INQUIRIES

Charlie Chapman is looking for possible relatives of Abel Chapman who was in Newton County, MS in the mid1800's. He is researching family history and some relatives might have been on Abel's plantation.

I stumbled across your Chapman website accidentally this evening and noticed my 3rd g grandparents at the very top of your Scotland Marriages. They were Adam Chapman and Helen Thomson. I also found Adam’s parents and daughters marriage records on the list. Have these come from members of your group, and if so, is there a way for me to find other family members who descend from this line?

I found your website when looking for information on a relative who may have moved to the US and passed away there.

I’m trying to find out any information about the following family member:
Alfred J Chapman
B:abt 1848 in Holt, Wiltshire, England
D:27 Feb 1931 in Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

I do know that a lot of my relatives were employed in the weaving trade and that Lovell was also know for this trade. I can add that we believe Alfred’s parents were, John Chapman and Mary Horler.

I am a 4th grt-grdson of Mary Chapman (m. Nehemiah Fargo). Mary is the daughter of Alpheus Chapman and Martha ? (thought to be Holmes) of Montville / New London / Conn.


Baker's history of Montville seems afraid to commit to the assertion that Alpheus was a son of a Joseph Chapman and Mary Perkins, proceeds as if that is the case. So, I will consider this as unproven. The other children of this couple appear to have been born in the 1760s, well after any of the dates put forward for the birth of Alpheus. I will, thus, remain suspicious.
He does include a note about Alpheus Chapman, Sergeant, out on the Lexington alarm, 8 days, in April, 1775. This intrigued me; and, I poked about, a little, on ancestry.com (at my public library, which kindly subscribes to most of ancestry, sparing me all those fees). Here is what I find / conclude:
1. This Alpheus is the one who served as Ensign and First Lt., in the company of Capt. Nathan Hale, XIX Regt. of Foot, under a Col. Chas. Webb. He served as head of the company upon the death of Nathan Hale.
2. It is quite clear that he was arrested and court martialed, in June of 1776 (see the General Orders for 14 and 16 June 1776, of Genl. Geo. Washington). He was convicted, and dismissed from the service, and from the encampment, for failure to obey some command. Of course, I would dearly love to know Alpheus' side of the story. He must have been a decent soldier to get a commission and a further promotion in just the first half of 1776. Such records as ancestry.com holds on Rev War courts martial give no information in addition to his conviction/dismissal. I am wondering whether there might be regimental records in Hartford that could shed some light on the affair --- orderly book, or some such.
3. He had a son Alpheus, Jr., whose life is bit more elusive; and, I think he is not the subject of any of the miltary recds. concerning an Alpheus Chapman, in the Rev. War.
4. There is another Alpheus Chapman, in svce., in Bradley's Regt.; but, he is shown as deceased, in a pay/muster roll of either 1777 or 1778, I think.
5. There is an Alpheus Chapman on the rolls of Co. 4, IVth Regt of Connecticut Troops, in a return from 1756 (Fr. & Indian War). Only a few of the names have an indicated origin. There was an officer from New London, and a pvt. from Norwich. Montville, until 1786 was the North Parish of New London. So, if companies were geographically based, it is more likely that "my" Alpheus is the subject of the F&I War records.

6. Information on his headstone, at Raymond, part of Montville, implies a birth around 1737/8. In this case, Alpheus would have been eligible for soldiering in the F&I War.
7. I now see, at Google Books, in the Records of Connecticut, resolutions of the govt., meeting at Lebanon, Conn., establishing the structure of a regiment, under command of a Col. McLellan. These records are dated September of 1777. An Alpheus Chapman is the choice for 1st Lt., of one of the companies.



This raises more questions. Was there yet another Alpheus Chapman, likely candidate for a commission? Would my cashiered ancestor be allowed back in the service?
So far, I have seen nothing else about this new regiment. Perhaps it was never actually raised. I'll keep looking.
Best wishes,