CHAPMAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION
A Genealogical Society
OUR STORY
The Chapman Family Association is Dedicated to Helping Chappies Find Their Roots
Gil and Mary Alford, founders of the Chapman Family Association
Our goal is to be a catalyst for positive change, and since our beginnings in 2000, we’ve been driven by the same ideas we initially founded our Non-Profit Organization upon: support, empowerment, and progress.
History of the CFA
Many feel that the CHAPMAN CHATTER, a newsletter created and edited by Gil Alford, was the prelude to the Association.
Gil began publishing his newsletter in August 1983 and continued the distribution through October 1996.
In April 1994, the Association received a Certificate of Incorporation. Shortly thereafter, Jim Haynsworth created the Chapman Family Association emblem. The Chapman Family Association (CFA) is a Code 501(c)(7)non-profit corporation. The Association has no paid staff or employees and depends entirely on volunteer workers.
The Chapman Family Association publication #1 was published August 1994 and reported 56 members.
Gil Alford was the founder of the Chapman Family Association. No, he didn’t do it all by himself, but he was the prime mover that got things rolling. Gil was born 1 Jan 1926 in South Carolina. He served in the Army Airborne during WWII and the Korean Conflict. He married Mary Louise Newkirk in September 1944 and they settled in Saint Louis where he worked for McDonald Douglas. After his retirement he became interested in his Alford genealogy and also began work on Mary’s Newkirk and Chapman Genealogy.
He was a pioneer hobbyist with computers which helped in organizing his genealogy and doing correspondence. Gil & Mary created "Chapman Chatter," a newsletter, in 1983 as a vehicle by which to communicate with others interested in Chapman family history and genealogy. At least forty four issues of "Chapman Chatter” were published over a period of eleven years. In mid 1993 Gil believed it was time for other Chappies to begin to take part in the fun, so he talked to interested Chappies about starting an organization which became the Chapman Family Association. Beginning in August 1994, under Gil's guidance, CFA began publishing an association newsletter with Emily Chapman Painter as the editor. The first CFA conference was held in June 2001 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Gil passed away 20 Aug 2013 at the age of 87. He is interred in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri.
CFA BOARD AND OFFICERS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Ray Chapman - Chair
Robert Sonfield Jr. - Executive Director
Al Chapman
Billie Chapman
Ernie Chapman (Director Emeritus)
Ray Chapman
Shelley Chapman
Val Chapman
Marilyn Foster
Amory Baril Krueger
Lennae Seevers
Corporate Office and Executive Director
Robert L. Sonfield
770 South Post Oak Lane, Suite 435
Houston, TX 77056-1913
(713) 877-8333
OFFICERS:
Ray Chapman, NC - President
Val Chapman, OH - Vice President
Pauline Chapman, IL - Secretary
Kathy Crouch, CO - Treasurer
Al Chapman, MO - Corresponding Secretary