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BURRELL W. CHAPIN
Burrell W. Chapin, stock breeder and general farmer, residing six
miles east of Bossburg, Stevens county, was born in Jefferson county, New
York, August 14, 1842. His parents were Joel and Lucy E. (Eley) Chapin. The
father was a native of the Empire state and the mother was born in
Massachusetts-
setts. The family located in Niagara county, New York, removed in 1852 to
Illinois, where they remained three years. They then went to Green county,
Wisconsin, and seven years subsequently, to Iowa, where they died. Five
children were born to them, of whom, Julietta, now in South Dakota, Elvira,
widow of George Burns, and Burrell W., our subject, survive.
Illinois and Wisconsin were the scenes of our subject's early days,
and in these states he attended public schools and acquired an excellent
business education. On gaining his majority he accepted the fortunes of
life,
on his own account, and began the world by crossing the plains in 1864, in
company with Captain Fisk. During this perilous trip the party was
attacked by Indians, and, at one time, our subject was nearly run down
during a frantic stampede of buffalo. He located in Helena, Montana, where
he mined and prospected four years, and engaged in railroad work three years
more. In 1867 he removed to Iowa, where for twenty years he engaged in
general farming. Selling out this property he came west and, until 1895,
traveled extensively throughout the country. He purchased a farm, known as
the "Bruce Ranch", in Stevens county, where he has since resided. His son
has four hundred acres, two hundred of which are under cultivation. The
property is enclosed with three miles of fence, and the buildings are
commodious and substantial. Mr. Chapin is, also, interested in a number of
valuable mining properties.
In 1874 our subject was united in marriage to Lizzie Hilliker,
daughter of E.G. and Maria (Reese) Hilliker, natives of New York. They
first settled in Dodge county, Wisconsin, subsequently removed to Iowa,
where they died, leaving two children, Samuel and Lizzie. Mr. and Mrs.
Chapin have two children, Charles E. and Edith M., both residing with their
parents. Mr. Chapin is a Republican.
In the bench country of Montana, Mr. Chapin owns a placer claim
which washes one dollar to each pan.
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