Biography - William Chapman
William CHAPMAN, farmer, P. O. Raymond, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in England March 23, 1817. His father, Luke CHAPMAN, was a native of England, born in 1790, and was a mechanic by occupation. Soon after the birth of William, he emigrated with his family to "Virginia, where his death occurred in January, 1833. His wife, Grace REYNOLDS, was also a native of England, born May 28, 1796. She died in Greene County, Ill., August 20, 1871. She was the mother of six children, of whom William was the oldest child. His early life was spent in rendering what assistance he could to his parents, and attending school in the neighboring log schoolhouse, common at that early day, and to which his early educational privileges were limited. At the age of twenty years he had virtually reached his manhood, possessed with all the energy and enterprise of a man bound to make his own way in the world, and he determined to try his fortunes in the then far West, and distant wilds of Illinois. He located in Morgan County in 1836, and during the following year went to Greene County, in what is now called Roodhouse Township, where he remained until the spring of 1852, when he removed to his present place of residence, one and a half miles north of Raymond, where he has since remained, engaged more or less extensively in farming and stock-raising. He was married in Greene County, Ill., September 15, 1842, to Miss Ann Maria ALVERSON, who was born in Kentucky to Benjamin and May (JEFFRIES) ALVERSON, natives of Kentucky, February 25, 1826. She has borne him eleven children, viz.: Joseph R., born August 1, 1843, a prominent young farmer living near the homestead. (See history.) Benjamin H., born October 28, 1846, graduate of Iowa and Chicago Law Universities, practicing law at Vandalia, Ill.; William L., born March 3, 1853, also a lawyer, graduate of Ann Arbor, Mich., Law College, now residing in Houston, Tex.; Adam M., born February 7, 1855, now engaged in dealing in stock in Washington Territory; Ulysses G., born January 20, 1864, living at home; Mary Ann, born November 18, 1848, widow of T. BERRY, living with her parents; Emma, born March 27, 1861, also at home; Amanda J., died at the age of four years; Xenophon, born October 13, 1844, a graduate of the Chicago Medical College, died in Leadville, Col., May 17, 1880; two infants deceased, not named. Realizing from his own meager opportunities the value of a good education, Mr. CHAPMAN has spared no means to provide his children with advantages, and four of whom have received a thorough collegiate education. During the rebellion he took no active part other than to assist the Union soldiers, by caring for their families at home. He served the people of the county as Associate Judge four years, the duties of which office he performed with marked zeal and integrity. He has also been Township Treasurer over twenty years, and has served as one of the Board of Supervisors. Being a progressive man himself, Mr. CHAPMAN is fully alive to every progressive movement favoring the growth and prosperity of the county and for the advancement of religious and educational privileges. The state of cultivation under which Mr. CHAPMAN keeps his farm, consisting of about six hundred acres of choice farm land near Raymond, denotes him to be a practical farmer, and one of those men who add to the prosperity of the county.
Extracted 20 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, pages 214-215.
