John Candler (c1730-1802*) and his wife Elizabeth (Gibson) Candler married circa 1750 (their first-born son, William, testified in his Revolutionary War pension application, that he was born in Bedford County, VA in 1751). Bedford County was, in fact, not established until 1753, and not organized governmentally until the following year. John Candler appears on the first tax rolls of Bedford County in the year of its formation - 1754.

*Campbell Co. will book. #2, pg.111, inventory of estate, 10 Jan.1803.

The parents of his wife, Elizabeth, were in the area by the mid-1740's. At that time the area was part of Lunenburg County. It's likely that the Candler Family too was in the area at this time.

Who was Elizabeth Gibson? James Gibson's will of 14 April 1764 [Bedford County Will Book #1, pg. 20-21] states: "To my daughter Elizabeth Candler teen pounds current money."

It is commonly asserted that "Quaker records show that John Candler and Elizabeth married in 1762". There is no such Quaker record that I can find. What the records do show is a marriage of John Candler (no date or spouse), followed by the birth of two boys - John, Jr. in 1766, and Henry in 1769. When it became clear that John Candler, Sr. had at least three children (William, Daniel, and James) and probably five (the three boys plus Jane and Hannah) prior to 1762, I began to suspect that John, Sr. had a wife prior to this "1762 marriage." It seems logical that James Candler (c1756-1826) was named after Elizabeth's father James Gibson, with William (1751-1836) and Daniel (c1753-1810) being named after John's brother and father respectively. John and Elizabeth must have married in about 1750.

James and Eleanor Gibson were living in the South River area in the 1740's when it was Lunenburg County. John Candler's first son, William, was born in 1751, and thus it seems likely that he married Elizabeth about 1750. This is more convincing evidence that the Candlers were in this part of Virginia before 1750.

Elizabeth Gibson's siblings were James, Jr, Randall, John (deceased), Archbell (deceased), Catherine Hale, and Hannah Cook. When her son, John Candler, Jr. moved to Russell County Virginia in the late 1790's, several of his neighbors were Gibsons. For more on the Russell County Candler/Gibson connection (see below).

More about Russell County, VA Gibsons

There has been some confusion stemming from the fact that, there were several Williams, Daniels, and Johns living in 18^th century Virginia. It doesn't help matters any that the terms "Sr." and "Jr." have changed meaning since the 18th century. Explanation of the 18th Century use of "Jr." and "Sr."

Daniel Candler (c1700-c1765), I call Old Daniel.

His first-born son was John Candler (Sr.) of Lynchburg (c1730-1802). John had five sons, William (1751-1836), Daniel (c1753-1810), James (c1756-1826), John (1765-1832), and Henry (1769-1806). I refer to these sons as William of Virginia, Daniel of Maryland, James the Quaker, John, Jr., and Henry the bad boy.

"Old" Daniel's second-born son was William Candler (c1736-1784). He moved to Georgia in about 1767. Georgia Candlers respectfully call him Colonel William and I will observe their tradition. Col. William also had sons named Henry, b. c1762, William, b. c1764, and Daniel, b. 1779. William and Henry were (most likely) born in Virginia, while Daniel was born in Georgia.

William Candler of Virginia married Agnes Guthrie (daughter of Henry and Penelope [Johnson] Guthrie). Agnes' brother, James Guthrie, married William Candler's sister, Jane. In 1801, William and Jane Candler's widowed father, John, married their widowed mother-in-law Penelope (Johnson) Guthrie.

William Candler of Virginia was a Private in the Virginia Line during the Revolutionary War. His Revolutionary War service record is located at the National Archive. He fought at Guilford Court House and at York Town (among other battles). According to attorney Robert Achilles Russell of Rustburg, VA (and a Candler descendant), William Candler claimed not to have fired a single shot at the Battle of York Town. Russell further stated that "whether this was from his musket being out of fix or his Quaker convictions I do not know." Judging from his service record, I suspect that he was just lucky enough not to have to have had to fight.

Pvt. Wm. Candler received a Virginia soldier's pension (beginning in 1832) at age 82 [Virginia Pension Roll of 1835]. This would place his birth in about 1750. On his pension application, he claimed to have been born in 1751. He also appears on the list of Virginia Revolutionary War soldiers who did not claim their Land Bounty entitlement. This may indeed have reflected his feelings about profiting from the war.

William Candler appears in various VA tax, court, and census records. There is an 1800 tax list for Campbell Co. in The Virginia Genealogist, vol.13, pg. 109. It listed Henry, John, James and William Candler (this is most likely John, Sr. and sons William, James, and Henry). In a deed of 1808, he is mentioned along with several other brothers and sisters.

Unfortunately, in the War of 1812 the British destroyed the 1790 Federal census schedules for Virginia. A pseudo-census was reconstructed (later) from various 1780's tax records. This is perhaps why no one from the Candler neighborhood appears in the (so-called) 1790 census schedule. The 1800 schedules were also destroyed. The 1810 Federal Census page for the Candler neighborhood was damaged (as mentioned above -- see Penelope Caneller).

On the 1820 Federal Census of Campbell County, Virginia, there were two William Candlers; one old and one younger (with children). This younger William was the son of the old soldier - William A. Candler, b. 1795. On the 1830 Census, William of Virginia's household contains one person 50-60, one 60-70, and one 70-80.

His obituary was printed in a Lynchburg newspaper and can be found in the archives at Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, VA.

On William's wife Agnes Guthrie

There is a Virginia Land Grant dated 1 December 1779, issued to Daniel Candler and signed by governor Thomas Jefferson [Virginia Patents A, 1779-80,pg.181]. I first read of this document in a 1959 Lynchburg News article on the subject of Early Candlers and their Mountain written by Martha Rivers Adams [Sunday, March 29, 1959, pg. B-2]. The newspaper writer actually was confusing the three different Daniel Candlers listed above.

According to the article, the 1779 land grant, was issued to Old Daniel Candler, "Pioneer Quaker." Some Candler researchers have supposed that the 1779 grant was issued posthumously to Old Daniel in settlement of his estate. Old Daniel died in 1765. His son, William, was the executor of the estate, which was settled in 1766 (William moved to GA in 1767 or '68).

The newspaper article next quotes an obituary that called Daniel Candler "the last of the Old Quakers." According to "The Friendly Virginians" by Jay Worrall, a book about Quakerism in the Old Dominion, "Daniel Candler" was one of the last three Quakers to meet in Lynchburg, VA in the 1830's-40's. This Daniel was the great-grandson of Old Daniel. It was his obituary that was quoted, and he died in 1860. He was not yet born when the grant of 1779 was issued.

In fact, it was Daniel Candler of Maryland to whom the grant was issued. Grant documents were usually issued some time after the land survey was made. First it had to be presented to a judge, then a land warrant was issued. Finally, the entry could be made in the records in Williamsburg. By 1779, Daniel had moved to Maryland. Part of the 1779 grant is still in the possession of a Candler descendant, so apparently, Daniel sold or gave the land to a relative.

Thanks to a Deed of 1808, we can place William and James Candler in Campbell Co. along with their brother-in-law James Guthrie; and learn that the Daniel Candler who appears on the Maryland Federal Census of 1790 was a descendant of "Old" Daniel Candler. It was through this land record "snap-shot" that I first understood that Daniel of Maryland was one and the same as the grantee in the 1779 Candler's Mountain Grant (signed by Jefferson).

Just when Daniel moved to Maryland is not clear but there are clues. He signed an oath of fidelity to the cause of American Independence in Maryland in 1778. He married a Maryland girl - Rosana Benson. At least one child was born in Maryland - John in 1779. Daniel appears in tax records in 1783. [Maryland State Archives, MARYLAND INDEXES, (Assessment of 1783, Index), Montgomery County MSA S 1437 -- Linganore and Sugar Loaf Hundred, p. 2. MSA S 1161-8-1, 1/4/5/51]. Additionally (as mentioned above), he may be found in the 1790 Federal Census of Montgomery County. He may have registered his land grant in Virginia in 1779 because he was relocated in MD and wanted good legal claim to his VA possession.

More about Candler records in Maryland

James Candler (Sr.), b. c1756, Bedford Co, VA, d. 3 Jan. 1826, Campbell Co, VA, became and remained a serious Quaker at South River unto death. He acquired a good bit of land on the Mountain that bore his family name. His grandchildren populated the mountain and many lie buried in the Candler cemetery near the summit. The church nearby, Jehova Jireh - "God will provide" - named from the Bible story where Abraham's faith is tested on a mountain-top, attests to the connection the Candlers felt to this high place above the James River.

James' father, John Candler (Sr.) recanted his sins (April 20, 1782, see Candler Quaker Records) and was reinstated as a Quaker. Less than a month later (May 10, 1782), James (age 26) requested membership in his own behalf. Two months later, on July 20^th, John, Sr. requested membership in behalf of his young sons Henry and John, Jr. (age 13 and 16 respectively). In September, John Candler (Jr.) was received as a member, but there is no record that Henry ever was received "among Friends," but he must have been because he was disowned for military service in the 1810's [all Hinshaw, SRMM].

On December the 17^th, 1785, James Candler received a certificate from SRMM to Cedar Creek Monthly Meeting to marry. On January the 16^th, 1786, in the house of James Johnson of Louisa County, James Candler married Agnes (Agathay) Johnson (c1760-1817, daughter of James Johnson and Mildred Moorman).

When James Candler died in 1826, the Quaker records said "70 years old". This would (of course) place his birth c1756.

I had the most trouble with these girls because the records are very slim. In fact, when I first wrote this article, I did not know of Ellender at all. A Burress family researcher contacted me via the internet and asked me if I knew of an Ellender Burress of Montgomery County, VA who was the daughter of a "Henry Candler." This researcher had assumed that Henry Candler was her father because she (and Hannah Irby) had inherited some land from him.

Wm Burruss & Elender, his wife of Montgomery County and Douglas Irby and Hannah, his wife of Botetourt County sold 285ac. to James Candler. Burruss and Irby, or their wives got the property from Henry Candler, date unknown. - From Campbell County Deed Book 8, page 636. Dated: 11/17/1809.

As it turns out, these are sisters of Henry and James. They are selling their inheritance from brother Henry (who died in 1806) to their brother James who was buying up land on Candler Mountain (see Deed of 1808).

The following is a correspondence from a descendant of James and Jane (Candler) Guthree and the transcriber of the 1808 deed.

After Jane died in Virginia, James Guthrie moved to Highland Co., Ohio, sometime in the mid-1810s with his children. Many of his Quaker relatives (Johnsons, Moormans, etc.) had moved there before he did and he probably moved west with some of the latecomers. They settled in Leesburg. Three of James and Jane's daughters (Mildred, Elizabeth and Penelope) and two of their sons (Henry and James) married in Highland Co., Ohio. Four of their children were married in Virginia in Campbell or Bedford Co. (William, John, Martha and Agnes). I have no further information on their youngest child, Harriett.

James Guthrie, after he moved to Leesburg, apparently was a prominent figure in the community. He died on 27 February 1848 at Leesburg. So far as I know, James Guthrie wasn't a Quaker himself. His mother, Penelope (Johnson) Guthrie, was a Quaker until she married Henry Guthrie in about 1755, when she was thrown out because she "married contrary to discipline".

Agnes Guthrie, sister of James - daughter of Penelope, is said to have married William Candler (1751-1836). The Guthrie family genealogist who helped me with Penelope and James does not know who Agnes married. My only information on Agnes' being married to William comes from a 1937 letter, written by Robert Achilles Russell to Reverend B. T. Candler, stating that William's wife was Agnes Guthrie. I can find no record of William's marriage in Campbell or Bedford county records. He was not a Quaker so those records do no good. The wedding would have been at the time of the Revolution so public records may have been hectic.

More on the Guthrie Connection

Quaker records state that John Candler, Jr. was born on February 9th, 1766 and I took that for granted until one of the most interesting genealogical discoveries emerged -- more on that discovery in a moment. On April 20, 1782, John's father recanted his sins (he was disowned in 1767, see Candler Quaker Records) and was reinstated. Two months later, on July 20^th, 1782, John, Sr. requested membership in behalf of his young sons John, Jr. and Henry (age 16 and 13 respectively). In September, John Candler, Jr. was received as a member.

John Candler, Jr. was actually born on February the 9th 1765, not 1766 as the Quaker records state. He was born at South River Settlement, VA. (present-day Lynchburg). In 1759, John Candler Sr. bought the "Old Lynch Place" on Rock Castle Creek (near the present campus of Liberty University), and next-door to Zechariah Moorman. This was the Lynch's first grant at South River. John Candler, Jr. may well have been born in the very house (perhaps cabin).

Three John Candlers were married in Campbell Co, VA between July 1799 and December 1802. They were father, son, and grandson (the third John was the son of William, 1751-1836).

Years ago I was trying to determine which John Candler was which. I had yet to discover the Candler-Guthrie connection. I had been hunting for information on John Candler, Jr. when I found a reference to an article about a Candler-Stovall Bible. The 1982 article, from The Pioneer Wagon (a quarterly publication of The Jackson County Genealogical Society of Independence, Missouri) proved hard to "get hold of." About the same time, I was investigating Candler-C(h)andler connections when a CHANDLER researcher suggested that I get in touch with Glenn Turnell who (purportedly) was "the best Candler researcher you could meet."

I called Glenn Turnell and he was correct. What is more, she turned out to be the author of the elusive Pioneer Wagon article. A few weeks later, I had before me a photostatic copy of this ancient record. There (in a glorious 18th century hand) was written "John Candler was born February 9th 1765." Beneath, in the same hand, is written "Dorothy Candler was born May 17th 1778." Turnell believes this Bible to be that of Singleton Candler, one of John and Dorothy's sons.

In 1797, the name John Candler first appeared on Russell County Tax Lists. On July the 8^th, 1797, John Candler, Jr. was listed as "being removed for some years from among Friends" [Hinshaw, SRMM]. Like many Americans, John had made his move westward. On Jan. 12^th, 1799, John, Jr. was disowned for "non-attendance for several years and buying a slave". On July 24^th he married Dorothy Stovall (daughter of George and Elizabeth Stovall) in Campbell County, VA [Hinshaw cited this from the Campbell Co. marriage book #?].

John returned to Russell County with his bride and in the next year, tax records reflect that there were two souls at the Candler home; there would soon be more. I assumed that this meant that Dorothy (Stovall) Candler was now living with him, but Glenn Turnell informed m that women were not counted in this tax record. This leads me to wonder if the other male might have been Johns brother Henry (whose whereabouts at this time I cannot determine).

John and Dorothy (Stovall) Candler are the pioneer southwest Virginia Candlers. By the Federal Census of 1820, John and Dorothy had nine children, 5 under age10, 2 age 10-16, and 2 over 16. John Candler, Jr. died in 1832 in Russell Co, VA. (according to Russell County Candler researchers). There is a John Candler cemetery in Russell County, VA. The oldest marked grave is that of Singleton Candler (one of John and Dorothy's son). I suspect that the pioneer couple is buried there in unmarked graves.

By the Federal Census of 1850, there were four Candler households in Russell Co, VA; Dorothy, George W, Archer (son of Geo. W.), and Singleton. These are the wife, sons, and grandson of John Candler, Jr.

On April 20, 1782, John Candler, Sr. recanted his sins (see Candler Quaker Records) and was reinstated. Two months later, on July 20^th, 1782, John, Sr. requested membership in behalf of his young sons John, Jr. and Henry (age 16 and 13 respectively). There is no record of Henry's acceptance, but he must have been because we find this citation in the Quaker records:

12th month, 8th day, 1798; Henry Candler, has deviated from principles as to bear arms and accused by a young woman of being the father of her illigitimate child, which he neglects to clear himself. -- Quaker Records of South River Monthly Meeting, Virginia 1756-1800, compiled from original documents by F. Edward Wright.

Henry Candler, the youngest child of John and Elizabeth Candler, is hard to trace. According to legend, he did not marry. According to the Quaker records of South River, he was about to be disowned for not taking responsibility for an his illigitimate child (no name of mother unfortunately) when he was dismissed for military service. July 20th, 1782, John, Sr. requested membership in behalf of his young sons John, Jr. and Henry (age 16 and 13 respectively). In September, John Candler, Jr. was received as a member, but there is no record of Henry's acceptance. He must have been accepted at some point because we find the citation (below) in the Quaker records:

12th month, 8th day, 1798; Henry Candler, has deviated from principles as to bear arms and accused by a young woman of being the father of her illigitimate child, which he neglects to clear himself. -- Quaker Records of South River Monthly Meeting, Virginia 1756-1800, compiled from original documents by F. Edward Wright.

There was a Henry Candler on 1793 North Carolina tax records - one year only; likely it was this Henry. There is an 1806 estate inventory in Campbell County; once again probably Henry. The deed of 1808 mentions land belonging to "Henry Candler deceased."

Elizabeth (Gibson) Candler, John Candler, Jr's mother, had several brothers. Whether one of them migrated to Russell Co, VA at or around the same time as John Candler, Jr. I do not know. Whatever the case might be, the sons of John Candler and Dorothy Stovall lived among many Gibsons in that western reach of Virginia. On the 1787 tax list of Russell County (Russell Co. was formed in 1786), there was one James Gibson, and one John Gibson. By the tax list of 1795, there were six Gibson households. Eventually, there would be a town of Gibsonville in Russell Co.

1790 Federal Census records show Daniel of Maryland had one son and one daughter over the age of 16. He must have been married no later than 1773. If he was over18 at that time, he must have been born in the early 1750's. Assuming that he was 18 when he married and that he had his first child immediately thereafter, he would have been 36 years old in 1790. That would place his birth on or before 1754.

1800 Federal Census records show Daniel as head of households in Montgomery County, Maryland [pg. 91].

1810 Federal Census records show John, William and Rosana Candler as heads of households in Montgomery County, Maryland [John on pg. 347, Wm. on 336, and Rosana on 362]. These were the sons and widow of Daniel. He died on the 18th of June 1810.

1820 Federal Census of Montgomery County, Maryland shows only John Candler [pg. 163]; the 1830 shows John Candle; and the 1840 Census shows a Daniel H. [pg. 193 - Rockville district], and Leonard W. Candler [also pg. 193] - sons of John. The 1850 shows John's widow Sarah [pg. 374], Leonard W. [also pg. 374], and a Rosetta Candler [pg.375] - not sure of this relation.

In light of newly uncovered evidence, it is pretty clear that the Daniel Candler who received the 1779 Grant was Daniel of Maryland. His existence comes to light again in a Campbell County deed dated 1808 [Campbell Co., Virginia, Deed Book 8, p. 272-274 recorded 11 July 1808]. It states that Daniel Candler of Montgomery County, Maryland, and William Candler and James Guthree of Campbell County, Virginia are selling -

- to James Candler (Sr.) of Campbell County.

The reference to Henry Candler "deceased" was, in all likelihood, to their brother Henry, b. 1769, d. 1806 (some Candler researchers suggest that this Henry was the long-dead son of Old Daniel). Regardless, circumstantial evidence indicates that this transaction was between children of John Candler, Sr. (James Guthree was the husband of John's daughter, Jane c1758-1807, by then deceased). John Candler, Jr. certainly was not dead in 1808, so exactly why he was not involved in this transaction is not clear. I can find nothing (see following paragraph) further on daughter Hannah after her marriage to Douglas Irby, so whether she was still living is indeterminable at this time.

My research into the connection between the Candler & Guthrie families unraveled quite slowly. The marriage of Jane Candler and James Guthrie was my starting point. My first clue turned up in an internet search for C(h)andlers (which I undertook after realizing just how many CANDLERS were listed under that spelling). I found a query on June/Jane Chandler of Bedford County, VA. This June/Jane had married James Guthree, son of Henry Guthree and Penelope Guthree. About that time, I discovered an 1801 marriage in Campbell County, VA between one John Candler and one Penelope Guttry. I assumed (at first) that this was a case of brothers and sisters marrying.

I contacted the researcher who had made the internet query and received an excellent Guthree Genealogy. Thus, I came to realize that the 1801 marriage was between John Candler, Sr. and the mother of James Guthree. John married his daughter Jane's mother-in-law. I cannot cite a source document to prove the 1778 marriage of James Guthree and Jane Candler, but the weight of circumstantial is fairly conclusive.

Clearly, the Guthries must have lived close to the Candlers in Bedford County during the 1770's (when Jane and William married James and Agnes), but I have yet to find documentary proof of this. Henry Guthrie died in Franklin County in 1786. Franklin County is not too far south of the area of Campbell County in which the Candlers lived. I assume that Penelope Johnson Guthrie moved back to Campbell County to be near her children and thereby found herself in the frequent company of her children's father-in-law. However it happened, she was available and willing to marry John Candler, Sr. in 1801.

One finds Penelope Candler in the 1810 Campbell County, VA Federal Census. The 1810 Census Index says, "Penelope Caneller", but one can see that the supposed "el" is really "d" (although the transcriber could not). Penelope was living on Candlers Mountain near Edward Lynch, and immediately next to Alexander Bridgeland, and Washington Lambeth. Regrettably, most of the census page has been destroyed by the ravages of time and so Penelope is the only Candler whose name remains to be seen, but thankfully she is there to bear out that it was she, the surviving wife of John Candler, Sr.

By the 1820 Census, Penelope had passed away. In that census, in the neighborhood of Lynch, Bridgeland, and Lambeth, one can find three grandsons of John Candler, Sr. living side by side - Johnson (b. 1789 - son of James), William A. (b. 1795 - son of William), and Daniel, (b. 1784 - son of William). My guess is that this property is the Lynch Creek or Fishing Creek property of John, Sr. which is at the western foot of Candler's mountain. This guess is based on the fact that this page (pg.122) is the first page of the census schedule marked "Campbell County." The previous pages were marked "Lynchburg Town." James and William Candler appear farther on in the schedule (pg.148) which seems to place them well out of town (on the mountain). I believe that they were living along the ridge between Flat & Possum Creeks, possibly on the 1779 grant of their brother Daniel Candler of Montgomery County, Maryland. This mountain-top area is the vacinity of the present-day Candler cemetery.

On the Guthrie Family A Good Story About Penelope A Good Guthrie Family Site

Analysis of Candlers in the 1820 Campbell Co, VA census

There were two William Candlers on the 1820 Federal Census. The elder was William Candler (1751-1836), the old Rev. War soldier. His immediate neighbors were John Candler* and Daniel Candler, Jr.

*John Candler, had 8 children at the time. He was probably John Candler, b. c1782, who married Phoebe Boaz on 13 Dec 1802 in Campbell County.

Who was this Daniel Candler, Jr? He was (confusingly) Daniel Candler (1788-1860), son of James Candler, Sr. (c1756-1826). In the old usage , "Jr" could mean simply "younger," not "the son of..." as it is used today. This Daniel would come to be called Daniel Candler, Sr. by his descendants (which really makes things confusing).

Daniel, Sr. was the cousin of Daniel, Jr. Daniel, Sr. was born in 1784 (son of William Candler 1751-1836), married Martha King on 13 Aug 1817, and died between May and July of 1839.

The 2nd William listed in the 1820 Census was William A. Candler, the son of the elder William (who really was a "Jr." in the modern sense). His next-door-neighbors were Johnson Candler (his brother-in-law) and Daniel Candler, Jr. (his brother). Johnson, b. 1789, was the son of James Candler, Sr. and Agnes Johnson. Johnson Candler relocated to the state of Tennessee.

Daniel Candler, Jr. (according to the 1820 census) came to be called Daniel, Sr. He married his first cousin, Mildred "Milley" Candler (daughter of William, 1751-1836], and lived out his life on Candler's Mountain. As I said, he came to be called Daniel, Sr. (after his cousin died in 1839) and his descendants are the majority of those buried in the Candler cemetery on Candlers Mountain.

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