Desperately Seeking Willis Chandler
I am searching for any information that could help me shed light on the
parents of Willis C. Chandler born 28 December 1807. South Carolina Census
records say that he was born in South Carolina. The first record that I
have found shows Willis signing as a witness to a Codicil added to the will
of William Devenport (also an ancestor of mine) between January 1840 and
July 1842. [I do not know the exact date because this Codicil was not
dated. The original will was witnessed in January 1840 and the second
Codicil was added in July 1842.] The Codicil states that Devenport
purchased a tract of land from John Kirby and his children were to divide
said land equaling among themselves. The 3 witnesses were listed as Lewis
H. Shumate, Nimrod Donaldson and Willis Chandler.
On 12 October 1845, he and his wife Leanna Campbell Chandler joined the Fork
Shoals Baptist Church in Greenville County, SC. They are listed as “RWD” in
the church minutes, which means “received without detail.” No children are
mentioned in the church minutes. Leanna Campbell is the daughter of John
Richard Campbell and Virginia Jane Barnett.
Willis and Leanna had 3 children. Mary Jane (26 April 1837- 19 May 1884)
married Mark L. Davis. Sarah Ann “Annie” (23 April 1841- 1 April 1874)
married Frank M. Austin and is buried at Fork Shoals Baptist Church. My
great-great-grandfather, Pinckney Lafayette Chandler was born in 29 December
1842 and married Susan Elliotte Vance (granddaughter of the William
Devenport I mentioned earlier). Pinckney died on Christmas Day 1868. His
only child, my great-grandfather William Vance Chandler was 17 months old.
Willis remained in Greenville County until his death 13 February 1887. He
and his wife Leanna are buried at Fork Shoals Baptist Church. She died 15
January 1876. He was active in the church and served a many committees. He
appeared as head of household in the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 South Carolina
censuses (in the Oaklawn Township) as well as the 1860 Slave Schedule. His
name appears in the Greenville County newspaper “The Southern Enterprise” on
8 September 1869 when serving on the grand jury. He appears in the
1843-1844 Greenville City Directory, as a land owner in the Fork Shoals
area.
I have been unable to find him in the 1840 census or at any time before
witnessing Devenport’s will between 1840 and 1842. I have been in contact
with a few of his daughters’ descendants and they have no information on his
parents. I have been told that he may be the son (along with Allen, Josiah
and sister Rachel) of Henry Chandler, grandson of William Hampton Chandler
of Greenville County, SC but have found no proof for my Willis or the
others. I have long suspected that he and Allen Chandler may be brothers or
first cousins but have no definite proof of that either.
I have contacted the Chandler Family Association and my family is part of
their DNA Study. Neither of these groups have been able to provide more
information.
I have posted some of my research on my family history blog called "My
Papa's Book." It can be found at:
http://mypapasbook.blogspot.com/
I would appreciate any suggestions you may have in determining a family for
my Willis. Thank you in advance for your help.
Julie Wingate
http://mypapasbook.blogspot.com/
Information about Willis C. Chandler
Born 28 Dec. 1807; died 13 Feb. 1887 in Greenville County, SC
www.ancestry.com family tree page:
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/8223344/person/-905394602
Census Records
-1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 SC Censuses show birthplace as South Carolina.
-1860, 1870 and 1880 SC Censuses show resident of Oaklawn Township,
Greenville County (1850 Greenville census lists no district or township)
- I cannot find Willis in census prior to 1850. One researcher speculated
he may have been in Newberry County, SC in 1840 but I cannot find him.
Land Records
- 7 Jan. 1845 Land Deed: Charles Terry to Willis Chandler; 200 acres (both
Allen Chandler and Tully Campbell signed as witnesses- Tully Campbell is
Willis’s wife Leanna Campbell Chandler’s brother. I believe Allen may be
Willis’s brother but cannot prove this.)
- 30 Oct. 1845 Land Deed: John P. Smith To Willis Chandler; 60 acres on
Cedar Shoal branch of waters of Reedy River
- 23 Nov. 1858 Land Deed: M.A. & T.C. Bolling et al to Willis Chandler; 110
acres lying near Fork Shoal Church on waters of Reedy Fork
- 26 Dec. 1866 Land Deed: John S. Smith to Willis Chandler; 138 acres on
Cedar Shoal branch of waters of Reedy River (witnessed by Allen Chandler and
Willis’s son-in-law F.M. Austin)
-I was able to locate a brief newspaper obituary for Willis Chandler in
1887. I have reviewed church records from Fork Shoals Baptist Church in
Greenville County but found no mention of his parents.
Possible Parents
- Some researchers believe Willis, Allen, Josiah and Rachel to be the
children of Henry Chandler (son of William Hampton Chandler). I have not
been able to prove or disprove this. The most recent record I can find
about Henry Chandler is on 1 Jan.1825 when he sold the land he inherited
from W.H. Chandler in Greenville County, SC.
State of South Carolina Greenville District page 6
Know all men by these presents that we Frances and King Chandler executors
of the estate of William H. Chandler deceased of the state and district a
foresaid by the request of Henry Chandler son of sd [said] deceased in
consideration of the sum of two hundred and ten dollars paid in hand to sd
[said] Henry Chandler Legatee of sd [said] deceased have grant
page 7
Bargained and sold and by these presents do grant bargain and sell to James
Clark of said state and district a certain plantation and tract of land
where said Henry now lives Beginning on a pine running S. 82 E. 48 ch 50 L.
to a sweet gum 3x thence N.5 W27 ch to a forked maple 3x thence N 80 W13
ch50L to a white oak 3x thence S54 W24 ch to a spanish oak 3x thence S50 W14
ch to the Beginning including eighty acres more of less together with all
and singular the rights numbers, hereditaments and appurtenances to the said
premises __laning? to or in any wise incident or appertaining to have and to
hold all and singular the premises before mentioned unto the sd [said] Clark
his heirs and assigns for ever the above mentioned land was originally
granted to Michel Purkel by a grant bearing state the fifth day of December
1791. Recorded in grant Book D No. 5 page 248 and we do hereby bind
ourselves our heirs executors and administrator to warrant and forever
defend sell? and singular the premises before mentioned unto the sd [said]
Clark his his? heirs and assigns against our selves our heirs executors and
administrators and against all the claims of the legatees of the sd [said]
William H. Chandler Deceased and against every other person or persons whom
so ever lawfully claiming the same as any part there of witness our hands
and seals this first day of January one thousand eight hundred and twenty
five and in the forty ninth year of the Independence of the United States of
America signed sealed
Frances Chandler her? mark Seal
Henry Chandler his mark Seal
and delivered in the presence of us Henry Smith, Jediah W. Clark, Nathan
Berry
State of South Carolina
Greenville District
Personally came Henry Smith before me the subscribing Justice and made oath
in due form of law and _arth an said oath that he was present and saw
Frances Chandler & King Chandler executors of the estate of William H.
Chandler Decsd (deceased) assign the written deed of conveyance to James
Clark for the use and purpose within mentioned and that he also saw Jediah
W. Clark and Nathan Berry subscribe their names as witnesses with himself to
the same sworn to and subscribed before me this 4th of July 1825
Micajah Berry J__
Henry Smith
Recorded for the 1st day of November 1825
Timeline for Willis C. Chandler from RootsMagic 4
Age Date Event
0 28 Dec 1807 Birth: South Carolina, USA
33 Bet 1840 and 1842: Witt to Codicil added to will of William
Devenport
37 7 Jan 1845 Property: Charles Terry to Willis Chandler for
200 acres; Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
37 12 Oct 1845 Religion: church lists them as RWD- rec'd w/out
detail; Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
37 12 Oct 1845 Religion: join the church- Fork Shoals Baptist
Church Minutes, Greenville Co., SC; Fork Shoals Baptist Church Cemetery,
Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
37 30 Oct 1845 Property: John P. Smith to Willis Chandler- 60
acres; Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
39 13 Mar 1847 Religion: Appointed to committee (ATC) @ church;
Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
39 12 Jun 1847 Religion: Appointed to committee (ATC) @ church;
Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
42 5 Nov 1850 Census: Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
44 9 Feb 1852 Property: 55 acres +/- on Horse Creek; Greenville
County, South Carolina, USA
50 23 Nov 1858 Property: M.A. & T.C. Bolling et al to Willis
Chandler; Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
53 1860 Census: Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
52 1 Oct 1860 Census: Oaklawn Township, Greenville County, South
Carolina, USA
58 Nov 1866 Tax List: 115 whiskey 2.00= $230; 65 brandy 1.50=
$97.50; total of $327.50; Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
58 26 Dec 1866 Property: John S. Smith to Willis Chandler;
Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
61 2 Sep 1869 Newspaper: Name listed in "The Southern
Enterprise", Greenville, SC- 8 Sept 1869
62 10 Aug 1870 Property: Census value 1,500; 800(personal); Oaklawn
Township, Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
62 10 Aug 1870 Census: Oaklawn Township, Greenville County, South
Carolina, USA
69 1 Oct 1877 Will: Greenville, South Carolina, USA
72 19 Jun 1880 Census: Oaklawn Township, Greenville County, South
Carolina, USA
76 Bet 1883 and 1884 City Directory: Land Owner- FORK
SHOALS
79 13 Feb 1887 Death: Greenville County, South Carolina, USA
79 Aft 13 Feb 1887 Burial: Greenville County, South
Carolina, USA