That's what I was afraid of, yup - ye olde traveling salesman! A huckster, the
guy with 4011 (forty-leven) pockets inside & out of his coat with needles &
pins & buttons & spoons & penknives & elixirs-for-what-ails-you &
combs &
looking-glass and scarlet ribbons - everything the little lady might want for.
John the Traveling Salesman.
Surely grampa Chapman had an uncle or someone somewhere. We actually do have a
pretty good idea who his father (& grandfather) were from scraps of family lore
and other circumstantial bits. If so, his mom wasn't that man's wife. That
would be: John L Chapman 1833-1908 Summit Co, OH.
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 16:04:37 -0700
From: Tom Chapman <SurfCityTom(a)socal.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [CHAPMAN-DNA] Re: CHAPMAN-DNA-D Digest V06 #1
<<What's the meaning of chapman surname again?>>
The best explanation I've ever seen says that "Chapman" means peddler or
some
other kind of salesman. It comes from the old English word "ceap" - which is
also the root of the modern word "cheap."
The German equivalent is "Kaufman."
Becuase the name comes from a trade - like "Smith" or "Baker" - we
are
unable to trace it to a spcific locale or old family.
Tom
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