By MARTHA RIVERS ADAMS

Candler's Mountain, silhouetted in scallops against the southeastern horizon, facing the Peaks of Otter, which pattern the western sky on Lynchburg's sweeping landscape, was site of the home of Daniel Candler, pioneer Quaker, whose descendants own today some part of his 3,000 acres estate in Bedford and Campbell counties.

Daniel Candler's lineage is traced to the English Candlers of Callan, Kilkenny County, Ireland, property which boasted three castles, awarded to Daniel's grandfather, Col. William Candler of Cromwell's Army in 1653 in recognition of service to the English cause.

Historians and genealogists have explored and published data about the Candlers in England, Ireland and America. Light is thrown on the Virginia settlers, in this section in 1753, by fragmentary records on which this article is based, papers owned by descendants of Daniel and Hannah Candler.

The couple lived apparently in the neighborhood of South River Meeting, now Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church, when they first came to Virginia, but Daniel extended his properties to embrace much greater acreage.

Coming to Bedford County (1753 - 1754) at the time of the county's formation from Lunenburg and Albemarle, this first Candler to settle on Candler's Mountain—thus giving it his name—increased his holdings by buying land which became embraced in Campbell County less than three years after his purchase.

The deed for his first acquisition of land on which he built his mountain home, a tract of 370 acres from Archelaus Gilliam,is preserved by the family. The signature of Thomas Jefferson written in ink, introduces the printed form, filled in by longhand descriptions apparently by G. Carr, D.R. (Deputy Recorder?), constituting the single page of the deed. The first paragraph reads:

Since Thomas Jefferson did not become Governor of Virginia until July 1, 1779, his term expiring in 1781, the survey date would indicate that the property was bought at a later time—probably in that year, but certainly before formation of Campbell County 1781~82.

Gone are the identifying "Spanish oak, white oak, and pine" trees which determined the lines of the 370 acres, but still standing, towering above the site of the site of the home, a building long since obliterated by time, is a black walnut tree.

After the hand-written description and the statement in the printed form "with its appurtenances," there comes the usual conclusion: "IN WITNESS thereof the said Thomas Jefferson, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia"—but the expected final words "affixes his seal" have been torn off in some manner. However, the legal document is all there with the recorders signature attached.

Daniel and Hannah Candler, members of South River Meeting are buried in the Quaker Burying Ground, according to statement by Mrs. H. D. Brown in her book Lynchburg's Pioneer Quakers. She avers also that the couple went first to North Carolina and then moved to Virginia.

Daniel Candler, 519 Belvedere St., sixth in succession from the first Daniel, owns a newspaper notice of his death showing that he died Sept. 21, 1800. The tribute ends as follows:

In Charles Howard Candler's biography of his father, Asa Griggs Candler of Atlanta, who made a great fortune in the soft drinks industry and in real estate in Georgia, it is stated that Daniel and Hannah Candler, his immigrant forebears, landed first in Charleston, S. C., then moved to North Carolina, and finally to this area of Virginia. This book has excellent genealogical charts and shows that Candlers in the Georgia branch, which included Asa Griggs, Bishop Warren Akin and Judge John Candler -- all no longer living – rose to eminence in numerous fields. They were benefactors of Emory University, to which the family has given millions.

The New Yorker Magazine in a profile published in four issues on the Candler industry says that the Candlers arrived in Charleston, S. C., in 1735.

Several letters written to relatives in this area in the 18th century, of which James I. Lee of Rivermont Avenue has placed typewritten copies in Jones Memorial Library, contain references to the Candlers of Quaker Church. Among the writers was Bolling Clark, who said in 1780 that the "Candlers and Moormans got mixed in Ireland before they ever came to Virginia." The Rev. Thomas Moorman, an Episcopal minister, writing to Mary Ann Lynch in 1778, speaks of Zachariah Moorman (member of South River Meeting 1764). ). Moorman's immediate ancestor for whom he is named "soldiered" under Cromwell and married a Candler in Ireland, family data shows. The Virginia Candlers married into the families of the Quaker membership among these the Anthonys, Clarks, Moorman, Douglas, Johnston, Russells and Irbys.

Since that time the kinship has grown until there are families scattered all over this country that can trace direct relationship to Daniel and Hannah Candler, or to one of the former's kinsmen who came also to his settlement from England or Ireland. That there were several officers in the Revolution from the family, documentary records confirm.

In the letter mentioned from the Episcopal clergyman to his cousin is this sentence, unrelated to the subject in hand, but appropriate to the era: "In 1765 I attended a great Safety Council held at Lynch's Crossing to jower over the Stamn Act. Here I met Zed (Z?) Candler . . . He had settled on a Royal Grant for fighting Indians."

Research into the history of Candler's Mountain for today's article had its origin in family papers, including the deed, owned by Mrs. James R. Wright, the former Carrie Lee Candler, 2273 Sabine Ave., and her son, Howard L. Wright and his wife Mrs. Lillian Evans Wright of 2261 Sabine Ave. They not only have records ancient and fragile, but they escorted those concerned with this article to the site of Daniel Candler's mountain home, built in the early 1800s, and to the family cemetery. There are 103 graves in the enclosure, the majority of members of the Candler clan and the families into which they married. An outsider buried there was a young Indian boy, whose burial was permitted by the family after the lad died of typhoid fever in his father's care.

Inaugurating the movement to delve into the history of Candler's Mountain was Miss Ruth Blunt of E. C. Glass High School English department faculty. Leon Wright son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard L. Wright, is a member of her class. He spoke recently of their family papers concerning Candler's Mountain and Miss Blunt pursued the subject, calling it to the attention of the reporter responsible for this article. This brief sketch has been based on information from the Wrights and has been extended to include contemporary news about the property.

Switzerland could offer no fairer scene than the mountain location of a limpid blue lake, in a setting of lush evergreens and rugged stone, owned by Danied B. Candler of Belvedere Street. In order to form the lake, Possum Creek was dammed at "the head"— (note the deed)—and the present owner of that section of the Candler Mountain estate has built harmonizing accommodations. A day camp for boys and girls under under expert supervision will be conducted there this summer.

Entrance to the sand-clay roadway leading to Dan Candler's lake is directly opposite two ancient chimneys, standing upright as if monuments to the house they once adorned. This, according to Howard L. Wright, who is thoroughly acquainted with the region, was originally a tavern conducted by Henderson, a Scot and one of his ancestors. A stage coach traveled at intervals over the wagon trailway and made regular stops at the "Ordinary." Today an excellent road follows the route.

Perhaps it is the Quaker principles, which Daniel and Hannah Candler and other Friends of South River Meeting, injected in to the early settlement on which Lynchburg drew, that motivate the lives of their successors. Be that as it may, descendants of these men and women, none more numerous than the Candlers, have had their parts in the building of this country and especially of Piedmont, Virginia, which bred them.