Dr. Herbert Lee Chapman, Jr.

Notes:

At the time of the 1945 Florida State Census, he was shown as enlisted in the Navy.

DR. HERBERT LEE CHAPMAN, JR., 91, died January 16, 2015, at Indian River Memorial Hospital. He was born July 15, 1923 in Kansas City, Missouri. He married Muncy Gallagher in 1946. He graduated from the University of Florida. He furthered his education with a graduate degree from the University of Florida, followed by earning his PhD at Iowa State. He served in the U. S. Navy during WWII. As Professor Emeritus, he spent most of his professional career at the University of Florida in beef cattle research. He authored and co-authored over 200 peer- reviewed scientific papers published in professional journals pertaining to the beef industry and served as a consultant to cattlemen and related businesses around the world, including the King Ranch of Texas. With his wife Muncy, he co-authored the Wiregrass trilogy, historical novels set in the Florida Territory in 1835. Dr. Chapman is survived by his loving wife Muncy. He is also survived by his four children: Jill Searcy (Charles), Margy Kulczycki (George), Melinda White (Bob), and Lee Chapman (Kathy). He is also survived by eleven grandchildren: Brad Searcy (Raquel), Jake Searcy (Jennison), Jeff Searcy (Laura), Garrett Kulczycki (Tammy), Jan Wiese (Scott), Wes White (Ashleigh), Kelly Fennemore (Jason), Kevin White (Nathalie), Kristen Chapman, Kori Chapman, and Michael Chapman. He was often surrounded by many of his sixteen great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Frances and his brother, Loren James. Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service in his honor on Sunday, January 25, at 2:00, at Indian River Estates East Auditorium. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions may be made in Dr. Chapman's honor to the United Methodist Children's Home, 51 Main Street, Enterprise FL 32725; or to Care Net Pregnancy Center of Indian River County, 1503 24th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
.

(Courtesy of Lee Chapman, grandson of Dr. Chapman)

Notes:

When the will of his paternal grandmother, Mary Ann Welch Smith Chapman, was probated in 1921, he was listed as " Herbert Chapman, nephew (sic), 21, of Montana."

His social security number was issued in Florida in 1936, and at the time he was an employee of Ralston Purina Co of St. Louis. His father was shown as Samuel Lee Chapman, and his mother Marion Wright. When he registered for the draft during World War I, he listed his nearest relative as his mother, Mrs. J. S. Caie [second husband] of DeWitt, Michigan. Herbert was a resident of Dewitt, Clinton County, Michigan at the time, and he was working as a farmer for Ralph Cressman. He was shown as tall, slender, with brown eyes and black hair.

Kerrville Mountain Sun
July 26, 1986
Page Four

Obituaries

Chapman

Services were held Friday for Herbert Lee Chapman, Sr. 86, who passed away July 24 in the Alpine Terrace Nursing Home. Rev. Everett Boyce officiated at the graveside services in the Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Chapman, a resident of Kerrville for 16 years, prior to that Florida, was born May 12, 1900 in Lake Odessa, Michigan. He married Lurana Treff in Leavenworth, Kansas on August 22, 1922. Chapman was a member of the Methodist Church, served in the United States Armed Forces, and was a store and mill manager for Kresge's Purina Mill.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Lurana Champman of Kerrville; one daughter, Mrs. Frances Moore of San Antonio; two sons, Dr. Herbert Lee Chapman, Jr. of Wauchula, Florida and Dr. Loren James Chapman of Madison, Wisconsin; two sisters, Mrs. Avon "Claudine" Ator of Silver Springs, Maryland and Mrs. Earl "Dorothy" Castator of Tarpon Springs, Florida; eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Grimes Funeral Chapels.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Michigan, Ionia County, Odessa Township
ED #21 39-41
Chapman, Lee Head July 1875 Mich NY Mich Teaching School
Chapman, Marion Wife Mar 1876 Mich Mich Mich
Chapman, Lee Son May 1900 Mich Mich Mich

1910 Census
Michigan, Ionia County, Lake Odessa, Village
Enumerated 20 Apr 1910
SD 5 ED 27 Ward 1
45-45
Caie, John S Head M W 49 m2 1 Mass Scotland Scotland Salesman General Agent
Caie, Marion W Wf F W 33 m2 1 3/3 Mich NY NY
Chapman, Herbert [step] Son M W 9 S Mich Mich Mich
Chapman, Clare [step] Son M W 7 S Mich Mich Mich
Caie, Marion Dtr F W 7/12 S Mich Mass Mich

1920 Census
Michigan, Eaton County, Oneida Township, ED #102
#112-75-78
Wright, Ambria B. Head O F F W 69 Wd New York Canada (English) Vermont Boarding House Keeper
Chapman, Clare W Grandson M W 17 S Michigan Michigan Michigan
Chapman, L. Herbert Grandson M W 19 S Michigan Michigan Michigan

1930 Census
Pennsylvania, Butler County, 1rst Precinct, Butler City Ward 2
Enumerated 8 Apr 1930
ED 10-8 SD 7 Sheet 5B
Brody Street
617-96-99
Chapman, Herbert L Hd M W 29 m1 22 Mich Mich Mich Mgr Dept Store
Chapman, Lurana Wf F W 28 m 21 Kan Kan Mo
Chapman, Herbert Jr Son M W 6 MO Mich Kan
Chapman, Loren J Son M W 3 2/12 Ind Mich Kan

1945 Florida State Census
Hillsborough, Precinct 6
Herbert L. Chapman 814 44 Mich College Educated Manager
Lurana Chapman 43 Kan College Educated Housewife
Herbert L Chapman Jr 21 MO College Educated Navy
Loren Chapman 18 Ind College Educated Army
Mary F Chapman 11 Pa Minor

Herbert married Lurana Treff on 22 Aug 1922 in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas. Lurana was born on 7 Jun 1901 in Kansas; died on 7 Feb 1994 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

LaVonne Bennett found, at the Ionia County Courthouse, the death record of Samuel Lee Chapman: "CHAPMAN, Lee died 3-22-1903, married, age 30 years, in Odessa Twp, of mitrial insufficiency. He was born in MI, was a teacher, and his parents were Samuel B. Chapman, residence NY, and Mary WELCH (IOCOB270#5850)." LaVonne did not find a Lake Odessa newspaper obituary for him.

At the time of the 1900 census, Samuel was married and living with his wife Marion and infant son, Lee. They lived next door to his mother in Ionia County. Son Clare was born in 1903, less than a year before Samuel's death. His wife Marion remarried, and in 1910, she both sons, listed as Herbert Lee and Clare, were living with her second husband, John S. Caie. Marion and John had a newly born daughter.

In 1920, Herbert Lee and Clare were living with their maternal grandmother in nearby Eaton County, while their widowed stepfather was living with their three half-sisters in Detroit.

The paternal grandmother of Herbert and Clare was Mary Ann Welch Smith Chapman. Her probated Will #8880, Ionia County, MI, was filed 8-15-1921. Mary Ann Chapman's real estate was valued at $6,500; personal estate at $100. Administrator Marcus B. Chapman of Lake Odessa was also one of the heirs, along with: Elmer Smith, son, age 55 (or 56?), of Lake Odessa; W. B. Smith, 53, Grand Ledge; Clair Chapman, nephew, 19, Grand Ledge; Herbert Chapman, nephew, 21, of Montana [in another section of the papers, they were referred to as grandchildren]; and Marcus, 46, Lake Odessa.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Michigan, Ionia County, Odessa Township
ED #21 39-41
Chapman, Lee Head July 1875 Mich NY Mich Teaching School
Chapman, Marion Wife Mar 1876 Mich Mich Mich
Chapman, Lee Son May 1900 Mich Mich Mich

Samuel married Marion Wright. Marion was born in Mar 1876 in Michigan; died about 1918 in Michigan; was buried in DeWitt Cemetery, DeWitt, Clinton County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

It is possible that her middle name is Ambria, which is how she is referred to in the obituary of her daughter, Dorothy. Furthermore, it appears that both her mother, and namesake daughter Marion, used the name Ambria. However, on census records, in the obituary of her son Herbert Lee Chapman, and on her tombstone, she is instead simply listed as "Mother, Marion Caie, 1877-1918."

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
James M. Trendel trendel1937@aol.com March 17, 2010, 1:21 am

Cemetery: DeWitt Cemetery
Name: Marion Caie

Date Of Photograph: September 19, 2009
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/clinton/photos/tombstones/dewitt/caie107011nph.jpg
Image file size: 118.7 Kb

Marion Caie - 1877 - 1918

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/clinton/photos/tombstones/dewitt/caie107011nph.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 0.8 Kb

Notes:

He is shown on the Murray-Snead-Barbee-Jones-Bishop-Mastroni-Raddeman-Kirtley-Workman tree on Ancestry.com as a son of Peter Chapman and Mercy Keeler.

Benjamin Dwight--in Volume II (p. 1005) of "The History of the Descendants of Elder John Strong of Northampton, Mass."--described him as, "a farmer at Odessa, Mich (since 1851)...he is a supervisor of the town."

According the "History of Ionia and Montcalm Counties Michigan with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of their Prominent Men and Pioneers" by John S. Schenck, Philadelphia, D.W. Ensign & Co. 1881, the first framed house in Odessa was built by Emory Russell after 1842. Other early settlers in and near the Russell neighborhood were Nelson Merrill, Emanuel Cramer, S.B. CHAPMAN, A.A. Haskins, A.J. Clark, P.S. Lapham, David Crapo, John D. Hight, Reuben Haight, George E. Kelly, James N. Galloway, and Asa Houghton. For some years the settlements in Odessa concentrated about the Russell neighborhood. In the year 1852 there were but four settlers in the western half of the town. These four were Solomon Foght, S.B. CHAPMAN, Joseph Houseman and Eber Rush, located respectively on sections 21 and 33 (p. 315).

Jurors for 1847 included Samuel Chapman

Voters in Odessa in 1848 and 1849 included Samuel B. Chapman

Samuel B. Chapman was elected Supervisor of Odessa Township in 1852; Treasurer in 1855; and Supervisor in 1856-1857

LaVonne Bennett, a Ionia county genealogist, kindly provided the following information relating to the probate of the Chapman estate.

Ionia County Probate Court, Probated Will #611 (New Series), Samuel B. Chapman: The first item in the file was an unsigned 8-26-1925 letter to W. C. McCartney, giving him license to sell real estate of Samuel B. Chapman.

The seconnd item was an 8-21-1925 letter from Lake Odessa State Savings Bank to Judge of Probate, Ionia County, stating lots 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 in block 21 of village of Lake Odessa owned by Samuel B. Chapman were sold 4-3-1877.

Samuel B. Chapman died on Sunday, 1-31-1875, leaving no will. Widow was Mary A. Chapman, petitioner for appointment of adminstrator of estate. It was a $7,500 valued estate. Other heirs were: Emma June Chapman, daughter of deceased (dodc); Theressa T. Partello, dodc, of Barry County; Martin Chapman, son; Ella Chapman, dodc; Eva Chapman, dodc; Samuel D. (sic s/b L.), son. Residence of all but Theressa was Ionia County. [Note, Mary was still pregnant with his youngest son, Marcus, who was born in September 1875].

Publication in Lake Odessa Wave-Times 2-12-1875. James Leek, Administrator. Inventory of goods, properties, crops, $150 of household furniture. Among the list of creditors: Mary Ward, $3.65; Jas. J. Brown, $22.05; Martin Chapman, $35.00.

10-7-1871 document: Dower rights to Mary A. Chapman for east 3/4 of north east 1/4 of Section 33, and north east 1/4 of south east 1/4 of Section 32, all in Twp 5N, Range 7W.

In James Leak's 3-23-1875 petition to be named the administrator of Samuel's will, he states: ".....for the following among other reasons the widow is not able to work or take charge of her interest in said estate and the heirs are of them three minors and under Guardianship and those who are of age are not in circumstances to carry on to advantage of the whole of said real estate and further the estate has a large part of said land under a crop of wheat down by said deceased in his lifetime which will require the same care and attention necessary to protect crops on the whole of said lands."

11-14-1876: List of above children, with addition of Marchus B. Chapman. Paid to Mary A. Chapman: $550 for support of minor heirs under age 7 years, $145 distribution of shares, from Samuel Chapman estate, for Samuel Lee and Marcus B. Chapman, minor heirs.

11-15-1876: $150 to Mary A. Chapman. 11-28-1876: Martin Chapman petitioned to sell real estate; heirs Maria T. Partello, Emma Chapman, Ella L. Chapman, Martin Chapman, all residing in Odessa, Evelyn D. Chapman residing in Saranac, Ionia Co, MI; Marcus B. and Samuel L. Chapman, both in Odessa.

$3375 was paid by Abe Bywater for the Dower rights of Mary A. Chapman. $487.50 was paid to Martin L. Chapman."

It seems an assessment of real estate was made, with the recommendation that sale, and subsequent division of the property, would devalue it. The file was very hard to read and I couldn't decipher all that took place, regarding the real estate, but it did appear Martin forced the sale.

Oh, when I looked up Samuel B. Chapman's property in my plat book here, it turned out to be the whole west side of Lake Odessa's main street. I'm snail-mailing you copies showing location of his---and also B. Franklin Smith's---property. I also made copies of Ida and Mary's obituaries, which I'll send along, too.

I (LaVonne) don't know why the first 2 items dated 1925 were in this file, unless someone filed quit claim deeds on property that was once owned by Samuel B., or something technical like that. Maybe they were cleaning up Mary Ann's 1921 estate yet.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1860 Census
Odessa Township, Ionia County, Michigan
#188-185
Chapman Samuel 39 M NY
Elisa 38 F NY
Marris C? 10 F NY
Martin 8 M Mich
Ella 18/12 F Mich
Emma ?? F Mich


1870 Census
Odessa Township, Ionia County, Michigan
#67-66
Chapman Sm P 49 M W Farmer 5000 13
" Eliza 47 F W Keeping House
E??? 22 F W at home MI
Theresia 20 F W at home NY
Martin 18 M W Farm laborer MI attended school
Ella 11 F W MI attended scho
Evaline 9 F W MI attended school

Samuel married Mary Ann Welch on 7 Oct 1871 in Ionia County, Michigan. Mary (daughter of William Welch and Anna Brown) was born on 28 Dec 1840 in Michigan; died on 19 Jul 1921 in Lake Odessa, Ionia County, Michigan; was buried in Lakeside Cemetery, Lake Odessa, Ionia County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The death certificates of Mary's two oldest sons have seemingly conflicting information as to the name of their mother. LaVonne Bennett, an Ionia County researcher, emailed me that while at the Eaton County Courthouse, she "learned from death records of Wm Bert and Elmer that papa's name was Frank/Franklin Smith, and that mama's was either Mary (Ann?) ELVERT b in Ionia or (Mary?) Ann WELCH b Canada!" However, although William Bert Smith's death certificate shows his mother as Mary Elvert, his marriage license lists his mother as Mary Welch. Additionally, Marcus's marriage certificate list his mother as Mary Ann Welch. Samuel Lee Chapman's death certificate, a son by Mary Ann's second marriage, also lists his mother as Mary Ann WELCH. Only Marcus Chapman's death certificate shows his mother's maiden name as unknown. It was filed by the "Bureau Social Aid Records, Ionia," however, and not a relative.

In looking at a transcription of the Ionia, MI 1850 Federal Census, I discovered that a Mary Ann WELCH and William WELCH were living with the ELEVERT family. It appears likely that 30 year old Ann Elvert is their mother, the former Anna BROWN. Anna Brown appears to have first married William WELCH, and later remarried William ELVERT. It is also possible that Mary Ann and William may have been orphaned or otherwise abandoned, and were living with the Elvert family at the time of that census.

Mary did not have an easy life. At 38, she had been twice widowed, and had charge of four young sons: Elmer Smith, Bert Smith, Samuel Lee Chapman, and Marcus Chapman. Marcus was a newborn. Additionally, she had five older stepchildren, who may not have been particularly happy to have both lost their father and gained a stepmother in a relatively brief period of time.



In James Leak's 3-23-1875 petition to be named the administrator of Samuel's will, he states: ".....for the following among other reasons the widow is not able to work or take charge of her interest in said estate and the heirs are of them three minors and under Guardianship and those who are of age are not in circumstances to carry on to advantage of the whole of said real estate and further the estate has a large part of said land under a crop of wheat down by said deceased in his lifetime which will require the same care and attention necessary to protect crops on the whole of said lands."

LaVonne Bennett also located the following obituaries and will for Mary Ann:

(There was) only this very brief mention in the Grand Ledge (newspaper): "THE GRAND LEDGE INDEPENDENT, MI, Friday, July 22, 1921, front page: MRS. MARY CHAPMAN, mother of W. B, Smith of this city, who has been ill with paralysis since the latter part of May, passed away at her home near Lake Odessa, July 16, at the age of 84 years. She also leaves two other sons, Elmer Smith and Marcus Chapman, at home."

In THE WAVE-TIMES, Lake Odessa, MI, pg 5, July 22, 1921: "Woodland (News items) - FRANK SMITH and his sister Miss GERTIE SMITH were in Odessa Tuesday afternoon attending the funeral of their aunt Mrs. Mary Chapman who died Saturday from a paralytic stroke."

Probated Will #8880, Ionia County, MI, filed 8-15-1921. Mary Ann Chapman's real estate was valued at $6500; personal estate at $100. Administrator Marcus B. Chapman of Lake Odessa was also one of the heirs, along with: Elmer Smith, son, age 5(6?), of Lake Odessa; W. B. Smith, 53, Grand Ledge; Clair Chapman, nephew, 19, Grand Ledge; Herbert Chapman, nephew, 21, of Montana [in another section of the papers, they were referred to as grandchildren]; and Marcus, 46, Lake Odessa.

From her will (barely readable) made 11-14-1906: ".....to Francis Elmer Smith, son, she wanted him to have property of the east 1/2 of the south east 1/4 of Section 22, Tpw 5N, Range 7W. If he predeceased her and had no heirs, the land was to go to Marcus B., Herbert and Clare, and ______ (all the preceding were Chapmans. To William B. Smith, son, she willed the west 1/2 of the above property.

Marcus was to receive his choice of her household furniture, as was Francis Elmer. She bequeathed $100 to (Daniel or Samuel) Lee Chapman, son of Herbert.

Addendum: W. B. Smith of Grand Ledge was appointed Guardian of Clare Chapman, minor. Herbert Chapman (legalee?) NR (no record?)

Detail of Death Certificate: Mary A. Chapman, Female, White, Widdow, Date of Birth Dec 28, Age 84 Yrs, 6 Mos, 16 Days, Birthplace Canada, Name of Father Wm. Welch born England, Name of Mother Anna Brown born England Informant Marcus Chapman Lake Odessa (son) Date of Death 16 July 1921 Filed 19 July 1921

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Federal Census, Michigan, Ionia County, Berlin Township

33 65 68 Elvert William 49 M Farmer 300 Ireland
34 65 68 Elvert Ann 30 F Ireland
35 65 68 Helch (sic) William 11 M Upper Canada
36 65 68 Helch (sic) Mary A. 10 M (sic) Mich
37 65 68 Elvert James 8 M Mich
38 65 68 Elvert Cornelius 5 M Mich
39 65 68 Elvert Julia 3 F Mich
40 65 68 Elvert Emily 1 F Mich

This Census was transcribed by Beth Wills and proofread by Pat Billings, Hope Farris, Kathy Laux for the USGenWeb Census Project, http://www.usgenweb.org/census

1860 Federal Census
Michigan, Ionia County, Berlin Township (21 Sept 1860)
#2718-2616
Wm. ELVERT 63 M Farmer 1000 500 Ireland
Ann ELVERT 48 F Ireland
Cornelius 15 M Michigan
Julia 13 F Michigan
Harry 11 M Michigan
John 9 M Michigan
Elizabeth 6 F Michigan
Ellen 4 F Michigan
James 18 M Michigan
Mary WELCH 21 F Teacher

Furthermore, it appears that Ann and William Elvert divorced in 1869. Maybe this accounts for the 16 year old Elizabeth Elvert living, Mary's half sister, living with Mary in 1870?

1869 Elvert Ann vs. William 673

Ionia County Divorce Index http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~camprowl/divorce%20index.txt

1870 Ionia County, Odessa Township
129-128
Smith, Mary 30 F W Farming and Keeping House 2500 475 Mich Father/Mother Foreign Birth
Smith, Elmer F 4 M W Michigan
Smith, William B 1 M W
Elvert**, Elizabeth 16 F W Michigan Attended School Father and Mother of Foreign Birth

1880 Ionia County, Odessa Township (1 June 1880) #21-23
Chapman, Mary A W F 40 Widow Keeping House Mich Ireland Ireland
" Elmer WM 14 Son School Mich Mich US? (last name SMITH)
" Burtis WM 11 Son School Mich Mich " (last name SMITH)
" Lee WM 7 Son Mich Mich "
" Marquis WM 5 Son Mich Mich "


1900 Ionia County, Odessa Township
ED #21
39-40
Chapman, Mary A Head Dec 1840 58 Mich Ireland Ireland Farmer
Smith, Elmer Son Mar 1866 Mich NY NY Laborer
Chapman, Marcus Son Sep 1878 Mich NY Mich Laborer 39-41
Chapman, Lee Head July 1875 Mich NY Mich Teaching School
Chapman, Marion Wife Mar 1876 Mich Mich Mich
Chapman, Lee Son May 1900 Mich Mich Mich

Notes:

Married:
Samuel B. Chapman and Mary Ann Smith [nee Welch, the widow of Franklin Smith] were married 10-7-1871 (IOCOC72#1071). (Courtesy LaVonne Bennett)