This is a horn I toot every few years. It is intended to stir up trouble
with researchers who trace their Chapmans through Isaac Chapman (d. 1747
Orange Co. VA) and Sarah Cole, and who believe there is evidence linking
Isaac to the line of Thomas Chapmans who made their way up the Chesapeake
Bay to Charles Co. MD from Jordan's Journey. There's no such evidence; the
line, based on sound research, stops with Isaac.
My most recent diatribe on the subject:
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Whence Came Isaac Chapman of Orange County, Virginia?
Isaac Chapman (husband of Sarah Cole Chapman, father of sons Isaac, John,
and Richard, and daughter Jemimah), who died in Orange Co. VA in the
mid-1740s, remains elusive. Three hypotheses as to his origins are
prevalent:
#1 Isaac's father was Thomas Chapman of Charles Co. MD, fourth (or fifth) in
a series of Thomas Chapmans who came to America at Jordan's Journey, VA.
#2 Isaac's father was John Chapman of Charles Co. MD, probably a descendant
of the series of Thomas Chapmans, perhaps a brother of Thomas Chapman of
Charles Co. MD.
#3 Isaac's line came through New England, perhaps Connecticut; he, or his
parents, may have been born in England.
I'll consider each hypothesis:
#1 son of Thomas. . .
Many descendants of Isaac Chapman, through the Giles County Chapmans
(including Isaac, John, Richard and Jemima) believe their line passes
through Thomas Chapman who came to America at Jordons Journey in 1610 on
the Tryall. I regard this as false, and believe it originated with George
Roberts terribly flawed work, Genealogy of Joseph Peck (1955), which traces
Isaac Chapman of Orange Co. VA back to Thomas Chapman of 1610 Colonial
Virginia. He lays out the following lineage:
Thomas Chapman I (b. 1590) came to Jordon's Journey VA on the Tryall in
1610, m. Ann ? in 1618, had two children: Thomas II (b. 1619) and Ann (b.
1622), both in Jordon's Journey.
Thomas II settled Elizabeth River VA and had a son Thomas III b. ca. 1642.
Thomas III settled in Charles Co. MD in 1662? and supposedly m. Elizabeth
Craxon in 1689. Had two children: Thomas IV (b. 3-26-1690) and Mary (b.
8-19-1693) before relocating to Stafford Co. VA in 1695.
Thomas IV ultimately settled in Orange Co, probably what became Culpeper
Co., VA
There are problems with this lineage. Thomas III would have 48 years old,
and Elizabeth (b. 1644) would have been 46, when Thomas IV was born; 51 and
49 respectively for Mary. Indeed, 49 year old women in Colonial America,
such as Elizabeth Craxon Chapman in 1693, did have children - but it was
quite unusual. Referring to Thomas Chapman III, Brian Berrys Generations
1-5 of the Family and Descendants of Thomas Chapman of Jordans Journey
notes that after 1641 for the next three decades, no records for Thomas
have been located. Two alternative explanations seem more plausible: Thomas
III was really the grandfather of Thomas IV (with a lost generation
interceding), or Thomas IV was from a different line of Chapmans altogether.
According to Roberts, the Thomas Chapman born March 26, 1690 in Charles Co.
MD is probably the same Thomas Chapman whose death inventory we find in
Culpeper VA dated Nov. 18, 1782. Later, says Roberts, "it may have been his
son, b. ca. 1810-12." (I assume he intended to estimate this birthdate a
century earlier: 1710-12.) Is he conjecturing a Thomas V? Would this be
Isaacs father, or his brother? Thus, we see that Roberts was uncertain that
the Thomas Chapman born in Charles Co. MD in 1690 was the same as the Thomas
Chapman who died in Culpeper VA in 1782.
According to Roberts, David E. Johnston's 1906 History of Middle New River
Settlements mentions an Isaac Chapman born in Charles County, Maryland,
although there is no evidence of this birth in county records. But, as we
will see later, this is not what Johnston actually said.
Culbertson's Hunter Genealogy, says Roberts, lists Thomas' children as
Nathaniel, George, John, and an unidentified daughter; no mention is made of
an Isaac. For some reason, says Roberts, "to this we would add Isaac." And
"we are certain that Isaac was a son of Thomas IV." But, there is no
evidence supporting this. Then, Roberts goes on to state that there is no
recorded evidence that the other members (i.e., Nathaniel and George) were
brothers of Isaac and John, therefore, they shall not be considered
further.. ."
So - we have no evidence of an Isaac Chapman born in Charles Co., but he
must be the undocumented son of Thomas IV born in Charles Co. in 1690, who
is either the Thomas Chapman who died in Culpeper in 1782 or another
undocumented son. And although there is apparently evidence that Thomas IV
had children George and Nathaniel, there is no evidence of Isaac being
brother of George and Nathaniel - thus, we dismiss them as Thomas' sons.
This is very sloppy reasoning, supported by erroneous assumptions and
fabricated evidence! It leads me to suspect that Roberts attempted to graft
Isaac Chapman's family tree onto Thomas', thus stretching the lineage back
to 1610.
#2 son of John. . .
This is the hypothesis with which I'm least familiar. It identifies Isaac's
father as John Chapman (brother of Nathaniel Chapman, b: 1675 in Charles
County, MD, d: 1735) and his mother as Margaret Mankin (b: 30 Mar 1688 in
Port Tobacco, MD). This John Chapman is apparently a brother of Thomas
Chapman IV of hypothesis #1, whose parents were Thomas Chapman III and
Elizabeth Craxon.
Hypothesis #2 lacks the flaws of Roberts' work, while still tracing Isaac to
Thomas Chapman of Jordan's Journey and placing him in Charles Co. MD (which
fits with later anecdotal accounts of his origins); this likely pleases
those genealogists who hate it when their ancestors appear out of nowhere.
But, where's the evidence and documentation?
#3 from England, or New England. . .
Incorrectly cited by Roberts, Johnston actually writes The Chapmans were
English people, and some of those who emigrated to this country came from
Connecticut to Charles County, Maryland, long prior to the American
Revolution. After the settlement in Maryland, and before the beginning of
the Revolution, some of them came to Culpeper County, Virginia, and settled.
Among those who came was Isaac Chapman, who married, in Culpeper County,
Miss Sara Cole, by whom he had three sons and one daughter. So, Johnston
had Isaac Chapman coming through Charles Co. MD, but his ancestors being
from Connecticut.
The Pearisburg Virginian in March 15, 1928 quotes Mrs. W. P. Miller
(apparently paraphrasing Johnston) at the unveiling of the D.A.R. marker for
the grave of his son John Chapman: The Chapmans who were of English origin,
immigrated to America and settled in Connecticut long prior to the
Revolutionary War. From there they moved to Charles County, Maryland.
Leaving Maryland before the beginning of the revolution, a part of them came
to Culpeper county, Virginia. Isaac Chapman was among this number. . .
But, a letter by Isaac's grandson Henley Chapman reads "My grandfather was
named Isaac Chapman; he emigrated to Virginia from England, the year
unknown; he settled in Virginia, perhaps in Culpeper County."
One complication: Culpeper Co. didnt even exist at the time of Isaacs
death. We know he died somewhere in Orange Co., but at the time, the county
stretched far across the Shenandoah mountains. It could have been in the
part of Orange Co. that became Culpeper that later became Madison that much
later became Rappahannock Co., where the witnesses to his death inventory
owned land and probably lived.
Ive seen many online gedcoms featuring Isaac Chapmans in New England in the
late 1600s and early 1700s, some of whom seem to vanish. Perhaps one of
them traveled south along Kings Highway from Boston to the Virginia
interior, settling in Orange Co. near Fredericksburg. Or, perhaps he took
the Great Valley Road from Pennsylvania down the Shenandoah Valley, settling
in that part of Orange Co. which later became Rappahannock Co., from which
his descendants migrated further south into what became Giles Co. Or, maybe
he followed paths from Connecticut to Charles Co. MD on the Potomac River,
later traveling up into Orange Co. But, we may never know.
The main problem with the third hypothesis is that it lacks any supporting
evidence, being based primarily on anecdotal statements and conjecture.
Conclusion:
I see much wisdom in the adage genealogy without documentation is
mythology. Having traveled up and down the Chesapeake Bay by land and sea
countless times, Ive often imagined my ancestors Thomas exploring and
settling among the lovely bays and estuaries between Norfolk and Charles
City Maryland, and the first Thomas and Ann Chapman sailing from England
four centuries ago, docking very near where I grew up in Hampton Roads
Virginia. But, what compels my historical fantasies does not belong in my
genealogical work without better empirical support. So, for now, my line of
Chapman ancestors stops with Isaac Chapman, his wife Sarah Cole, and his
children Isaac, John, Richard and Jemimah; his death around 1747 in Orange
Co., VA is the earliest documented event I've seen. I believe genealogists,
amateur and professional, should remove paternity links of Isaac to Thomas
Chapman or John Chapman from their genealogical works unless (and until)
they can justify them with real evidence.
Rees Chapman, Ph.D.
Dahlonega, GA
August 2006
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