F. M. Chandler, sheriff of Miami county, born Sept. 14, 1856, bears the distinction of being the first white child born in Mound township, Miami county. He is a son of J. F. and Katharine (Haddock) Chandler, the former of whom was a native of New Hampshire, while the latter was born in Tennessee. The father came from his native state to Missouri, and located in Genevieve county, near Farmington, where he married Katharine Haddock. In 1855 he brought his family to Kansas and pre-empted a farm one and a half miles west and a half mile south of Beagle, Miami county, where he resided until 1869. He was one of the first settlers in that section and began his business career in Miami county as a poor man and at a time when the country was practically in its primeval state; when farm houses were few, and Indians and game were plentiful. Mr. Chandler can remember when large herds of buffalo still roamed the prairie near their farm home. The mother of our subject died Feb. 1, 1868, and in the following year his father came to Paola to serve as assistant to J. L. J. Chandler, his brother, who was register of deeds in Miami county. He served in that capacity until the expiration of his brother's term of office and then, in the spring of 1870, engaged in the real estate business in partnership with his brother. He continued to be thus engaged until his death, on April 1, 1886, at the age of fifty-three years. He was very successful in that business and at the time of his death had amassed a comfortable fortune. During the Civil war he served in the Kansas state militia, in guard duty along the border, and he well remembers the fear and constant danger experienced by his father's family during the raids of Price and Quantrill, through eastern Kansas. To J. F. and Katharine (Haddock) Chandler were born eight children, five of whom are living: C. W., who now resides in Greenville, Mo.; F. M., of this review; J. F., a resident of Buffalo, Okia.; Amy B., who is Mrs. Amy B. Ferguson, of San Louis, Cal.; and Flora, who is the wife of W. M. McClain, of Wichita, Kan.

F. M. Chandler spent his boyhood days on the farm in Miami county and at Paola, and received his education in the public schools of those respective localities. He began his business career as a farmer, but in 1886, he engaged in the real estate business in Miami county and gave that line of endeavor his attention until 1906. In the spring of 1907 he was appointed deputy sheriff, to serve a four-years term, and in the fall of 1910 was elected sheriff of the county on the Democratic ticket. Mr. Chandler has always given his allegiance to the Democratic party in national affairs, but in local affairs he is not a partisan and supports that candidate who is best qualified for the office both in character and in ability.

In the fall of 1877 Mr. Chandler married Margaret A. White, a daughter of A. J. White, who came from Indiana to Paola, in 1870, and died there in 1905. To Mr. and Mrs. Chandler have been born five children—three of whom are living. In order of birth they are: Nellie M., deceased; Thomas A., deceased; Clyde C., who is a resident of Kansas City, Mo.; Elsie, the wife of L. S. Elwell, of Kansas City, Kan.; Clarence M., who is engaged in the drug business at Onaga, Kan.