Person:William Chapman (1)

From Savage's Genealogical Dictionary

WILLIAM, New London 1656, among the freem[en]. 1669, d[ied]. 18 Dec. 1699. From his will we get the names of ch[ildren]. John, William, Samuel, Jeremiah, Joseph, Sarah, and Rebecca; but little can be learn[ed]. as to any of the s[ons]. and of the d[aughter]s. nothing. It is said that Jeremiah was b[orn]. 1677; and we kn[ow]. that he, with William and Samuel, resid[ed]. at N[ew]. L[ondon]. that Joseph went to Norwich, and that John, the oldest, was liv[ing]. at Colchester in May 1748, when it was affirm[ed]. "he will be 95 y[ea]rs. old next Nov." so that it would be hazardous to deny, that he was b[orn]. 1603. In 1834 Farmer found the gr[aduates]. at Yale fourteen, at Harv[ard]. and Dart[mouth]. four ea[ch]. and two at other N[ew]. E[ngland]. coll[eges].

From Connecticut Colony Records

William Chapman appears on a list of Freemen in the town of New London September 28 1669.

From Genealogy of the Puritans

Chapman, William, of N. London, in 1657, had the house and lot which had been Capt. Denison's, purchased of Mr. Blynman, agent of John Chynnery. He rang the first bell at N. London, "a large brass bell" as Miss Caulkins says, "to signify the entrance of Mr. Saltonstall on his official duties. It cost L25 in current money, and for ringing it, he had 40s added to his salary of L3, as sexton."

From Family History of the State of Vermont

In 1854 a genealogy of Robert Chapman of Saybrook, CT. and of four other Chapman families, viz, William of New London (our ancestor), Edward of Windsor, John of Stonington, and Rev. Benjamin of Southington, in Connecticut, was published at Hartford, CT. by Rev. F.W. Chapman.

The original American progenitor of the family, William Chapman, emigrated hither from England in 1639, taking up his residence in the colony of Connecticut, whence his descendants have become disseminated throughout the most diverse sections of the Union.

William Chapman died 18 Dec. 1699. The name first appears (in Montville which is also called New London) in 1657, when he bought the Denison house-lot on Hempstead Street, nearly opposite the jail. No previous record is found of his family. The children named in his last will were John, William, Samuel, Jeremiah, Joseph, Sarah and Rebecca.

From The Chapman Family

In the book of town grants, appears the following: "William Chapman hath given him thirty ackers of upland bounded towards the south with Mr. Douglas his land, and towards the east with the small brook that leads to Jordan River, and towards the north with Arkaubukie* Meadow, and towards the west with a ledge of rocks and a tree marked on four sides." The above grant was made at a meeting in 1663.

At a town meeting, August 25, 1691, it was "Voted that whereas William Chapman had formerly allowed him by the town three pounds for his sexton's place by the yeare, they now add forty shillings more and order him five pounds per year for sweeping the meeting house and galleries and ringing the bell."

• There is some doubt about the orthography of this word.

The last Will and Testament of William Chapman, of New London.

I, William Chapman of New London senior, being sick and weak of body,but threw the goodness of God, in perfect memory and good understanding, do make this my last Will and Testament revoking and making void all others: first I resine up my sole to God who gave it and my body to the ground to be buried decently and handsomely, and whatof the things of this world God hath grasassly given me I despose of as followeth, first I will that all my just debts be honestly discharged and payd, and as to my funeral charges I will that they be discharged next.

Item, I give unto my eldest son John Chapman, a double portion of my estate.

Item, I give unto my son William Chapman his equal proportion with his brothers allwing John his double portion as afore of my estate.

Item, I give unto my son Samuel his equal proportion with his brothers allowing his eldest brother John as abovesaid.

Item, I give to my son Jeremiah Chapman his equal proportion of my estate with his brothers allowing John as abovesaid.

Item, I give to my son Joseph Chapman an equal proportion of my estate with his brothers allowing his eldest brother as abovesaid.

Item, I give unto my two daughters, Sarah and Rebeccah, all the utensils and moveable household stuff, within or that belongs to ye house, to be equally divided between them; next I will that my son Jeremiah, if he please, have my house and home lot, paying out to his brothers the several legasys I have given them by this my last Will and Testament. I appoint my son Jeremiah Chapman to be my Executor to this my last Will and Testament, in witness whereof I have here set to my hand and seal this the first day of April, 1669.

                        his
                   William    W     Chapman
                        mark

Witnesses, John Plumb Greene Plumb

From the records of the court of probate, it appears that he lived over thirty years after making his will. The inventory of his estate was exhibited in court, (the appraisal bearing date January 2, 1669-70) amounting to L28 0s. 6d.

A Catalogue of the names of the early Puritan settlers of the Colonyof Connecticut with the time of their arrival in the country andcolony, their standing in society, place of residence, condition inlife, where from, business, etc., as far as is found on recordcollected from records by Royal R. Hinman, Hartford, 1852: Chapman, William, of New London, in 1657, had the house and lot whichhad been Capt. Denison's, purchased of Mr. Blynman, agent of JohnChynnery. (Caulk, N.L., p. 93) He rang the first bell at New London,"a large brass bell," as Miss Caulkins says, "to signalize theentrance of Mr. Saltonstall on his official duties. It cost Ð25 incurrent money, and for ringing it, he had 40s. added to his salary ofÐ3, as sexton." Wm. was a freeman at New London in 1669. There is noevidence that Robert, of Saybrook; William, of New London; or John, ofNew Haven, were relatives. _____ The Chapman Family: or the Descendants of Robert Chapman one of theFirst Settlers of Saybrook, CT with Genealogyical Notes of WilliamChapman, who settled in New London, Connecticut, Edward Chapman, whosettled at Windsor, Connecticut, John Chapman, of Stonington,Connecticut, and Rev. Benjamin Chapman, of Southington, Connecticut -by Rev. F. W. Chapman 1854: In the book of town grants, appears the following: "William Chapmanhath given him thirty ackers of upland bounded towards the south withMr. Douglas his land, and towards the east with the small brook thatleads to Jordan River, and towards the north with Arkaubukie Meadow,and towards the west with a ledge of rocks and a tree marked on foursides." The above grant was made at a meeting in 1663. _____ At a town-meeting, August 25, 1691, it was "Voated that whereasWilliam Chapman had formerly allowed him by the town three pounds forhis sexton's place by the yeare, they now add forty shillings more andorder him five pounds per year for sweeping the meeting house andgalleries and ringing the bell." _____ THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF WILLIAM CHAPMAN I, William Chapman, of New London senior, being sick and weak of body,but threw the goodness of God, in perfect memory and goodunderstanding, do make this my last Will and Testament revoking andmaking void all others: First I resine up my sole to God who gave it and my body to the groundto be buried decently and handsomely, and what of the things of thisworld God hath grasassly given me I despose of the followeth, first Iwill that all my just debts be honestly discharged and payed, and asmy funeral charges I will that they be discharged next. Item, I give unto my eldest son JOHN CHAPMAN, a double portion of myestate. Item, I give unto my son William Chapman his equal proportion with hisbrothers allowing John his double portion as afore of my estate. Item, I give unto my son Samuel his equal proportion of my estate withhis brother allowing his eldest brother John as abovesaid. Item, I give to my son Jeremiah Chapman his equal proportionn of myestate with his brothers allowing John as abovesaid. Item, I give to my son Joseph Chapman an equal proportion of my estatewiith his brothers allowing his eldest brother as abovesaid. Item, I give unto my two daughters, Sarah and Rebeccah, all theutensils and moveable household stuff, within or that belongs to yehouse, to be equally divided between them: next I will that my sonJeremiah, if he please, have my house and home lot, paying out too hisbrothers the several legasys I have given them by this my last Willand Testament. I appoint my son Jeremiah Chapman to be my Executor tothis my last Will and Testament, in witness whereof I have here set tomy had and seal this the first day of April 1669. William (his mark W) Chapman Witnesses: John Plumb Greene Plumb From the records of the court of probate, it appears that he livedover thirty years after making his will. The inventory of his estatewas exhibited in court, (the appraisal bearing date January 2,1669/70) amounting to Ð28 0s 6d. Information downloaded from Don Dickenson's GedCom version 2/7/2002.

1. ↑ James Savage, Former President of the Massachusetts Historical Society and Editor of Winthrop's History of New England. Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's. (1860-62 and Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD, 1965; Corrected electronic version copyright Robert Kraft, July 1994)
   Vol. 1, p. 363.
2. ↑ Genealogy of the Puritans.
3. ↑ Family History of the State of Vermont.
4. ↑ CHAPMAN: The Chapman Family.
5. ↑ Compiled By William L Decoursey. It's About Time. (1735 - 19th Terrace Nw New Brighton, Minnesota 55112)
   citing among others.

   Mather, Frederic G. The Refugees of 1776 from Long Island to Connecticut (1972 reprint of the 1913 edition), p.291

6. ↑ Henry A. Baker. History of Montville, Connecticut. (Press of the Case, Lockwood and Brainard Company, Hartford Conn 1896).
7. ↑ National Society of Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America.
8. ↑ Jacobus, Donald Lines (transcriber). New London (Conn.) Probate Records: Abstract of Records before 1710. American Genealogist (D.L. Jacobus). (Apr, Jul, Oct 1933; Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct 1934; Jan, Jul, Oct 1935; Jan, Oct 1936; Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct 1937; Jan, Apr, Oct 1938, Oct 1940, Oct 1941, Oct 1942, Apr 1943, Jan, Oct 1944; Jul 1953)
   10:167.

   'Chapman, William, Sr., of New London. ... Will 1 Apr. 1696, proved 10 Jan. 1699/1700; ... Inventory of Estate of William Chapman senior Late of New London Deccassed December the 18th 1699; ...'