Chandler Family Papers

Series I: Family Papers

Sub-series 1: Papers of Peleg Chandler (1735-1819)

Papers include photocopies of personal correspondence, 1791-1794; deeds of properties owned by Peleg Chandler, 1762-1811; records concerning the meetinghouse in New Gloucester; and a copy of Peleg Chandler's will, 1815.

Sub-series 2: Papers of Philip Chandler (1767-1823)

Papers include correspondence, 1803, 1821-1822; legal documents, 1795-1819; deeds, 1796-1824; and materials about the estate of Peleg Chandler, 1819-1823. Also included are daybooks, account books and memorandum books, 1794-1816, some from the P. and P. Chandler Company.

Sub-series 3: Papers of Solomon Hewett Chandler (1790-1858)

One of the largest sub-series in the collection, materials include lesson books, 1806-1809; incoming correspondence, 1814-1857; and documents about the estate of Philip Chandler, 1823. This sub-series also contains account books, 1818-1859; bills, 1824-1853; and receipts, 1823-1857. Although the bills and receipts are addressed to S.H. Chandler personally, they are for groceries, dry-goods, equipment, hardware, etc., and are probably from his partnership in Bearce and Chandler. The bills are mostly from firms in Portland, Maine and in Boston. This sub-series ends with records documenting Chandler's involvement in the lumber business.

Sub-series 4: Papers of Dexter Bearce (1781-1838)

This small sub-series includes personal correspondence, 1810, 1815 and 1824, as well as an account book, 1811.

Sub-series 5: Records of Bearce and Chandler

This large sub-series begins with legal and financial records about the establishment of the partnership between Dexter Bearce and S.H. Chandler. It is followed by detailed accounts of goods on hand and amounts of money due to the store, 1817-1834, plus daybooks, cashbooks, journals and ledgers, 1814-1864. Bills to the store, 1807-1825, for goods and equipment sold are also included.

Sub-series 6: Papers of Charles Parsons Chandler (1801-1857)

Included are photocopies of incoming personal correspondence, a catalogue of Foxcroft Academy and a document, 1833, appointing Chandler a justice of the peace.

Sub-series 7: Papers of Charles Peleg Chandler (1835-1862)

This small sub-series includes materials about Chandler's attendance at Bowdoin, 1851-1854, and an undated lesson book.

Sub-series 8: Papers of Solomon Hewett Chandler (1828-1903)

Included is incoming correspondence, 1869-1885, as well as correspondence concerning lumbering in the Letter E Plantation, 1885; notes on agriculture and crops; financial information, 1862-1871; a daybook from Letter E Plantation, 1884-1886; and bills, 1884-1886.

Sub-series 9: Papers of Andrew Campbell Chandler (1830-1894)

This sub-series contains correspondence, 1853-1892, insurance and tax documents, agricultural information, ledgers, and bills and receipts. The correspondence reflects Andrew Chandler's work in agriculture and his interest in religion; it includes a letter, 1874, from Joshua Chamberlain, writing about the need to keep Bowdoin an evangelical Christian college. It also contains some material from S.H. and A.C. Chandler's business activities together.

Sub-series 10: Papers of other Chandler family members

This sub-series contains material from early Chandler family members as well as genealogical material, advertisements for agricultural and lumbering equipment and supplies, and various unidentified journals and memo books.

Series II: Material about New Gloucester

This series begins with account books, diaries and other documents of various individuals not related to the Chandler family; these are listed alphabetically by the names of their creators. A small group of records about the town of New Gloucester and its activities closes the series.