Earliest known ancestor of Group 48
Hiram W. Chandler, b New York, NY, USA 1809, d 1881 New York, NY, USA: probably son of Vincent Chandler b Milford, NJ, USA c 1770 and possibly grandson of Robert Chandler b New York, NY, USA c 1750 (see Earlier Ancestry below)

19th Century New York City policeman
This 19th century New York policeman is a detail
from a painting at the Library of Congress: www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/pga.02854/
The earliest documented ancestor of Chandler Family Group #48 is Hiram Chandler, born in New York City on April 17, 1809.footnote 1 In 1835 New York City genealogical records Hiram, age 26, is listed as a ropemaker.footnote 2Records in other years find him employed as a lamplighter (1850),footnote 3 a speculator (1850 census),footnote 4 a prison keeper (1860 census),footnote 5 a court officer (1870 census),footnote 6 and a policeman (1880 census).footnote 7 Jerry Chandler, Hiram’s descendant and a Chandler DNA Project Group 48 match, believes the “lamplighter” occupation was a position within the New York City Police Department and a “speculator” was like a detective, also with the police department.

The June 16, 1865, issue of the New York Times credits Officer Hiram Chandler with the apprehension of Daniel M. Porter of No. 4 Wall Street, attorney and counselor, on a warrant which was issued following the complaint of Mr. Henry D. Stover. Stover claimed Porter had defrauded him of $25,000. The case involved bribery and misrepresentation as well as fraud.

In his more than 30-year career with the NYPD, Hiram would have seen many changes as the city grew. Creation of the New York City Police Department was approved by the New York state legislature on May 7, 1844. New York City’s population of 320,000 was previously served by a force consisting of one night watch, one hundred city marshals, thirty-one constables, and 51 municipal police officers. The new police force would include 1,200 officers and implement military style discipline and organization. An 1845 reorganization divided the city into three districts, with courts, magistrates, and clerks, and station houses set up in each. The NYPD was closely modeled after the Metropolitan Police Service in London, England, which itself used a military-like organizational structure. In 1857, a new metropolitan police force was established and the municipal police abolished. The Metropolitan Police Bill consolidated the departments in New York, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Westchester County (which then included the Bronx), under a board of commissioners appointed by the governor.footnote 8

Although the New York City Police Department has no record of Hiram Chandler, he is mentioned in two different historical books about the New York City Draft Riots of 1863 footnote 9 footnote 10 Hiram was apparently wounded in these riots and hospitalized. At Bellevue Hospital in New York City, according to newspaper articles about this incident, Hiram was not expected to live. He did, however, and went back to work. He is recorded as being a court clerk in the 1868 City Directory and in later years as a policeman and a court officer. From newspaper articles about Hiram’s beating by the mob, we first learned that Hiram’s middle initial was “W”.

New York City Draft Riots of 1863

In the spring of 1863 the United States Congress passed a law implementing a draft to conscript soldiers to fight for the Union in the Civil War. The first conscription act in the United States, it was not popular – especially in the poorer neighborhoods of the nation’s cities.
In New York City, the Irish and other immigrant communities were increasingly resentful because so many had already been wounded or killed in the war and now the government was going to force men to fight. Adding to their resentment was a provision in the conscription act that allowed an individual to pay $300 to avoid being drafted; this obviously favored those who could afford the fee. NYPD officers clash with rioters
Officers of the New York Police Department break up a riot. Detail from a painting at the Library of Congress: www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/pga.02854/
Simmering tensions boiled over when the first names were drawn on Saturday, July 11, 1863. By Monday morning, July 13, mobs began turning up at federal offices. Before Monday was over, rioters were spreading throughout the city. Each day brought more outrages, as mobs looted stores and burned public buildings. U.S. Army troops were brought in to deal with the mayhem and at times pitched battles erupted in the streets.The rioting finally ended after several turbulent days. The precise number of casualties is unknown, with the suspicion being that some dead rioters were quickly buried and never accounted for in official tallies. A reasonable estimate is that less than 200 civilians were killed and perhaps 1,000 wounded. Within a few months the selection of names for the draft began anew, and the process this time went smoothly.

Information from history1800s.about.com

Hiram’s Family

It is clearly recorded in the Hayes Family Tree records that Alamanda Hayes was Hiram Chandler’s first wife in about 1840. Alamanda was a daughter of Thomas Hayes (1782-1849) of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Sally Greene (1785-1843), also from Connecticut. Hiram and Alamanda had one child, Charles Wallace Chandler, born June 1842. Alamanda died 11 months later on May 16, 1843.footnote 16

Hiram married a second time in about 1845 to Sarah Lydia Greenop, born 1823 in the parish of St. Leonard, Middlesex, England. Sarah was the daughter of Edward B. Greenop (1795-1855) and Sarah Franklin (1785-1854) both from England.footnote 17 Sarah Lydia apparently had a previous marriage because, in the 1860 census, Hiram and Sarah have a daughter named Mary, born 1842, who was also born in England.footnote 18 Mary apparently arrived from England after the 1850 census since she is not listed there. The 1850 census lists the children of Hiram and Sarah as Charles W., born 1842 (son of Alamanda Hayes Chandler), Edwin F., born 1845, and Hiram F., born 1847.footnote 19

The 1855 New York state census lists Hiram (48), his wife Sarah (30), Charles W. (14), Frederick A. (4), and Sarah F. (2).

The 1860 census shows Hiram and wife Sarah in New York City. Included in the household were Frederick, age 9; Sarah, age 7; and Mary, age 18. According to this census record, Hiram and both his parents were born in New York, while Sarah and both her parents were born in England.footnote 20 By the time of the 1880 census Hiram’s household consisted of only himself, wife Sarah, and daughter Sarah, age 27.footnote 21

Hiram Chandler died six days later, on April 21, 1881, from gangrene in his foot, the result of an injury from being run over by a trolley car while on duty, according to newspaper reports of the incident. Unfortunately, his death certificate does not list the names of his parents.footnote 22

Hiram is buried in a family plot (#198) he purchased in New York City’s Cypress Hills Cemetery in 1857.footnote 23 Sarah Lydia Greenop Chandler, Hiram’s wife, died December 5, 1899, and is also in the family plot.footnote 24 Hiram and Sarah’s two young sons, Edwin and Hiram, ages approximately 10 and 11, died in 1856 and may have been the first family members buried at Cypress Hills. A plan of the family plot does not make clear the location of their graves.footnote 25

Charles Wallace Chandler, son of Hiram and Alamanda Hayes Chandler, married Mary F. Meyers, born 1847, and they had ten children:footnote 26

  • Mary, born 1866
  • Clara, born 1868
  • Charlotte, born 1870
  • Charles F., born 1872
  • Sarah L., born 1876
  • Hiram, born 1876
  • Katie A., born 1879
  • Lucy E., born 1880
  • Catherine A., born 1881
  • Laura A., born 1882.

Charles Wallace Chandler was a postal worker and served in the Union army from 1861 to 1863. Charles died October 2, 1901, and is buried in the Cypress Hills family plot.footnote 27 Five of Charles’ children are also among those buried in Hiram Chandler’s family plot in Cypress Hills Cemetery.

According to her death certificate, the middle name of Hiram and Sarah’s daughter Sarah was Franklin. Sarah Franklin, who married Thomas S. Mills, died on August 12, 1887. She is buried in the family plot at Cypress Hills Cemetery.footnote 28 Mr. Mills later married Annabell Babette Boeckhon June 5, 1888.

Jerry Chandler believes Hiram and Sarah’s son Frederick is his great grandfather. Frederick is somewhat of a mystery: born too early for a recorded birth certificate in New York City, no known death certificate in New York or New Jersey, and no known obituary in Jamesburg, New Jersey, newspapers. However, there is a New York City post office record of his death on June 18, 1917. (See image below.)footnote 29
Frederick August Chandler pay record, NY Post Office

Frederick and his wife Matilda Julia Hale have tombstones in the Fernwood Cemetery in Jamesburg, New Jersey, even though the cemetery has no record of their burial. Frederick is also found in census records for 1880 (when he had traveled to Colorado and was working as a “wood chopper”),footnote 30 1900,footnote 31 and 1910.footnote 32

Family legend, handed down from Craig Chandler Hay’s grandmother, Edith (daughter of Hiram and sister of Frederick), tells that Hiram was not particularly pleased with Frederick’s youthful lack of direction. Hiram apparently strongly influenced Frederick to make the timber-cutting trip out west to try to make something of himself. At that time, Frederick was already smitten with his future wife,Tillie, and didn’t want to go. This may account for the fact that his focus never really was on succeeding out west but was to get back to Tillie. The diary that Frederick kept while in Colorado, which is in the possession of Craig Chandler Hay, has many entries about missing his Tillie. Also noted in the diary is the day of Frederick’s birth, September 4, which was previously not known.

The census records of 1880 and 1910 note his birth year as about 1851, and the 1900 census gives his birth as September 1850. These dates closely match the birth year of about 1851 in census records of 1860 and 1870 when Frederick is listed with his parents, Hiram and Sarah Chandler. Also, in these census reports of Frederick as an adult, his father is listed as having been born in New York and his mother as having been born in England, thus matching the birth places of Hiram and Sarah Chandler. We also learn from these census records and Frederick’s marriage certificate to Matilda Halefootnote 33 that his middle initial is “A.” It’s probable that the “A” stands for Augustus, since that name is also the middle name of Frederick’s son Fred.footnote 34 In 1880 there is a voter registration record listing both Hiram and Frederick A. Chandler living at 512 East 118th Street, Manhattan, New York. That same address is also recorded in city directories from 1876 to Hiram’s death on April 21, 1881. It is also recorded as the address in his obituary.

Matilda Julia Hale Chandler

Above:
Matilda Julia Hale Chandler

At right:
Frederick A. Chandler, Sr.

Frederick A. Chandler, Sr.

There are two existing photographs of Frederick A. Chandler, Sr. (See one of them above.) He was a postal carrier in Bronx, New York. According to post office records, Frederick Augustus Chandler was employed as a letter carrier in New York City from at least July 1, 1883, through July 1, 1911, or possibly later. His salary was $600 in 1883, which indicates that he was a new employee. Between 1885 and 1905 he earned $1000 per year, the standard rate. His salary was increased to $1100 in 1907 and to $1200 in 1909.footnote 35 After his retirement in about 1914, he and his wife, Matilda, went to live with their daughter Eugenia Chandler Wilson in Jamesburg, New Jersey.footnote 36

Frederick’s wife, Matilda Julia Hale, was the seventh child of Captain Edwin Briggs Hale (1817-1896) and Cathryn Maria Minkler (1823-1905) of Saugerties, Ulster, New York.footnote 37 Matilda died on April 24, 1927 at age 70, and is buried with her husband in Fernwood Cemetery, Jamesburg, New Jersey.footnote 38 Most of the Hale family in Saugerties, New York, were seamen, sailing ships up and down the Hudson River. Many Hale tombstones can be found today in Ulster County, New York.footnote 39

The four children of Frederick and Matilda werefootnote 40:

  • Tilly Tower Chandler, b. 1883
  • Edith Hale Chandler, b. 1885
  • Frederick Augustus Chandler, b. 1889
  • Eugenia Ross “Jean” Chandler, b. 1893.
Tilly Tower Chandler
Tilly Tower Chandler
Edith Hale Chandler
Edith Hale Chandler
Frederick Augustus 'Fred' Chandler, Jr.
Frederick Augustus “Fred” Chandler, Jr.
Eugenia R. 'Jean' Chandler
Eugenia R. “Jean” Chandler

Tilly married George J. Vanderveer, born 1886, of Jamesburg, New Jersey.footnote 41 In a newspaper article announcing her marriage to George Vandiver [sic], Tilly is referred to as Mrs. Tillie C. McMertrie, which means she was married previously. Census and newspaper reports indicate Mr. McMertrie was possibly from the Philadelphia area. She disappeared from records after George’s death in 1926 and her mother’s death in 1927. Edith Hale married Henry Hay,footnote 42 born 1880, of Jamesburg, New Jersey, and had two sons: Harry Hay, born 1910, and Herbert Hay, born 1917.footnote 43 Frederick Augustus Jr. married Mary Loretta Grien, born 1888, from Bronx, New York; they had only one child, William Frederick Chandler, born 1918.footnote 44 Eugenia R. married William Wilson, born 1891, from Jamesburg, New Jersey.footnote 45 Their three children were Edith Eugenia Wilson, born 1918; Franklin Leonard Wilson, born 1922; and Ronald Chandler Wilson, born 1929.footnote 46 Frederick Augustus Chandler, Jr., and Mary Loretta Grien Chandler
Frederick Augustus “Fred” Chandler, Jr.
and Mary Loretta Grien Chandler

Mary Loretta Grien’s grandfather was David Grien, a soapmaker and one of the first Griens to immigate to America from Germany.footnote 47 Mary’s father Joseph was noted as a 23-year-old cigar maker in the 1880 censusfootnote 48 and as a clerk or shipping clerk in later census records.footnote 49

William Frederick Chandler, son of Frederick Augustus Chandler, Jr., and father of Group 48 DNA match Jerry Chandler, married Sally Jones, born 1916 in New York City,footnote 50 and they had five sons.footnote 51 Sally’s father was William John Jones, born 1887 in Feakle, County Clare, Ireland, and her mother was Sarah McGlynn, born 1884 in Doon-Boyle, Roscommon County, Ireland.footnote 52

William John and Sarah McGlynn Jones

Bill and Sally ChandlerAbove, William F. “Bill” and Sally Jones Chandler.

At left: William John and Sarah McGlynn Jones, Sally’s parents.

Making Connections

Jerry’s research on his Chandler family led to a contact from a young lady who turned out to be a great-granddaughter of Eugenia Chandler Wilson, daughter of Frederick Augustus Chandler, Sr. This person was able to put Jerry in touch with Ron Chandler Wilson, a first cousin of Jerry’s father and the only one of that generation still living. Jerry and his wife soon made a trip to meet Ron and his wife Marge at their home in Jamesburg, New Jersey. Ron shared photo albums that had belonged to his mother Eugenia and was able to tell Jerry a lot about the Chandler, Wilson and Hay families. On the visit to Jamesburg, Ron took Jerry to the cemetery where his great-grandparents are buried. They also visited the area where Ron’s father managed a giant ice house next to Jamesburg Lake and to the Smutt Factory where he was a foreman after the ice house was closed.

Jerry later contacted his second cousin Craig Chandler Hay, a descendant of Edith Chandler who married Harry Hay. Craig shared documents and photos; he also has a diary kept by their great-grandfather Frederick when he went to Colorado to cut down trees in 1880. In the diary, Frederick tells of missing his “lovely sweetheart Matilda.” They were married later that year in New York City.

The contacts made when doing genealogy research are an often underrated benefit. As in Jerry’s case, the result of such contacts can lead to rewarding experiences with previously unknown relatives.

Earlier Ancestry

Much of the information on this page is from the files of Jerry Chandler (email: ), a descendant of Hiram Chandler and a Chandler DNA Project match to Family Group #48. No evidence has been found specifically identifying the parentage of Hiram.  However, Jerry has assembled a substantial amount of plausible circumstantial evidence suggesting that Hiram was probably the son of Vincent Chandler born Milford, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, about 1770 who married Sarah McLean, and possibly the grandson of Robert Chandler born in New York about 1750 who married Caty Smith.  Information supporting these theories can be found in a 4-page document provided by Jerry.

 


1 Death certificate for Hiram Chandler, 23 March 1881, City and County of New York, New York. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

2 Longworth’s American Almanac, New-York Register, and City Directory (Thomas Longworth: New York, NY, 1835), p. 152.

3 Doggett’s New York City Directory, For 1849-1850 (New York, NY: John Doggett, Jr. & Co.), p. 88.

4 1850 U. S. Census, New York New York, Ward 17, Roll M432_556, Page 321, Image 140. Found online at ancestry.com.

5 1860 U. S. Census, New York, New York, 19-WD New York City, Series M653, Roll 815, Page 886. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

6 1870 U. S. Census, New York, New York, Series M593, Roll 984, Page 61. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

7 1880 U.S. Census, New York, New York, 12-WD, New York Series T9, Roll 898, Page 494. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

8 “History of the New York City Police Department,” Wikipedia.com, //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_New_York_City_Police_Department#cite_note-lankevich-p84-0, last checked April 21, 2010.

9 Cook, Adrian. The Armies of the Streets; the New York City Draft Riots of 1863 (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1974).

10 Townsend, Thomas Seaman. The Honors of the Empire State in the War of the Rebellion(New York: A. Lovell & Co., 1889).

11 Longworth’s American Almanac, New-York Register, and City Directory (New York, NY: D. Longworth, 1815), page: 159. Found online at ancestry.com.

12 Mercein, William A., Mercein’s City Directory, New-York Register, and Almanac (New York, NY: William A. Mercein, 1820), p.156. Found online at ancestry.com.

13 Hollister, Catherine, comp. Manhattan New York City Directory: 1829-30 [database on-line]. (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.) Original data: Longworth’s American Almanac, New-York Register and City Directory for 1829. (New York, NY, USA: Thomas Longworth, 15 Pine Street, 1829), p. 139.

14 1820 U. S. Census, New York, New York, 10-WD New York Series M33, Roll 78, Page 160. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

15 The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record (Quarterly) Extracts. (New York, NY: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1932). Found online at ancestry.com. Also available on microfilm at Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

16 Cutter, William Richard, Genealogical and Family History of the State of Connnecticut: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation, (New York, N.Y.: Lewis Publishing Company) Vol. 3, page 1407, Hayes Family.

17 Death Certificate of Sarah L. Chandler, 5 December 1809, New York, New York. Copy in the files of Jerry Chandler.

18 1860 U. S. Census, New York, New York, 19-WD New York City, Series M653, Roll 815, Page 886. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

19 1850 U. S. Census, New York New York, Ward 17, Roll M432_556, Page 321, Image, 140. Found online at ancestry.com.

20 1860 U. S. Census, New York, New York, 19-WD New York City, Series M653, Roll 815, Page 886. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

21 1880 U.S. Census, New York, New York, 12-WD, New York Series T9, Roll 898, Page 494. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

22 Death certificate for Hiram Chandler, 23 March 1881, City and County of New York, New York. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

23 Record from Cypress Hills Cemetery, New York, NY, Chandler Plot, Lot 198, Section L-3, date purchased May 2, 1857. Copy in the files of Jerry Chandler.

24 Death Certificate of Sarah L. Chandler, 5 December 1899, New York, New York. Copy in the files of Jerry Chandler.

25 Record from Cypress Hills Cemetery, New York, NY, Chandler Plot, Lot 198, Section L-3, date purchased May 2, 1857. Copy in the files of Jerry Chandler.

26 1880 U. S. Census, New York (Manhattan), New York City – Greater New York, Roll T9_898, Family History Film: 1254898; Page: 547.2000; Enumeration District: 638; Image: 0455. Also 1900 U. S. Census, Bronx, New York, New York, Roll T623_ 1127, Page 22A, Enumeration District 1042. Found online at ancestry.com. Also plat of Cypress Hills Cemetery family plot in files of Jerry Chandler and passport for Laura Alma Chandler, born 1882, in possession of Jerry Chandler.

27 Death certificate for Charles W. Chandler, 2 October 1901, Certificate #3740, City of New York, State of New York. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

28 Death certificate for Sarah Franklin Mills, 12 August 1887, City of New York, State of New York. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

29 Copy of pay record for Frederick A. Chandler, Office of First Assistant Postmaster General, Post Office Department, New York, New York. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

30 1880 U. S. Census, South Park, Park County, Colorado, Roll T9_92, Family History Film: 1254092, Page: 225.1000, Enumeration District: 96, Image: 0455. Found online at ancestry.com.

31 1900 U. S. Census, New York, New York, Bronx Boro Series T623, Roll 1127, Page 115. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

32 1910 U.S. Census, New York, New York, 31-PCT 34-AD, Bronx Series T624, Roll 1001, Page 281. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

33 Certificate of Marriage, Frederick A. Chandler and Tillie J. Hale, 9 December 1880, State of New York. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

34 Certificate of Birth for Frederick Augustus Chandler, 19 March 1889, State of New York, #9052. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

Place of birth: 313 East 119th St.
Name of father: Frederick A. Chandler.
Name of mother: Tillie J. Chandler.
Maiden name of mother: Hale.
Birth place of mother: New York. Age 32 years.
Birth place of father: N.Y. Age 38 years. Occupation: Letter Carrier.
Number of Child of Mother: Third. How many of them now living: All.

35 Copy of pay record for Frederick A. Chandler, Office of First Assistant Postmaster General, Post Office Department, New York, New York. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

36 1920 U. S. Census, New Jersey, Middlesex County, Jamesburg Boro Series T625, Roll 1055, Page 141. Found online at Heritage Quest www.heritagequestonline.com.

37 1860 U. S. Census, State of New York, County of Ulster, Town of Saugerties, Page 210, Line 1446, Family 1607. Found online at ancestry.com.

38 Death Certificate for Matilda J. Chandler, 24 April 1927, Certificate #151, Jamesburg, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

39 Oral interview by Jerry Chandler with historian of Ulster County, New York.

40 1900 U. S. Census, New York, New York, Bronx Borough, Enumeration District 1040, Sheet 15. Found online at ancestry.com.

41 Obituary for Matilda Hale Chandler, April 25, 2917. Copy in the files of Jerry Chandler.

42 Obituary for Matilda Hale Chandler, April 25, 2917. Copy in the files of Jerry Chandler.

43 U. S. 1930 Census, Bronx, Bronx, New York, Roll 1464, Page: 2A, Enumeration District: 58, Image: 763.0. Found online at Heritage Quest, www.heritagequestonline.com.

44 Certificate of birth for William Frederick Chandler, July 22, 1918, Certificate #2648, City of New York, State of New York. Copy in files of Jerry Chandler.

Place of birth: 2534 Bathgate Avenue
Name of father: Frederick August [sic] Chandler.
Name of mother: Tillie J. Chandler.
Maiden name of mother: Mary Loretta Grien
Birth place of mother: N. Y. City. Age 29 years.
Birth place of father: N. Y. City. Age 28 years. Occupation: Clerk.

45 Obituary for Matilda Hale Chandler, April 25, 2917. Copy in the files of Jerry Chandler.

46 Personal knowledge of Ronald Chandler Wilson.

47 1880 U. S. Census, New York (Manhattan), New York City-Greater, New York, Roll T9_878, Family History Film: 1254878, Page: 433.1000, Enumeration District 261, Image 0767. Found online at ancestry.com.

48 1880 U.S. Census, New York (Manhattan), New York City-Greater, New York, Roll T9_878, Family History Film: 1254878, Page: 433.1000, Enumeration District: 261, Image: 0767. Found online at ancestry.com.

49 1900 U. S. Census, Bronx, New York, New York, Roll T623_ 1127, Page 6A, Enumeration District 1043. Found online at ancestry.com. Also census records for 1910 and 1920.

50 Certificate of Marriage, 13 July 1938, William Chandler and Sarah Jones, Yonkers, New York. Copy in the files of Jerry Chandler.

51 Personal knowledge of Jerry Chandler.

52 Ireland is given as the birthplaces for both of Sally’s parents in the 1920 U. S. Census, Manhattan Assembly District 22, New York, New York, Roll 31109_4314018, Page 9B, Enumeration District 1463, Image 602. Found online at ancestry.com. Jerry Chandler’s files contain information on the dates and places of birth of William John and Sarah McGlyn Jones.