Josiah Chapman (1789 - 1837)

Born 19 May 1789 in Amelia, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Isabelle (Hitchcock) Chapman — married 26 Nov 1815 in Scioto, Ohio, United States

Descendants

Died 20 Oct 1837 at age 48 in Shelby, Indiana, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Norman Jones [send private message]

Biography

Buried in Chapman Cemetery, Liberty Township, Shelby County, Indiana. The Chapman Cemetery is located on the farm Josiah Chapman had owned. [1]

Text copied as is from the book "The Samuel Chapman Family by Ira Alle n Chapman.

"It is supposed that Josiah Chapman was born at or near Amelia C.H. Vi rginia. At time of his marriage he was living with his father, James Chapman, in Greenupsburg, Kentucky. About 1824 he moved across the Oh io River to near Sciotoville, Ohio, where he resided till the fall of 1829 when he built a flat boat, load ed it with their household goods and commenced their journey down the Ohio River. They landed at Lawrenceburg Indiana where the boat was di sposed of and a journey commenced overland to the place of their new home. This had been selected the previous y ear by the father who came by boat to Jeffersonville, Ind., and then o n foot past where Columbus now is located. The immediate cause of their leaving Ohio was on account of the revers es they experienced in drilling a salt well on their farm. With the c rude tools then in use this was attended with much labor and expense . Poles were brought from the forrest, bolted together one after another as they went down, and each unbolte d every time the drill or pump was withdrawn. At the end of three yea rs they were down about nine jundred feet. They failed to obtain sal t water in paying quantities. Their funds were exhausted and they gave up all hope of success and ceased their e fforts. The place selected for their future home was on the Michigan Road on t he banks of Buck Creek one mile north of where Waldron is now located . It is on the east side of the Waldron Pike and the Michigan Road. The latter here runs a south east and northwesterly direction and passes directly through the farm. On the point formed by the two roads and considerably elevated by the depress ion of Buck Creek which gently winds below, is located the farm dwelli ng. It was here in the fall of 1829 Josiah Chapman and his wife and family commenced their abode. A rude cabin was constructed around which the wolves howled and the forests a bounded with wild animals. By hard work, the practice of economy and good management, they prospered and one of the finest farms in Shelby County ows its existance to their labor an d perserverance. On this farm the father contracted a severe cold fro m which he died after a short illness in 1837 and was buried on the ba nks of Buck Creek just south of the house and on the east side of the Waldron pike road. At this time the children were small but the faithful mother kept the m together on the farm raising every one of them to maturity and livin g to see them all married."

Sources

• [1] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27481845/josiah-chapman: accessed 16 September 2022), memorial page for Josiah Chapman (19 May 1789–20 Oct 1837), Find a Grave Memorial ID 27481845, citing Chapman Cemetery, Shelby County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by jwright (contributor 46879761).

• [2] "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:S5BW-DF6 : accessed 20 May 2022), entry for Josiah /Chapman/, cites sources; file (2:2:2:MM3X-C13), submitted 11 May 2011.

• [3] Family Tree, database and images, FamilySearch.org, record for Josiah Chapman, ID K84W-LVZ. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/vitals/K84W-LVZ

• [4] "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDP2-5L9 : 29 September 2021), Josiah Chapman and Isabel Hitchcock, 1815.

• [5] "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPC-TWC : 20 February 2021), Josiah Chapman, Liberty, Shelby, Indiana, United States; citing 373, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 28; FHL microfilm 7,717.