John Chapman

As printed in 1908

JOHN L. CHAPMAN, president of the Tallmadge Township School Board and a prominent citizen of this section, resides on the old homestead farm of eighty-five acres and in the old brick residence which was built seventy-six years ago, all the material for its construction having been produced on the farm, with the exception of the lime. Mr. Chapman was born at Akron, Summit

Ck)untj, Ohio, January 6, 1859, and is a son of John and Phoebe (Budd) Chapman.

The Chapmfin family is of English extraction. The paternal grandparents of Mr. Chapman were John and Elizabeth (Burt) Chapman. They came to America with their children and settled at Oswego, New York, where both died. They had the following children: Kichard, who lived and died near Bloomfield, New York; Mary, who married John Rowe, lived and died at Oswego, New York: Margaret, who died unmarried, in New York; William, who died at Wilton, Wisconsin, in 1875; Susan, who survived her husband, William Merchant, who disappeared and was supposed to have been killed for a sum of money in his possession; Charles, who died at Oswego, and John. The sons all learned the milling business with their father and they ran the same mill, an old tide-water one, which had been in the possession of the family in Cornwall, England, for generations. As some families were farmers as far back as can be traced, the Chapmans were millers.

John Chapman, father of John L. Chapman, of Tallmadge, was born in Cornwall, England, in 1812, and was nineteen years of age when he left England, and with other members of his family, settled at Oswego, New York. Although little more than a boy in years, he had a good knowledge of his trade and found immediate employment in the flour mills of that place, where he remained until 1832, when he came to Akron. He was a practical mechanic, a natural one, and understood the wheelwright trade and everything concerning not only the operating but the consti-action of mills and mill machinery. He came to Akron at first to start in operation the old stone mill, which was then being erected, but it had not been completed when he arrived, and he went to Middlebim and worked some time for the firm of McNorton & Noble.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

1833 he returned to New York, and for one year operated a mill at Rochester and then came back to Akron, and for a short time resumed work at the stone mill. He was called to different points to superintend the building of mills and many of those scattered over Summit County, which, in their day, were valuable adjuncts to the comfort and convenience of settlers, were either built by him or under his supervision. Mr. Chapman then bought a farm on which he lived for twenty-five years, and in 1872 he purchased the farm on which his widow and son still live.

In 1857 John-Chapman married Phoebe Budd, who still survives, and. they had six children: John, Nellie, Carrie, Cora, Alva and Charles, the latter two dying in infancy. John Chapman died in April, 1881, after a.<bort. illness, from pneumonia. His age was sixty-nine years and ten months. He was a man who commanded the respect of all who knew him.

The Budd family, of which Mrs. Chapman is a member, is an old one of the Empire State. Her grandfather, Underbill Budd, is on record as being a highly respected resident of Ithaca, New York, which city he left to accompany his son, Solomon Budd, to Ohio. He married Rebecca Townsend, and both he and wife died at Akron, Ohio. They had the following children: Debby Ann, who is deceased: John, who died in New York; Solomon, the father of Mrs. Chapman; Phebc, who married William B. Doyle; Hannah, who married Daniel Teeter, both died at. Tones%alle, Michigan; Elizabeth, who married Charles Stetson, died at Cleveland, and Erastus, who died at Akron, aged twenty years.

Mrs. Phebe J. Chapman was born at Elmira. New York. June 15. 1838, and is a daughter of Solomon and Emmeline fJarvis) Budd. The father of Mrs. Chapman was born in New York, July 4, 1813. and died at Akron, Ohio. May 21, 1891. His wife was born in New York, April IB, 1816, and died at Akron. May 1. 1883. He was a manufacturer of shingles, in the days when it was a hand indu.'trs'. In 1839 he came tf) Ohio and lived for one year at Canal Fulton, then returned to the East for a year. la 1842 he came back to Ohio with his wife and they lived at Akron during the remainder of their lives.

The children of Solomon Budd and wife were the following: Pliebe J., who became Mrs. Chapman; Mary E., born September 19,

1840, who died in childhood; Townsend C. born December 19, 1842, married Ellen Goodman, of Cleveland, and they reside at Akron; William H., born November 10,

1841, died in childhood; Aurelia A., born January 3, 1846, who is the widow of Jacob Denaple, who died in 1889, and Julia E., born April 18, 1848, who resides at Akron.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

In June. 1901. Mr. Chapman was married to Emma Blackburn, who is a daughter of William T. and Mary (Hurst) Blackburn, of Berea, Ohio, William T. Blackburn was born at Kent and his wife at Ithaca, New York, and both are deceased, the mother dying in 1900, aged sixty-eight years, and the father in 1904, at the age of seventy-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Chapman have one son. Earl, who was born September 9, 1905.

In political.sentiment. Mr. Chapman is a Kepublican and usually gives his support to candidates of thai party, but in local matters occasionally votes for the man he feels is best qualified for the otRce. He is no seeker for political honors for himself, lias tastes lying in a different direction. He is connected with several fraternal organizations, belonging to Elm Grove Lodge, No. 501, Tallmadge, formerly of the Aetolia Lodge, Knights of Pythias. Apollo Lodge, No. 61, Akron, of the Odd Fellows, and to the Pathfinders. In 1904 he was elected a member of the School Board under the new law, for a term of four years, and is its president.

As printed in Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.