BIOGRAPHY: Isaac Eaton CHANDLER, Cambria County, PA
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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 245-7
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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.