Welcome William Chandler
Brownwood, Brown County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Credited with being the first permanent settler and first farmer in Brown County, Welcome William Chandler (1813-1870) arrived in 1856 with his wife Sarah, their children and several slaves. Their log cabin was a gathering place for other area pioneers and was the site of the county's original post office and store. Chandler served as Brown County judge from 1858 to 1860 and as postmaster for 7 years, although his daughter Jane in fact ran the post office. About 1868 Chandler moved north of Brownwood to a site which has remained in the family for over 100 years. (1983)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Welcome William Chandler is remembered as Brown County's first permanent settler and farmer, arriving in 1856 with his wife Sarah, their children, and several enslaved people. Their log cabin became a gathering place for area pioneers and housed the county's first post office and store; Chandler served as county judge and postmaster, though his daughter Jane actually ran the mail. Around 1868 he moved to a new site north of Brownwood that stayed in his family for more than a century.
Why it matters
Chandler's homestead marks the leading edge of Anglo settlement on the Texas frontier — a story that, like much of it, was built on the labor of enslaved people and quietly run by the women of the household.
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Related people
- · Welcome William Chandler
- · Sarah Chandler
- · Jane Chandler
Themes & tags
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