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Candler County, Georgia
Biographies
ALLEN
DANIEL CANDLER,
Governor of Georgia from 1898 to 1902,
was born in Auraria, Lumpkin county, November 4, 1834. His earliest
ancestor in America was Daniel Candler, who emigrated from Ireland to
Bedford county, Virginia, about 1738, and was a grandson of Lieut. Col.
William Candler, of the British Army. Daniel's son, William, born in
1736 in Callan Castle, County Kilkenny, Ireland, settled in 1768 in
that part of Richmond County, Georgia, now called McDuffie county. He
espoused the cause of liberty and became a Colonel in the American
army, serving at the siege of Augusta, King's Mountain, and with the
dashing Sumter. He was a comrade of the leading Georgia patriots, and,
after the establishment of independence, was legislator and judge,
dying at the age of forty-eight.
Daniel, his youngest son, born in Columbia county in 1779, led the life
of a farmer and died in 1816. His son, Daniel Gill, born in Columbia
county in 1812, was married on October 8, 1833, to Nancy Caroline
Matthews. While they were living at Auraria, Lumpkin county, their
union was blessed with a son, Allen Daniel, one of the first white
children born in that section, then the home of the Cherokee Indians.
Daniel Gill Candler during a life of seventy-five years was farmer,
lawyer, judge and soldier, and was three times Mayor of Gainesville. He
was a soldier in two Indian wars, and during the War between the States
was Captain in the Second Georgia regiment. His strong characteristics
were devotion to duty and loyalty to his native State. His wife was a
lady of strong character, who, by her wise training and precepts,
inspired in her son Allen the ambition to overcome all obstacles that
stood in the way of a successful career.
During his boyhood, Allen Candler's home was in Franklin county, and
the regular tasks required of him on his father's farm impressed him
with the necessity of labor and taught him self-reliance, at the same
time developing his naturally frail body, and giving to him a fair
degree of physical strength. For lack of sufficient means to attend one
of the high grade schools to be found in the cities or large towns of
Georgia, young Candler enjoyed only such advantages as were afforded by
the old field schools of his neighborhood. His fondness for reading and
study enabled him to surmount all obstacles, and, after being prepared
for college by a Presbyterian minister, Rev. G. H. Cartledge, and was
graduated from Mercer University in 1859. In the same year he entered
iipon the life of a teacher at Jonesboro and was the founder of the
Clayton High School. But he was not long permitted to enjoy this
avocation.
In 1861 he cheerfully obeyed the call of his State to defend her rights
and sovereignty, and entered Confederate service as a private soldier
in Company H, of the Thirty-fourth Regiment of Georgia Volunteers. He
was elected Lieutenant, and a year later promoted to Captain. He
rendered brave and faithful service in the battles of Bridgeport,
Tennessee, Kentucky Campaign of 1862, Baker's Creek, and the seige of
Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Cassville, Kennesaw, and around
Atlanta and Jonesboro, during which time he was twice wounded and lost
an eye. In May, 1864, he was elected Lieutenant-Colonel of the Fourth
Georgia Reserves, and in January, 1865, promoted to Colonel in the same
command, surrendering his regiment with General Johnston.
He was married January 12, 1864, to Eugenia T. Williams, daughter of a
planter of Jones county.
Upon the return of peace he resumed teaching at Jonesboro, and in 1866
was honored by Mercer University with the degree of A. M. During that
same year he was elected Mayor of Jonesboro.
Removing to Gainesville in 1870, he entered the lumber trade, became a
contractor and railroad constructor, and superintended the building of
the Gainesville, Jefferson and Southern Railroad, sixty-five miles in
length, and of this he was made President. The Gainesville Street
Railroad and part of a railroad from Gainesville to Dahlonega were
constructed under his supervision.
In 1872 he was elected Mayor of Gainesville, and from 1872 to 1877 was
representative in the Georgia Legislature, and State Senate for
1879-80. In 1882 he was called by the Democratic party to make the race
for Congress against Emory Speer, ranking with the most brilliant
orators that Georgia has produced, and who had twice defeated the
regular Democratic nominee. Colonel Candler was successful, and for
four successive terms served his State with distinction in the United
States Congress. He declined to run for a fifth term, since his
business required his attention.
Upon the death of Gen. Philip Cook, Georgia's honored Secretary of
State, in 18 94-, Governor Northen appointed Colonel Candler to the
vacant position, to which he was elected a second time by the people,
and continued to serve with ability in this responsible office until
his resignation in 1898 to become a candidate for Governor. He was
elected over Hon. J. R. Hogan, his opponent, by about sixty thousand
majority, and re-elected in 1900 by an almost unanimous vote.
Governor Candler's administration was marked for its progressive and
economical features. During both terms in which he stood at the helm of
the Empire State of the South, he sought to equalize the burden of
taxation, and favored measures to force the payment of taxes on
property that was, in so far as such a thing could be done, hidden out.
He advocated the improvement of the public school system and
co-operation between the State and counties in measures to increase the
public school fund. He warmly advocated the acceptance by the State of
the Confederate Soldiers' Home and liberal appropriations for its
support, and favored liberality in pensions for true Confederate
soldiers, and the weeding out of those who were undeserving.
In order to throw every safeguard around the purity of the ballot he
urged an amendment to the State Constitution providing for qualified
suffrage based on property or education, or both. He ever favored the
proper care of all public institutions and a liberal support of the
military of the State.
Soon after the expiration of his second term as Governor, he was
commissioned by the State to compile the Colonial, Revolutionary and
Confederate Records of Georgia. He has been President of the Southern
Mutual Life Insurance Association since 1903.
Governor Candler comes of Presbyterian parents, who trained him to love
truth, honesty, sobriety and industry. He is a member of the Masonic
fraternity and endeavors to be faithful to the obligations of that
noble order. The line of reading which interests him most is history
and political science; and he has a special fondness for the writings
of Thomas Jefferson and John C. Calhoun. He has always been identified
with the Democratic party, from whose principles he has turned to
neither the right nor the left.
His wife, to whom he was married during the war, still lives. To them
were born eleven children, nine of whom are living.
Though past 'three score and ten," Governor Candler is a vigorous,
active and earnest man of business, setting a good example of industry,
and a purpose to serve his day and generation faithfully to the end.
Joseph T. Deeky
Source: Men of Mark in Georgia Volume 4 Edited by William Northen, A.B.
Caldwell Publisher
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