BIOGRAPHY: Isaac Eaton CHANDLER, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lynne Canterbury and Diann Olsen. Portions of this book were transcribed by Clark Creery, Martha Humenik, Betty Mirovich and Sharon Ringler. USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ ____________________________________________________________ From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 245-7 ____________________________________________________________ ISAAC EATON CHANDLER, deceased, one of the most prominent and respected citizens of Johnstown, was born at Rising Sun, Cecil county, Maryland, July 26th, 1824. While still an infant his parents removed to Chester county, Pennsylvania, and located on a farm in London Grove township. At an early age Mr. Chandler was apprenticed to learn the trade of blacksmith. After serving his time he opened a shop in Unionville, Chester county, where he remained until 1849. In that year he removed to Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, and with his brother-in-law, Frank Stroud, started a blacksmith and wheelwright shop. They built and shipped many carriages through the Lehigh Valley, from Mauch Chunk to Easton. About 1851 they, with John and George Fritz, built the Union Foundry and Machine works, and continued in business until 1854, then they sold out. John Fritz having assumed the management of the Cambria Iron works at Johnstown, Mr. Chandler, in company with John and George Fritz, Frank Stroud, Dr. W. W. Walters, James Williams, John E. Fry, Thomas Magee and Jacob Kuhn, removed to Johnstown, just as the Cambria works were entering a period of prosperity. During the early years of the operation of the works, he was connected with them in different clerical capacities. In 1861 he was appointed postmaster of Johnstown by President Abraham Lincoln. After leaving the post office, in 1865, he reentered the service of the Cambria Iron company as receiving clerk, which position he held until 1892, when he retired. Mr. Chandler was best known among the older citizens of Johnstown and Morrellville, in the development of the latter thriving borough. In 1870 he and his family moved from the corner of Locust street and Court Place to the residence now owned by Mr. Alex. Stackhouse, on Fairfield avenue. Morrellville, he having purchased about one hundred acres upon which Morrellville now stands, and having layed it off in building lots, sold them on easy terms, and to a large number of buyers he furnished the money to erect their houses. The records at Ebensburg will probably show that Mr. Chandler helped more people to homes in and about Johnstown than any other one who ever lived there, and it has been said there never was a difficulty between him and the purchaser, which illustrates his probity of character. Mr. Chandler built the brick residence at 317 Main street, Johnstown, and removed to it in 1882. Mr. Chandler was a stalwart republican from the organization of the party. In 1864 he was sent from Cambria county as a delegate to the national Republican convention at Baltimore, in which President Lincoln was nominated for a second term. He represented his ward in the borough council. He was a member of the Young Men's Republican club. He was a director of the Citizens' National bank, and a director of the Cambria and Johnstown Building and Loan associations. Mr. Chandler was a descendant of very old families in Pennsylvania. In the year 1687, George Chandler and Jane, his wife, started from Westshire, England, to America, with their seven children. The father died at sea. His family continued their journey, landing at Philadelphia in December, 1687. For a time they lived in a cave on Delaware front, but later built a house in Apple Tree alley, between Fifth and Sixth, and Arch and Cherry streets. This house was recently standing, was built of brick and covered with tile, and was considered one of the oldest houses in the City, there being probably one older, the Letitia house, formerly the residence of William Penn. William Chandler, the youngest son, married at Christ church, July 10, 1712, Ann Bowater, daughter of John and Frances Bowater, of Middletown township, Chester Co. He was a shoemaker by trade and owned one hundred acres of land in London Grove township, Chester county, to which he removed in 1722. He died in 1746, leaving several children. His son William was born March 1, 1717, and was a farmer by occupation. He married at London Grove Friends' Meeting house, in 1756, Rebecca Allen, daughter of John and Amy Allen, of London Grove. William died February 28, 1795, leaving children. His son Allen was born in London Grove, October 31, 1759; he too was a farmer and a militiaman in the war of the Revolution. He married May 13, 1789, at London Grove Friends' Meeting house, Sarah Pyle, daughter of Joseph and Alice Pyle, and died December 24, 1837, leaving children: Joseph, William, Allen, Jr., James and Hanna. Allen, Jr., was born in London Grove, July 12, 1798, was the father of the subject of this sketch. He married May 25, 1820, Mary, daughter of Dr. David and Mary Potts Eaton. The Eaton family came from Dolan, Radnorshire, Wales, and settled on the Pennypack creek, in Lower Dublin township, Philadelphia county, in 1686. John Eaton and Joan, his wife, with children: Joseph, John and George, helped to organize the Pennypack church, the first and oldest Baptist church in Pennsylvania. John and Joan both died in Newcastle county, Del., in 1717. Their son Joseph, born in Wales, August 25, 1679, married March 17, 1724, in Montgomery township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, Urie Humphry. He was ordained to preach at Montgomery in 1721, and organized the New Britain Baptist church, in Bucks county, in 1740. He died at Montgomery, April 1, 1749. He left a large family. His son Isaac was born in 1776, and was educated at Southampton, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and was there licensed to preach. He married Rebecca Stout, daughter of David and Ann Stout, of Burlington county, New Jersey, and moved to Hopewell, same State, where in 1756 he opened the first Baptist academy in America, for the education of youth for the ministry. From it sprung up Brown University at Providence, Rhode Island. He died July 4, 1772. His son, Dr. David Eaton, born October 21, 1762, married October 21, 1784, Mary Potts, daughter of William and Amy Borden Potts, of Bordentown, New Jersey. He died August 13, 1813. His daughter, Mary Eaton, married Allen Chandler, Jr., as mentioned above. Their son, Isaac Eaton Chandler, the subject of this sketch, was born July 26, 1824. He married April 11, 1857, Katherine Fritz (sister of the late George Fritz), of Highland township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. Their children were: George Allen Chandler, of Bethlehem, born September 8, 1858, married December 27, 1881, Florence M. White, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Their children were— Gertrude, born March 29, 1883; Allen, born June 18, 1885; George F., born May 30, 1888; David E., born November 20, 1890, died September 6, 1891, and Daniel T, born July 13, 1892. The second of this family was Mary Gertrude Chandler, born July 17, 1860, married December, 1885, Axel Sablin, of Sparrow's Point, Md. Their children were Robert, born June 2, 1889, and Ellen F., born Feb. 21, 1895.