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Author: sharpchick13
Surnames: chapin, harris, shephard, carr, lebolt, finn
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.chapin/1066/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
A Chapin cousin found me recently from my genealogy blog. He is the great grandson of
Essie Chapin (Shephard, Carr, Lebolt, Finn).
Yesterday, he emailed me three (undated) pages of information about Nathaniel Foster
Chapin and Elizabeth Harris, handwritten by his grandfather, E C Shephard (Essie's
son), which he had only just discovered among his grandfather's papers. Below is the
transcription of those pages:
Page 1
Nathanial Foster Chapin my grandfather was born and raised in Ridgebury Penn on Nov 9th(?)
1827 and died in Fort Scott Kanasas Jan 23rd 1897 of dropsy of about 18 months standing.
Demontell Foster (N F Chapin's mother maiden name) his father's name being Joel
Chapin. (Elizabeth Harris NF's wife)
N F Chapin's grandfather was one of seven brothers who came to America from Scotland
and settled in Vermont (supposedly).
Joel Chapin, NF Chapin's father, left Ridgebury Penn to go to Vermont in company with
another gentleman who left the train at Elmira, NY. Joel Chapin, NF Chapin's father,
was never heard of again. (To visit Joel Chapin's father.)
Cyrus was a mere baby, his mother just convalescing when Joel left for Vermont.
Page 2
Joel Chapin was in his time considered a very prosperous man. It has been spoken of in
the family of an incident of NF and his brother trading brocade vests, Joel liking
NF's the better.
He wore black broadcloth coat and pants, brocade vest and a black silk kerchief about his
neck.
NF had (brothers and sisters) Marion, Rebecca and Unice and Orley (Arley?) who died in the
Civil War Army of homesickness.
Cyrus Dec 2nd 1853
Edwin
Fred
Addaline
George
Williard
Albert Edward
Emmogene
Essie August 21 1871
Ward
Page 3
Steuben Co Penn at least lived there when a small child.
Elizabeth Harris (addie knew nothing of her parents names) was born Nov 19 1831. She had
Mary, Emma, Josephine and Sarah - John Lyman, Ort, James
Died October 30 (?) 1887. I met Uncle John Harris in Olean, NY
NF Chapin and Elizabeth Harris Chapin - Addaline (4), Essie (9), Emmogene (8), Cyrus
Foster (1), Edwin Manley (2), Fred (3), George (5), Williard (6), Ward (10), Albert Edward
(7)
End of transcription...
A note: Steuben County is not in Pennsylvania, but rather New York. If, as EC Shephard
said, Nathaniel Foster Chapin lived there as a young child, that could explain why every
single census I've found on him gives his birthplace as New York. He thought he was
born there.
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