EDMUND’S COMMUNITY COURIER
September 2006
Barb Chandler Editor
GETTING TO KNOW YOUGreetings, I’m Bob Chandler, presently ECFA Co-Chair and Treasurer. I was born, raised and educated in Bangor, ME, and earned a BS in Accounting and later a MS in Management. My early employment years were with Ford Motor Company, Texaco, Inc. and Reynolds Metals Company before going with the US Government, initially the Departments of the Army and Air Force. Career assignments were in both the US and overseas where I spent 17 years.
We retired to Florida where we still are. My parents are no longer with us, but my brother, David, and sister, Barbara, are. We have a son, Vernon, who’s a Captain in the Nebraska Army National Guard following nine years of active duty including a deployment to Bosnia. He and his wife, Lisa, have our only grandchild, Katelyn, a three-year old.
My connection to ECFA is, unfortunately, circumstantial. Apparently, I’m not related to the Chandler families of Maine’ s Dover-Foxcroft area despite having lived not too far from there. None of the Chandlers I met in Maine over the years were the least bit interested in their lineage.
I’ve traced my g. g. grandfather, John W. Chandler, as far as 1810 and have been brick-walled for about 15 years or so. Grandfather John W. was first located in the 1850 census in Washington County, ME, along with a few other Chandler families–some from Edmund, a couple from Roger and some of unknown origin. Of the four censuses in which John W. was located, two record his birth state as MA and the other two ME. Of course, with ME not becoming a state until 1820, all answers could be considered correct depending whether he was actually born in what is ME today. Not only don’t I know his early years, but both he and his second son, Frank Means, disappeared leaving no trace as to when/where. Two CGs concluded John W. left no paper trail.
Two authors, Tibbetts and Lamson, in their book “Early Pleasant River Families of Washington County, Maine” cite my grandfather, John W., is probably the son of Barnabas Chandler. Thus, if ever proven, my Chandler lineage to Edmund would be: me > Arthur Wilbur > Vernon Arthur > John Vickery > John W. > Barnabas > Edmund > Judah > Joseph > Joseph > EDMUND, the immigrant.
TIDBITS by Carol May
True or False:
When you come across a John Chandler, Jr. his father would automatically be John Chandler, Sr.
FALSE In colonial New England sometimes a John Chandler, Jr. might only be called “Jr.” because there was an older, maybe not even related, John Chandler, in the same town. The terms “Jr.” and “Sr.” were often used to differentiate between a younger and an older person of the same name. When the older one died, the junior would probably be dropped from the younger. Sometimes 2nd, would also be used for a younger person of the same name in colonial New England. As persons of the same name died or were born, the term 2nd would probably be dropped. Now, we usually think of 2nd being used for a person named after a family elder, such as an uncle, for example.
THE GENEALOGIST’S TOOLBOX
by Bob Chandler
Here’s a well worth while side project ECFA members can partake when looking for those illusive ancestors.
During your sojourns into cemeteries, you perhaps will come upon a Chandler headstone which is badly worn (illegible), destroyed or even missing. If that Chandler happens to be a veteran of any war, including the Revolutionary War, to present times, that headstone may be replaced FREE OF CHARGE by the US Government.
Out of respect and appreciation for what that veteran did to obtain or preserve the way of life enjoyed by you and yours today, please consider taking the time to assure he/she is properly remembered. Please photograph the headstone and note the cemetery name and grave location. You may then initiate an application form which will cause a new headstone to be prepared, shipped and placed. The US Department of Veterans Affairs is responsible for such and their web site is: //www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm_hm.asp.
This good deed will take some administrative effort, but when comparing what that veteran initially did for you, there really is no comparison.
Please let me know of your involvement in any such project at RVChandler @ aol.com
A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF . . .
Mary Elizabeth Chandler Chamberlin
1st Lt. George Barrett
Annie Chamberlin
by Sharon RossWhile researching my husbands Chandler lines I discovered a connection to a piece of Black History during the Civil War., the First South Carolina Volunteers The “piece” of that history came in the form of a baby, Annie Chamberlin, where she visited her daddy while he was serving with the First South Carolina Volunteers. It was her job to “review troops”, inspect barracks, and to sing which she performed all to perfection even though she was but a babe in arms. Annie was born in 1862/63, Brighton, Middlesex Co. Ma., the daughter of 1st Lt. George Barrett and Mary Elizabeth (Chandler) Chamberlin.
Mary Elizabeth Chandler was b. abt 1837 in Minot, (then Cumberland Co.) Maine to Reuben and Mary (Parcher) Chandler. Reuben and Mary (Parcher) Chandler seem to be lost to my families history right now, but their daughter Mary is found marrying George B. Chamberlin on 28 Nov 1860 in Brighton, Mass. As with all young lovers, when hearing the drumbeats of war, their idyllic times were ended when Pvt.George B. Chamberlin was mustered into the 11th Independent Battery Massachusetts Light Battery on Aug 15 1862 at Boston, Massachusetts. This Battery was composed mostly of Boston men and was the only nine month battery from the state. George was mustered out on 25 May 1863 in Boston. He was recommissioned as I find in Georges military papers that he was commissioned as lst Lieut. Quartermaster in the 33rd. Regiment U. S. Colored Infantry, Beaufort. South Carolina on 29 Aug 1863. He was honorably discharged 13 Feb 1866. Baby Annie is written about in Chapter 8 of Col. Higginson’s book, the chapter titled, Baby of the Regiment of which I will excerpt a portion.
On November (1863) in Beaufort, South Carolina, morning finds Annie’s father full of excitement as he tells Col. Higgenson that there is “great news for the regiment”, “my wife and baby are coming by the next steamer!” The Col, a bit taken aback , counter with, “There was a pass sent to your wife, but nothing about a baby!” “But the baby was included in the pass,” replied the triumphant father-of-a-family. “You don’t suppose my wife would come without her baby! Besides, the pass itself permits her to bring necessary baggage, and is not a baby six months old necessary baggage?” The Col bemoaned about the chillyness of the South Carolina weather at night causing ice on the water buckets and the heat during the mid-day. That was met with a “trust me” remark and off went George whistling, tell others of his joyful news on his way to his tent.
This tent was turned into “wonders of comfort” as posts and rafters, a raised floor a great chimney and a door with hinges were installed. The regimental carpenter made a cradle and a bedstead high enough for the cradle to go under. A red carpet covered a large portion of the floor. Soon the steamer and Baby and her mother (Mary Chandler) arrived.
The little recruit was soon settled in her new cradle and slept in it as if she had never known any other. Mary soon had her on exhibition through the neighborhood, and from that time forward she was quite a queen among the troops. Col. Higgenson describes her as having sweet blue eyes and pretty brown hair, with round, dimpled cheeks. She was not timid and rarely cried and would go to anyone, but would only “romp” with intimate friends. She always wore a warm long sleeved scarlet cloak with a hood and it was in this costume that she was carried or “toted” as the soldiers said, all about the camp. At “guard-mounting” in the morning, when the men are inspected, Baby Annie was always there, to help inspect them. She did not say much but eyed them very closely, and seemed fully to appreciate their bright buttons. The officer of the day would stop before her to receive “her orders”. Annie was always present to watch the troops at drill, and she also liked to watch when the drum beat for dinner sounded, as the long rows of men in each company would march up to the cookhouse, each with cup and plate. Col. Higgenson would spot her bright red cloak as he stood before the regiment at “dress parade”, usually at the end of a long line of men. He stated that he looked at her with so much interest for her small person that he wondered why he didnt say “Shoulder babies!” instead of “Attention, Battalion! Shoulder Arms!”
Annie was very impartial, and distributed her kind looks to everybody. She had not the slightest prejudice against color, and did not care in the least whether her particular friends were black or white. Some of her favorites were the roguish drummer-boys who were a set of scamps and gave much trouble in camp. It is thought that Annie liked them because they were small, had red caps like her hood and made noise. Also they stood on their heads for her amusement. After dress parade the drum-corps would march to the great flag-staff and at sunset, they would beat “the retreat” and the flag would be lowered. A great festival for Annie. Sometimes the Sergeant-Major would wrap her in the great folds of the flag, after it was taken down, and she would peep out very prettily from amidst the stars and stripes.
Col. Higgenson would josh some inspecting officer who was sent to inspect the camp by general command, checking on the condition of everything in the regiment from bayonets to buttons. It was a long and tiresome process. When all was done, he would tell the officer that there was one more unusual thing for him to inspect. Baby Annie was sent for to be exhibited. He says that he never saw any inspecting officer, young or old who did not look pleased at the sudden appearance of the little, fresh, smiling creature — a flower in the midst of war.
Annie liked her father’s tent which was a double, his office in the front and the parlor/bedroom in the inner room. One evening the Col. went to the tent to borrow some writing paper and while Mary was looking for it in the front tent, he heard great cooing and murmuring in the inner room. He asked Mary if Annie was still awake and went in only to see no one. The happy cooing noises seemed to be coming from an unseen corner. Mary came in and pulled away the counterpane of her own bed and drew out the rough cradle where lay the little damsel, perfectly happy, and wider awake than anything but a baby possibly can be. *Continued next edition.*
WISH LIST
Library help. Pictures need to be entered into the library. They don’t need to be scanned, just entered. If youre interested in volunteering for this important job contact Carol May at; Docabye @ aol.com
Articles for Newsletter. I need articles for “A Glimpse into the life.” “Tidbits.” “Genealogists Toolbox.” “Getting to Know You.” Send your articles to barb95831 @ gmail.com |
