Chandler Family

Almost all Chandler families can trace their ancestry back to one of two ancient lineages. After arriving in the American colonies, one line migrated through Pennsylvania, the other through Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and then Tennessee where they stayed for many generations. Because of the route followed by those families, it is easily believed that this is our line of Chandler ancestry. The earliest ancestor is Nicholas, born in 1540 at Oare, Wiltshire, England. While both Chandler lineages come from England, a common ancestor has never been identified that would connect the two branches.

Chandler is an occupational name, meaning "the Chandler", a candle maker, the official who attended to the lights in his lordships household. The family is of English extraction and most of the pioneer Chandlers in the American Colonies came directly from England.

The first evidence found is in Wythe County, Virginia and in the Wythe and Bland County censuses. Found were three early Chandler marriage records in Wythe County. The first was Richard married Catherine Porter on 13 February 1798. The second being George and Peggy Tade married 07 December 1815. The third James H. married Mary Norris 18 November 1841. Each one of these Chandler men are of a different generation and so I theorize that the first was the father of the second, ect. Maybe not so, but I did come to the conclusion that George was the father of James H. Chandler.

There was only one Chandler listed in the 1850 Wythe census and that was James H. Chandler age 28 with wife Mary age 31. Most likely children: George W. age 7, Margaret age 5, Ellen age 3. Also listed in the 1860 Wythe census. Mary had died, evidently, she was not listed with the family. There was an additional child, Hannah born about 1851. During my research in Wythe, I found one additional child born and died on 14 October 1853, a female unnamed. Mary may have died during childbirth. James H. Chandler lived in the area of Wythe which became Bland in 1861; he was found in Bland in the 1870 Bland census with children. James and Mary’s children where George born about 1843; Margaret born about 1845; Ellen born about 1847 and Hannah C. born about 1851. Hannah never married but had several children out of wedlock. One being Mr. Robert Lee Chandler who would later moved to Little Walkers Creek and become one of the most respected men in the area.

Robert Lee Chandler 1^st  married Lucy Augusta “Gussie” Davis and 2^nd  Emma “Louella” Millirons. He and Gussie first lived in McDowell County, West Virginia where his first four children were born. Robert had a total of six children. He moved to Little Walkers Creek sometime in 1919 buying land from James Edward Davis and his wife[1], Tobias King[2] and Morrison Vandergrift[3]. Later, his twin sons bought the rest of James Davis’s land from James Davis’ heirs.[4]

Robert and Lucy Augusta Chandler’s children:

1.       John Robert born 13 July 1905 married Wilma Lou Ritter 23 June 1924 in Pulaski County . Wilma was the daughter of Thomas Fenton Ritter and Martha Jane N. Johnston Bond. John died 07 November 1960; Wilma was born 15 November 1907 and died 26 December 1970. They are in the Millirons Methodist Church Cemetery.

2.       Mary Ada was born 17 August 1908 married William Robert Morris King 15 May 1929 in Pulaski. William was the son of William Davis King and Olivia Virginia Thompson, born 16 May 1905. Mary Ada died 28 March 1987 and Morris died 04 March 1987. They are buried in the Millirons Methodist Church Cemetery.

3.       Carl Davis born 19 March 1913 married Ola Faw 06 August 1937 in Pulaski. Ola was the daughter of Wiley Henderson Faw and Effie Goodman.

4.       Ralph Scott born 19 March 1913 married Georgia Mabel Faw 06 August 1937 in Pulaski. Georgia’s parents were Wiley Henderson Faw and Effie Goodman.

Robert and Emma Louella Chandler’s children:

5.       Reba Lee married 1^st  Larry Warren Rigney and 2^nd  Jack Crawford.

6.       James William married Judith “Elaine” Davis. Elaine is the daughter of Lewis Baxter Davis and Clarice Neely.

Biography

Robert Lee Chandler

Submitted by Reba Chandler and Jack Crawford

Robert Lee Chandler was born November 29, 1879 in Bland County, VA. He was living with Judge Kegley in Bland County, Virginia at age twelve, in 1891. As a child, he would go to Bland County Courthouse and listen to court cases. He had no formal education, but managed to make a good living for his family. He was an avid reader, and read anytime he had the opportunity. He was a kind person, and well liked by everyone.

He married Lucy Augusta Davis on May 25, 1904. They had four children - John Robert, Mary Ada, Carl Davis, and Ralph Scott Chandler. His wife, Lucy Augusta died March 9, 1938 from heart problems. After she died, he married Emma Louella Millirons on July 20, 1943. They had two children - Reba Lee, and James William Chandler. Robert had 40 descendants from his first marriage to Lucy, and 4 descendants from his marriage to Emma.

He moved from Bland County, VA to Ashland, McDowell County, WV in 1904. His first four children were born there. In 1908 he ran a steam engine at Algoma, West Virginia. Around 1913 he was a tipple boss at Ashland, West Virginia. In 1919, Robert purchased a house and land in the Little Walkers Creek section of Pulaski County, VA, and his wife, Lucy, returned to Virginia in 1920. Robert remained in West Virginia, due to his work, and in 1921, was working at Crumpler, West Virginia rebuilding wooden mine cars. He returned to Pulaski County, Virginia in 1922 and went to work for Spur Branch Lumber Co, where he operated their sawmill. He went to work for the U S Postal Service as a mail carrier in Bland and Pulaski Counties, Virginia from 1925 –1929. He lost the bid for the next four years, and won the bid again in 1934, and carried the mail continuously until 1957.

He retired from the U S Postal Service in 1957, after 27 years of service. He enjoyed two years of retirement before his death. He suffered a stroke on December 24, 1958, and died a week later on January 1, 1959, at age 79 years, 1 month, and 3 days. He is buried in the Millirons Church Cemetery, Little Walkers Creek, Pulaski County, Virginia.

Biography

Emma Louella Millirons

Submitted by Reba Chandler and Jack Crawford

Emma was born on Sept 10, 1910 in the Little Creek section of Bland County, Virginia . She was the fifth of seven children born to Estil Hoge and Ella Akers Millirons. Her siblings were Gordon, Howard, Clarence, Moses, Pearl and Vance Millirons. The Hoge Millirons home, where Emma grew up, was a two story frame dwelling and is located on Little Creek Road about two miles from the current Fire House. Emma walked about two miles to attend school in a log schoolhouse located near her parents home. Her teachers were R L Millirons, Edgar Millirons, Sinclair Brown and Lucille Havens. The log schoolhouse was torn down around 1932, and a new one built, and that school later became the building that currently houses The Little Creek Fire Department, Established in 1951. (*Note: The school house is now a Community Center; the Fire House built beside it).

Much of Emma’s early life was dedicated to the role of caregiver. She left school at the age of twelve to help take care of her grandmother, Sally Akers, who had broken her hip. About 1934, her brother, Howard, was divorced and moved his family into the home of his parents, and she helped to care for his family until the children grew into adulthood. Her brother, Gordon, also lived in the household, and she helped to care for him too.

When Emma was sixteen she had a childhood sweetheart. They almost got married. He told someone they were getting married, and when her father became aware of it, he would not let her see him anymore. He said she was too young to be married. Emma continued to live in the home of her parents, and did not marry until age 32. She met and married Robert Lee Chandler, who had become a widower in 1938, when his wife Lucy, had died from heart problems. Emma and Robert were married July 20, 1943 in Bland, VA, in the parsonage of Methodist minister Rev. Ernest Dugan, Jr.

When Emma and Robert were married she moved into his house. Their first child, Reba Lee Chandler was born on May 14, 1945, and exactly one year later their second child, James William Chandler was born on May 14, 1946. Emma enjoyed her life as wife and mother. Her husband, Robert, carried mail in Bland and Pulaski County for many years. He retired in 1957.

Emma continued to live in the house she shared with Robert and their children until 1974. It was then that she came to Pulaski, and lived with both her children. After that, she moved into the homes of Mrs Ruth Moore and Mrs Margaret Keister, and helped to care for them in their old age. In 1980, she moved into an apartment on 10th St, in Pulaski, Virginia, and lived there until 1986. Then she lived with her daughter, Reba, until the fall of 1987, when she moved to Randolph House. She remained there until May 1996, then moving to Pulaski Health Care, where she currently resides (July 2003).