CANDLER RESEARCH ~ March 1999 ©1999 by Ed Marsh

Probably the most famous Candler in American history was Asa Griggs Candler the founder of the Coca-Cola Co. This soft drink scion, philanthropist, and mayor of Atlanta was a descendant of Colonel William Candler (c1736-1784) of Georgia who fought bravely for his state in the American Revolution.

Georgia Governor Allen Daniel Candler (1834-1910) was a cousin of Asa Candler's. He wrote what is arguably the most widely read book on the Candler family in America, Colonel William Candler of Georgia, His Ancestry and Progeny, 1896, the Foote & Davis Co, Atlanta, GA. To my knowledge, this is the first published work on the Candlers of America. Often quoted (and misquoted) by Candler genealogical researchers, it serves as the anchor to which we can fasten subsequent work.

Governor Candler strove to reconstruct his lineage from scant and poorly preserved Georgia Colonial and State Revolutionary War records, and such as he could find in the Library of Congress (a pursuit he began during his tenure in the U. S. House of Representatives). He uncovered much valuable data, but he was unaware that his Georgia ancestor had emigrated from Virginia, and thus did not explore the wealth of Candler data in that state.

He was aware that there were North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland Candlers, and he speculated that they might share a common ancestor, but he did not know. Subsequent editions of his work included the Virginia connection.

Today (1999), we have proof that there was indeed a common ancestor of these branches. His name was Daniel Candler. He lived in the Virginia Colony of England, along the James River at South River Settlement (present-day Lynchburg, Virginia). There is documentary proof that Daniel Candler was settled at South River by 1753, and good circumstantial proof for a time just before 1750. He died in late 1765 or early 1766.

As stated above, Allen D. Candler did not know of Col. William Candler's life at the South River Settlement; but it was there that William joined the Quakers, and there that he married Elizabeth Anthony. Thus it is valuable to "revisit" this life as we find it chronicled in early land grants, civil court and Quaker records (the richest source of details by far).

This author is a descendant of Daniel Candler and his wife Hannah -- through their son John, c1732-1802 (Colonel Wm. Candler's brother). Daniel had the following children:

John, Elizabeth, William, and Elloner joined the Quakers (Candler Quaker Records) as did their father Daniel. Zedikiah did not. There is no mention of Hannah's having joined, and no evidence that she ever attended any meetings, weddings, etc. Legend has it that she was a Catholic. Her apparent non-participation in Quaker life hints that she may have been and remained so.

The only evidence I find for the existence of Henry and Thomas Candler is hearsay. There are some letters, exchanged between 18th century VA and NC cousins of the Candlers, which mention Henry. It is also legendary that the two were killed in the Yadkin River valley (North Carolina) whilst fighting Indians. Whatever the truth, there is no mention of them or any heirs in Daniel Candler's will of August, 1765.

The following essay states the Candler Legend and enumerates some of the statements that Allen D. Candler made about early American Candler history, and comment based on my research findings.

CANDLER LEGEND

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