This compass bears two distinct inscriptions: "G*CHANDLEE W." refers to the maker, and "J:J: WELSH" refers to the owner (as yet unidentified). Goldsmith Chandlee (1751-1821) was born in Nottingham, Md., and apprenticed with his father Benjamin Chandlee, a notable clock and instrument maker. Goldsmith moved to Stephensburg, Va., in 1775. The W on this compass refers to Winchester, Va., where Chandlee settled in 1783.
Some 22 Goldsmith Chandlee compasses are known today, and almost all have an L/T table. In this example, the table appears on the south arm. This L/T table converts links of a chain to tenths of perches, and vice versa, thus helping the surveyor determine the length of the line that had been run. A perch, in England and the United States, was equal to 16.5 feet.
All Goldsmith Chandlee compasses have an outkeeper (an attachment to keep a tally in chaining). In this example, the outkeeper appears at the south end of the face. Most Goldsmith Chandlee compasses were made to order, and the name of the original owner is engraved on the face.
Ref: Edward E. Chandlee, ed., Six Quaker Clockmakers (Philadelphia, 1943), pp. 105-146.
Richard Elgin, "On Goldsmith Chandlee," Professional Surveyor 21 (December 2001): 16-26.
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