WILLIAM EATON CHANDLER
CHANDLER, WILLIAM EATON, was born in Concord, New Hampshire, December 28, 1835; son of Nathan S. and Mary Ann (Tucker) Chandler. His first ancestors in America were William and Annis Chandler. His father was a man of great intelligence and firmness of character and was a Whig in politics. His mother was a woman of equally positive traits and contributed much to the formation of the character which has given success to her son. He was one of three brothers whose parents, being obliged to work hard to support the family, desired to bring up their children to an easier life and required few tasks from them while growing; and he thus lost the physical development that attends manual labor on a farm or in a shop. When fifteen he found employment in the office of the register of deeds in copying and in mercantile houses in posting books and doing other writing to earn the money he needed to meet his expenses. He attended the public and high schools at Concord and was sent to the academies at Thetford, Vermont and Pembroke, New Hampshire, where he pursued a classical course. He was a law student in the office of George & Webster in 1852 and was graduated at Harvard law school, LL.B., 1854, and acted as librarian, 1854 to 1855. He was admitted to the bar in 1855 before coming of age and began practice in his native city with Francis B. Peabody. Becoming identified with the Republican party formed from the Free Soil and Whig parties, he served as city solicitor for two years, 1857-58; was appointed reporter of the decisions of the New Hampshire Supreme court in June, 1859, by Governor Goodwin, serving 1859-64, and published seven volumes of reports. He was elected a Republican representative in the New Hampshire legislature, 1862, 1863 and 1864, and served as speaker of the house, 1863 and 1864. In the latter part of 1864 he was selected by the United States navy department as special counsel to prosecute the Philadelphia navy yard frauds, and his skill and success led President Lincoln to appoint him first solicitor and
