David Chandler (ca. 1779-1829) and Comfort Gilman (1785-1866)

David Chandler was born circa 1779 in VT. He was married prior to 1805 to Comfort Gilman. Comfort was supposedly born on 28 July 1785 in NH (or possibly VT).

The Chandlers lived in Walden, Caledonia Co., VT. Walden is a small community located in the western part of the county. It was charted on 18 August 1781 by the Vermont legislature and was surveyed in 1786. The town is in a hilly area with a marsh lying near the center of the town, with creeks draining the region. The soil was good for farming, but the area was also known for cold, long winters. The settlement of the community was helped by the construction of a road through the area by General Hazen in 1779. Most of the settlers came from New Hampshire, with the earliest apparently coming in 1789 (it is uncertain why it took so long for people to come after the area was surveyed). Among the early settlers were members of the Perkins, Barker, Burley, Gilman, Cate, Huckins, Carr, and Roberson families. The town was organized on 24 March 1794. In 1800 there were 153 residents.

David Chandler first appears in Walden records on 14 March 1809 in an "account of the school in the north east district of the Town of Walden." David had one child older than 4 and younger than 18 in the school. David purchased on 3 November 1809 for $150 "one half of the lot of land being in Said Walden, ... one half of the lot of land now occupied by Stephen Currier" from Joseph C. Bradley. The sale was witnessed by Joseph Gilman and Daniel Lowell. The 1810 census found David living in Walden David had two children between the age of 4 and 18 in 1810. He was the town constable in 1811-1812 and he served summons or warning outs to several people. David sold his Walden property on 19 September 1812 to Enoch Foster and Thomas Farrington. David appears in the school list on 8 March 1813 with three children over 4 and under 18. The Chandlers disappear from the Walden records after 1813, probably moving to NY about that time.

The Chandlers move to New York

The couple settled in Niagara County, NY, about six miles from the town of Lockport. David was a farmer, although it does not appear that he owned land.

The couple are known to have had at least nine children. Their daughter Eliza B. Chandler was born in 1816 in "Lester" (Leicester), Genesee County, NY. Son William A. Chandler was born in Genesee County in 1817.

The 1820 census found David Chandler's family living in Leicester. The household consisted on one male 0-10 (William), two males aged 10 to 16 (Samuel and John?), one male 36 to 45 (David), three females 0-10 (Eliza, Sally, and ??), one female aged 10-16 (?), and one female aged 26 to 45 (Comfort).

Pendleton, Niagara County, NY town records indicate David Chandlet (sic) was paid for services in 1827, 1828, and 1829. David died on 17 September 1828 and is buried in a cemetery located along Bear Ridge Road in Pendleton, Niagara County, NY (one source says 1827). His tombstone is made from marble and states

IN MEMORY OF

John G. Chandler

In 1830, Comfort was living in Pendleton, Niagara Co., NY. The census enumerator noted that the Chandler household contained the following members: one male aged 10 to 15 (William), one male aged 20 to 30 (probably Samuel), one female under 5 (Palmyra), two females between 5 and 10 (Miranda and Angeline), one female aged 10 to 15 (Sally), one female aged 15 to 20 (Eliza B.), one female aged 20 to 30 (?), and one female aged 40 to 50 (Comfort).

Comfort was married to Felix Holdridge on 20 December 1840 in Royalton, Niagara County, NY.

Felix Holdridge's family

Felix was born on 7 September 1781, perhaps in Easton, Washington Co., NY. Felix Holdridge was married on 24 October 1802 in Dartmouth twp., MA to Deborah Slocum. Deborah was born in 1765, daughter of Eleazor Slocum. The Holdridges lived in Northhampton, Montgomery Co., NY in 1810. Their household had one male aged 26 to 45 (Felix), two females under 10 (Eliza and ???), and one female aged 26 to 45 (Deborah). Nearby lived Deborah's father and other family members. The family was living in Otisco, Onondaga Co., NY in 1820. At that time Felix had a household with one male under 5, one male aged 10 to 16, one male aged 26 to 45 (Felix), one female aged 10 to 16, and one female aged 26 to 45 (Deborah).

Homer Thiel has a dictionary inscribed "Felix Holdridge, October 14 1827 Royalton Neagara New York." In 1830, Felix was living in Royalton, his household consisting of one male aged 10 to 15, one male aged 15 to 20, one male aged 40 to 50 (Felix), one female aged 10 to 15, one female aged 20 to 30, and one female aged 50 to 60 (Deborah).

Deborah had settled with Felix in November 1836 on a farm in Raisen twp., Lenawee Co., MI. In September 1839, Deborah was gathering rushes to scour her wooden ware in an area near the farm and disappeared. She was found dead in a deserted cabin six miles from her house in Dundee twp., Monroe County, MI six weeks later. Deborah is buried in Bowen Cemetery in Lenawee County.

Felix and Deborah Slocum Holdridge's children were:

i.

ii. Elizabeth Holdridge was born on 13 August 1803.

iii. Eleazor Holdridge was born on 14 September 1814.

Comfort Gilman Chandler Holdridge in Michigan

Felix returned to live in Lenawee Co. with Comfort. The 1845 MI state census finds them in Raisen twp. The family is reported as one male 21 to 45, one male 45 to 75 (Felix), one female 10 to 21 (Palmyra?), and one female 45 to 75 (Comfort). Nearby lived the family of Thomas Chandler (two males under 10, one male 21 to 45, and two females 21 to 45).

Felix and Comfort were farming in Raisen twp in 1850. Felix is reported to have died on 15 October 1855. In his will he left Comfort and step-granddaughter Caroline Chandler property.. Comfort lived with her daughter Miranda after Felix's death. She died in April 1866 and is buried with Felix in the Presbyterian (Bowen) Cemetery in Raisen twp., Lenawee County.

Children of David and Comfort Gilman Chandler (may only be eight if census data for girls is wrong)

i. John G. Chandler b. ca. 1804-1810

ii. Samuel Chandler was born circa 1807 in VT.

iii. Sally Chandler was born in 1808 in VT.

iv. female Chandler b. ca. 1810-1820

v. Eliza B. Chandler was born in 1816 in Leicester, Genesee Co., NY

vi. William A. Chandler was born on 15 April 1817 in Genesee Co., NY.

vii. female Chandler was born between 1815 and 1820.

viii. Angeline E. Chandler was born on 14 August 1823.

ix. Caroline Miranda Chandler was born on 4 March. 1825 in Pendleton, Niagara Co., NY.

x. Palmyra W. Chandler was born in 1826

Pioneer Families of Grand Traverse County