1717-1888; bulk: 1845-1862
Guide to the Collection
Abstract
This collection consists of the legal papers of Peleg W. Chandler, a mid-nineteenth century Boston attorney. The legal papers include his work on road widening, development of wharves, and torts against the city due to the destruction of private property caused by municipal work. Chandler also did work for the First Church of Boston, and the Church of the Holy Cross on Devonshire Street, railroad nuisance cases, and family probate land disputes.
Biographical Sketch
Peleg Whitman Chandler (1816 - 1889) was born and educated in Maine. He received his early education at Bangor Theological College, and he graduated from Bowdoin College in 1834. He studied at the Dane Law School at Harvard and read with Prof. Theophilus Parsons; he was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1837. That same year he married Martha Anne Bush of Brunswick, Maine. He was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for two terms, in 1844 and 1862. His practice handled civil cases primarily. He was known as an excellent litigator whose career in the courtroom was shortened due to increasing deafness.
Collection Description
The legal papers of Peleg Whitman Chandler consist of 5 document boxes, 1 narrow box, and 1 oversize box.
The bulk of the collection is legal papers, 1840-1861, including his work on road widening, development of wharves, and torts against the city due to destruction of private property caused by municipal work. Chandler also did work for the First Church of Boston, and the Church of the Holy Cross on Devonshire Street, railroad nuisance cases, family wills, land transfers, and deeds. The collection includes some published decisions from the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, and one from the Supreme Court. Chandler did most of his work on land cases and the collection contains many maps, including street layouts, wharf proposals and property lines. The collection also includes legal correspondence and addresses.
Although Chandler was a representative to the Massachusetts House and a Boston city solicitor, there are no papers pertaining to those positions in the collection.
Acquisition Information
The Massachusetts Historical Society acquired the Peleg W. Chandler legal papers from the Peabody Museum in 1943.
Processing Note
Due to mildew that resulted from water damage, some papers have been photocopied and discarded.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Expand allI. Commercial cases, 1825 - 1887
This series consists of papers related to the development of Boston's wharves and commercial water power. The cases concerned legal issues including ownership, land transfer deeds, land ownership. Water power companies that Chandler worked with include the Boston Water Power Company and the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation. He represented the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation in negotiations with the City of Boston in a dispute over land rights in Back Bay.
Chandler represented the proprietors of Long Wharf, Charles River Wharf, and T (Tea) Wharf, the Mercantile Wharf Corporation, Josiah Quincy concerning City Wharf, and the Boston Wharf Company.
A. Water power companies, 1854 - 1887
Hayden v. City of Roxbury, 1854 - 1858
Commonwealth v. City of Roxbury, 1857
Boston Water Power Co. v. City of Roxbury, 1858 - 1859
Taylor v. Boston Water Power Co., 1858 - 1860
Sewall v. Boston Water Power Co., 1860
Boston Water Power Company cases, 1860
Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation records, 1883 - 1887
B. Wharf cases, 1825 - 1861
Long Wharf, 1825
Mercantile Wharf, 1827 - 1831, 1854
Charles River Wharf, 1841, 1846
T (Tea) Wharf, 1860 - 1861
City Wharf, 1852 - 1855
Most of the papers related to City Wharf are legal papers and correspondence involving Josiah Quincy.
Boston Wharf Company, 1852
Wharf plans and maps, 1852 - 1854
II. Municipal cases, 1835 - 1861
This series includes cases involving Boston's streets. Chandler represented many land and home owners who lost frontage due to the widening of streets to accommodate increased traffic. Chandler also represented homeowners who lost property when a city improvement of a sewer caused flooding on Dover Street in 1856. The series also includes documents requiring the city to number houses in a development, South Cove, and care for the streets it improved; testimony from three men on the effect the railroad has had on the livelihoods of horse and stable owners; papers related to Chandler's involvement in elections, especially a disputed election of 1861; and records of clients he represented in cases against the cities of Boston and Roxbury.
A. Cases related to Boston streets, 1835 - 1859
Parks Commission statement on Back Bay Park, n.d.
Papers of the South Cove Development Corp. (Kneeland St), 1835 - 1846
Orders compelling the City of Boston to number and widen streets, 1851 - 1861
Streets, declaration of City to widen, 1852 - 1858
Dover Street flooding cases 1857 - 1859
Rhodes v. City of Boston (490 Tremont Street), 1858
B. Railroad case, n.d.
Testimony from horse and stable owners about effect of railroad on business, n.d.
C. Elections, 1859 - 1861
Election law, 1859
Paul v. Wilson, Ward 12 disputed election, 1861
D. Civil cases, 1849 - 1859
White v. City of Boston, 1849
Wheeler v. City of Boston, 1859
Sargent v. City of Boston, 1859
Papers show evidence of water damage and many are illegible.
Joseph Stevens v. City of Boston, 1859
III. Family cases, 1717 - 1862
This series consists of cases of families involved in probate to prove ownership in order to possess and sell land. Some wills and deeds proving ownership of property date back to 1717, but the bulk date from the 1850s and 1860s.
Background deeds, 1717 - 1806
Pertaining to Joseph Rowe, 1816 - 1857
Hall v. Thayer, 1849
Hall v. Thayer, 1859
Wight v. Thayer / Stetson v. Thayer, 1849
Thayer wills and papers, 1822 - 1854
Thayer wills, 1850 - 1851
Copied Supreme Judicial Court decisions, 1855 - 1860
John Ware, 1857
Winslow v. King, 1858
Sumner v. Evans, 1859
Israel Thorndike, 1860 - 1861
Codman v. Evans, 1860 - 1862
Cases involving James Beebe, 1861
Estate papers of Benjamin Adams and Frances P. Winthrop, 1859-1861
Deeds and lease agreements, 1854 - 1862
IV. Church cases, 1835 - 1860
This series includes papers related to street developments that impacted the First Church of Boston and the Church of the Holy Cross, both on Devonshire Street. It also includes records of the Hawes Fund, established for the First Church, and other papers associated with that church.
First Church papers, 1835 - 1856
Hawes Fund (First Church), 1848 - 1849
First Church notes, 1857
Devonshire Street widening case, 1860
Bishop John Bernard Fitzpatrick, Devonshire Street deed, 11 July 1860
V. Legal papers, 1833-1887
Arranged chronologically.
This series consists of Chandler's legal notes, court decisions and pleadings, accounts, and other legal papers, including records of the Supreme Court case City of Boston vs. David R. Lecraw, 1851, records of several Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts cases, and a short codicil written for the Anti-Slavery Society, 1858. Many of the papers relate to miscellaneous land and property cases. Some of the papers are difficult to read due to water damage.
VI. Legal correspondence, 1850-1888
Arranged chronologically.
This series consists of Chandler's incoming legal correspondence. The correspondence relates to various cases and claims in which Chandler was involved. It contains correspondence and building plans, ca. 1888, from William Gibbons Preston, the Boston architect who designed the Chandler Building at 53 Devonshire Street. A letter from Preston has photographs of the roof of the building attached. For additional correspondence, see Series I-IV.
VII. Addresses, n.d.
This series consists of drafts of addresses given by Chandler, including speeches on the principles of American government and the laws of nations.
Preferred Citation
Peleg W. Chandler legal papers, Massachusetts Historical Society.
Access Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.