Researching William Chandler

Chandler was born in New York City. He was raised by deeply religious parents of the Christian faith. This would influence him his entire life, as he was not only known for his art, but also as a great humanitarian.

Chandler's first job was in Chicago as a carver of cameos. While in Chicago, he married and he and his wife had three daughters. His wife and youngest daughter died early in his marriage. Upon their deaths, Chandler moved to New Jersey, so that his sister could help care for his two surviving daughters. After moving to New Jersey in 1887, Chandler and his brother started the William Henry Chandler Company in New York City. It was at this company that Chandler would produce his artworks that he is known for today. His brother was put in charge of the framing, packing and selling of the works. His art was sold through stores nationwide, including Marshall Fields and The May Company. He worked in pastels, that he imported from France. At his company, he employed 20 other artists, who also worked on pastel paintings. His work was exhibited at the International Exposition in Paris in 1900–1901. He was greatly influenced by the Hudson River School of Art. In turn, it is said that his work influenced other artists, such as Maxfield Parrish.

Chandler was a popular artist in his own time. His style was frequently copied by other artists of the era. His original works were mass-produced as prints and lithographs by such publishing houses as Taber-Prang, Hallen and Weiner (NY), Joseph Hoover (Philadelphia), and Mueller and Lucksinger Co. (NY).

Chandler died on February 26, 1928 and was buried at the Rosedale Cemetery in Orange, New Jersey.

He was a professor and department head at: Cornell University from 1913 to 1923; and in the University of California system from 1923 to 1948.

He moved to California in 1926, and became the dean of the Departments of Agriculture at both UC Berkeley and UC Davis. In 1938 he became assistant dean of a new branch of the UC College of Agriculture at UCLA, relocating to Los Angeles.

His academic work and philosophy emphasized the interconnectedness of botany, agriculture, and horticulture in pomology studies and practice, working closely with Dennis Robert Hoagland.

Chandler, the only child of Randolph and Hannah (Tisdale) Chandler, of Providence, R.I., was born in that city, on April 14, 1815.

He graduated from Yale College in 1839. Upon graduation he entered the Law School of Harvard University, but in May, 1840, a serious disease of the eyes compelled him to abandon all his plans. After a year of acute suffering, he made a trial of a country life in the village of Pomfret, Conn., his father's native place, with such encouraging results that in 1842 he purchased a few acres of land in the adjoining town of Thompson, and after his marriage (on March 24, 1842, to Martha Helen, second daughter of William Allen, of Pomfret) settled there, and by active outdoor life on a farm recovered fully his health. He continued in Thompson until his death.

He was elected as Representative in the Connecticut House in 1847, and an election to the State Senate in 1867. He died in Thompson, May 13, 1888, in his 74th year His wife survived him with four daughters and one son; one daughter was the wife of Charles R. Forrest, Esq.