# George Fletcher Chandler > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/George_Fletcher_Chandler > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/George_Fletcher_Chandler.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Fletcher_Chandler > Source revision: 1345417107 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American physician}} {{Infobox officeholder |image = Maj. Geo. F. Chandler.jpg |office = Superintendent of the [New York State Police](/source/New_York_State_Police) |term_start = May 1, 1917 |term_end = December 1, 1923 |governor = [Charles S. Whitman](/source/Charles_S._Whitman) |predecessor = ''Inaugural holder'' |successor = James Adams Warner |birth_name = George Fletcher |birth_date = {{birth date|1872|12|13}} |birth_place = [Clyde](/source/Clyde%2C_New_York), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age |1964|11|6 |1872|12|13 |mf=yes}} |death_place = [Kingston](/source/Kingston%2C_New_York), New York, U.S. |party = |awards = |spouse = Martha Marie Schultze {{small|(1900–1931) (her death)}} |alma_mater = [Syracuse University](/source/Syracuse_University)
[Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University) ([M.D.](/source/Doctor_of_Medicine)) |allegiance = {{flag|United States}} |branch = {{army|United States}}
20px [New York National Guard](/source/New_York_Army_National_Guard) |unit = 25px [Army Medical Corps](/source/U.S._Army_Medical_Corps) }} '''George Fletcher Chandler''' (December 13, 1872 – November 6, 1964) was an American surgeon, military officer and police administrator. He was appointed by the governor to organize the [New York State Police](/source/New_York_State_Police), newly authorized in 1917, and served as its first superintendent from 1917 to 1923. ==Early life, education and career== Chandler was born in [Clyde, New York](/source/Clyde%2C_New_York) to a [Methodist](/source/Methodist) minister and his wife. He lived with his family in [Lockport, New York](/source/Lockport%2C_New_York) and [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon). He graduated from [Ithaca High School](/source/Ithaca_High_School_(Ithaca%2C_New_York)) in [Ithaca, New York](/source/Ithaca%2C_New_York). He earned a bachelor's degree at [Syracuse University](/source/Syracuse_University) in 1892 and a medical degree at [Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons](/source/Columbia_University_College_of_Physicians_and_Surgeons) in 1895. After setting up his practice and beginning work as a physician, Chandler befriended [Charles S. Whitman](/source/Charles_S._Whitman), a fellow young professional with whom he shared a rooming house.{{cite web|title=NYSP History: 1917 to 1929 The Formative Years|url=https://www.troopers.ny.gov/Introduction/History/1917-1929/|website=www.troopers.ny.gov|publisher=[New York State Police](/source/New_York_State_Police)|access-date=19 April 2017|language=en|archive-date=6 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006210344/https://www.troopers.ny.gov/Introduction/History/1917-1929/|url-status=dead}} They later worked together after Whitman went into politics and was elected as governor of the state. Chandler studied the violin and was considered to have some talent. In 1900, he married Martha Marie Shultze, the daughter of the founder of Syracuse University's [School of Music](/source/Setnor_School_of_Music). They had two sons, Daniel and Fehmer, before her death in 1931. ==Military and police career== Chandler enlisted in the [New York National Guard](/source/New_York_National_Guard) as a [lieutenant](/source/lieutenant). By 1916, he had been promoted to the rank of [major](/source/Major_(rank)).{{cite web|title=Superintendent George Fletcher Chandler|url=https://www.troopers.ny.gov/Introduction/Superintendents/Chandler/|website=www.troopers.ny.gov|publisher=[New York State Police](/source/New_York_State_Police)|access-date=19 April 2017|language=en|archive-date=19 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419103235/https://www.troopers.ny.gov/Introduction/Superintendents/Chandler/|url-status=dead}} Chandler served with the National Guard in 1917, when his unit was called up to respond to an invasion on the southern border with Mexico related to forces in its civil war. Shortly after returning to the state from the [Pancho Villa Expedition](/source/Pancho_Villa_Expedition), Chandler was tapped by his friend and [New York Governor](/source/New_York_Governor) Charles S. Whitman to head and organize the [New York State Police](/source/New_York_State_Police). Chandler initially declined as he hoped to fight with US forces in [the Great War](/source/World_War_I) in Europe. At the time, former president [Theodore Roosevelt](/source/Theodore_Roosevelt) was raising a division to join the war effort. After Roosevelt promised Chandler that he would request him for his division, he accepted the state post. But Roosevelt failed a physical examination, as he was older than most officers, and the United States government declined to accept the Roosevelt division for duty. Following the collapse of the arrangement with Roosevelt, Chandler proceeded to work on establishing a state police force. He visited and studied the [Pennsylvania State Police](/source/Pennsylvania_State_Police) and the Canadian [Royal North-West Mounted Police](/source/Royal_North-West_Mounted_Police) in [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa). Uncomfortable with the political pressures of his position, Chandler later resigned. In late 1918, he left New York to serve with the [U.S. Army Medical Corps](/source/U.S._Army_Medical_Corps) at [Fort Oglethorpe](/source/Fort_Oglethorpe_(Fort_Oglethorpe%2C_Georgia)) in Georgia. He returned to his post as Superintendent in 1919, following Governor Whitman's refusal to accept his resignation. As Superintendent, Chandler was involved at every level of the state police and his influence on the organization was long-lasting. He recruited his first troops by attracting men from the New York National Guard.{{cite book|last1=Goderre|first1=Frank|title=New York State Police Troop K|date=2007|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=9780738549828|page=7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fREfjTPVCWwC&q=george+fletcher+chandler&pg=PA7|access-date=19 April 2017|language=en}} Chandler coined the term "New York State Trooper." Contrary to the norms of the time, he required that troopers carry their weapons exposed on the outside of their uniforms.{{cite book|last1=Miller|first1=Wilbur R.|title=The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America: An Encyclopedia|date=2012|publisher=SAGE|isbn=9781412988766|page=1230|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tYME6Z35nyAC&q=george+fletcher+chandler&pg=PA1230|access-date=19 April 2017|language=en}} More positively, he instituted rigorous processes for screening, training, and education of the force. Chandler also established the New York State School for Police, which emphasized legal training. This became a standard for police forces in the United States. ==Retirement== On December 1, 1923, Chandler retired from the state police. He established a surgical practice in [Kingston, New York](/source/Kingston%2C_New_York). He also served on New York's State Crime Commission in the governments of [Alfred E. Smith](/source/Alfred_E._Smith) and [Franklin Delano Roosevelt](/source/Franklin_Delano_Roosevelt). He died in 1964 at the age of 91.{{cite news |title=George Chandler, Police Aide, Dies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/11/07/george-chandler-police-aide-dies.html?_r=1&gwh=88A7CB49F73C74BDC50FCCEA2C64D814&gwt=pay|newspaper=[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times) |date=November 7, 1964 |access-date=2015-09-06 }} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Further reading== *{{cite book|last1=Kurek|first1=Albert S.|title=The Troopers Are Coming: New York State Troopers, 1917-1943|date=2007|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=9781600080357|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e3d9tTxg1N8C&q=george+fletcher+chandler&pg=PA9|language=en}}; Self-published, not considered a Reliable Source per Wikipedia {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Chandler, George Fletcher}} Category:1872 births Category:1964 deaths Category:Medical doctors from New York (state) Category:American surgeons Category:People from Clyde, New York Category:Syracuse University alumni Category:Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons alumni Category:United States Army Medical Corps officers Category:Ithaca High School (Ithaca, New York) alumni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [George Fletcher Chandler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Fletcher_Chandler) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Fletcher_Chandler?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.