General John Chandler was a classic example of the self-made man. He was born at Epping, New Hampshire on February 1, 1762 of rather humble origins. His father, who was a Captain in both the French and Revolutionary Wars, died in 1776 and his son immediately joined the Continental Army at the age of fifteen years.
When he removed to Monmouth, Maine around 1780 Chandler was both penniless and illiterate. By this time, however, Chandler, much to his good fortune, had become a protégé of the future Secretary of War, General Henry Dearborn. Borrowing four hundred dollars he bought two hundred acres of land and with the assistance of the Dearborn clan managed to prosper.
In addition to holding most of the patronage positions in Kennebec County, Chandler represented Monmouth in the General Court of Massachusetts and as a member of the first Maine Senate. The first President of the Maine Senate held office for only a few months before resigning to become United States Senator from Maine, a post which he held from 1820 to 1829.
Although his military career was undistinguished (he was captured when he wandered into the British lines during the Niagra Campaign in the War of 1812) he was one of the political giants of the "separation movement," being the Kennebec County arm of the famous "Argus Junto." A brusque man of military bearing, Chandler is described in Hatch’s history of Maine as "A sturdy old Democratic war-horse."
During his tenure as a United States Senator he is credited with establishing the arsenal at Augusta and in initiating the military road from Bangor to Houlton. In 1829 he resigned his Senate seat to become the Collector of Customs for Portland, a post which he held for eight years.
His last years were spent in Augusta where he died on September 25, 1841 at the ripe old age of seventy-nine.