Albert Brown Chandler

Albert Brown Chandler
Chandler as depicted in 1903's Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont.
Personal details
Born	(1840-08-20)August 20, 1840 Randolph, Vermont
Died	February 23, 1923(1923-02-23) (aged 82) Randolph, Vermont
Resting place	South View Cemetery, Randolph, Vermont
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Marilla Eunice Stedman Mildred Vivian
Children	3
Alma mater	Randolph Academy, Randolph, Vermont
Occupation	Telegraph operator Business executive
Known for	Confidential telegrapher, President Abraham Lincoln President, Postal Telegraph Company
Religion	Presbyterian
Military service
Allegiance	United States State of Vermont
Service/branch	Vermont Militia
Years of service	1895-1898
Rank	Colonel
Unit	Staff of Governor Urban A. Woodbury Staff of Governor Josiah Grout

Albert Brown Chandler (August 20, 1840 – February 23, 1923) was an American corporate executive. He was notable for his association with Abraham Lincoln during Chandler's service as a War Department telegraph operator during the American Civil War, and his later work as president of the Postal Telegraph Company.

Albert B. Chandler was born in Randolph, Vermont on August 20, 1840. He was educated in the local schools of Randolph and the Randolph Academy. He lived near a print shop in Randolph, as well as the local telegraph office, which enabled him to acquire training in both trades while he was still a teenager.

Chandler became a telegraph operator for Western Union, and managed the office in Bellaire, Ohio from 1858 to 1859. From 1859 to 1863 he was the agent of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad in Manchester, Pennsylvania.

In June, 1863, Chandler began work at the War Department as a disbursing clerk, cashier, and telegraph operator in the U.S. Military Telegraph Corps. He developed ciphers for transmitting secret communications, and worked with Thomas Eckert and Charles A. Tinker as confidential telegraphers for President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. After the war Chandler returned to Western Union, where he was in charge of completing new cables for operation of Transatlantic telegraph service, and for service between the United States and Cuba.

In 1875, Chandler became general manager of the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company. When A&P merged with Western Union, Chandler became President of Fuller Electric Company, the developer of electric arc lighting. In 1885 he joined the Postal Telegraph Company, which became Western Union's chief competitor, and he eventually became Postal's president. He was an executive or board of directors member for numerous other corporations, including the Commercial Cable Company of Cuba, Pacific Postal Telegraph Company, Commercial Telegraph Company, Brooklyn District Telegraph Company, New England Telegraph Company, Otis Elevator Company, New York Quotation Company, Carnegie Trust Company, and Federal Safe Deposit Company.