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BIOGRAPHY For the family of William Washington Chapman & Caroline Todd WILLIAM WASHINGTON CHAPMAN was born on 12 May 1823 in Alabama. His parentage has not been verified yet. My Grandmother (Mae Bridges) once told us that the Chapmans were from Aberdeen Mississippi and then migrated to Denmark (Madison County) Tennessee. We have not found them in Alabama or Missisippi yet, however we do pick up William’s trail in Madison County Tennessee getting married. He got married to CAROLINE TODD on 26 March 1850 in Madison County. She was born on 22 December 1829 in North Carolina. Her parentage has not yet been verified yet either. William and his new wife show up in the 1850 federal census in District No. 7 in Madison County, Tennessee. William is listed as a farmer age 26 born in Alabama. Caroline is listed as age 20 born in North Carolina. Interestingly, they are shown living next door to an Elizabeth Chapman and her daughters “Saley” age 24 and “Frances” age 20. Could this family be William’s mother and siblings? They next show up in the 1860 federal census for Huntersville, Madison County, Tennessee. They have 3 children by this time. The sometime between 1860 and 1870, they move to Dyer County. Because in 1870, they show up in the federal census living at Newbern, Dyer County, Tennessee. William is listed as a farmer, age 47 with a value of real estate of $1200 and a value of personal property of $ 900. Caroline is listed as keeping house age 40. They have 7 children living with them in the household. In the 1880 federal census, they are again listed as living in the 9th civil district in Dyer County Tennessee. William is again listed as a farmer age 57, born in Alabama and parents born in Alabama. Caroline is listed as keeping house, age 50, born in North Caroline and father born in North Carolina and mother born in Alabama. They have 5 children living with them. Also in this household is a “Lou.” Chapman, listed as William’s sister, age 68, born in Alabama and parents born in Alabama. In the 1891 Tennessee state census, William is listed as head of household, age 67, living in the 9th district in Dyer County Tennessee. In the 1900 federal census, William is listed as living in the 9th district in Dyer County Tennessee. He is listed as farmer. Living in the household with him are 3 unmarried children: Tom, age 48; Sarah, age 43; and Silas, age 29. He is listed as being widowed, and perhaps just recently, because on the census form there is a box for how many years married and “50” is written in and then scratched off. (this 50 years does agree with their marriage date of 26 March 1850). Now according to Caroline’s tombstone, her death date is listed as 26 May 1901, but it does appear that she had already died by the time this census was taken on 28 June 1900. If I had to take a guess, it would seem that the date on the tombstone should read “26 May 1900”. Based on these census records, we can determine that they had ten children, all surnamed CHAPMAN. The children born before 1860 were probably born in Madison County, the children born between 1860 and 1870 could be born in either Madison or Dyer County and the children born after 1870 were probably born in Dyer County:
WILLIAM died in 1901 in Dyer County, Tennessee. Both he and Caroline are both buried in the Atkins Cemetery, in Newbern, Dyer County, Tennessee. There are some land records, particularly a deed recorded on 13 August 1907 where land that was inherited from the father W.W. Chapman is being sold between some of the children, namely W.T. and Sallie and J.C. This would tend to prove a relationship of father and children between them.
Copyright 2003
Janet Hagan Monnin
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