James Chapman settled in Frederick or Orange County, Virginia prior to the
Revolutionary War. James Chapman is said to have been "an Englishman" and
is said to have married a Welch lady named Jane. Other sources state that
he was of Scottish descent. A James Chapman from Scotland arrived in the
ship Johnson in 1747. This James Chapman was one of over 900 Scottish
prisoners who were sentenced to be transported to the British colonies in
the aftermath of the Jacobite Rebellion in Scotland, which culminated in
the battle of Culloden in 1746. This James Chapman was a gardener from
Durn, Banffshire, who served in Glenbucket's regiment and was captured and
made a prisoner at Carlisle. This James Chapman landed at Port Oxford,
Maryland on August 5, 1747, but may be too young to be the James Chapman of
Frederick Co., VA. A "bondition" filed in connection with the settlement
of the estate of James Chapman named Jane Chapman and Thomas Chapman as
administrators and stated that James Chapman died in December, 1784.
The first United States census shows that by 1782, James Chapman of
Frederick County, Virginia was head of a household of 4 whites and 9
blacks. We know that his son, Thomas Chapman, was born in 1753, and that
his eldest son was Joseph Chapman, so from this we can surmise that James
may have been married before 1751.
According to a Revolutionary War pension application filed by James
Washington Chapman, James Chapman is believed to have left these heirs:
Joseph Chapman, John Chapman, Thomas Chapman, William Chapman, a sister
Rachel Chapman who married Thornton Thornbury, a sister Nutty Chapman who
married Adrian Davenport and another sister who married Thomas Ballard.
Joseph Chapman moved to Adair Co., KY, where he died. John Chapman died
in the Revolutionary War. Thomas Chapman died in Frederick Co., VA, and
his heirs moved to Union Co., KY and various parts of Illinois. William
Chapman moved to Tennessee, then to Sagamon Co., IL. Rachel Thornbury
moved to Union Co., KY and Gallatin Co., IL. Rachel Thornbury moved to
Union Co., KY and Sagamon Co., IL. Nutty Davenport moved to Berkeley Co.,
VA, then to Gallatin Co., IL. The remaining Chapman sister was said to have
died in Frederick Co., VA.
I am looking for all Chapman family researchers who are interested in this
family.
Mike Chapman