The Portland daily press., 1883-07-24
A Worthy of Old Maine.
Sketch of the Remarkable Career OF the
Hon. John Chandler of Monmouth.
BY WILLIAM Il. SMITH.

Two hundred and forty six years ago VIII
liam Chandler emigrated from England 10
America with his family and settled in Rox-
bury, Mass. Eliot, the Apostle to the Indi-
ans, who was his pastor, speaks of this fami-
ly in his record as follows:
William Chandler came to New England about
1887. He brought four small children, Thomas.
Hanna, John and William. Sarah was born here.
He lived very religious and godly life among us,
and fell int a consumption to which he had been
long Inclined. He lay neare "A yease sick, in all
which time his faith, patience godlifess and conten
ton so shined that God was much glorifed in him.
He was man of weak parts, but excellent faith
and holyness; he was poore, but God so opened the
hearts of his naybors to him Vt he never wanted vt
which was cat least to his eateem very plentiful and
comfortable to him. He dyed Jan. 26 1641-2 and
left a sweet memory ana SAVIOR behind him
His widow married John Dane of Rox-
bury. He vas the ancestor of the famou
Nathan Dane of Beverly, Nathan Dane Of
Alfred and Joseph Dane of Kennebunk.
The Chandler estate in Roxbury consisted
of ten acres; it was located at what is now
the southerly corner of Bartlett and Wash
ington streets. The brick stable of the Me-
ropolitan railroad company stands on part
of this estate. Thomas, the oldest son, mar
ried Hannah Brewer. He was one of the
proprietoTs of Andover, Mass His name
is twenty-third of the householders in or
der as they came to town. He died in 1903:
his wife in 17l7, aged 81. He became rich
man before his death He was blacksmith
by trade, and carried on considerable iron
works.
3rd, 1859, married 1851 Sarah Abbot. He
was blacksmith of Andover and Salisbury,
Mass.
His son Joseph Chandler, born 1894, mar
ried Mary Tucker. He worked at black
smitbing and iron working, and while
hammer it few up and knocked all bis front
teeth out; but he was sweet singer after
wards.
His sen, Capt. Joseph Chandler, born in
Salisbury, Mass, in 1925, married Jan. LIST,
1746, Lydia Eastman, who was born in Ken
sington, n. b., in 1926. He was black
smith, and settling in Epping, N. a., they
lined few years on the northern side of
Red Oak Hill. He purchased later small
farm on the southern side of The hill about
Gov. Plummer's estate. The house now oc-
cupied by Mrs. Annie, widow of Martin V.
Fogg, stands on the site of the one occupied
by Capt. Chandler. He served in the French
war, was highway surveyor in Epping in
1853, and at the annual parish meeting, held
March IA, 1774, he was chosen parish
clerk" On Jan. End, ITS, Capt Joseph
Chandler was chosen one of the committee
of inspection and Correspondence FIR the
Parish of Epping." He was captain in
the Revolutionary War; and at meeting
July 22nd, 1776, of the New Hampshire COM
mittee Of safety they gave South Hamp-
ton soldiers leave to 60 and join Capt. Chand-
ler's company" He died in the service of
his country Sept II, 1776, at Mount Inde-
pendence, near Fort George in Rutland
county, Vermont, leaving widow and ten
children, of whom the subject of this sketch
was the seventh, In straitened circumstan-
ces.
Hon. John Chandler was born on Red Oak
Hill in Epping, Feb LIST, 1862, and was near
~ fifteen years old at the time OF his fathers
death. He received such education as the
district school afforded him. He learned
The trade of his father, and assisted his
mother to keep the wolf of poverty from the
door. In the year 1777, being IS years old,
be enlisted for three months, served out his
time, and was honorably discharged. He
was in Stark's famous Brigade, which was
under Gates at the last action before Bur
goyne. surrendered, Get. II, 1777. On his
return 10 Red Oak Hill he worked for his
mother, probably on the farm aud at the
forge, until January ITO, when he secretly
left home, walked to Newburyport and
shipped on board of privateer, the Gar
nold,'' commanded by Capt. Moses Brown,
who afterwards commanded the frigate Es-
sex.
Being captured by the British he suffered
terribly in one of their prison ships. He
with few others planned and carried into
execution an escape. Twenty-four in all
they reached the land near Savannah, Geor
gia. Chandler and two others at his instiea-
ton starte to walk to New Hampshire.
His companions died on the way; but
Chandler walked TO his home in Epping,
reaching there In February, 1880. There
was Joy at that humble hearth, for his moth
er had mourned him as dead.