John Winthrop Chanler (September 14, 1826 – October 19, 1877) was a prominent New York lawyer and a U.S. Representative from New York.

Biography

Born in New York City, Chanler received his early education from private tutors, and graduated from Columbia College, New York City, in 1847. He attended the University of Heidelberg in Heidelberg, Germany. With his degree in law, Chanler was admitted to the New York State Bar and practiced law.

He served as member of the State assembly in 1858 and 1859. He was nominated as a candidate for State senator in 1860 but declined. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1860 to the Thirty-seventh Congress.

Chanler was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-eighth, Thirty-ninth, and Fortieth United States Congresses, serving from March 4, 1863 to March 3, 1869. He was censured by the Thirty-ninth Congress on May 14, 1866 for an insult to the House of Representatives.

Chanler married into the prominent Astor family of New York. His wife, Margaret Astor Ward (1838–1875), was the granddaughter of William Backhouse Astor, Sr.. The couple had ten children, including politicians William Astor Chanler and Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler, as well as the artist Robert Winthrop Chanler.

John W. Chanler died at his "Rokeby" estate in Barrytown, New York on October 19, 1877 and was interred with his wife in the Trinity Church Cemetery in New York City.