James Sansum Chandler, Windsor NSW, d.1871

[baytree1970]

I'll check Enoch's description.

Worth noting that on James Sansum's death notice (or at least the index entry viewable on the NSW website) it says his father was also a James, not Enoch. Of course that may simply have been that the informant of James's death didn't know who his father was. Or maybe he wasn't Enoch's kid?

I'm also working on this. I got James's will and one executor is William Chandler, "dealer", from Windsor. This appears to be Wm Chandler bc.1820 d.1873 a furniture dealer in Windsor, buried at McGrath's Hill. He was married to Margaret, 1810-1899, and there's an 1848 marriage showing her maiden name was Bradley, the same as Esther, James Sansum's wife. An obit for Margaret confirms she had a nephew, James Chandler, who made her coffin for her, and a niece, Mrs. Aynsley from Penrith, who was Esther Chandler's daughter Sarah Margaret. So Margeret and Esther were sisters. Who was William Chandler? On his NSW death index entry ig bies parents names Joseph and Margaret. Was it just coincidence then that the sisters both married Chandlers, or did James and William have a family connection?

 I also looked at the witnesses to the marriage of James Sansum and Esther - Samuel Pierce and Mary Ann Pierce. Samuel Henry Pierce married Mary Ann Bradley in 1844 in Sydney and they lived in Newtown, Sydney, very close to where Enoch Chandler's daughter Sarah Young was living in the Burwood / Croydon / Petersham area. Also worth noting that Samuel Pierce sponsored Esther Bradley's immigration to Australia from Ireland in 1854.

One other curiosity is that in James's will he mentions Eliza Chandler, "my wife's daughter", which seems to suggest he wasn't the father himself but became the stepfather. I have yet to identify Eliza, however.

Obit for Margaret Chandler: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66367960?searchTerm=%22margaret%20chandler%22

[Neale1961]

Worth noting that on James Sansum's death notice (or at least the index entry viewable on the NSW website) it says his father was also a James, not Enoch. Of course that may simply have been that the informant of James's death didn't know who his father was. Or maybe he wasn't Enoch's kid?

Death certificates are the ones most commonly with incorrect information, because it does not come directly from the person concerned. However it may be useful for other bits of information it contains (See post by Sparrett)

I think the fact that there is a documented DNA link between your James Chandler line and descendants of the Enoch Chandler family, is a rather clear indication that you have identified the correct family.

[~MERLIN~]

One other curiosity is that in James's will he mentions Eliza Chandler, "my wife's daughter", which seems to suggest he wasn't the father himself but became the stepfather. I have yet to identify Eliza, however.

Birth:
Elizabeth HAMILTON baptised 1854 St Matthew's, Presbyterian, WINDSOR, NSW.
Father: Alexander HAMILTON
Mother: Esther BRADLEY
1591/1854 V18541591 52

Marriage:
Nicodemus Benjamin BARNETT married Elizabeth HAMILTON 1 Sept 1875 St Stephen's NEWTOWN, NSW.
1400/1875
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13361333
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13371376

Death:
Elizabeth BARNETT 28yrs died 1 June 1883 WINDSOR, NSW.
Mother: Esther
8484/1883
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/66369297

[baytree1970]

Wonderful sleuthing, thanks!

I also got the will for William Chandler, husband of Margaret Bradley and executor of the will for James Sansum Chandler. He mentions a brother Christopher Chandler from Watledge in Gloucestershire and another brother John Chandler from Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. Nailsworth is the main town, Watledge is a small hamlet just down the road. Enoch Chandler, possible/probable father of James Sansum Chandler, was from Nailsworth and his son, Isaac Punter Chandler, lived in Watledge where he owned several cottages. William's will also mentions a sister, Eliza Earld of Nailsworth (to be honest I'm not sure I'm reading this correctly - see attached image, what do you think?)

I can only find one Christopher Chandler in Watledge. Married to Patience, he was born in nearby Horsley parish in 1817 to Mary Chandler (no father on the baptism).

A 1841 census entry in Nailsworth has Mary and her three sons, John, Christopher and William - it all looks to be a good match.

Possibly the same Mary and John also appear on a later census together, but I can't be 100% sure it's them.

There does seem to be a baptism for Eliza - Elizabeth Chandler, mother Mary Chandler (no father listed) baptised in Horsley in 1819. I can't find a clear record for her after this, though.

Other beneficiaries in the will are James Chandler (I think this must be James William Chandler, son of James Sansum Chandler), and Eliza Chandler, daugther of Esther Chandler.

It all sounds like William Chandler's family must have been closely related to James Sansum Chandler's family from Nailsworth / Watledge, but how exactly? It doesn't seem like William was Enoch's brother, but a 1st cousin maybe?

William was clearly from the Nailsworth area, so how and when did he get to Australia?

[baytree1970]

Eliza Earld?

[baytree1970]

One other curiosity I'm struggling with - in the obituary for Margaret Chandler (nιe Bradley, husband of William) there's reference to a nephew, William Chandler of Kogorah. Who is this nephew? Kogorah is a district in Sydney, but I don't think William was a son of James Sansum Chandler, so could it have been a son of Christopher or John Chandler in Nailsworth who had also travelled to Australia?

[Neale1961]

Wm Chandler, the dealer, you say died in 1873. His NSW death record has parents as Joseph and Margaret.

[baytree1970]

Yes, I saw it said Joseph and Margaret. Again with the death notices - I don't know whether to trust this info or not.

But it's all still a bit hazy. My starting point is Christopher Chandler in Watledge - we know that's his brother and there seems to be one quite clear candidate in the records. Multiple census records consistently give his year of birth as c.1817 and place of birth as Horsley, which matches the baptism to mother Mary Chandler. Pair that with the 1841 census which lists Mary and the three sons from the 1873 will and it seems to form a coherent picture.

I'm not discounting Joseph and Margaret, I'm just trying to build off the info which seems most certain.

What do you think?

[Neale1961]

I also got the will for William Chandler, husband of Margaret Bradley and executor of the will for James Sansum Chandler.

from the obit for Margaret Chandler 1899
……. Mrs. Chandler continued (her husband’s furniture) business for a while, but eventually passed it over to Mr. J. Chandler, her nephew, at present in business in Windsor.
Mrs. Chandler leaves no family, but a number of relatives, among whom are Mr. J. Chandler (Windsor), nephew; Mrs. Aynsley (Penrith), niece; Mr. W. Chandler (Kogarah), nephew; and four nieces and two nephews residing in other parts of the colony. .....


You are only aware of children that James Samsun Chandler had with wife Esther, but he may have other children born to his first wife.