The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-02
Broad, Acres Brought
Great Wealth to
Worcester People.
CHANDLER, WARD AND JAQUES.
Sketch of One of the
City's Foremost Bene-
factors.
sg.fTBy Franklin P. Rice.l

80 e. Thy FRANKLIN L. tlce.l
aJohn chandler, the third of that
same, the most eminent citizen of
worcester at the beginning of the rev.
oTdti6n, who left his country, his fami-
kengdepinion that the patriot cause
would fail, was one of the largest land
holders in this vicinity.
1.-The value of his real estate in Wor-
cester alone was fixed at &34,000, and it
probably comprised from 1900 to 1900
acres ~ OF his property, 925,505 in
value was set off to his wife, and the
remainder was confiscated. The mod
Grafton of his demands for losses made
to the British government gained for
him the name of "the honest refugee.
-sOf the land in Worcester retained by
the family, the homestead situated on
Main street between the present Me-
chanic and Front streets, and running
east some distance, was occupied by
Mrs. Chandler and her family until her
death In 1888. The Walker building
covers the site of the mansion house.
Another parcel was located east of Lin
coin square,, and included Belmont
street and Chandler hill. A third por-
ton was situated south of Austin street
on Main street, and reached south
ward to May street. About $50 acres
We're comprised in this tract, which for
so, years after the revolution was known
as; the Chandler farm, and afterwards
as the jacques farm.
Of tn Hschildren of John Chandler,
by two, wives, Charles and Samuel were
the ninth and tenth. born in 1856 and
1768- respectively They became enter
prising men, as merchants and manu-
facturers and acquired fortunes.
Charles engaged in business in Putney,
VT, as a storekeeper, aud afterwards
returned. ito Worcester, where he died
in 1898. Samuel was in company with
his brother in Putney and Worcester,
and after the death of Charles, re-
moved to Woodstock, VT, where he
continued in trade until he died in 1873
The brothers, in addition to their COM
nercial undertakings engaged extern
Sively in the manufacture of pot and
pearl ashes, not only in Worcester, but
in Vermont and Canada.
Charles and Samuel Chandler resided
together in a house which stood on the
site of the Ethan Allen mansion, on
what is now Murray avenue, the land
at that time being open to the country
GoadSQr Main street. Charles, at the
age of Al, married Sarah Mower, a
young woman, nearly 20 years his jul
AAOA, dhO- 0cililucl lueI ItlIluN6u " TIE
Lincoln square estate. The only child
Of this marriage, Sarah, was born in
1871, and at the age of four years was
by the death of her mother left an or
phan, and the heiress of the large
property of her parents, the farm hav-
ing been inventoried at $4,000 at the
time of her fathers death
The child of such fair prospects ma
turally received the homage of all the
towns people, and was carefully nur-
tured by her relatives and trained for
the position in life that it seemed she
was destined to fill. Her material in
terests were managed with excellent
judgment and scrupulous fidelity by her
guardian, Theophilus Wheeler, and the
value of her property had greatly in
creased by the time that he was dis
charged Of his trust
Sarah Chandler while not of marked
personal beauty, developed into an at
tractive woman of more than ordinary
intellectual traits, of ambitious and
proud spirit and force of character
which was exhibited to an uncommon
degree under the adverse circum-
stances she encountered in later life.
In the summer of 1915 there came to
Worcester from Woodstock, VT. a
young man by the name of Samuel
Ward, or Sam Ward as he was univers-
ally called in after years, when he be-
came better known. He was at that
time person of considerable pretension
and rather dashing appearance, given to
dress and tefthe pleasures of society,"
at1s pr0bablelthat' he had been attract
ed Sbythe ;famefe and fortune of the
young woman he claiming sort of