Description 

Early Life 

Born on January 19th, 1866, Hank Chesterfield came into the world in the quiet mountain town of Strawberry, nestled in the heart of New Alexandria. His father, Elias Chesterfield, worked as a stable hand, while his mother, Margaret, managed their small home near the shores of the pristine Owanjila Lake. From an early age, Hank developed a love for the outdoors. The dense forests and towering peaks surrounding Strawberry became his playground, and the sound of an axe splitting wood was as familiar to him as birdsong.

At the age of 14, Hank was apprenticed to a local carpenter named Henry Salter. Known in the region as a meticulous craftsman, Henry took Hank under his wing, teaching him the basics of working with wood. Hank began with simple tasks: sanding boards smooth and sorting nails. But it wasn’t long before Henry saw potential in the boy’s strong hands and quiet determination. Hank quickly graduated to more demanding work—swinging an axe to fell trees in the surrounding forests, hauling timber, and even learning the art of joinery.

Logging became Hank’s primary duty, a job he took to with surprising enthusiasm. The woods surrounding Strawberry were as much a source of inspiration as they were a workplace. Hank developed a deep respect for the trees he cut, learning to identify a pine from a spruce at a glance and to judge the grain of a trunk just by touch. The lessons Henry shared about which woods made for the sturdiest beams, the smoothest furniture, or the finest carvings stayed with him long after the sawdust settled each day.

Hank’s knowledge of tools became equally comprehensive. Whether it was sharpening an axe, repairing a broken drawknife, or understanding the delicate balance needed for a carpenter’s plane, Hank seemed to have an innate knack for it. Henry often joked that if Strawberry ever fell into ruin, Hank could rebuild it plank by plank with nothing more than his toolbelt and a pile of logs.

Life in Strawberry wasn’t without its challenges. The winters were long and harsh, and the work in the woods was as dangerous as it was demanding. Hank had his share of close calls—branches snapping unexpectedly, tools slipping in the frost—but he always emerged with little more than a few scrapes and a story to tell.

By the time Hank reached his 40s, he had become a fixture in Strawberry. He was the kind of man people trusted with their homes, their barns, and even the occasional bit of furniture. But despite his growing skill and reputation, Hank felt restless. The forests that had once seemed boundless now felt confining, and the small town that had shaped his early years no longer felt like it could contain him.

As Hank gazed out over the peaks surrounding Strawberry, a longing for something more began to stir in his chest. The world beyond the woods was calling, and Hank Chesterfield was beginning to think it might be time to answer.

Present Life 

Affiliations 

The Frontier Railway Company

Quotes 

Get off the track!

Trivia