Thomas Joseph Chapman (1745 - 1836)

Born 25 Dec 1745 in Halifax County, Colony of Virginia

Husband of Mary (Unknown) Clark-Hallum — married about 1768 in Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died 18 Jan 1836 at age 90 in Pickens County, South Carolina, USA

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Biography

He served in the revolution under Capt. Robert Anderson and Col. Pickens, was at siege of 96, re-enlisted to serve under Capt. Robert Maxwell and Gen. Pickens and marched into Indian Territory. He was wounded and was later made a Sergeant.

Joseph Chapman listed in the DAR file. The Pension Application was filed in 1833 in Pickens Courthouse, Pickens, SC and was witnessed by Bailey Barton and William Keith.

Joseph Chapman stated in his application that he was born in Halifax County, VA on December 25, 1745. When he entered the service of his country he resided in Guilford County, NC. He enlisted to go with General Rutherford to punish the Cherokees for attacking settlements at the instigation of the British in 1776. He stated that he moved to Turkey Creek, Ninety Six District shortly before the Fall of Charleston in 1780. Shortly afterward, he served at the siege of Star Fort at Ninety Six. Later, in the final expedition against the Cherokees lead by Andrew Pickens, he was wounded and unable to serve anymore.

Joseph's more detailed record of his service is in his pension application. He did not return to North Carolina after he moved his family to Ninety Six District in 1780. He sold the bounty land on Troublesome Creek of Haw River that he was awarded for his service in North Carolina. There are land transactions as well as census records to place him in Ninety Six District and Pendleton District, later Pickens County, until his death in 1836.

1791 Joseph Chapman, of Pendleton County, bought 305 acres on the Saluda River, south fork, from George and Mary Shuler.

1796 Joseph bought 98 acres on the Saluda River from Robert Townes. He sold this tract in 1803 to Blake Mauldin.

1798 Joseph bought 137 acres on 23 Mile Creek (which is southeast of present day, Easley) from Benjamin Smith.

1799 Joseph sold 300 acres on the 12 Mile River to Joseph Smith.

1800 Joseph bought 275 acres on 12 Mile River from Bennet and Dolitha Combs.

1804 Joseph bought the first of three parcels of 234 acres each, from three Griffin brothers, which were to become Joseph's estate. This parcel came from Answell Griffin.

1805 Joseph sold 200 acres on Golden's Creek to John Byrd.

1808 Joseph bought the second parcel of 234 acres from Oswell Griffin.

1815 Joseph bought the third parcel of 234 acres from Sergent Griffin.

Upon Joseph's death in 1836, his son, John Chapman, brought a bill of complaint in the Court of Equity on May 2, 1836 against Enoch Chapman and others showing that Joseph Chapman, Senior, departed this life intestate and owned considerable real estate. (Conveyances, Book D-1, page 467, Pickens County Courthouse, Pickens, SC)

The court ordered the land to be sold at auction to the highest bidder since it would be hard to divide the estate equitably amongst the heirs. Reverend John Burdine bought 778 acres for $1,511. Said land lay on both sides of the 12 Mile River whereon Joseph Chapman had lately lived and adjoined lands belonging to Benjamin Hagood and Sergent Griffin.

The far-flung heirs were notified and they either came or sent representatives from as far away as Indiana and Illinois. Joseph Chapman, Jr., had died about the same time as his father. We know this because the estate papers list the heirs of Joseph Chapman, Jr.

William Chapman is listed among the legatees but may have either been disabled or deceased because his wife, Dorcas, assented to the marriage of their minor son, Jeremiah, in Vanderburgh County, IN in 1832. There is a record in Vanderburgh County, IN in which William signs over all his worldly goods to his sons, Joseph and James, in return for the promise of caring for him and his wife, their mother, Dorcas in 1829. William does not appear to have sent a representative or attorney to represent his interest in his father's estate. He was born approximately between 1770 and 1775.

The following is part of the probate records of Joseph Chapman, Sr. on file in the Pickens County Courthouse, Pickens, SC Box 6 The petition of the undersigned legatees of the Estate of Joseph Chapman, deceased, pray that you would appoint Benjamin Hagood Administrator of said Estate as it was the wish of our father that he should act as Administrator and we wish the property to be sold as quick as the law will allow for the property is very much exposed.

There is no will made concerning the said property Yours with Respect

John Chapman John Garner Enoch Chapman

Legatees Schedule of Payment

Nancy Patterson $ 228.00 William Chapman $ 598.00 John Chapman $ 158.00 Jeremiah Chapman $ 148.00 Elizabeth Magee $ 219.00 John Garner $ 214.00 Joseph Chapman, Jr. (his heirs) $ 213.00 Solomon Magee $ 147.00 Enoch Chapman $ 395.25 William Lynch $ 227.00 George Chapman $1,028.00 William Ladd $ 1.05

The following legatees or their representatives signed their agreement to the schedule of payments.

((x) indicates he made his mark)

Nancy Patterson, by her attorney in fact, James (x) Cantrell

Elizabeth McGee (Boze) by William Lynch and Jeremiah Chapman, her attorneys in fact. (Elizabeth Chapman married George McGee, removed with him to Smith County, Tennessee where he died in 1821. She then married William Boze. This record was abstracted in Smith County, Tennessee Wills, 1803 - 1896. F.C. Key, McDowell Publishing Co., Utica, KY 1985.)

John, Thomas and Elizabeth Chapman by their appointed attorney, William Lynch.

William Lynch (in right of his wife, Violet Chapman) (signature)

Solomon (x) McGee (in right of his deceased wife, unnamed)

Jeremiah (x) Chapman

Archibald (x) Chapman, who served as attorney for: Joseph Chapman James Chapman Jeremiah Chapman John Henson Samuel Sullivan

John Garner (in right of his wife, Jane) (his signature)

Enoch Chapman (his signature)

John (x) Chapman

George Chapman (his signature)

The following abstracts are included in Joseph, Sr.'s Probate Records and pertain to his grandchildren by Joseph, Jr.

Joseph Chapman, Jeremiah Chapman and James Chapman of Vanderburgh County, Indiana and Samuel Sullivan of Gibson County, Indiana and John Hinson of Wayne County, Illinois appoint our friend, Archibald Chapman of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, our attorney to obtain whatever may be due us as heirs of Joseph Chapman what ever may be due us as heirs of Joseph Chapman (Junior) and Polly, his wife, of Pickens District, South Carolina. Samuel Sullivan, in right of his wife, Violet, formerly Violet Chapman, and John Hinson in right of his wife, Polly, formerly Polly Chapman.

• • Just a note - I believe that the above entry has either a clerical error or transcription error. James Chapman and Jeremiah Chapman of Vanderburgh County, VA are identified in the Indiana Marriage records as children of William and Dorcas Chapman. If Archibald Chapman represented the children of William Chapman in lieu of Joseph Chapman, Jr. it would clear up a mystery as to why no one appears to have signed for William's portion of the estate.

Signed at Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana on January 31, 1837."

Elizabeth Boze appoints Jeremiah Chapman and William Lynch her attorneys for her inheritance from her father, Joseph Chapman, deceased. Signed February 23, 1837 in Smith County, Tennessee."

John, Thomas and Betsy Chapman, sons and daughter of Joseph Chapman, appoint William Lynch their attorney. All of the above were residents of Simpson County, Kentucky at this time. William Lynch was instructed to "sue for their proportioned parts of the said Joseph Chapman's, deceased, our Grandfather's estate."

Signed February 18, 1837, Town of Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky.

Finally, the minor children of Joseph Chapman, Jr -

Received December 24, 1841 of Miles C. Norton, $42.81 in full of the distributive share of Nancy Hightower, formerly Nancy Chapman, daughter of Joseph Chapman, Jr. and her husband, Hemington Hightower, and Elbert Penbrook, in behalf of his children, the heirs of Mary Penbrook, formerly Mary Chapman

Sources

• Will of Joseph Chapman, Pickens CO SC
• http://www.chapmanfamilies.org/BIO/bio_joseph.html