Descendants of Shadrack and Martha Chandler

of Virginia

1756 - 1995

by

William F. LaMartin & Bobbie LaMartin Wilson

 

Note:  all of the many footnotes have been omitted from this HTML version. Possibly they will be restored in the future.

 

INTRODUCTION

There have been Chandlers in the Southern United States since 1609. The first we know of to carry the name was one John Chandler who arrived in Jamestown in that year. Much of the efforts of the Chandler Family Association have been directed at documenting the first five generations of the descendants of this John Chandler. And quite a massive list of descendants has accumulated over the past several years as people provided their individual information. At this point, though, we are unable to tie our first known Chandler ancestor, the Shadrack Chandler listed below, to this line.

In the next few pages we shall give what information we have concerning the first three Chandler families in our family tree. This begins with Shadrack and his wife Martha, then follows their son Samuel and his wife Anna, and concludes with their son Shadrach and his wife Adeline. We follow this with a listing of the descendants of Shadrack and Martha Chandler of which we have knowledge. At present that consists of approximately 1,780 individuals. The bulk of these individuals are from the Florida branch of the family.

SHADRACK CHANDLER

Shadrack Chandler was born before 1756 in Virginia and died in 1812 in Franklin County, Georgia. He married Martha _____ who was also born in Virginia. The Virginia births are noted in the 1880 Livingston Parish, Louisiana census record of their son Samuel. Shadrack's parents at present are unknown to us.

There were three Shadrack Chandlers listed on the Greenville Co. SC census for 1790 and two on the 1800 census. He most likely was the Shadrick Chandler (note different spelling) in the 1800 census of the Pendleton District (containing Greenville Co.) on page 130 with three sons and six daughters living at home along with five slaves. The number of children match if you assume the 22 year old and 16 old boys are away from home. In fact, on the same page the adjacent name is a James Chandler with wife and child listed of the correct age bracket to be Shadrack's son James listed below. The only discrepancy is in the age bracket for two of Shadrick's younger sons The census has three sons under 10; but from an unverified source we have that two of these were between 10 and 16. Most likely the census is correct (see the listing of these children that follows later)

We know Shadrack Chandler was living in the Pendleton District of South Carolina in 1804 and sold property there and then purchased 400 acres in Franklin County on the banks of Indian Creek. Shadrack executed a deed of sale in 1804 of 100 acres located in the Pendleton District of South Carolina to Reuben Shinault. In November 1804 "Shadrack Chandler of Pendleton Co., S. C." purchased from Thomas Westbrook of Franklin County, Ga. 400 acres (two deeds for 210 acres and 190 acres, respectively) on the waters of Indian Creek. Thus, he was residing in Franklin Co., Georgia in 1804. And by 1808 he had received a bounty of 202 l/2 acres in Wilkerson County, Georgia.

Shadrack lived on Indian Creek until his death in 1812 as shown by the Franklin County tax digest for 1805, 1808, & 1810. He had 6 slaves listed in 1810. After Shadrack's death his executor filed tax returns for the property until 1818. It is instructive of the way our ancestors lived to look at an inventory of Shadrack's possessions at the time of his death in 1812.

1 Negro woman named Dafney and her sucking child named Nat 300.00
1 Negro girl named Rachel 350.00
1 Negro boy named Jack 300.00
1 Negro girl named Ester 250.00
1 Negro boy named Ned 275.00
1 Negro girl named Nanc 200.00
1 Negro girl named Fann 175.00
1 Negro girl named Agg 100.00
1 black mare 35.00
1 sorrel horse 60.00
1 bay two year old colt 40.00
11 head of horned cattle 70.00
5 head of sheep 8.00
20 head of geese 6.00
17 head of hogs 17.00
7 hoes 2.50
4 axes 6.00
1 mattock 1.00
1 log chain 3.00
1 iron wedge .37 1/2
3 plows - 1 cutter - 1 gofer - 4 clevises 5.00
1 hand saw & other workman's tools 6.75
2 flat irons with other irons 2.00
1 pair of steelyards 2.00
12.5 pounds iron 1.00
1 gun 7.00
4 reep hooks 1.00
tobacco in the hand 7.00
2 pair of drawing chains & hames 4.00
3 old saddles 6.00
4 feather beds - 3 bedsteads & furniture 60.00
2 cotton wheels & 2 pair old cotton cards 3.00
1 dresser - 1 table & dresser furniture 5.00
2 chests 1.00
2 dishes, 8 old plates, 1 tin bucket 4.00
4 bee hives 4.00
1 loom 5 ruds & treadles 9.00
2 pots & hooks 5.00
1 looking glass .50
1 check reel .50
1 grind stone 3.00

Following this, it was noted that Stephen Hughes, doctor to Shadrick Chandler Dec. got one new woman's saddle and Right Berry, doctor to Shadrick Chandler got two new men's saddles (for services rendered, I suppose). The inventory was signed by J. Gibbs, George Thrasher(he only made his mark), Stephen Westbrook, and Esaias Harbour. This was submitted to the Honorable Court of Ordinary, November 2, 1812, Edmund Henley, James Allen, and Joseph Chandler, Esquires Present.

On Sept. 8, 1818 Jeddediah Chandler, Daniel Chandler, Samuel Chandler, William Chandler, heirs of Shadrack Chandler, sold to Daniel Molder the 400 acres on Indian Creek. William's signature was assigned by Thomas Mayes.

Shadrack Chandler's will was dated April 5, 1812 and proved July, 1812. It listed the widow, Martha, son James Chandler, daughter Elizabeth Mullican, sons, Jedediah, Samuel, Daniel and William, daughters Mary Westbrook, Tabitha Gordon, Susanna and Peggy, Sally and Martha.

The son James was listed as JP on a deed dated Jan. 1810. He performed marriages until 1818. In the 1818 tax digest Jedediah is listed with 3 slaves.

Shadrack and Martha Chandler's children are:

1. James Chandler b.1778*
2. Elisabeth Chandler b. 1780* m. _____ Mullican
3. Jedediah Chandler b. 1784* m. Sarah Macky
4. Daniel Chandler b. 1786* m. Katherine Harbour 10 Nov. 1828
5. William Chandler b. 1788* m. Nancy Harbour
6. Mary Chandler b. 1790* m. _____ Westbrook.
7. Tabitha Chandler b. 1792* m. _____ Gordon
8. Susanna Chandler b. 1794*
9. Samuel Chandler b. 1796 m. Anna Efferson 20 Sept. 1821
10. Peggy Chandler b. 1796-7* m. Gray Jordan
11. Sally Chandler b. 1798 *
12. Martha Chandler b. 1800* m. James Freeman 20 Nov. 1828

* Of the birth dates above, only that of Samuel is known to be correct.

SAMUEL CHANDLER

Samuel Chandler was born in South Carolina, the son of Shadrack and Martha Chandler. His tombstone shows his birth date as October 27, 1803, an obvious error, since the 1850 and 1880 census records of Livingston Parish, Louisiana indicate his birth year as 1796. The 1860 census record states he is 65 years old when the census was taken.

In his application for a pension for the War of 1812 Samuel Chandler stated that he served as a private in Captain A. C. Saffold's Co. Georgia Militia from Nov. 21, 1814 until May 21, 1815. His pension was approved for $8.00 per month on February 4, 1871. He applied for 80 acres of bounty land on December 17, 1850 for which he stated he was due by the fact of his military service.

As noted above, on Sept. 8, 1818 Samuel Chandler joined with his brothers and sold the 400 acres of their father's estate on the banks of Indian Creek in Franklin County, Georgia.

After selling the land in Georgia, Samuel evidently moved to Amite Co., Mississippi where he married Anna Efferson on September 20, 1821. Samuel is shown in the 1830 Census living in Lawrence County Mississippi.

The family moved to Louisiana in 1836, living 10 miles north of Albany. In 1841 Samuel moved from the Albany home to a site on the Amite River named Chandler Bluff near Watson, Louisiana. He purchased this land from the US Government November 15, 1836. It is situated near the confluence of Chandler Branch with the Little Natalbany. Chandler Branch is now know and designated on maps as Smary Branch. Military Bounty Land Warrant 20087 for 80 acres from the Act of 1850 and Military Bounty Land Warrant 44590 for 80 acres from the Act of 1855 were lands applied for by Samuel under the War of 1812 service.

According to her tombstone, Anna Efferson was born July 12, 1816 (this date is obviously wrong, since she was married in 1821) and died September 15, 1870. The 1850 census of Livingston Parish, La. indicates her birth would be in 1805 and that she was born in Georgia. The 1860 census states she was born in La.(a probable error) She is buried in the Amite Baptist Church Cemetery in Livingston Parish.

In the 1850 & 1860 censuses Samuel is listed as a farmer. In the 1880 census he is listed as 84 years of age with his widowed daughter Margaret living with him. Samuel Chandler died September 2, 1882. He is buried in the Amite Baptist Cemetery.

Samuel and Anna Chandler's children are:

1. Elisabeth b. April 3, 1823 d. Oct. 12, 1902 m. Kinchen Stewart Dec. 19, 1841
2. Shadrack M. b. Dec. 23, 1824 d. June 29, 1906 m. Adeline Tucker Jan. 30, 1845
3. Daniel b. 1827 d. after 1860 m. Chesine Blue
4. Malinda b. 1825-29 m. Efferson Stewart
5. William b 1832
6. Margaret b. Feb. 6, 1834 d. Oct. 1, 1907 m. Hiram Curry
7. Sarah Ann b. Dec. 25, 1837 d. Feb. 5, 1904 m. W. B. Allen
8. James b. 1840
9. Mary M. b. Aug. 15, 1843 d. Feb. 2, 1900 m. Joseph A. Minton
10. Tabitha b. Apr. 27, 1847 d. Jan. 28, 1902 m. 1st Henry Settoon m. 2nd George S. Minton

 

Samuel and Anna Chandler's succession papers were filed September 29, 1882 in Livingston Parish Louisiana.. It stated that they left the following heirs, issue of their marriage, Elizabeth Chandler, now the wife of Kinchen Stewart, residing in your parish, Shadrack Chandler, an absentee, Malinda Chandler, surviving widow of Efferson Stewart, Sarah Ann Chandler wife of William J. Allen, James Chandler, and Margaret Chandler, now the wife of Hiram Curry, Tabitha Chandler, now the wife of George S. Minton, all of said parish, Daniel Chandler, deceased, represented by Samuel & John Chandler now majors & two daughters, both minors, and Mary M. Chandler, wife of Joseph A. Minton, petitioners. They show that petitioners are the owners of three interests in the estate of said Mrs. Annie Chandler deceased, one by inheritance and two by purchase, viz.: that of Tabitha Chandler, wife of George L. Minton, and Mrs. Margaret Chandler, now widow Curry. That petitioners purchased the interest of the said Tabitha on the __ day of _____ 1872, when she, the said Tabitha, was the widow of Henry Settoon deceased and that they purchased the said interest of Mrs. Margaret Curry sometime during the year 1872. Mr. W. T. Carter, Attorney at Law, was asked to be appointed attorney. ad hoc to represent Shadrack Chandler an absentee.

 

SHADRACH M. CHANDLER

Shadrach M. Chandler was born December 23, 1824 in Mississippi, the son of Samuel and Anna Efferson Chandler. He moved to Louisiana with his family in 1836. They settled 10 miles north of Albany; then in 1841 Samuel Chandler moved his family to a site on the Amite River named Chandler's Bluff near Watson, Louisiana.

Shadrach Chandler married Adeline Tucker January 30, 1845, at Springfield, Louisiana. Adeline was the daughter of Beza Tucker and Mary Kinchen Tucker. Adeline was born December 7, 1828 in Louisiana.

The 1850 Livingston parish Census shows Shadrach Chandler age 25 as a lumber cuter living with his wife and 3 children. On February 29, 1860 Shadrach sold 320 acres for $500.00 to William Wells in Livingston Parish. John J. Kinchen and L. T. Rheams of Livingston Parish were witnesses.

Shadrach Chandler and his family left Louisiana shortly after selling his land, as he is shown on the 1860 census living in Hillsborough County, Florida at Tampa. They had traveled across the gulf of Mexico on a sailboat. The 1860 census showed him as a farmer with $500 worth of real estate and $350 worth of personal estate.

He enlisted in Captain W. J. Turner's Company Independent Florida Volunteers at Tampa, Florida September 15, 1861. This was known as Co. K, 8th Florida Infantry. He mustered in October 27, 1861 and was discharged July 23, 1862. He also served in Captain F. A. Hendry's Company, Munnerlhn's Battalion in 1864 and was discharged in 1865 at Fort Meade, Florida, according to his widow's pension application.

Based on legal records, Shadrach and his family were in Polk county from 1864 to 1874 at least. On March 1, 1864 he inventoried the goods of the estates of Bennett Whiddon and William M. Willingham. He was among the Grand Jurors of the Spring Term of the Circuit Court in Polk County, opening Monday, April 5, 1869. He was listed as a registered voter in Polk County in 1871. Two of his daughters were married in Polk county : Licenticia Chandler married Paten S. Pearce Feb. 2, 1868 and Caroline Chandler married J. W. Gant on Dec. 20, 1874.

In 1874 S. M. Chandler is listed as a member of the Incorporators of Pease Creek Navigation Company, December 12, 1874. Also listed with him was his son W. W. Chandler, sons-in law, J. W. Gant, Peyton S. Pearce and William Underhill.

During the late 1870's he moved to the lower Kissimmee Valley and settled at Bassinger. In June 1880 he purchases land in Section 28 Township 35S, Range 33E from the Florida Land and Improvement Company. This was in Brevard County at that time.

Shadrach and Adeline are shown on the 1885 Florida State census living in the Kissimmee district of Brevard County with Charlie age 19 and Lucy age 16.

Shadrach was an experienced ox team driver and was known as one of the greatest ox drivers in the state. He also operated a general store in Basinger in the 1890's.

The following story about a young boy's turkey hunt in1873 in the vicinity of what is now 7th. Avenue, just east of 28th street in the Ybor City section of Tampa includes the much appreciated appearance of Mr. Chandler and his team of oxen.

I had killed seven (turkeys). Never thinking of how I was to get so many home, I (then) remembered that several teamsters hauled goods between Tampa, Bartow and Fort Meade, so I sat down to wait, hoping one of them would come along. Sure enough, I soon heard the popping of a cow-whip, and oh, how glad I was, because it was nearing sundown.

I went up the road and who should it be but Mr. Chandler, driving a team of fine yoke of oxen from Fort Meade. He helped me put my turkeys into the wagon and brought me to town."

Quoting Kyle Van Landingham, who quotes Albert DeVane, we have the following story of Shadrach and the great flood.

After the great hurricane of 1878 had swept through the valley, the area was underwater, the river having grown several miles wide. Transportation was impossible except by boat. Albert DeVane told the following story.

Shadrach Chandler had for years been known as one of the greatest ox drivers or bull whackers in Florida. In fact he got so good with the 10-foot handle bull whip that he could "but" a horse fly perched on an oxen's back and never touch a hair. After a week or more of the flooded condition his groceries began to get low. Looking across the river and prairie he turned and said: "Son, go get that boat tied to the lot gate, bring it to the front porch. We are going to Fort Ogden and get some groceries." Away they went down the river, edging along the outside until they came to Rainey Slough, up the slough to the switch grass marsh, down the marsh to Myrtle Slough, passing Telegraph Station, on to Shell Creek, down Shell Creek to Peace River, up the river to Judge Ziba King's general store. After loading his boat with groceries, the return trip began. It took him one week to make the trip.

Shadrach Chandler served as County Commissioner from the Bassinger district in Osceola County after it was split out of Brevard County. He served from September 22, 1890 to June 10, 1891.

Shadrach M. Chandler died April 16, 1898 at Bassinger, Florida and is buried there.

The 1900 Osceola County census shows Adeline Chandler living with her son Charles Chandler and his family at age 71 in Bassinger. She died there June 29, 1906 and is buried next to her husband.

On the 6th of May, 1912 W. W. Chandler, administrator of the estate of S. M. Chandler applied in the County Court of Osceola County Florida to divide 120 acres among the heirs and to sale to pay debts.

In the introduction to her book, The River of the Long Water, Alma Heatherington includes the following comments about her Grandfather Shadrach Chandler.

My grandfather, Shadrach Chandler, moved to Tampa from Livingston Parish, Louisiana, near the town of Hammond in 1857. He and my grandmother and several children came by boat from New Orleans and at first had to live in a tent, as Tampa was a new town with few houses. My grandmother became disturbed at her children running wild in the streets, and after two years they moved to Peace Creek now called Peace River. They lived for several years at Fort Meade where three more children were born. One of these was my Aunt Louisiana Raulerson, later to be known as Aunt Ann, beloved by all who knew her and who, with her husband, Peter Raulerson, later settled the town of Okeechobee. Another was my Uncle Allen Chandler, with whose family I lived for several years in Kissimmee after my mother died in 1900. She was the youngest of the Chandler children and was born at Basinger, where the family moved from Fort Meade. Grandpa Chandler drove Ox teams to Tampa and back transporting "store goods" for whomever owned the store at the time. Later he owned a store there. He was said to be the most famous oxen driver of the area, often winning races held in various places, including Tampa.

Her date of 1857 for the arival is incorrect based on Shadrach's land transaction in Louisiana in 1860 and the fact that the 1860 census shows the family in Tampa, not at Peace Creek as they would have been if they had arrived in Tampa in 1857, then two years later moved to Peace Creek.

In 1960, 20 years before the above passage was published, Mrs. Hetherington wrote several letters to the Florida historian Albert DeVane of Highlands Co. concerning Shadrach. The information in the letters in not always consistent, and some dates are obviously wrong, but the reason given for Shadrach's removal to Florida has a correct ring and matches what I had always heard through the years. In what follows Mrs. Hetherington is quoting her cousin Grace Chandler Warden. Mrs. Warden first relates what we have already read above about the family coming by ship to Tampa, living in a tent, then moving to the Peace River area. Next she relates the following story.

Shadrach Chandler was a likable man, full of charm as are most men who over-drink, then or now. At such times he was apt to be most domineering. He had a deep heart(ache) to hide, so he hid it in drink, or so he thought.

This heartache was that of having killed a man back in Louisiana. The trouble arose over a bridge over which Grandpa had to pass when he left his place. It must have joined the man's place, for he kept cutting the bridge. Grandpa would rebuild it; again the man cut it. So there being little recourse to Law in that portion of the country at that time, the result was the killing. No one bothered about the man's death, so the neighbors must have liked Grandpa. Anyway the law did not bother to investigate the killing.

However, this made Grandpa most restless and fearful that in time he might have trouble from it, so he set out to move away. Being a back-woods man, he would wish to go to a country of similar terrain, hence he moved to Florida..........

Unfortunately most of the records from Livingston Parish for this time have been lost. So the official record can not be searched to confirm this story. The version of the story that I had passed down to me had Shadrach shooting the neighbor because he had refused to help Shadrack build the bridge, but persisted in using the bridge after it was finished.

In a letter of May 16, 1964 Mr. DeVane writes to a Mr. Welch (who apparently had written about the Ft. Bassinger area) and relates the following story about Shadrach, whom he describes as a "most interesting character". This, I promise, will be our last Shadrach story. I do wish, though, that we had as much information on the earlier Shadrack.

Arriving there, he began looking for employment . Being an experienced wagon master, having learned his trade in Louisiana and Mississippi logging operations, he obtained a job as wagon master with a contractor. Later, in 1851, he owned his own wagon and four yokes of oxen. He began contract hauling to the interior trading houses and stores. It is said that he did contract hauling for the U.S. Army at Ft. Brooke, Tampa.

In 1851, his wife joined him. The army commander of Ft. Brooke gave him permission to erect a tent near the garrison. Chandler became known as one of the best wagon masters in Hillsboro County. With his eight foot staff bull whip, be could kill a horse fly on one of his oxen without touching a hair. Chandler had a very jocular, friendly disposition and became a great admirer and friend of the soldiers at Fort Brooke.

Once, when returning from a trip to the interior, be was surrounded by the soldiers at the bar. They asked him to tell them a story as he was very good at telling unusual and interesting stories. One of the soldiers said that he had heard that Chandler drove and controlled his oxen by only talking to them. Chandler told them that it was true. He told them that be talked to them just like talking to a child.

Having had a few rounds at the bar, Chandler said , "I'll tell you what I'll do, just to show you. But let's make it interesting. We'll make a bet. You all buy a quart of whiskey and set it upright in the center of the parade ground. We will put up $ 10.00 each and I will bet you that I will take my ox team from the other side of the drill grounds and by only talking to them, I will drive the four yokes of oxen and wagon astride the quart of whiskey and not touch it or knock it over."

"If I do this, I get , I get the $10 and the quart of whiskey. If I don't, you get it."

Chandler talked to his oxen and drove around the parade grounds and over the bottle of whiskey and won even to the delight of the soldiers who had a drink from his bottle, toasting him and his trained oxen.

As is usually the case, we know much less about Shadrach's wife Adeline. From the same letter quoted above, Grace Chandler Wardern says:

Grandma was the spiritual one of this marriage, as often is the case, for men look at life in different terms of life and they need wives as our Grandma Chandler. She could read, and read she did, especially her precious Bible. She had one son, Charlie, who became a preacher of that area. My papa thought his brother Charlie was the finest man ever. All of Grandma and Grandpa's children, 9, were excellent citizens. I would amend this a little, for one aunt, I think, wasn't quite the type of the others. Undoubtedly, Grandma under girded the entire family with her deep and abiding faith in God and her Bible.

If this were a study of Adeline Tucker Chandler's ancestors, then we would have more material with which to work. But since it is the Chandler line we are interested in here, I will just note that Adeline Tucker's parents were Beza Tucker and Mary Kinchen Tucker. Both Beza and Mary's lines have been traced back to early colonial times. And in Beza's case we can go back to the earliest English immigrants to Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Shadrach and Adeline Chandler's children are:

1. Samantha b. Feb. 2, 1846 d. Dec. 24, 1935 m. William Underhill
2. Littetia b. Feb. 10, 1848 d. Jun. 26, 1936 m. Peyton S. Pearce
3. Willis Wells b. Feb. 13, 1850 d. Oct. 17, 1930 m. Ada Kissia Roberts
4. Caroline b. Jan 3, 1854 d. c. 1920-30 m. J. Willis Gant
5. Horace b. Jan. 17, 1856 d. Nov. 11, 1867
6. William Spencer b. May 21, 1857 d. Aug. 24, 1902 m. Ellen Williams
7. Louisiana b. Mar. 6, 1861 d. Nov. 29 1948 m. Peter Raulerson
8. Allen Luther b. Nov. 29, 1863 d. Aug. 19, 1932 m. Maude E. Snell
9. Charles Henry L. b. Aug. 3, 1866 d. Jan. 11, 1922 m. Ida Elizabeth Raulerson
10. Annie Lucy b. Apr. 5, 1869 d. Mar. 15, 1900 m. Paul Gibson

What follows is a listing of the descendants of Shadrack Chandler of the Pendleton District, South Carolina, who moved to the nearby Franklin county, Georgia in 1804. The lineage follows primarily the line of his son Samuel, who was born in South Carolina, who moved with his parents to Georgia, who married in Mississippi, and then made a final move to Louisiana in 1836. The lineage then primarily focus on the descendants of Samuel's son Shadrack M., who moved to Florida in 1860.

The idea of collecting the Florida information originated with a Chandler family reunion held in Okeechobee, Florida April 5, 1986 and organized by Betty Chandler Williamson. There people filled out group sheets on their family trees. However nothing was done with this information until 1994 when I, William F. LaMartin, and my sister, Bobbie Lee Wilson, decided to organize it, add to it, and input it into my computer where it would be readably accessible.

So the bulk of the Florida information came from information supplied by people at that reunion. Additional information was gotten from Kyle Van Landingham and Virginia Westergard's book Parker and Blount in Florida and Steve Underhill's chapter in the Underhill Genealogy Vol. VI, 1980 entitled Descendants of William Underhill of Duplin County, NC. Both books contain information on many Florida families related to the Chandlers. The material on the Louisiana descendants was gathered by Betty Williamson, James E. Phillips, Bobbie Wilson, and myself. For much of the information of the Shadrack of Pendleton South Carolina, including a copy of his will, I am indebted to Joseph Chandler Burton of Anderson, South Carolina.

Approximately 50 pages of descendants and index have been omitted.

Spiral bound copies of the entire document may be obtained from William LaMartin