CHAPMAN. The Chapman family of Hartford, of which the late Hon. Charles
Richard Chapman was a worthy descendant, and whose children are among the
leading citizens of the city, is one of the oldest and most prominent families
of Connecticut.
Hon. Charles Richard Chapman was in the seventh
generation from the American ancestor of the family, Robert Chapman, the
line of his descent being through Deacon Nathaniel, Deacon Caleb, Phineas,
Judge Asa, and Hon. Charles.
(1) Robert Chapman, one of the first settlers
of Saybrook, Conn., in 1635-36, or in the succeeding spring, according
to family tradition was born in 1616, and came from Hull, England, to Boston
in 1635. He was for many years commissioner for Sayhrook, Conn., and was
elected as their deputy to the General Court forty-three times, and assistant
nine times. He settled on a tract of land some two miles west of Saybrook.
He was a man of exemplary piety. His parents were Puritans. He married,
in 1642, Ann Bliss. He died in 1687, and his wife in 1685. Their children
were: John, Robert, Hannah, Nathaniel. Mary and Sarah.
(II) Deacon Nathaniel Chapman, son of Robert
Chapman, born in 1652, married (First) in 1681 Mary Collins, by whom he
had four children, and (second) in 1698 Hannah Bates, by whom he had five
children. Deacon Nathaniel Chapman died in 1726. His widow, Hannah, died
in 1750. He was many years deacon of the church in Saybrook, and many times
represented the town in the General Court (twenty-four sessions). He was
a large land owner. His children by the first wife were: Nathaniel, Nathaniel
(2), Daniel, and John. Those by the second wife were: Mary, Hannah, Phineas,
Caleb and Anne.
(III) Deacon Caleb Chapman, son of Deacon
Nathaniel Chapman, born in 1706, married (first) in 1729 Thankful Lord,
(second) in 1749 Abigail Lee, and (third) Widow Hannah Platts. Mr. Chapman
served many years as a deacon of the church of Saybrook, and died universally
lamented. His children were: Thankful. Phineas, Hannah, Lucretia, Caleb,
Elisha, James and Hezekiah.
(IV) Phineas Chapman, son of Deacon Chapman,
born in 1732, married in 1763 Mary Hillier, by whom he had five children:
James, John, Asa, Nathaniel and Mary.
(V) Judge Asa Chapman, son of Phineas Chap-man,
born Sept. 2, 1770, was graduated from Yale College in the class of 1792,
sharing the highest honors of his class while in college with Hon. Roger
M. Sherman. After graduation he taught for a time in the academy at North
Salem, and also at Norwalk. He studied law at Litchfield, Conn., with Hon.
Tapping Reeve, was admitted to the Bar in 1795, and settled in the practice
of law at Newtown, Conn. He was repeatedly elected a representative of
that town to the General Assembly, and in 1817 was elected a member of
the. Governor's Council, comprising at that time twelve members. In 1818
he was elected judge of the superior court and court of errors, which office
he held until his death, in New Haven, Sept. 25, 1825. He married, at Newtown,
Conn., Sept. 2, 1798, Miss Mary Perry, daughter of Bennet Perry, M. D.,
and by her had four children. In 1824 he removed from Newtown to New Haven.
His widow died in Brooklyn, L. I., on March 21, 1850. Their children were:
Charles, Charlotte, William P., and Henry P.
(VI) Hon. Charles Chapman, son of Judge Asa
Chapman, born at Newtown, Conn., July 21, 1799, studied law with Judge
Williams, of Hartford, and subsequently with Judges Reeve and Gould, of
Litchfield, and was admitted to the Bar in 1820. On Jan. 3, 1821, he married
Sarah Tomlinson, of Newtown, by whom he had three children. Some three
years after his marriage he moved to New Haven, where he remained about
five years, and thence to Hartford. He enjoyed a very extensive practice,
being one of the leading lawyers of Connecticut, and was honored by his
fellow citizens with many offices of responsibility and trust. He represented
Hartford many times in the State Legislature, and represented his district
in the XXIId Congress of the United States. As a story-teller he was unsur-passed.
His children were: Frances A., Charlotte and Charles Richard. He died in
1870.
(Vll) CHARLES RICHARD CHAPMAN, whose death
occurred at his home on Laurel street, Hartford, Jan. 25, 1897, was the
son of Hon. Charles and Sarah (Tomlinson) Chapman.
He was born Nov. 23, 1827, in New Haven, and
the family moved to Hartford when he was an infant. He was graduated from
Trinity College in 1847, and belonged to the I. K. A. Society. Having studied
law at Northampton. Mass., and in New York in the office of John Van Buren,
son of ex-President Van Buren, he was admitted to the Bar in Hartford in
1850, and practiced law there until 1885, when he became postmaster. He
was mayor of Hartford for three terms, from 1866 to 1872. In 1857 he represented
the city in the State Senate; represented the city in the House in 1856
and 1872; served as city attorney in 1874, 75, 76, and was held in high
esteem by all who knew him on account of the uprightness of his character,
the geniality of his nature and the faithfulness of his friendships. Many
times nominated for office and many times elected, he went through every
campaign with clean hands and untarnished reputation. He was as fair and
just to his opponents as he was faithful to his party and his friends.
He was always courteous in his manner and considerate in his speech, and
he proved worthy of every trust reposed in him. In politics he was a Democrat.
Mr. Chapman married, May 1, 1855, Mrs. Har-riet
(Putnam) Thomas, daughter of Rt. Rev. Thomas Brownell, Episcopal bishop
of Connecticut. Mrs.Chapman and four children—Mrs. Charles Holland, of
Eastbourne, England; Thomas Brownell Chapman, of Hartford, Conn.; Mrs.
Howard Dudley Bean, of New York City, and Robert Holland Chap-man, of Torrington,
Conn.,—survive him. Thomas Brownell Chapman married Helen Louise, daughter
of William H. Post, and they have one daughter, Priscilla Alden. Mr. Chapman
is New England agent for Holmes, Booth & Hydens, of Waterbury, Conn.
Robert H. married Renova M. Walbridge, of Pittsburg, Kansas, and they reside
in Torrington, Connecticut.
(Photo attached)
Commemorative
Biographical Record
of
Hartford County,
Connecticut
Illustrated
Chicago
J. H. Beers & Co.
1901
pgs 12 - 13
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