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Author: villandra
Surnames:
Classification: queries
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Samuel Chapin was actually a minor New England figure, a leader in his local community
like many at that time - but he is one of those people most New Englanders are descended
from, and at one time he somehow got canonized. Here is the information I have on him.
William Pynchon was an English gentleman who founded Springfield, Massachusetts, and ran
it as his personal fief.
ARrived Roxbury,MA 1635. Five children came with their parents - Henry, JOsiah, David,
Catherine, Sarah. Brought his father, John Chapin. Acquainted with Wiliam Pynchon in
England and a neighbor for a short time in Roxbury Pynchn led in 1636 a dozen families to
the Connecticut River, founded Agawam, later named Springfield. The Chapins went there
during winter, 1642-3. Deacon Samuel was one of five Selectmen apointed by William
Pychon. Conducted sabbath services, including preaching, for several years when the
church lacked a pastor. Pynchon convicted of heresy in 1651 by general court and returned
to England. Held large hodings in Springfield. a magistrate (county court) appointed by
General Court.
Deacon Chapin is held up as THE model Puritan. He was one of a few of people in MA of his
class who actually came from entirely humble origins. All of the other Puritans adopted
his family history for their own. A statue of him stands, I think in Springfield. There
is a well known poem about his humble origins, cited widely in terms of general American
ancestry.
He arrived in Roxbury from England in 1635. He was a friend of William Pynchon in
England. Humble, maybe, but not poorly connected. Pynchon founded Springfield,MA.
Chapin joined him. Butin 1651 Pynchon convicted of heresy, I guess in Springfield, and
forced to leave. Chapin became a church deacon, a lesser office than elder, in charge of
seating people, the treasury, that sort of thing. BUt people ever after esteemed him as
Deacon Chapin. Some of his writing, ie, a seating assignment he wrote, survive; he was
barely literate. Didn't spell consistently, his grammar was poor, his style and
grammar that of a number of modern proprietors of Buffalo janitorial firms i've
encountered while working as a part-time janitor. But he gave rise to a great and
long-lasting dynasty of judges, local politicians, businessmen, clergy, and professionals
of various sorts.
Chapin arrived in Roxbury, England, about 1635. Five children came with their parents.
He probably brought his father and family. He knew William Pynchon in England. Joined
Pynchon andother families to found Agawam, later renamed Springfield. "He was a man
of some education, strong will, inflexible integrity, abundant charity and real
piety". - Hward Millar Chapin, 1098, Providence Rhode Island, Life of Deacon Samuel
Chapin of Springfield.
Deacon Samuel Chapin's ancestry is covered in "hte English Ancestry of Deacon
Samuel Cahpin o Springfield, MA, Communicated by Howard Millar Chapin, AB, of Providence,
RI. Printed from Family Archive Viewer, Series 2, Vol 1, The English Ancestry of Dea.
Samuel Chapin of Springfield, MA. c Broderbund Software, Sept 14 2002.
There was a tradition he was born at Dartmouth, co Devon, a g-g grandson, John Horton,
wrote this in 1779. A search did not verify this. Records found at Paignton,
Devonshire, seven miles from Dartmouth. Records of Samuel's baptism and marriage in
the parish registers there. The registers also name six of his children (five of whom are
supposed to have come to this country with him.) Not all the names are legible. They
included Henry, Josias, Sara, Honor, a son, and a daughter who was possibly Kathrin.
Samuel's father in law's will names nephew David, and Katherine and Sarah Chapin.
A son John was baptized in nearby Totnes.
Howard Chapin thinks that Samuel was probably descended from , or related to, "the
Chapin family of hte neighboring family of Coleridge." They lived in the hundred of
Haytor, s. Devon. "In 1524, Robert Chopyn and Christopher Chopyn were at Cornworthy
int he hundred of Coleridge, adn in 1525 Henry Chopyn and Thomas Chopyn were at Harberton
in the same hundred. At Totnes also in the hundred of Coleridge, ... there was a
Stephen Chapin as early as 1489, af fact that seems to indicuate that the ancestors of
Samuel Chapin were living at Totnes as early as the fifteenth century; and the appearance
of the Christian name between teh Chapin families at Totnes and Cornworthy, for a son
Stephen Chapin was born at Corworthy in 1570 and moved to Dartmouth. Thomas and
Christian also were names that were common in both families. The Chapin family is found
in Coleridge as early as 1333, when Petro Chapyn was taxed 8 d., and six years earlier, in
1327, a Nicholas Chopyn was taxed!
at the manor of Shefbeare in the hundred of Hator-- the first appearance (sof ar as is
known) of the surname in Devonshire."
Deacon Chapin's accounts at Pynchon's store well illustrates the general habit of
the settlers and the articles used by them. These extracts are taken from the accounts
of 1652 and a year or more later. He was charged with 14s for half a pound of powder, 2s
6d for 3 pounds of sugar, 8d for 500 pins, 4 pounds? 7 s 6d for 10 yds of Kersey, 5s. 3d
for smithery work, 5s2d for 2 yds Scots cloth, 4s 10 d for 3 1/2 pounds of soap, 12 pounds
for a parcel of wampum sent to Henry Chapin "you are to pay for your son David 10
pounds", 2s 11d for 1-2 yd of Green Say, 2s 6d for one pair of stockings, 1s 3d for
1-2 yd of flannel, 17 s 6d for 7 yds of linen cloth, 6s 6d for one Bible, 6s for one pint
bottle, 1s 10 d for a quart and 1-4 of brandy, 2s for one pound of pepper, and 4 1-2 d for
a pint of vinegar.
In payment of his accounts he was credited with 8s for 4 days work of David, 9s for
David's work at the mill, 4s 6d for work of oxen, 2s 6d for 3 lbs of candles, 3 pounds
4s for 192 pounds of beef, 11 punds 1s for 60 bushels of wheat, 7s for a skin of Beaver,
16 s for wheat delivered by Thomas Stebbins, 17s 6d from Katherine Bliss, 15 punds 18s for
87 bushels of wheat at y mill in June '55, 2s 6d for a qr of veal, 1 pund 4 s 4d for
stringing 194 fathoms of wampum.
There was no stated time for settling accounts and they frequently stood for a year and
sometimes several years before tehre was a balance. In most instances the differences
was in favor of John Pynchon. The records show Deacon Chapi n and his wife both
purchasing and renting land from Pynchon.
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