Richard Chapman

    Richard Chapman was born in Wilshire, England, in 1819, October 27. He was reared in England, and was apprenticed at the age of fourteen, to learn the trade of blacksmith, and served for seven years as an apprentice, at Woodford, near Salisbury.

    He worked at his trade for eighteen years in England, and came to the United States in 1852, on the ship "Liverpool," having left England between Christmas and New Year in 1851.He arrived in Madison, Indiana, the last day of February, 1852, with only a nickel in his pocket. He walked out in the country four miles that night on the Kent Road; the next day he rented a shop two miles from Kent, and commenced work on the first day of April, where he continued to work for two and one-half years. The following July after he landed, his wife and child came to him from England.

    In 1854 Mr. Chapman removed to Graham Township, and bought one-half of an acre of ground, and put up a hose and shop upon it, paying $100 for the ground. He worked at his trade at this place for over twenty years, keeping a general country store in connection with his shop. His wife was made postmistress at this point, and held the office for eight years.

    When he left Graham Township in 1878, he sold his premises for $1,100.

    Mr. Chapman was married in 1846, in England, to Miss Alice Potter, a native of England, who died August 17, 1880, at the age of 60 years, leaving one son, John.

    Mr. Chapman has been very successful in accumulating property, owning a farm of 240 acres of land in Graham Township, besides a nice home of twenty-seven acres, where he lives, at the edge of the town of Lancaster.

    He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and has always been a large contributor to the Church, and foremost to assist in all charitable enterprises.

    He has done a great deal to build up the county in the way of building and improving property.

    On May 29, 1886, he married Mrs. Cynthia (Hammond) Bailey, the widow of Commodore Perry Bailey. She died December 23, 1887, without issue. John Chapman, son of the subject of our sketch, married Josephine Lard, daughter of C. K. Lard, of this county, and has four children; Alice B., Sarah N., Jessie R. and Ruth C., all living at home. John owns a farm of 385 acres of land in Lancaster Township, and is one of the largest farmers in the township. Besides farming he deals largely in stock.

Source: Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. By John M. Gresham & Co., 1889.