George Chapman ⁴¹

  General Notes:

[work 28.FTW]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 45, Ed. 1, Tree #0493, Date of Import: Jun 5, 2002]



He was a farmer.
Buried in New Cumberland, Virginia at the top of the hill above the fort.

The following three paragraphs were compiled and documented by Mr. Stanton Chapman Crawford, May 1, 1951...........

"Captain" George Chapman is said to have served under George Washington at Valley Forge. Frank A. Chapman transmitted to S.C. Crawford his battle sword and a copper button, silver plated. A similar button is preserved at Mt. Vernon. This button was part of a uniform used in the Revolution. On the outer margin are engraved the initials of the thirteen colonies, while at the center are two letters "G.W.", standing for George Washington, and in a circle around this are the words "Long Live the President". Although he is known in the family histories as "Captain", the official military rosters list only "George Chapman, Fifer". The War Department says that "The Revolutionary War records in this office are far from complete". One suggestion is that in civil life George may have been a boat captain.

Captain George Chapman’s people originally came from "Eastern Virginia, off the Potomac", and he held land near Fredericksburg, Md. George Chapman is said to have been living in Back Creek, Berkeley Co., near Martinsburg, W. Va., (then Virginia) in 1782. He bought 218 acres on the Potomac in 1773 and sold land on Back Creek in 1790. A Virginia census of about 1782 shows that a George Chapman of Fairfax Co., Virginia, reported six white and 21 black persons, one dwelling and five other buildings. A paper signed on Sep 15, 1783, by George and Johanna Chapman in Berkeley Co., Virginia (later W. Va which was formed from Frederick Co., in 1773) authorizes one Edward Beeson to sell some lots and “4 acres and a brick house in the neighborhood of Marquis Hook, on or near the River of Delaware in the County of Chester and State of Pennsylvania.”. This would seem to indicate that George came from that section of the country and was disposing of his holdings there. In fact, Mrs. Esther S. Schmidt reports that “George Chapman was the eldest son of William Chapman, who was the eldest brother of George Chapman, weaver of Chichester, Chester County, Pennsylvania, who bought land in Aston Township, Chester County in 1750 and died in 1757, leaving an heir Gilley (Gilead) Chapman who was unmarried. George Chapman of Berkeley County inherited the two acres his father had bought in Aston Township in 1750 and sold them through Ed. Besson his attorney in 1783. The tax list of Aston Township, Chester County, 1766, lists a George Chapman, freeman, but no other Chapmans were listed for Aston Township, Chester County prior to 1783”.

The next thing we hear of George, he was taking the “Rutherford Patent” in 1793. This grant of 1,000 acres was originally secured from Thomas Jefferson, Governor of Virginia, Dec 23, 1779. It ran for two and a half miles along the Ohio River at the present site of New Cumberland, West Va., and extended two miles inland. George Chapman purchased this tract (then only 804 acres) for $2,000 on Oct 15, 1793. On it he built a blockhouse known as "Chapman’s Fort" for protection against the Indians. This fort, located in Clay District, Hancock County, was held by his wife single-handed at one time when he went back to Maryland to settle some affairs. One story is that a hired man, contemplating robbery, came to the house one evening and told her to flee to the nearest neighbors with her children, as there were Indians prowling about, and he feared they would attack. Mrs. Chapman, suspecting his statement, drew down a gun from the wall and said, "If there is any Indian about, you are the one, and if you don’t quit the place, I will shoot you". The man fled and was never seen afterwards. She remained there unmolested a week until the return of her husband, who shared her belief that the man himself had planned mischief. They lived upon the land until their deaths and were never disturbed by Indians. It is said that George set aside a portion of his land as a deer park. By later deeds, George increased his plot of land to 1,250 acres, which at his death in 1812 he divided among his sons and sons-in-law. He was buried on the “old farm”. His will is preserved.

Other references: Lemasters, U.S.A., 1639-1965 by Howard Marshall Lemaster and Margaret Herberger

Vol II American Historical Society Bulletin page 290 by Frank Alfred Chapman

History of the Pan-Handle by J.H. Newton, G.G. Nichols and A.G. Sprankle published 1879, pages 413, 414 and 442.

Daughters of the American Revolution-Mrs. Frances Bahls Kephart’s application for membership National Number 326194

(Howard Lemaster’s address back in the ‘70’s was 412 College, Carlinville, IL. I have the Lemaster book. kmr)

  Events

• He was employed in Farmer. ^42,41,43,44

George married Johanna Lemaster, daughter of Abraham Lemaster and Rachel, in 1775 in Berkley County, West Virginia.⁴¹ (Johanna Lemaster was born in 1753 in Frederick County, Maryland,⁴¹ died in Jul 1843 in New Cumberland, West Virginia ⁴¹ and was buried in New Cumberland, West Virginia ^42,41,43,44.)