These papers are those of the descendents of John Chandler, 1655-1721. Among his children were two sons: Zebediah, 1683-1766 and John, 1680-1741. Zebediah was married twice. By his first wife, Sarah Abbott, 1680-1754, he had five daughters. He had no children by his second wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Harndem Abbott, who died in 1756. John and his wife, Hanna Frye, had twelve children, including Joshua, 1705-1768. Joshua married his first cousin, Sarah Chandler, one of Zebediah's daughters. Their two sons were Zebediah, 1729-1775 and Joshua, 1732-1807. These papers are of unknown provenance.

Used in the compilation of this note were The Descendents of George and Annis Chandler, compiled by George Chander (1883) and Early Records and Notes of the Chandler Family of Andover by Charlotte Helen Abbott, (type script, n.d.).

The papers, chiefly deeds and records of family divisions of land, have been divided into four groups. First are the papers of Zebediah the Elder, 14 items from 1714-1759. Most of these are deed for land in Andover. Many are concerned with buying land from outside the family. There are a few granting land to his grandsons. The second subdivision is of material from his second wife. When he married for the second time at the age of 73, his second wife Elizabeth Abbott, a widow, relinquished all claim to any Chandler land. The third group of records concern his daughter, Sarah Chandler Chandler, widow of his son-in-law Joshua Chandler, who sold land to her son Joshua Jr. in 1760. Last are three deeds of Zebediah the Younger, to his grandfather and to his brother.

Processed by Mary F. Morgan, November 1982