"Abijah Willard, Esq., Abel Willard,
Esq., Solomon Houghton, Yeoman, and Joseph Moore Gent." The final
settlement of Abel Willard's estate, October 26, 1785, netted his
creditors but ten shillings, eleven pence to the pound. The claimants
and improvers probably swallowed even the larger estate of Abijah
Willard, leaving nothing to the Commonwealth.

Katherine, the wife of Levi Willard, was the sister, and Dorothy, wife
of Captain Samuel Ward, the daughter, of Judge John Chandler, "the
honest Refugee." These estimable and accomplished ladies lived but a
stone's throw apart, and after the death of Levi Willard there came to
reside with them an elder brother of Mrs. Ward, one of the most notable
personages in Lancaster during the Revolution. Clark Chandler was a
dapper little bachelor about thirty-two years of age, eccentric in
person, habits, and dress. Among other oddities of apparel, he was
partial to bright red small-clothes. His tory principles and
singularities called down upon him the jibes of the patriots among whom
his lot was temporarily cast, but his ready tongue and caustic wit were
sufficient weapons of defence. In 1774, as town clerk of Worcester, he
recorded a protest of forty-three royalist citizens against the
resolutions of the patriotic majority. This record he was compelled in
open town meeting to deface, and when he failed to render it
sufficiently illegible with the pen, his tormentors dipped his fingers
into the ink and used them to perfect the obliteration. He fled to
Halifax, but after a few months returned, and was thrown into Worcester
jail. The reply to his petition for release is in Massachusetts Archives
(clxiv, 205).

Colony of the Massachusetts Bay. By the Major part of the Council
of said Colony. Whereas Clark Chandler of Worcester has been
Confined in the Common Prison at Worcester for holding
Correspondence with the enemies of this Country and the said Clark
having humbly petitioned for an enlargement and it having been made
to appear that his health is greatly impaired & that the Publick
will not be endangered by his having some enlargement, and Samuel
Ward, John Sprague, & Ezekiel Hull having Given Bond to the Colony
Treasurer in the penal sum of one thousand Pounds, for the said
Clarks faithful performance of the order of Council for his said
enlargement, the said Clark is hereby permitted to go to Lancaster
when his health