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Elizabeth (Candler) Caffery Of South River Settlement, Bedford County, VA (present-day Lynchburg, Campbell County, VA) ©2000 by Ed Marsh |
The earliest documented evidence of Elizabeth Candler (c1733-after 1791) that I have found appears in the 1758 records of South River Monthly Meeting. By that date, she was already the wife of John Caffery (1722-1790), son of Charles Caffery and Sarah Carter who were neighbors of the Candlers at the South River Settlement. To date, no documentary record of her marriage has come to light. The Caffery family was Presbyterian. Caffery researchers maintain that there was no formal organization to record Prebyterian marriages in Virginia at this time - the long-lost marriage book of a circuit riding preacher may have been the only record ever made.
In 1791, she was named executrix of husband John's estate. Six children were named in the will - Charles, Barnabus (called William in the will), Sally, Ealner (probably Eleanor), Mary, and Winnie. For a long time, descendants of Captain John Caffery, b. 27 Aug 1756, believed that he was the son of an Elizabeth C(H)andler. Recent evidence has proven that Captain John Caffery (husband of Mary Donelson) was indeed the son of John Caffery and Elizabeth Candler.