son of Judah and Tamar and means “burst forth” or “breakthrough.”

The Spanish name Perez is related to the Greek word for rock which puts it in the same group as Peter, Pierre, Petra and Pedro.

Perez was not the only Perez in Duxbury as he had a son and a grandson named Perez Chandler and there were others who were not Chandlers whose forenames were also Perez.

Perez was the son of Philip Chandler and Rebecca Phillips. Philip was unique in that he was the only son of Joseph and Martha (Hunt) Chandler to remain in Duxbury. Joseph moved to North Yarmouth, Maine (then still part of Massachusetts) in 1727 with the rest of his family following him a couple of years later. Joseph was a prosperous blacksmith like his father, Joseph, Sr. It may have been the need for land for his many sons that inspired him to leave Duxbury for the then wilderness of Maine to start anew.

Joseph sold his home and land to eldest son, Philip who remained in Duxbury although at one time Philip may also have seriously considered moving to North Yarmouth as he owned land there. Philip’s son, Peleg (to be featured next issue) and daughter Elizabeth, also moved to Maine. The rest of Philip’s children, including Perez, remained in Duxbury or nearby Kingston.

According to Duxbury vital records, Perez married Rhoda Wadsworth Dec. 24, 1793. Most of their children also stayed in Duxbury with the exception of sons Benjamin and Seth B. who moved to Maine where they practiced medicine.

There is a small hand-crafted notebook, which includes genealogy, created by Asenath Chandler, Perez’ daughter, at the Duxbury Rural Historical Society Library located in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Also in the collection are receipts, copies of deeds, etc. To see the list click on the source link below.

SOURCES;

Chandler Collections | Drew Archival Library

Located in the Duxbury Rural Historical Society in Duxbury, Massachusetts

www.edmundchandler.com Picture of Perez’ gravestone from Members’ Only section and family genealogy and information

 

THOSE BRICK WALLS COME TUMBLIN’ DOWN

By

Carol May

Since the last Courier, several brick walls of many years standing came down. The first was Charles Chandler, then my Rebecca Chandler, another Rebecca Chandler and two Charlotte Chandlers!

Charles Chandler

Charles>Abner, Jr.>Abner>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant.

One of the earliest members of our group, you may remember her as East Coast Barbara, (there have been three Barbara Chandlers in our group!) was stuck with only a hunch and a few clues that her Charles Chandler descended from Edmund. Finally, due to both new records added to www.familysearch.org and DNA testing she was able to confirm the connection. Here is Charles Chandler’s line starting with Charles: Charles>Abner, Jr.>Abner>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Charles was born in Piermont, New Hampshire, home of many of the Benjamin Chandler line.

The Rebecca Chandlers

The second wall to come down was my own. I learned over the years that there were FOUR Rebecca Chandlers of Minot/Poland, Maine. Our member, Elsie, and I had identified two of them as the daughters of brothers Nathaniel and John Chandler (>Jonathan>Capt. John>Edmund>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant), but I was left with a parentless Rebecca Chandler and a brick wall.

Then I figured out that there was probably a third Rebecca Chandler who was the daughter of Abel and Sarah (Weston) Chandler of Duxbury, then of New Hampshire and finally, Minot, Maine (There were four Abel Chandlers, but that is another story).

Circumstantial evidence began mounting up, naming patterns, tally marks in the censuses for a girl her age, marriage in Minot, home of Abel’s family, the family ties between Rebecca and Marcellus Augustus Weston Chandler, a proven grandson of Abel Chandler, all pointed to Rebecca being Abel’s daughter and Marcellus’ aunt.

Both Rebecca and Marcellus moved to Brunswick, Maine. Rebecca’s son, Abiezer, and Marcellus married sisters. Abiezer named his daughter Ellen Weston Snow and his son Marcellus. Both Marcellus and Abiezer were buried in the same cemetery. With all of this circumstantial evidence, I thought that I had at last found my Rebecca Chandler’s family.

As I mentioned in a previous issue, I had stumbled upon a since defunct web site which included a snippet of information that said that Rebecca Chandler was the daughter of Jonathan Chandler and that she had died in Brunswick. There was no direct source information other than it, and all of the other “info bits” on the site, was taken from a variety of old sources.

My Rebecca died in Brunswick, Maine, but I first dismissed Jonathan as her father as an error as I thought all of the Jonathan Chandlers in the Minot/Poland area had been accounted for.

Then uh oh! I had come across and was working on the “other” Jonathan Chandler family, when it occurred to me that this Jonathan could be the father of my Rebecca Chandler.

Neither Abel nor Jonathan’s children could be found in birth records and the censuses consisted of only tally marks and my Rebecca fit into the censuses for both of them. Both families had to be reconstructed circumstantially. The information was also conflicting. In the1880 census Abiezer’s mother’s birthplace was listed as Maine, not Massachusetts where Abel’s family was originally from. The marriage records for my Rebecca and Jonathan Snow said that she was a resident of Minot, Maine where Abel and family moved to and not Poland where Jonathan and family moved to.

Now I was sitting on top of my brick wall with two alternatives — Rebecca, daughter of Abel or Rebecca, daughter of Jonathan with circumstantial evidence for both sides.

Our member, Steve, had taken pictures of the Empire Cemetery in Poland, Maine. Buried there were, I believe, were several of Jonathan Chandler’s children. In the same plot and row there was Jonathan Chandler, Jr. and his wife Cynthia (Lane) Chandler and Jonathan and Rebecca Lane. Jonathan Chandler Jr. married Cynthia Lane, sister of Jonathan Lane, so it seemed quite possible that Rebecca Lane could have been the sister of Jonathan Chandler, Jr. In those days it was quite common for brothers to marry sisters from another family. If this were true this Rebecca would be Rebecca #4!

By now I also had a flimsy clue from a family tree full of mistakes that indicated that she could be a Chandler but even the creator of the tree was iffy about it. If Rebecca Lane was indeed Rebecca Chandler #4 then by default, Rebecca Chandler #3 was my Rebecca and the daughter of Abel and Sarah (Weston) Chandler.

Our member and uber researcher, Billie, offered to help. I explained that the tie breaker lay with being able to figure out if the mysterious Rebecca Lane’s maiden name was Chandler.

Almost simultaneously, both Billie and I, giving it one last shot, came across separate vital records that proved that this Rebecca Chandler was indeed the wife of Jonathan Lane and therefore, not my Rebecca who married Jonathan Snow. Death records for two of Jonathan and Rebecca Lane’s children, John C. and Eliza, both gave Jonathan Lane and Rebecca Chandler as their parents and as a bonus I even got the place of Rebecca’s birth on one of the records — North Yarmouth, Maine, original home of Jonathan Chandler and his family.

So by default, and with circumstantial evidence and after an exhaustive search of the Minot/Poland Maine Chandlers, I believe that my Rebecca Chandler was the daughter of Abel and Sarah (Weston) Chandler. Again, please note that the evidence is still circumstantial. Her line is below:

Rebecca Chandler #3

Rebecca Snow (1787-1844)

Rebecca>Abel*>John>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant.

Maine Genealogy Archives: Marriage Records of Rev. Jonathan Scott of Poland and Minot, 1796-1819

And here is the line for the Rebecca Chandler, daughter of Jonathan Chandler of North Yarmouth, who later moved to Poland, Maine, starting with Rebecca:

Rebecca Chandler #4

Rebecca Lane (1795-1847)

Rebecca>Jonathan*>Judah>Joseph>Joseph> Edmund, the immigrant.

Person Details for Jonithen Lane in entry for Eliza A Raynard, “Maine, Vital Records, 1670-1907 ” — FamilySearch.org

“Maine, Vital Records, 1670-1907 ,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KCDX-GVH : accessed 09 Mar 2014), Jonithen Lane in entry for Eliza A Raynard, 1903.

Person Details for Jonathan Lane in entry for John C Lane, “Maine, Vital Records, 1670-1907 ” — FamilySearch.org

“Maine, Vital Records, 1670-1907 ,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VZQP-Z4Q : accessed 09 Mar 2014), Jonathan Lane in entry for John C Lane, 1893.

 The Three Charlotte Chandlers

While researching, Rebecca (Chandler) Lane, I revisited the Charlotte Chandler mystery as it appears circumstantially that Rebecca #4 and a Charlotte Chandler were sisters. It also appears that the family trees on Familysearch mistakenly list some of Rebecca (Chandler) Lane’s children as Charlotte’s children. The information was very garbled, but it appears that some of it may have come from original sources.

Not only are the children mixed up, the three Charlotte Chandlers of Maine in those Familysearch family trees are also mixed up. The three Charlottes were all born within a year or two of each other. One is documented as an Edmund descendant and one is probably an Edmund descendant and the third does not descend from Edmund, but is documented as a descendant of William and Annis. I think that I have untangled them.

Charlotte Chandler #1

Charlotte>Jonathan>Judah>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant

It appears that there was a Charlotte, probably Chandler, who married Simeon Lane in Maine. We know that this Charlotte Chandler was not Joel Chandler’s daughter, as many family trees assert, because we have Joel’s daughter well documented as to who she did marry.

It appears circumstantially that she was the daughter of Jonathan and Zeruiah (Brown) Chandler who is a documented descendant of Edmund Chandler, the immigrant.

I couldn’t find a marriage record for Charlotte and Simeon, it is probably lost or destroyed, but there a record for her second marriage to Thomas Briggs. According to Ancestry she died in 1882 and was buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Poland, Maine. However, as only part of that cemetery has been photographed I have not been able to find her grave.

Both Simeon Lane and Charlotte’s name appears on her children’s birth records in Poland, Maine. One of their children was named Seth Chandler Lane, another clue. She is also mentioned as Simeon’s wife in the “Annals of Oxford County.” See excerpt below:

Simeon Lane, innkeeper at Welchville, ae. 54, d. June 8,

1849. T^^ following year, the family consisted of Charlot-

te, ae. 48, Seth C. ae. 21, George E. ae. 18, Elizabeth

E. ae. 15, Sarah W. ae. 13, Melinda, ae. 10, Abby A.

ae. 7, and farmers, George W. Welch, ae. 25, and Nelson

Dennin, ae. 22. Mrs. Charlotte Lane and Thomas A.

Briggs of Otisfield, were m. Dec. 16, 1855.

 This Charlotte was closely associated with Poland, Maine where the Jonathan Chandler family lived and spent much of her life there. She was born c. 1801. The 1810 census shows a daughter age 10-16 which would have been one year off.

The 1820 census shows a daughter age 16 to 26 which is spot on. There were only two Chandler families in Poland, Maine during the 1820s. The other family was Alden Chandler and he and his children have been well documented and are of a later generation than Jonathan’s family.

The US 1830 census for Poland, Maine shows Simeon and presumably his wife, Charlotte, living in Poland and the 1840 census shows not only Simeon and family, but Jacob Chandler and Jonathan Chandler (Jr.) listed one after the other so they were most likely next door neighbors.

More research may further strengthen and hopefully, confirm the connection.

Full text of “Annals of Oxford, Maine, from its incorporation, February 27, 1829 to 1850. Prefaced by a brief account of the s

 Charlotte Chandler #2

Charlotte>Joel>Jonathan>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant

This Charlotte J. Chandler was born March 6, 1802 in Portland, Cumberland, Maine to Joel and Pamela (Lincoln) Chandler according to vital records. Joel is a documented descendant of Edmund Chandler, the immigrant. According to marriage records a Charlotte or a Charlotte J. or T. Chandler (depending on the transcription) married Capt. David Harwood and after he died she married his brother Otis Harwood. David and Otis were from adjacent Sagadahoc County. She did not marry Simeon Lane (see above) nor did she marry John Charles of Oxford County, Maine. Maine death records show a Charlotte Harwood dying in Portland, Maine on Nov. 3, 1885 who was about the right age. Another clue is that her middle initial given variously, probably due to transcribing errors, as I, J or T appears periodically in the records.

Person Details for Charlotte Chandler, “Maine, Births and Christenings, 1739-1900” — FamilySearch.org

“Maine, Births and Christenings, 1739-1900”, index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F492-3LH : accessed 10 Mar 2014), Charlotte Chandler, 06 Mar 1802.

Person Details for Charlotte Chandler, “Maine, Marriages, 1771-1907” — FamilySearch.org

“Maine, Marriages, 1771-1907”, index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F46B-1PL : accessed 10 Mar 2014), David Harwood and Charlotte Chandler, 23 Aug 1830.

Person Details for Charlotte J. Harwood, “Maine, Marriages, 1771-1907” — FamilySearch.org

“Maine, Marriages, 1771-1907”, index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F46Y-7Z8 : accessed 10 Mar 2014), Otis Harwood and Charlotte J. Harwood, 27 Sep 1832.

Person Details for Charlotte T. Harwood, “Maine, Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910” — FamilySearch.org

“Maine, Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910”, index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F48F-SPG : accessed 10 Mar 2014), Charlotte T. Harwood, 03 Nov 1883.

Charlotte Chandler #3

Charlotte>Timothy and on back to William and Annis

This Charlotte is not of the Edmund family, but appears that she is of the William and Annis Chandler family. She was born Nov. 22, 1801 in Pembroke, Merrimack, New Hampshire to Timothy and Phebe (Holt) Chandler. The family later moved to Lovell, Oxford County, Maine. This Charlotte Chandler, not Joel’s daughter, appears to have married John Charles January 17, 1824 in Lovell, Maine.

UPDATES

The “Other” Jonathan Chandler Family of Poland, Maine

Jonathan>Judah>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant

Figuring out the Rebecca and Charlotte Chandlers has necessitated an update of the “other” Jonathan Chandler family. If you recall, back in the Fall 2011 Courier we began a series doing a circumstantial reconstruction of the “other” Jonathan Chandler of Poland, Maine family. There with no birth records and only census tally marks for primary evidence and so came with the disclaimer that it was subject to change. There were also two “mystery” girls who we think have been finally identified.

This was the Jonathan moved from North Yarmouth, Maine to Poland Maine after the 1810 census and before the1820 census and not the Jonathan Chandler who married Rebecca Packard as he had died before North Yarmouth Jonathan moved to Poland, Maine. Both were descendants of Edmund, the immigrant

The “other” Jonathan family tree is still circumstantial so still subject to change, but is now on firmer ground. It is not Mayflower or DAR level of proof yet as we still lack many primary sources. As we are a research group, we find that posting circumstantial findings, and labeling them as such, can lead to descendants out there who can either add or in some cases, refute, the research.

A newspaper from 1826 reported that when Mrs. Jonathan Chandler died seven of her 11 children were still living. Assuming that was accurate, all seven have been found and with the addition of Rufus Chandler, who died a few months before his mother, which brings the total to 8. It appears also that a son died very young and two daughters died young which brings the total to 11.

We still don’t know where Jonathan and Zeruiah are buried, but Jonathan, Jr., Reuben, Rufus, Rachel, and Rebecca along with many of their family members were all buried in a group in the Empire Cemetery in Poland, Maine. The only other family in Poland, Maine during that later time frame was Alden Chandler’s family, and some of his children are also buried there, but are well documented.

In addition, the suffix, “Jr.” had come into modern usage to only denote a son as opposed being used for a younger person with the same name, related or not, which was how it was used in earlier times.

Also, Jonathan, Jr. kept the suffix “Jr.” until he died as it was on his gravestone which is also the modern usage. In previous times that suffix would have been dropped as soon as the older Jonathan Chandler died.

The circumstantial evidence for Jacob and Anna Chandler is not as strong. It was noted in their marriage records that they were originally from North Yarmouth and they did live in Poland and adjacent Danville (later part of Auburn, Maine). This was the Jonathan Chandler family’s home territory.

As for Charlotte, the circumstantial evidence for her is the thinnest. She also married a Lane, but it appears that he was maybe a distant cousin of the other Lanes. She lived in Poland, Maine and her son was named Seth Chandler Lane. She appears in family trees as Charlotte Chandler, but without substantiation. She should only be listed tentatively as the youngest daughter of Jonathan and Zeruiah Chandler as more research needs to be done.

The 1840 census for Poland, Maine shows Simeon Lane (presumably with wife Charlotte), Jacob Chandler and Jonathan Chandler (Jr.) all listed one after the other in the 1840 census so they were probably living next door to each other which bolsters the argument that they were related.

Here is the new lineup for the “other” Jonathan Chandler’s family with more birth dates added:

AN UPDATED RECONSTRUCTION OF THE “OTHER” JONATHAN CHANDLER FAMILY

Rachel Chandler born Feb. 1781 from grave stone and died Jan. 20, 1864. Empire Cemetery, Poland, Maine. Never married

Jacob Chandler born 1787, North Yarmouth (from Royal River Valley by David Colby Young). Died May 10, 1872 from Hotel Road Cemetery. Married Thankfull Higgins from vital records

Rufus Chandler born July 16, 1789 and died May 26, 1826 from grave stone, Empire Cemetery. Married Sarah Eaton Bradbury from vital records.

Anna Chandler born Jan. 20, 1792 (in North Yarmouth) and died June 7, 1880 from grave stone Oak Hill Cemetery, Auburn, Maine. Married Moses Bailey from vital records.

Reuben Chandler born April 1794 died 1852 from grave stone. Married Mary Parcher. From their children’s vital records.

Rebecca Chandler born April 1795 died Nov. 25, 1847 from grave stone Empire Cemetery. Married Jonathan R. Lane from grave stone and censuses.

Charlotte Chandler born c. 1801(from census) died after 1880. A Familysearch family tree has her buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Poland, Maine. I have not been able to verify as this as not all of the graves have been photographed. She married first, Simeon Lane, and second, Thomas Briggs.

Jonathan Chandler, Jr. born 1803 died Dec. 13, 1840 from Empire Cemetery grave stone. Married Cynthia Lane. From censuses, children’s vital records and grave stone.

The Underground Railroad

by Barb Chandler

(Escaping slaves had to find their way north. Northern states such as New York and Massachusetts that had strong abolitionist societies and benevolent groups.People trying to escape slavery had many clues they could rely on to find out where “north” actually was. One of the best clues they could use to find north was to locate the North Star. The North Star is also called Polaris. Unlike other stars, it never changes position. It always points to the north. People have always used a group of stars to help them find the North Star. They have called this group of stars many names, depending on how they saw the “picture” created by the stars. Some people thought the group of stars looked like a dipper — with a cup that had a very long handle. Slaves knew this group of stars as the Drinking Gourd. They sometimes used hollowed-out gourds to dip and drink water. The gourds looked just like long-handled cups. Two stars on the cup’s edge always point to the North Star. By finding the “drinking gourd” in the sky, people traveling at night could always find the North Star. From: Pathways to Freedom Maryland and the Underground Railroad http://pathways.thinkport.org/secrets/gourd1.cfm)

 

I’ve been interested in the Civil Rights Movement for a long time so you can imagine my delight when I discovered my second great uncle was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. When I told Carol May his involvement she said that she had come across a Chandler who was an abolitionist. I don’t know whether she was in our line, but thought you would enjoy learning about this remarkable woman’s achievements.

Elizabeth Chandler (1807-1834)

Elizabeth was born into a Quaker family in Centre (Wilmington) Delaware to Thomas Chandler (1773–1817) and Margaret Evans (1778–1808).

When she was 18 years old she wrote a poem titled the Slave-ship:

The Slave-ship was winding her course o’er the ocean,
The winds and the waters had sunk into rest;
All hush’d was the whirl of the tempest’s commotion,
That late had awaken’d the sailor’s devotion,
When terror had kindled remorse in his breast.

And onward she rode, though by curses attended,
Though heavy with guilt was the freight that she bore,
Though with shrieks of despair was the midnight air rended,
And ceaseless the groans of the wretches ascended,
That from friends and from country forever she tore.

On the deck, with his head on his fetter’d hand rested,
He who once was a chief and a warrior stood;
One moment he gain’d, by his foes unmolested,
To think o’er his woes, and the fate he detested,
Till madness was firing his brain and his blood.

“Oh, never!” he murmur’d in anguish, “no, never!
These limbs shall be bent to the menial’s toil!
They have reft us, my bride—but they shall not forever
Your chief from his home and his country dissever—
No! never will I be the conqueror’s spoil

“Say! long didst thou wait for my coming, my mother?
Did ye bend o’er the desert, my sister, your eye?
And weep at the lengthen’d delay of your brother,
As each slow passing moment was chased by another,
And still he appear’d not a tear-drop to dry.

“But ye shall—yes, again ye shall fondly embrace me!
We will meet my young bride in the land of the blest:
Death, death once again in my country shall place me,
One bound shall forever from fetters release me!”
He burst them, and sunk in the ocean’s dark breast.

After reading her poem Benjamin Lundy, a well known abolitionist and publisher, invited Chandler to write for his periodical, The Genius of Universal Emancipation. Chandler She wrote for and edited the “Ladies’ Repository” section of his newspaper. She used her appeal to women to demand better treatment for Native Americans  and the immediate emancipation of slaves.

Many of her articles were copied and circulated in the most popular newspapers of the time.  She also introduced one of the most famous abolitionist images, the kneeling female slave with the slogan “Am I not a Woman and a Sister.”

Chandler used her articles and poems to participate in national discussions and debates about Abolitionism.

In 1830 she moved to Lenawee County, Michigan. She continued  writing articles as Editor of “The Ladies Repository” section in Lundy’s magazine. In 1832, she formed the Logan Female Anti-Slavery Society which eventually resulted in the establishment of one of the main links in the Underground Railroad system to Canada.

Sources:

Elizabeth Margaret Chandler, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Margaret_Chandler

Elizabeth Chandler, The Michigan Women’s Historical Center and  Hall of Fame http://hall.michiganwomen.org/honoree.php?C=0&A=13~15~197~12

Until next time, happy hunting!

 

EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER SUMMER and FALL 2013

EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER

SUMMER AND FALL 2013

WWW.EDMUNDCHANDLER.COM

 

Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge.
Painting by John Ward Dunsmore

With this issue we begin a new series on Chandlers and the Revolutionary War with a list of all of the Revolutionary War veterans and patriots that I could find along with some surprises.  You may find a patriot in your family tree that you didn’t know that you had.  If we skipped someone or made mistakes let us know.

I came across tidbit that should interest you Jonathan descendants. Reuben Chandler, in support of his brother’s Revolutionary War pension claim, stated that information about Nathaniel’s birth date could be found in his father’s (Jonathan’s) Bible which was now in the possession of Nathaniel.  Somewhere out there, maybe with one of Nathaniel’s descendants there is, or was, Jonathan’s Bible with genealogy information in it.  I wonder what happened to that Bible! You can read the pension file in Fold3 if you subscribe.

Also, the other big news is that the databases have been fixed and are now in the RootsMagic genealogy software program.  Edmund’s Main Lineage and Capt. John’s databases are now combined.  They have NOT yet been posted on our website as they need to be checked for errors and new information needs to be added.  Read more about it in this issue.

We also have a story about Joseph’s house which was inherited by Capt. John.  Joseph was Edmund, the immigrant’s son. Every one of us has some history with that house, either as a descendant of Joseph or of his brother Benjamin whose children probably spent a lot of time there as their Uncle Joseph was a blacksmith.

Also TV news, updates, DNA news, and more.  I still hope to go to the Czech Republic (nothing to do with Chandlers), but probably not until Spring.  I am not sure if the next issue will be out in the Winter or will be Winter/Spring.  I will let you know.

TV NEWS

I hope that you all enjoyed the new episodes this summer of “Who Do You Think You Are?” now on the TLC network.  Hopefully, the show will return next year. This fall more genealogy can be found on PBS’ new program “Genealogy Roadshow.”  Unlike “Who Do You Think You Are?”, “Genealogy Roadshow” is for ordinary folks often with extraordinary stories.  Our editor, Barb, applied, but did not get in – many, many applied, but few were chosen.  Check your TV schedule in your area for the day and time in your area.  In Los Angeles it is on Monday nights.

African American History

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. of “Finding Your Roots” will be back on PBS with a new series entitled, “The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross.” This six part series will begin on Oct. 22, 2013 on PBS.  While it probably won’t feature genealogy per se, it will cover American history not just African American history from before Jamestown until the present. He will visit historical sites as well as interview people from around the country.

The Mayflower Voyage and Settlement of Plymouth

Now back to our ancestral neck of the woods, Massachusetts.  Producer Mark Burnett of “Survivor” and “The Bible” fame is now planning a new mini-series, entitled “Plymouth” for NBC.  They were the ultimate survivors as only half of them survived the first year, so getting “voted off of the island’ wasn’t a concern of theirs.   Edmund didn’t arrive until 10 years after the Mayflower, but the Mayflower passengers were his fellow Separatists and neighbors both in Leiden and later in Duxbury.  They will cover the voyage as well as the settlement of Plymouth. Hopefully, they will shoot it on location.

“BIBLE” PRODUCER MARK BURNETT TO DO HISTORICAL PLYMOUTH ROCK MINISERIES FOR NBC ‹ Higher Hollywood

Mayflower Steps, photos and history of Plymouth Past and Present

 ECFA NEWS

The Databases

 As many of you know the databases have been my bête noir for the past several years.  After many failed attempts at merging and updating them, I finally found a computer expert by trade who also knows the RootsMagic genealogy program.  He took the 40 odd copies of the databases (originals, updates and duplicates) that I had, merged them where appropriate, and put them into the RootsMagic program.

On our web site we currently have five databases:  Edmund’s Main Lineage, Capt. John Chandler,Nathaniel Chandler, Zebedee Chandler, and Mercy Chandler.

Edmund’s Main Lineage and Capt. John’s are now merged because we have enough evidence to prove that Capt. John descended from Edmund, the immigrant.

Nathaniel, Mercy and Zebedee’s will remain separate until we get more proof.

We can show circumstantial links between them, but are looking for more proof.  Because Nathaniel had only daughters and Mercy was a woman, we can’t use YDNA testing as that only follows the male line. We are offering a free YDNA test for a qualifying male Zebedee Chandler of Plympton descendant to establish his descent from Edmund Chandler, the immigrant.  We will continue to look for and assemble bits of proof that link these people.

The next step is for me to check over and further update the databases and then I will be able to post them in our Members’ Only section.

We also have some great information from our members that need to be added to our online Library such as Billie’s treatise on the lands of Joseph Chandler and Cynthia’s family history.

Money was spent from our ECFA association treasury to fix the databases and more will be spent to update the web site, but it is well worth it. I am trying to be thrifty with this.  It will take a while for all of this to happen.

A New Member

This month we welcome another new member, Caroline, of Arizona.  She is a descendant of Ichabod Chandler (Jonathan>Capt. John>Edmund*>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant).  Caroline’s ancestors moved from Maine to Iowa in the 19^th century. Barb, our editor and also an Ichabod descendant) is from Iowa and has contacted her. So, if any of you share this line you might want to exchange information. Caroline did send a picture of her ancestress Olive Chandler Cooper which we hope to put in a future issue of the Courier or in the online Library. Her e-mail address is on the mailing list and begins with charity.

 DUXBURY NEWS

Billie visited Duxbury this past June and researched Chandlers. She is still working diligently on finding a place for our plaque.

 UPDATES

From time to time, we get e-mails and also questions and answers to topics in the Courier.

Anna Chandler Bailey

Lineage:  Jonathan*>Judah>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant

There was a reply to our series in the Courier on the circumstantial reconstruction of the Jonathan and Zeruiah (Brown) Chandler family that we had just completed. I had written about a “mystery girl” who I couldn’t figure out. That “mystery girl” was probably Anna Chandler who was born in 1792. She married Moses Bailey. They had a son named Rufus Chandler Bailey, who was very likely named after who I believe was  her brother Rufus Chandler. Rufus Chandler Bailey moved to Illinois where he became a lawyer then a judge.

It appears that Anna or Anne’s (her name has been spelled both ways) husband, Moses, died before the 1850 census and that Anna married Jeremiah Cole in 1849. They lived in Lewiston and then Green, Maine. She died in 1880. Interestingly she is buried with her son, George Bailey and his family as Anna Chandler Bailey with no mention of Jeremiah Cole even though she was married to him for thirty years. This may have been the custom of the time or not!

However, now while we don’t have a “mystery” girl who was born in the 1790s, we still have two “mystery” girls from that family one of whom may be my brick wall, Rebecca Chandler.

Anna Chandler Bailey (1792 – 1880) – Find A Grave Memorial

 Congressman Joseph Ripley Chandler

Joseph Ripley Chandler
(1792-1880)
Find A Grave: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7600015

Lineage: Joseph>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant

Another e-mail came via our member, Dick, who received a copy of a photo of another mystery Chandler that had only J. R. Chandler, Philidelphia written on the back.

Dick figured out that the photo was of Joseph Ripley Chandler who was probably one of our Edmund Chandler descendants. Turns out that he was! Joseph Ripley Chandler was an educator, editor, reformer, member of the House of Representatives, ambassador, and was even praised by Edgar Allan Poe.

I hope to do a story on him (with pictures) for a future edition of the Courier and will double check his lineage.

 DNA NEWS

This issue we have news about the U198 DNA project. Our member, Greg, alerted us about this project. U198 is not the same type of marker as is used in the Chandler DNA project. U198 is a marker for a sub-group of YDNA. U198 goes back to an unknown common ancestor who lived about 2000 years ago with a margin of error of about 500 years. Edmund Chandler, the immigrant, who lived about 400 years ago, is the common ancestor of our YDNA testees.

Our Chandler volunteer from our Edmund Chandler YDNA group tested positive as a member of U198. That means that the entire Edmund Chandler group of testees are also members of the U198 group.

At first it seems fairly useless to be concerned with a marker that goes back to a common ancestor who lived about 2000 (plus or minus 500) years ago which is still way before surnames became common. However, U198 appears in only about 1 or 2% of the population so it may prove helpful in establishing migration and settlement patterns, even though a lot of migrating can take place in 2000 years. So far most of the U198 testees have shown up in Lowland Scotland and southern England. We have long suspected that Edmund came from southern England with Sussex and Kent being high on the list because of the association with Roger Chandler, Edmund’s possible relative. It is too early to tell if this is a clue as to Edmund’s origins or not as so few have been tested for the U198 project.

I am going to inquire further about a possible link between the Lynn family and the Chandler family and let you know what I find out.

A lot more testees will have to join the U198 project and more sub-groups of U198 will have to be found before it can be helpful to us. It will be interesting to find out what they dig up figuratively speaking.

 U198 (S29) Project-page 4

Chandler DNA Project

 TIPS AND HINTS

Maps

The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection

I found a great site that should be useful to all. I may have mentioned it in the past, but this was the first time that I actually tried it. It is the David Rumsey Map Collection David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.  It is free to browse.

You can look up and zoom in on old, historical maps from around the world. I found an atlas for Androscoggin County Maine that showed where people lived in 1873. I also looked up Grafton, Co. New Hampshire where many of Edmund, the immigrant’s, son Benjamin’s descendants lived. I found Chandlers in both places. So put your ancestral locale in and give it a try as you may find exactly where your ancestor lived back in the1800s. Here is a sample:

Piermont, Grafton Co. (with) Swift Water P.O., town of Bath. (with) Bath P.O., town of Bath. (with) Piermont P.O., town of Pie

United States Maps

Expansion of United States territory.

More maps here including my favorite, the interactive county and state boundary map, which show the formation, name and boundary changes of the counties over the years. The states start out blob-like and gradually form into counties. It is invaluable if you have an ancestor who lived in three different counties and maybe two different states, but never moved! Or, have an ancestor where there is an argument over where they were born. It could be the same place, but the county boundary changed. They also mention the Rumford maps and have worldwide maps.

United States Maps – Maps of US & States

In addition, here is a sample from the above of the interactive moving map of the formation of Iowa:

State and County Maps of Iowa

Family Search

There is always something new at Familysearch. They have dropped their old genealogy program PAF. However, now you can link RootsMagic and perhaps one or two other genealogy programs as more are planned to be linked into Familysearch and import directly data instead of copying it. If you sign up to familysearch www.familysearch.org you can access their site for free. Once month they send out a e-mail sharing what is new.

 JOSEPH CHANDLER HOUSE

907 Tremont St Duxbury, Massachusetts

Joseph Chandler House by Billie Pett.

 Research by our member, Billie Pett, led her to the conclusion that the house which is now for sale at 907 Tremont Street originally belonged to Joseph Chandler, Sr. (1641-1721).  Her research also proved that Capt. John Chandler of Duxbury was Joseph Chandler, Sr.’s grandson. Previously,  we featured the historic Isaac Chandler house in the Courier (see link below), but this house has even a longer history as this Joseph Chandler was Edmund, the immigrant’s son and Isaac’s ggg-grandfather. 

The house at 907 Tremont Street and the area to the east of it was once known as the “Old Chandler Neighborhood Before 1700.”  It was defined as such by Duxbury historian Henry Fish in his “Historical Sketch of Duxbury” published in 1923. Billie proved that the area to the west of Tremont Street from the Gamaliel Bradford House south to below the Mayflower Cemetery also belonged to Joseph Chandler, Sr. In 1785 his descendant Jonathan Chandler sold much of it to the “Inhabitants of Duxbury” for the new First Parish Church, Mayflower Cemetery, Town Hall and Partridge Academy.                                        

Our member, Billie reviewed over 400 deeds plus additional old documents, to trace the history of the area, and specifically, 907 Tremont Street.  As Billie studied the deeds and wills regarding this house, she discovered what was listed on the house’s date board didn’t match the documents that she found.  The house was listed in the town history as being built in 1750, and it was listed by the MA Historical Commission as being built in 1789. However, Joseph’s grandson, Capt. John Chandler, was living in the house in 1750, so it was surely in existence before then. As a matter of fact, it was even mentioned in Joseph’s will, and since he died in 1721, it was obviously built before then. Joseph probably built the house before 1700.

The house has an “ell” which is an addition that would make it similar to a modern day duplex.  It is likely that Joseph, his wife Mercy and youngest girls, lived in one section of the house and his son, Edmund, and his family (including grandson, Capt. John) lived in the other section. 

We believe that Edmund’s  section was inherited by Capt. John as the other section was inherited by Joseph’s daughter and was eventually acquired by Capt. John.  When Capt. John died he left one section to his son Jonathan and the other section to his unmarried daughters.  Jonathan eventually sold his section of the house and moved to Maine with his family after the Revolutionary War.

This is a just a capsule review. The full story will be available when we update the web site and put Billie’s treatise in the online Library. Below are the links to Joseph’s house plus many pictures including the interior and a link to the story about Isaac Chandler’s house which was featured in an earlier edition of the Courier.

907 Tremont St, Duxbury, MA 02332 – Zillow

 THE ISAAC CHANDLER HOUSE OF DUXBURY, MASS by Carol May | Edmund’s Community Courier

 CHANDLER REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERANS AND PATRIOTS

The two lists (see below) of Edmund Chandler descendants, who were veterans and/or provided patriotic service during the Revolutionary War, were compiled from several sources. There is no master list or source. I cross-referenced the Revolutionary War age Chandlers with Revolutionary War sources and lists to create the lists below. 

 There may additional, especially older Chandlers, who rendered patriotic service or military service that I did not find. I suspect that Ephraim Chandler of Kingston, who I couldn’t find on any list, may have also served as he came from a family of patriots.

 The first list covers Massachusetts, what is now Maine, and the second list covers Vermont and New Hampshire. I only included birth and death dates and their lineages. Eventually, we can fill in their service, you can look it up in the sources listed, or if you are an ECFA member I may be able to do a look-up or scan the page.

 

Please e-mail us if you find mistakes or omissions, as this is an ongoing project. We will feature selected Chandler individuals or military engagements that included Chandlers in upcoming issues – so stay tuned!

 

For many of you lucky Massachusetts and Maine folks, there is a clickable link in the sources section where you can go directly to “Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolution” and find out their rank and where they served. Some were also found in “Soldiers, Sailors and Patriots of the Revolutionary War – Maine” by Carlton Fisher, who Bob Chandler, our co-chairperson and treasurer alerted me to. This is an excellent book, which is not online as far as I know.

 

For those of you with ancestors with common first names it may take some sleuthing to figure which service was theirs and which belonged to others of the same name. Also, be aware that those who served in more than one company or branch of service will probably listed more than once as in the case of Nathaniel Chandler.

 

If you can’t find your Revolutionary War era ancestor listed below or wish to find out more details about their service, there are many places where you can research- — NARA, pension files, town records, historic documents, etc. 

 

Maine was still part of Massachusetts and would not become a separate state until 1820, so check Massachusetts, too, if you are looking for a Maine ancestor. Not all soldiers are listed from the state where they lived. I found Josiah Chandler in both Massachusetts and Vermont/New Hampshire records. He was born in Massachusetts and moved to Maine.

 

I found our New Hampshire veterans and patriots in the book “Soldiers and Sailors and Patriots of the Revolutionary War – Vermont.” By Carlton Fisher Sorry, no clickable link for that book. Vermont wasn’t even a separate colony during the Revolution. New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts all had claims, but many men from different states served there and Vermont men also served in various states. 

 

Not all veterans and patriots are listed with the various Revolutionary War societies. For example, the DAR only lists their members’ Revolutionary War ancestors. Also, be aware that membership requirements vary from group to group.  See Revolutionary War lineage societies following the list.

If you wish to read about our member, Elsie’s, experience in applying to the DAR under her ancestor, Nathaniel Chandler (Capt. John>Edmund*>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant), read the October 2006 issue of the Courier in our archives at www.edmundchandler.com .

 

Also following the lists of Revolutionary War Veterans and Patriots who descended from Edmund Chandler, is a list explaining the branches of military service during the Revolution and descriptions of what constituted patriotic service. This was summarized from a DAR source. There is a clickable link to read more.

THE LISTS

 REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERANS AND PATRIOTS WHO DESCEND FROM EDMUND CHANDLER

 

MASSACHUSETTS AND MAINE

Flag of New England.

 

AARON CHANDLER born June 23, 1765, Duxbury died at sea after 1799. Lineage: Thomas>Samuel>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Source:1, 2

 ABEL CHANDLER  (October 27, 1758- March10, 1812). Lineage: John>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 ARTHUR CHANDLER (May 28, 1762-August 13, 1826). Lineage: Zebedee Chandler> possibly Edmund>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 ASA CHANDLER (March 1, 1743-October 1, 1825). Lineage: Phillip>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: There is also another Asa Chandler who served in the Revolution on the ship “Tyrannacide” who was of another Chandler line and was not from the Duxbury/Plymouth area. Source: 1, 2

 BISBEE CHANDLER (June 1, 1755-August 26,1826). Lineage: Thomas>Samuel>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 EDMUND CHANDLER

Edmund Chandler, Jr.

 ENOS CHANDLER (July, 1742-?). Lineage:Edmund>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. He was from North Yarmouth, Maine (then Massachusetts). More work needs to be done to make sure that he is the correct Enos as he also had a nephew who was named Enos. Source: 1, 2

 EZEKIAL CHANDLER (September 14, 1733-April 1830). Lineage: Joshua>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 HENRY CHANDLER (c. 1764-after 1850). Lineage: Thomas>Samuel>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, Familysearch records. Note:  We don’t have him in our database yet.

 HOWARD CHANDLER (c. 1759-March 1, 1844). Lineage: Thomas>Samuel>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2 His pension file is in our Members’ only library

ICHABOD CHANDLER (Lineage> Jonathan>Capt. John>Edmund*>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1,2

JACOB “CHAUNDLER” (June 19, 1757-?). He was from North Yarmouth, Maine (then Massachusetts). If you are looking him up in Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors, look under the spelling (actually misspelling) above.  In our database, refer to Jacob Chandler in Edmund’s Main Lineage. Lineage: Jonathan>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 JOHN CHANDLER (February 4, 1748-May 1778). He was from Royalsborough (now Durham) and New Gloucester, Maine which was then Massachusetts. Lineage: Judah>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 JOHN CHANDLER (before August 6, 1758-April 28, 1816. Lineage:  Jonathan>Capt. John>Edmund*>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 JONATHAN CHANDLER  (September 24, 1731-February13, 1818). Lineage: Capt. John>Edmund*>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 JONATHAN CHANDLER (February 18, 1717-July 20, 1786). Lineage: Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: He was the eldest Jonathan Chandler in North Yarmouth at the time and performed patriotic service. He may have been too old or was not able bodied for military duty. His nephew, also named Jonathan Chandler, was in the Continental line. See below. Source: 1, 4

 JONATHAN CHANDLER (December 14, 1750- between 1826 and 1830). Lineage: Judah>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: We have no record of his death, but according to contemporary newspaper accounts he was living in 1826 when his wife died and he did not appear in the 1830 US census for Poland, Maine. He served in the Continental Line. Source: 2, 4

 JOSEPH CHANDLER (October 24, 1759-c. 1794 at sea). Lineage: Joseph>Joseph>Joshua>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: He was the most likely Joseph Chandler to have served in the Revolutionary War because he was the only one of the right age and place (Duxbury) to have done so that we know about.  If anyone has more information about him let us know.  He had a lengthy service during the Revolutionary War and it appears that he served in the Continental Army and was at Valley Forge. He needs further research to verify this. Source: 1, 2, 3

 JOSHUA CHANDLER (October 31, 1757-1853). Lineage: Ezekiel>Joshua>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source:1,2

 JOSIAH CHANDLER (September 8, 1748-December 15, 1834). Lineage: Zebedee>possibly Edmund>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: He served from Plympton. Source: 1, 2

 JUDAH CHANDLER (August 30, 1720-1802). Lineage: Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: He was a civilian who took up arms with his fellow townspeople in Machias, Maine and together they captured the British ship, Margaretta. Source: 2, 4

 NATHANIEL CHANDLER (before September 19, 1762-June 4, 1854). Lineage: Jonathan>Capt.John>Edmund*>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note:  Our member, Elsie, became a member of the DAR with Nathaniel as her Patriot ancestor. We know from Nathaniel’s pension record that he served an aggregate of 2 years.  There was Nathaniel and a Nathan Chandler listed in Mass. Soldiers and Sailors. They may be one and the same or it is possible that Nathan may refer to the older Nathan (also sometimes referred to as Nathaniel) Chandler. There is also another Nathaniel from another family. See below.  Source: 1,2,4

 NATHAN (NATHANIEL) CHANDLER (October 28, 1726-September 21, 1895). Lineage:Philip>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: I think that this is the correct Nathan and not Nathaniel (above) More research needed. Source: 1?, 2

 PELEG CHANDLER  (April 27, 1735-August 24, 1819). Lineage: Philip>Joseph>Joseph> Edmund, the immigrant. Note: He was the chairman of the Committee of Safety for New Gloucester, Maine from 1778-1783. Source: 2, 4

 PEREZ CHANDLER (July 10, 1730-January 28, 1800). Lineage: Philip>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: Our databases show him as a member of the Duxbury Committees on Correspondence and Safety. This was a vital role as it was the beginning of a new government. I don’t know where this info came from originally. Source: 2

 PHILLIP CHANDLER (October 24, 1738-April 12, 1801). Lineage:  Phillip>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

 SAMUEL CHANDLER (June 23, 1765-before 1838 when his widow died). Lineage: Thomas>Samuel>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: There is a large Revolutionary War pension file on Fold 3 for him.  One of his compatriots described him as “zealous” in his belief in the Revolutionary cause.  He was a Lieutenant. I wonder if we have the correct birth date for him. Source: 2, 5

 SCEVA (SEVA) CHANDLER (before June 12, 1757-March 14, 1832). Lineage: Ebenezer>Joseph>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1, 2

Thomas Chandler (about 1773-June 23, 1844). Lineage: Thomas>Samuel>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Source: 1,2

 ZEBEDEE CHANDLER (October 1712-December 2, 1777). Lineage: Possibly Edmund>Joseph>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: From Plympton.  He was a lieutenant.  Source: 1, 2

 ZEBEDEE CHANDLER (April 22, 1764-January 23, 1844. Lineage: Zebedee>possibly Edmund>Joseph> Edmund, the immigrant. Note: From Plympton. He was a private. Source: 1, 2 (His pension file is in our Members’ Only library)

 SOURCES

 

Betsy Ross flag.

1. List of Revolutionary War Veterans from Duxbury and  Duxbury Rural Historical Society

Massachusetts  Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors.  Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the revol…

1. Databases,  www.edmundchandler.com  Birth and death information came from our  public databases and more detailed information came from our Members’ Only section
2. Rootsweb.  Unverified, but consider the information as clues.
3. Soldiers, Sailors and Patriots of the Revolutionary War Maine by Carlton Fisher (Louisville, Ky.: National Society Sons of the American Revolution, 1982).
4. Fold 3

REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERANS AND PATRIOTS FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT

Nation Makers, painting by Howard Pyle depicting the Battle of Bennington Vermont.

The Revolutionary War veterans and patriots from New Hampshire and Vermont listed below,all descend from Joseph Chandler (Benjamin>Edmund) with the exception of Josiah Chandler (see below). 

The green mountain boys flag.

Joseph left Massachusetts with his family for Litchfield, Connecticut  c. 1748.  His children and grandchildren pushed further into the frontier when they moved to Piermont, New Hampshire.  Later on some of them moved to Vermont, sometimes moving back and forth between the two states which make for interesting research trying to keep up with them.

While New Hampshire was one of the original 13 colonies, Vermont was not.  Neither its borders nor its ownership was clearly defined.  First claim, of course, went to the indigenous peoples, but as Europeans moved in they began parceling it out as they saw fit. There was the New Hampshire grant which neither New York nor Massachusetts recognized as they each had their own claims on the state.  Then there were the British with their own ideas of how Vermont should be handled.  This riled the residents of Vermont so much that they formed the Green Mountain Boys which were later instrumental in fighting the British during the Revolution.  Vermont existed as a republic for 14 years until they paid $30,000 to New York to become a state.

While these Chandler veterans and patriots lived in both New Hampshire and Vermont and Josiah was from Massachusetts and later moved to Maine, they were recorded in Soldiers, Sailors, and Patriots of The Revolutionary War — Vermont” by Carlton Fisher. 

Here is the list:

ABNER CHANDLER (February 6, 1731- 1790). Lineage: Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant.

ABNER CHANDLER (1763-?). Lineage: Abner>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: There are several entries for Abner Chandler. One is clearly his father and the others are most likely either his father or himself; however, if you research Abner check to see if there were any other Abners from other Chandler families in Vermont and New Hampshire at that time.

BENJAMIN CHANDLER (May 16, 1727-August 16, 1777. Lineage: Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund.

 HILL CHANDLER (April 1761-1825). Lineage: Abner>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Note:  There are a couple of entries for Hill and also a “Hiel” which could actually be Abiel as there were several Abiel Chandlers in other Chandler families.

 JESSE CHANDLER (November 5, 1764-?). Lineage: Benjamin>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: There are two Jesses listed. I think that he was the Jesse in Capt. Ives. Company, not Jesse Zacariah Chandler.

 JOHN CHANDLER (April 27, 1753-May 12, 1829). Lineage: Benjamin>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant

 CAPT. JONATHAN CHANDLER (December 30, 1735-1799). Lineage: Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant

JOSEPH CHANDLER (September 10, 1730-November 7, 1844). Lineage: Joseph>Benjamin>, Edmund, the immigrant.

 JOSIAH CHANDLER Lineage: Zebedee Chandler>Edmund Chandler?>Joseph Chandler>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: He is the only one that I found so far who did not descend from Joseph (Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. He was born in Plympton, Mass and eventually settled in Maine.

 PHILO CHANDLER (February 12, 1765-?). Lineage: Abner>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant.

 SETH CHANDLER  (February 10, 1868-March 31, 1806. Lineage: Benjamin>Joseph>Benjamin>Edmund, the immigrant. Note: He may have been too young to serve in which case it was another Seth.

 SIMEON CHANDLER (January 24, 1724-after 1773). Lineage: Joseph>Benjamin, Edmund, the immigrant. Note: There was also a Simon, but I believe he was from another family.

 SOURCES:

The lineages and most of the birth and death dates came from our databases; the rest of the information came from Carlton Fisher’s book. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find it on line, but it is available from many libraries. 

 TYPES OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR SERVICE

Revolutionary War Military Service

 Revolutionary War military service, with few exceptions, began with the Battle of Lexington April 19, 1775 and ended with the British troop withdrawal on November 26, 1783. The DAR recognizes service rendered by officers and soldiers of the Continental Army, Navy, Marines, state and local militias, state navies, the French army and navy.

 

Privateers

Confiance, a privateer vessel. Depicted in a painting by Ambroise Louis Garneray

These were men who, with their own private vessels, captured British ships and goods.

 Civil Service

These were the judges, selectmen, town clerks, etc. who served after the royal governors were removed from office and in areas that patriots controlled.

 Patriotic Service

 Committees of Correspondence   They communicated between the states and were the first step toward unified action by the colonies.

 Provincial congresses

Continental Congresses

 Committees of Safety   They replaced the Committees of Correspondence and provided interim governance.

 Revolutionary Committees

 Signers of Oaths of Allegiance

 Signers of Petitions These were petitions objecting to British rule.

 Doctors and Nurses who provided aid to the colonists

 Defenders of forts and stations They were primarily in what was then the far west.

 Those who rendered material aid.  These could be supplies, etc. whether free or paid.

 http://escondido.californiadar.org/GenDocs/IsThatServiceRight.pdf  The list above is from the DAR. It also lists their requirements for membership and extensive sources for researching your Revolutionary War patriot by state. This is the place to go for sources.

 REVOLUTIONARY WAR DESCENDANT SOCIETIES

 If you wish to join a Revolutionary War descendants group such as groups listed below, be aware that they each have different requirements and vary in their requirements for proof.

 The Society of the Cincinnati This is the oldest of the Revolutionary War groups having been founded by officers in the Continental Army in 1783 to maintain their ties.  It is now open to male descendants of these officers. They also include descendants of French officers who aided in the American Revolution.

DAR | Daughters of the American Revolution It is probably the best known of the Revolutionary War groups. Be aware that they only include veterans whose descendants applied for membership. So if your ancestor served and you can prove it and can prove your lineage to that ancestor your ancestor will be included on their list when you join if he hadn’t been previously. They do have extensive information about the Revolutionary War and those who participated in their libraries so you may be able to find more information about your ancestor even if he isn’t on their list.

NSSAR | National Society, Sons of the American Revolution This group and the group below were once the same group, but later split into two.

Sons of the Revolution Home Page

Genealogy honors the lives of our ancestors, and what better way to honor a person’s life than to tell their story. Each of our ancestors helped shape the country we live in today whether in a big or small way. Who was your Chandler ancestor? What is their story? If you would like to contribute a story please write to Carol or I (barb@barbchandler.org).