1845-1926
Adoniram Judson Chandler
Baptist Pastor NY/VT/CT
Adoniram Judson Chandler was born in Chester, VT, on 12 March 1845, the son of William and Louisa Ellison Chandler, being one of five children. He received his boyhood education in the school of Springfield, VT. In 1863, at the age of nineteen, he enlisted in the ninth Vermont Infantry seeing service during the rest of the war and engaging in three major battles.
At the end of the war, he entered Madison University (now Colgate University) graduating in 1872 where he presented a paper at commencement entitled “The Advantages of Party Spirit in America.” Two other orations on that day were delivered by students from Burma who were impacted by the work of Adoniram Judson: “The Future of India” by Myah Sah[1] of Rangoon, Burma; and “Culture Essential to Society” by Kah Chur[2] of Shwaygyeen, Burma.[3]
Three years later (1875) Chandler graduated from Newton Theological Institute and, though he was registered from Chester, VT, he was licensed by a Congregational church in North Springfield, VT.
He was ordained at North Troy, Vt., December 1, 1875, serving as pastor there until September, 1877; at Shaftsbury, Vt., January, 1878–April, 1881; Clinton, Conn., in September, 1881–1885; First Groton, Conn., 1885–1895.
After the service at First Groton he retired from the active pastorate and entered the business life, supplying churches occasionally; he made New London his home. Theresa M. Fowler, of New London, whom Mr. Chandler married, died about five years ago and he is survived by two sons, Merle J. of New London, and E. Lawrence, of Dayton, Ohio, as well as two grandchildren. He died at the Lawrence Hospital, New London, April 6, 1926, at the age of 81 years. Mr. Chandler was held in high esteem because of his loveable, gentle, kindly nature and had endeared himself to a host of friends.[4]
[Compiler’s Note: There was another Adoniram Judson Chandler in New England who served as a State Representative in the legislature from New York County in 1838. The next year he was Commissary General of New York. I hope to learn more about him for an additional entry.]
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[1] Also written as Myat San Po Kway in Angelene Naw, The History of the Karen People of Burma (Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2023), p. 85.
[2] Also written as Ka Hser, in Ibid., pp. 85-86.
[3] “Commencement Week at Hamilton, New York,” Christian Watchman and Reflector (Boston, MA), June 27, 1872, p. 6
[4] Rev. Adoniram Judson Chandler, The One Hundred and Third Annual Report of the Connecticut Baptist Convention, 1926, p. 75.