John Chandler (1721-1800) was the fourth John in a lineal succession of wealthy and distinguished Chandlers. Like his father, he participated in most of the civic affairs of Worcester County and occupied a position of prosperous aristocrat. In 1774, his angry opposition to the Revolutionary sentiment forced him to move to Boston; two years later he fled to Halifax and then to England where he lived the rest of his life. Worcester branded him "Tory John"; England knew him as the "Honest Refugee." Chandler's family, including his second wife Mary Church Chandler ( -1783), remained in the Worcester area.
Under the 19 April 1777 act of the General Court (passed to prevent the "waste, destruction and embezzlement: of porperty of American loyalists who left this country), the Judge of Probate of Worcester County appointed an agent to take charge of the Chandler estate and empowered him to settle the estate as if Chandler were dead. Proceedings against the Chandler estate began in April 1777 with Levi Lincoln (1749-1820) the Judge of Probate and Joseph Allen (1749-1827) the agent. Although the Judge of Probate could assign personal belongings and one-third of the real estate of the remaining family members who were dependent upon the estate for support, Mary Chandler's rights, for which she petitioned repeatedly, were not granted until 1780. The final account of the agent was not completed until 1784.
From the description of Transcripts, 1777-1788. (American Antiquarian Society). WorldCat record id: 191259234
