Thomas Chandler Sr. (bef. 1628 - 1703)

Born before 9 Aug 1628 in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Brewer) Chandler — married about 1650 in Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 15 Jan 1703 after age 74 in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts

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[Note: RE Wife Hannah's' parentage: His wife has been long been stated in various older texts and articles to be Hannah Brewer, daughter to Daniel and Joanna (___) Brewer, however there is no evidence that this couple had a daughter Hannah. ^{[1] [2]}

Biography

Thomas Chandler Sr. immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Thomas Chandler Sr. was a witchcraft accuser in the Salem Witch Trials

Thomas Chandler, son of William Chandler of Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England and his second wife Annis/Agnes Bayford was baptized on August 9, 1628. ^[3]

Thomas came to New England in 1637 with his parents and siblings, Hannah, John and William. ^[3]

• He was one of the proprietors and early pioneers in the settlement of Andover. His name is 23d of householders in order as they came to Town. ^[4]
• Thomas Chandler was a blacksmith ultimately a rich man carrying on a considerable iron works. ^[4]
• He was employed with George Abbot Senior and others to lay out lands granted individuals by General Court. ^[4]
• Thomas Chandler was 'leften'nt' in ye libot Company in Andover, John Stephens Ensign, under the command of Dudley Bradstreet, Captain. ^{[4] [5]}
• He was a representative to the General Court in 1678 and 1679 from Andover. ^[4]
• Gave evidence in the Salem Witchcraft trials against Samuel Wardwell, who was executed September 22, 1692. ^[6][7]

Thomas married Hannah Brewer settling at Andover, Massachusetts. ^{[3] [8]}

Thomas died at Andover on the 15th day of 1703 ^{[9] [8]}and was probably buried in the graveyard at North Andover. ^[4]

Hanna died there on October 25, 1717 in her 88th year. ^{[9] [8] [4]}

Thomas Chandler wrote his will on September 30, 1700, and it was proved on February 8, 1703. In it he left bequests to: ^[10]

• loving wife Hannah, the room we now live in, maintenance by sons Henry and John in firewood, annual grains, apples, cider etc. and yearly income from the ironworks
• son John
• the three sons of my son William
• son Thomas
• son Henry
• son Joseph
• daughters Hannah Bigsbee and Sarah Phelps ^[10]

Children

1. Thomas born on October 2. 1652 ^[9]; died June 6, 1660, aged. 7 years. Salem Records. ^[4]
2. John born March 14, 1655 at Andover; died on September 19, 1721; married Hannah Abbot on December 20, 1676. ^{[9] [4]}
3. Hannah born ___; married Daniel Bixby of Andover on December 2, 1674 . ^{[9] [4]}
4. William born on May 28, 1659; was married to Eleanor Phelps on April 21, 1687 ^[9] by Rev. Francis Dane of South Andover. ^[4]
5. Sarah born on December 20. 1661 ; married Samuel Phelps on May 2, 1682. ^{[9] [4]}
6. Thomas born on October 9, 1664; married Mary Peters on May 22, 1686. ^{[9] [4]}
7. Henry born on May 28, 1667 ^[9]; married Lydia Abbot of Andover on November 28, 1695 . ^[4]
8. Joseph born August 3, 1669; married Sarah Abbot on November 20, 1691. ^{[9] [4]}

Military

Thomas served in the Andover militia and later served for Andover in the Essex militia regiments. Although his service appears to be continuous, there were at times various appointments made as men moved up or move on.

1661: Thomas was chosen Ensign in the Andover militia.

1666: Thomas continued service as Ensign.

1675: Again appointed Ensign.

1680: The Andover men joined with other towns as part of the one of the two Essex militia regiments and Thomas Chandler was again chosen Ensign.

1685: Thomas Chandler was listed as Lieutenant.

1688: Lieutenant again. ^[5]

Historic Landmarks

Chandler-Bixby-Abbot House (1673) is a historic house at 88 Lowell Street in Andover, Massachusetts and is the oldest surviving house in Andover.

History: "The house was built before 1673 by Captain Thomas Chandler, a blacksmith who was one of the original proprietors of Andover, as part of his sixty-acre farm. The house was inherited by his daughter Hannah Bigsby (Bixby) upon Chandler's death. The farm house was later remodeled in a Georgian style.

The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is one of the oldest surviving houses in Massachusetts." ^{[11] [12]}

Research Notes

Andover Births

Chandler, Henry, s. Thomas and Hanna, May 28, 1667. (p. 96)

Chandler, Joseph, s. Thomas and Hannah, Aug. 3, 1669. (p. 98)

Chandler, Sara, d. Thomas and Hanna, Dec. 20, 1661. (p. 101)

Chandler, Thomas, s. Thomas and Hanna, Oct. 2, 1652. (p. 101)

Chandler, Thomas, s. Thomas and Hanna, Oct. 9, 1664. (P. 101)

Chandler, William, s. Thomas and [Hanna. CTF], May 28, 1659. (p. 101)

Andover Deaths:

CHANDLER, Thomas, Capt. Jan. 15, 1702-3. (p. 410)

CHANDLER, Hannah, wid. Capt. Thomas, Oct. 25, 1717, in her 88th y. (p. 408)

Chandler, Thomas, s. Thomas and Hannah, June 6, 1659. (p. 410) ^[9]

Burial Family Monument: Old North Cemetery, Concord, Merrimack, New Hampshire * ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ The Ancestry of President Rutherford B. Hayes in: The American Genealogist, Volume 56, D. L. Jacobus, New Haven, Connecticut, 1980, p.165: 168
2. ↑ Anderson, Robert C. Daniel Brewer in: Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to N.E. 1620-1633, Vols. I-III, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 1995, p. 225-7 (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010), https://www.americanancestors.org/DB393/i/12107/225/23894584
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Moriarty, Andrews G. Ancestry of William Chandler of Roxbury MA. English Origins of New England Families 1500-1800 CD #181 Series I Vol. 2 pgs. 363-366
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14} Chandler, George. The Chandler Family: The Descendants of William and Annis Chandler who Settled in Roxbury, Mass., 1637 (Press of Charles Hamilton, Worcester, Mass., 1883). Person number 3, Volume 1 Pages 9 ,10 , and 11.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Bailey, Sarah Loring, Historical sketches of Andover (comprising the present towns of North Andover and Andover), Massachusetts, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Boston, Massachusetts, 1880, p. 168-9
6. ↑ The Witchcraft Delusion in New England, Vol. III, p. 125-6
7. ↑ Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive, University of Virginia, SWP No. 133.6: http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/n133.html#n133.6
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Tuttle, Julius Herbert. The Dedham Historical Register, Volumes 11-12, Dedham Historical Society, 1900 p. 105
9. ↑ ^{9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10} Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, The Topsfield Historical Society, Topsfield, Massachusetts, 1912
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Case 4974: p. 1-7: Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881, .Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB515/i/13763/4974-co1/245168434
11. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandler-Bigsby-Abbot_House wikipedia.com]
12. ↑ National Register of Historic Places
13. ↑ [Caution: This monument has his death as 1717, Andover records indicate he died in 1702-3,will proved on February 8, 1703 (his wife died 1717) ] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16059963/thomas-chandler Find A Grave Memorial 16059963 for Thomas Chandler]

See also:

• Preston, Belle. Bassett-Preston Ancestors (Tuttle Morehouse & Taylor Co., New Haven, Conn., 1930) Page 55-56
• Jacqueline Kelly, "The Untold Story of Mary Ayer Parker: Gossip and Confusion in 1692", 2005, http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/people?group.num=G01&mbio.num=mb42

Acknowledgments

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