Eber William Chapman

As printed in 1891

EBER WILLIAM CHAPMAN, a dry-goods merchant and a popular citizen of the Village of Persia, Harrison County, Iowa, will form the subject of this sketch. He was born in Wiltshire, England, July 7, 1854, and in the spring of 1861, his parents came to the United States and from the coast came direct to Florence, Neb., near Omaha, and from there went overland by team to Salt Lake City, Utah, and returned to Florence, Neb., in 1864, and in the spring of 1865 came to Harrison

County and settled on the Pigeon, in Cass Township, where they rented a farm for two years and then bought forty acres of land in Jefferson Township, near Reed er’s Mills. The place was improved at the time they purchased it and they held it until 1870, when they sold and moved to Valley View in Union Township, where they bought a piece of wild land comprising two hundred acres, which they improved. The Village of Persia was just started at this time (1882) and our subject started in the general merchandising business at that point, his being the first dry-goods store of the place. He is still carrying on an extensive business.

He was married to Miss Frances M. Legan, of Vinton, Benton County, Iowa, November 14, 1875, and they are the parents of eight children — Maria, Robert, Elsie, Mabel, Emily, Edna, Willie and Elvin. Emily is deceased.

Mrs. Chapman was born in Franklin, Johnson County, Ind., and she and her husband, together with their two oldest children, are acceptable members of the Latter Bay Saints Church. Mr. Chapman is a member of the Masonic order, Lodge No. 490, at Persia. Politically, Mr. Chapman votes with the Democratic party.

As printed in History of Harrison County, Iowa. Containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county. Together with portraits and biographies of all the go (1891). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.