Two Letters of Benjamin Chandlee

Nofes and Documents TWO LEnERS OF BENJAMIN CHANDLEE Edited by Olive Goodbody* Letters of emigrants from Europe to America of 200 to 300 years ago are invariably of interest, giving as they do not only an insight into the way of living of the period but also comparisons of uses and prices of many commodities with details about shipping and travel. The letters of Benjamin Chandlee originally of Ireland fall into the above category and for this reason are worth reproducing . The first dated 1705 is in the possession of the Historical Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Ireland and the second dated 1707 in the Quaker Collection of Haverford College, Pennsylvania. To each of these bodies I am indebted for permission to quote. Benjamin, born in 1685, was the seventh son of William Chandlee of Kilmore, Co. Kildare, Ireland, son of another William1 who is said to have come to Ireland in the time of Oliver Cromwell , settling first at Trim, later near Edenderry. He died in 1694 aged 103 years. Of the seven sons of William II six remained in Ireland where some were millers as their father had been. The seventh, Benjamin, went to America.2 A few years later his brother Jonathan was inclined to follow him. Whether he ever did so remains uncertain, but, if he did, he must have returned to Ireland for on 28,xi, 1712 he married at Tipperary Sarah Cherry, whose home was at Cashel and whose sister Jane was the second wife of Thomas Chandlee, Jonathan's brother.3 *Curator of the Society of Friends Historical Library, Dublin, Ireland. 1.Mountmellick Record Book. Society of Friends Historical Library, Dublin. G17. 2.No date of sailing from Ireland, but Certificates of Removal at Philadelphia include one for Benjamin not bearing a date, but placed between one of 25, xii, 1701 and one of 29, xi, 1702. 3.Two sons of the second William Chandlee, Thomas and Jonathan married sisters, Jane and Sarah Cherry of Cashel. Jane was Thomas's second wife. The Chandlee Family Tree, Dublin copy, made by Thomas Chandlee of Ballitore, Co. Kildare, and added to by fourteen members of the family in America. 110 TWO LETTERS111 The first letter, preserved in Dublin, suggests the hardship of a long sea voyage in a time when passengers must expect to travel with many of the household goods they were likely to need. Not only this but they must carry with them part of their own food supplies, only a portion of which were supplied by the ship's owners . Benjamin's certificate of removal to America from Edenderry Meeting is recorded in the Department of Records of Philadelphia;4 its date lacks the year which, however, is concluded to be 1702 from the fact that the dates above and below in the Book of Certificates for Philadelphia Monthly Meeting are 25,xii,1701 and 29,xi, 1702 respectively.5 He had been about three years in America when he wrote as follows:6 Philadelphia Pensilvania y« 28*: 8°>°: 1705 Dr Brother This wth : the Salutation of my Dear Love to thee & Sister Martha & also my Duty remembred to my dear ffather & tender Modier & all dear Brothers & Sisters in generali; thine and Brother Jonathans I reed from the hands of John Barrows7 I also reed on the 5mo: last dated Ve 23rd: 7mo: 1704 one I reed from Brother Thomas, four in all I Reed writ by thy own hand; Dear Brother at this present writeing I am hearty and well the which I bless God ffor, Now as to Brother Jonathan Concerns his intended voyage, as to small nourishing things such as I brought W*: me may be Convenient but whatever he brings of that sort let him bring some good beere & good potatoes abord w*1»: him, a little good beere I longed dearly for & could not have when nothing Else would go down when sick, as to some particulars I had I would give them all for potatoes, I haveing good butter on board It would have been more serviceable w*·1: potatoes to me than any thing I had beside I longed so much for them y1: I dreamed...