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During the late 1800's county histories were compiled and published for many of the counties in the United States. Many of them contained biographical sketches or accounts of Chapmans. The Chapman Family Association, as the leading organization for Chapmans, present and past, should have copies of those Chapman articles in its archives. We need your help in collecting these articles. Will you please visit your local county and state libraries and review these histories for some mention of Chapman. We are interested no matter how trivial the article may appear. So that CFA librarian Dian Chapman Gustafson may enter the information in the Chapman Master Book List (MBL) we need the title page, the index pages that mention Chapman and of course all of the pages of text that pertain to the Chapman. If you have the capability, key the article into a computer file and send a copy to Bob Chapman the editor. If you can't - or won't - key the item then mail it to Gil Alford CFA corresponding secretary. If you do the keying send the original hard copies you make to Dian Gustafson; if you send to Gil for keying he will send the copies to Dian. See page 2 for appropriate addresses.
The following account came from an unknown publication- no title page, no index, etc. It obviously is some kind of history of Rockingham County, Virginia. It was submitted many years ago before we began the MBL. It was probably sent by Micki Crozier, a Chapman Chatter subscriber. We do not know this fellow and would like to hear from those who do. We would also like the title page to go with this as well as the index page and any other Chapman articles that might have been in the book. This was published in just one paragraph. Paragraphs have been added here to aid your reading. A segment near the end deals with the related Sheets family. We started to omit it and then realized anyone who finds these Chapmans as theirs will also be related to the Sheets family.
James Morgan Chapman was born in Rockingham county, on Smiths creek, September 27, 1841, a son of Morgan Caldwell Chapman and Catharine (Phillips) Chapman. His mother, born in Page county, Virginia, came to Rockingham county at her marriage, and died on North river in this county when James M. was about three years old, in 1844. His father was born in this county in 1806, and died here March 10, 1878.
The great-grandparents of Mr. Chapman were natives of Germany, and emigrated to the United States in 17__, and settled in Pennsylvania; they had nine sons, of whom James Chapman, grandfather of James M. was one. He was married to Miss Jane Colwell, of Irish descent, in 1794, by whom seven children were born, five boys and two girls. Morgan, father of James M., was born March 31, 1806, at Raders mill, on Linville creek, Rockingham county. He was married to Miss Rachel Ettinger in the year 1826, by whom two children were born, Martha and Mary. Rachel, wife of Morgan Chapman, died August 11, 1832. He was married again July 26, 1838, to Miss Catharine Staley, who died September 20th of the same year. He was married July 2, 1840, to Miss Catharine Phillips, by whom one son, James M. Chapman, was born. He again lost his wife, June 7, 1843, and was married to Miss Catharine Huffman, of Rockingham county, November 9, 1843, who still survives him, and by whom, eight children were born. He died March 11, 1878.
The brothers and sisters of James M. Chapman are: Martha, married Mr. John F. Ranhof, of Pleasant Valley, and died March 2, 1869; Mary C., married Mr. William Pifer, of Mt. Crawford, Rockingham county, Virginia, who died from wounds received at the second battle of Manassas, August 30, 1862; Elizabeth E., born August 11, 1844, was married to Mr. Daniel W. Sherman, of Alexandria county, Virginia, June 5, 1866; Dorothy J., born April 22, 1846, was married to Mr. Felix T. Sheets, of Mt. Solon, Augusta county, Virginia, September 1, 1876; John W., born September 14, 1848, was married to Miss Phoebe Kratzer, of Linville, Rockingham county, Virginia, December 24, 1876; Henry M., born August 28, 1851, was married to Miss Isie Birch, of Alexandria county, February 28, 1874; Josephine V., born December 26, 1853; Isabel S. born November 23, 1856, died February 22, 1881; Laura W., born January 18, 1859; Jefferson D., born June 6, 1861, was married to Miss Martha Breedlove, of New Market, December, 1880.
James M.'s grandfather, James Chapman, and Joshua his son, were in the war of 1812, stationed at Norfolk, Captain Gage commanding company. Thomas Chapman, his son, and only surviving member of the family, was born January 19, 1809, at Orange C. H. Virginia, entered the services of the Confederate States, November 12, 1862, in Company I, 33d Regiment, Captain George Houston. List of battles and skirmishes- McDowell Station, Fredericksburg, Mine Run, near Madison C. H., Spotsylvania C. H., then captured and sent to Fort Delaware, and there remained till the close of the war, 1865.
At the "Hermitage," near Massanutton mountain, this county, February 26, 1872, Rev. Joseph Funkhouser, of the Methodist Episcopal Church (South), united in marriage James Morgan Chapman and Elizabeth Margaret Sheets. She was born at "Locust Grove" homestead, in this county, June 9, 1844, and their children were born: Mittie Isadore, April 9, 1879; Samuel Lewis, March 20, 1882. Samuel and Mary (Houff) Sheets were her parents, still honored residents here.
Samuel, son of Henry Sheets and Eva Wolf, his wife, was born June 29, 1810, and was married to Mary Houff, June, 1836, by Rev. Kilpatrick, Presbyterian minister, near Peals Cross Roads, the daughter of Benjamin Houff and Catharine Albright, his wife. William Sheets, son of Samuel Sheets and Mary, his wife, was born June 25, 1837; volunteered in the Confederate service in the spring of 1861, joining Company I, 1st Regiment Virginia Cavalry; fought the first battle of Manassas, and died of brain fever on the 17th of November, 1861. James Henry Sheets, son of Samuel Sheets and Mary, his wife, was born November 10, 1839; volunteered in the Confederate service in the spring of 1861, Company I, 1st Regiment Virginia Cavalry; in first and second battles of Manassas, Gettysburg, around Richmond, and a great many more in the Valley of Virginia; also had one horse shot and killed under him; wounded in the knee slightly by a piece of shell; remained until spring of 1864. Now living at the "Hermitage," near Lards Knob, Rockingham county, Virginia. John Harvey Sheets, son of Samuel Sheets and Mary, his wife, was born May 1, 1842; volunteered in the Confederate service in the spring of 1861, Company I, 1st Virginia Cavalry; was carrier for South Carolina general until captured; carried to Point Lookout prisoner and kept till the surrender. Lizzie M. was the only daughter of Samuel and Mary Sheets.
James Morgan Chapman entered the service in the famous "Wise Legion," the cavalry of which in 1862 became the 10th Virginia Cavalry. He is now engaged in farming, with post office address at Keezletown, Rockingham county, Virginia.