Descendents of
John Chapman and Elizabeth Delk
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John's parents
John Chapman (1810 - 1895) |
Elizabeth Delk (1818 - 1892) |
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John Chapman was born April 15, 1810 in Liberty Co., GA to Francis John Chapman and Mary Leigh. John married Elizabeth Delk on 16 Feb 1837 in Liberty Co., GA. Elizabeth was born March 1, 1818 in Liberty Co., GA to David Delk and Elizabeth Terrel. David, age 16, and his sister, age 14, were the only family survivors of an Indian massacre on Sep. 30, 1777 in Effingham Co, GA. John died May 30, 1895 in Liberty Co., GA and Elizabeth died Nov. 26, 1892. Both are buried at the Jones Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.
John Chapman lived in Liberty and McIntosh counties, Georgia. He was a large landowner and was engaged in farming and stock raising. The farming consisted in milling rice and corn, the ginning of cotton, the spinning of yarn and the weaving of cloth. The cotton gin was operated by horse power. The cowhides were tanned into leather; and shoes, saddles, and other articles were manufactured by hand. The sugar cane mills were made from the trunks of live oak trees. The cogs of metal were made in the blacksmith shop and mortised in by hand. The mill was operated by horse power. The cane juice was boiled into syrup and sugar. John. Chapman was a slaveholder and owned 36 slaves before they were freed in 1865.
Although he was 55 years old near the end of the Civil War, John Chapman joined a home guard company, and was captured and taken to a prison fort in New Jersey. Here food was short, so he was forced to pick up bones that dogs had been gnawing and make soup to eat. During Sherman's "infamous" march to the sea, a portion of his army camped near John Chapman's home. When the army came, there were barns filled with corn, rice, potatoes, sugar, syrup, bacon, lard, etc. The morning after the army left, the women, boys, and slaves (the men were in the Confederate Army) picked up the corn out of the dirt where the Yankee horses had been fed. This corn was washed, ground, and used for food. The dwelling had been searched for valuables, and the paling fence that was around the yard had been torn down to make camp for fires.
John Chapman was a member of Jones Creek Baptist Church and the Altamaha Lodge #227 F.& A.M. He was a very skilled blacksmith and wheelwright. His wife, Elizabeth Delk, was a daughter of David Delk, a Scotch-Irish immigrant to this country and a Revolutionary soldier.
The house that John and Elizabeth lived in is shown below for both front and side views. This house was raided by Union soldiers during the civil war. All food and livestock were taken as recorded in an itemized list discovered in the personal papers on John's son, Francis John Chapman. Union soldiers even burned the fence for firewood. The house was destoyed by fire sometime in the 1960s, it is believed.
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John and Elizabeth had fifteen children, twelve of whom lived to adulthood; eleven married and raised families. Three of their great-grandsons became outstanding Baptist ministers - Horace Francis Chapman and Walter Fuch Chapman, sons of Horace F. Sr. Chapman, and Malcolm Chapman, son of Clyde Lamar Chapman.
The children of John and Elizabeth are:
F i Martha Eleanor CHAPMAN was born 7 Dec 1837 in Liberty Co., GA. She died 5 Apr 1923 in Long Co., Ga. and was buried in Jones Creek, Liberty Co., Ga. Never married. M ii Francis John CHAPMAN II was born 26 Feb 1839 and died 13 Jan 1934. M iii David Fleming CHAPMAN was born 5 Apr 1840 and died 25 Nov 1914. M iv William James CHAPMAN was born 15 Sep 1841 in Liberty Co., Ga. He died 25 Sep 1841 in Liberty Co., Ga and was buried in Jones Creek, Long, Georgia. M v Samuel Nathaniel CHAPMAN was born 18 Nov 1842 and died 26 Sep 1927. M vi Thomas Jefferson CHAPMAN was born 22 Aug 1844 and died 26 Nov 1914. F vii Mary CHAPMAN was born 26 Feb 1846 and died 13 Apr 1910. F viii Elizabeth Amanda CHAPMAN was born 15 Jun 1849 and died 11 Dec 1913. M ix Columbus J. CHAPMAN was born 4 Apr 1850 and died 9 Jul 1879. F x Catherine C. C. CHAPMAN was born 15 Dec 1851 in Liberty Co., Ga. She died 26 Aug 1853 in Liberty Co., Ga and was buried in Jones Creek, Liberty, Georgia. M xi Sheldon Wright CHAPMAN was born 30 Apr 1853 and died 6 Feb 1926. M xii Ferdinand Brantley CHAPMAN was born 29 Nov 1854 and died 21 May 1925. F xiii Florence Anne CHAPMAN was born 31 Dec 1857 and died 23 Sep 1895. F xiv Susan Talulah CHAPMAN was born 29 Nov 1859 and died 27 Mar 1870. F xv Clifford Ada CHAPMAN was born 16 Jun 1861 and died 5 Mar 1951.
Some of their descendents are listed here.
Francis John Chapman(1839-1934) & Thomas Jefferson Chapman (1844 - 1914)
(sons of of John Chapman and Elizabeth Delk)
This photo from 1900 or 1901 is the Masonic Lodge in Johnston Station, McIntosh County, Georgia that became Ludowici., Georgia in 1905. It is the country seat of Long County today. Johnston Station was a station on the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad., named for Allen Johnston one of the railroad builders. Two Confederate Army Vets are pictured in the photo, Francis John Chapman and Thomas J. Chapman.
The masons identified in the photo are: Standing, Seventh from Left- Dr. David W. Baggs, MD, the Community Doctor. Kneeling , 2nd from Left- Mr. Harry G. Williams, the Lodge Secretary. Kneeling 3rd from left- Francis John Chapman, Lodge Treasurer. Kneeling, 5th from Left- James Madison Twiggs Smith, Junior Warden. Kneeling 6th from left (With Hat) Thomas Jefferson "Bud" Chapman, Worshipful Master. Kneeling 1st from right- Thomas Edgar Houston, Senior Deacon. Altamaha Lodge was chartered in 1858, and has been in continuous activity since that time.
Background of Francis John Chapman
Francis John Chapman (son of John and Elizabeth) was a member of Jones Creek Baptist Church, Altamaha Lodge #227 F.& A.M. and a Confederate soldier. He was a Lieutenant in the "Altamaha Scouts", Co. I, 25th Ga., Infantry Regiment. He participated in the Battle of Noonday Church and other battles of the Atlanta Campaign before he was seriously wounded. His father, John Chapman, went to the front in Atlanta and brought him home in a horse cart. The trip from Atlanta to their home in McIntosh Co. required thirty days. With them they brought a sharpshooter's rifle that Francis John had captured from a Union soldier who had carried it through battles in Tennessee and Mississippi - Mount Zion, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Farmington, Iuka, and Corinth. It became one of his most prized possessions and was used after the war for hunting wild game.
Francis John Chapman (CJF) was married three times:
His first wife was Matilda Baggs, daughter of William and Charity Hope Baggs, and granddaughter of immigrant Archibald Baggs and Hanna Esther Dennison Baggs.
His second wife, Hettie Coats Baggs Johnston, was the widow of Isham L. Johnston and the daughter of Archibald James Baggs, Sr. brother of William Baggs.
His third wife, Hettie Baggs, was a daughter of William Riley Baggs, son of Archibald James Baggs, Sr. Sarah Smith was mother of Hettie.
Name should be John Francis Chapman according to a granddaughter, 3/2/1991
Matilda A. Baggs (1836 - 1868)
first wife of Francis John Chapman (1839 - 1934)
Matilda, the first wife of Francis John Chapman (1839 - 1934), was the daughter of William and Charity Hope Baggs, and granddaughter of immigrant Archibald Baggs and Hanna Esther Dennison Baggs. Matilda and Francis John had one child, Frances Matilda (Tillie), born 22 Aug 1868 in Liberty Co., GA.
Thomas Jefferson (Bud) Chapman (1844 - 1914)
(son of of John Chapman and Elizabeth Delk )
The photo is of Thoms Jefferson Chapman in his Confererate uniform. Thomas was known as Bud until 1862 when he joined the Army near Darien Ga. He had to have a legal name to join and he took the name of Thomas Jefferson Chapman. Bud joined the confederate Army early in the War Between the States and fought until the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston on 26 April 1862. He joined Captain O. C. Hopkins Company of the First Battalion Georgia Cavalry on 20 August 1862 near Darien Georgia. The Company was transferred as Company K, of the 5th Georgia Cavalry Regiment on 20 January 1863. Bud was elected Sergeant in the unit sometime before the transfer. He served in all of the campaigns of the 5th and was at Bentonville at the time of surrender. He walked back from North Carolina to Georgia.
He was married three times. His first wife was Miss Christina Fletcher. She was a daughter of Joshua and Hannah Howard Fletcher. Her maternal grandparents were George and Christine Platts Howard.
Bud and Christina had five children:
F i Ellen Talulah CHAPMAN was born 15 Feb 1871 and died 18 Feb 1952. F ii Tallie Christine CHAPMAN was born 17 Apr 1873 and died 20 Mar 1909. M iii John Taylor CHAPMAN was born 20 Feb 1875 and died 16 Feb 1936. M iv Thomas Fletcher CHAPMAN was born 25 Aug 1878 and died 25 Jan 1956. F v Anna Estelle Reeves Leigh CHAPMAN was born 4 Mar 1884 and died 8 Jun 1955.
Bud's second wife was Mary Alverda Baggs. She was the daughter of David Baggs Jr. and Martha Martin Baggs. David Baggs Jr. was a son of David Baggs Sr. and Isabella Johnston Baggs. David Baggs Sr. was a son of Archibald and Hannah Esther Dennison Baggs. Martha Martin was a daughter of Agnus and Margarette T. Daniel Martin. Angus Martin was a son of Martin Martin. Margarette was a daughter of Abram and Jane Hendry Daniel.
Bud and Mary Alverda Baggs Chapman had five children, of which two (twins) died in infancy.
F i Ruby CHAPMAN was born 11 Jun 1892 in Liberty Co., Ga. She died 13 Jul 1892 in Liberty Co., Ga and was buried in Jones Creek, Liberty, Georgia. F ii Ruth CHAPMAN was born 11 Jun 1892 in Liberty Co., Ga. She died 24 Jul 1892 in Liberty Co., Ga and was buried in Jones Creek, Liberty, Georgia. F iii Margaret Elizabeth CHAPMAN was born 19 Feb 1894 and died 5 Jan 1965. M iv Clyde Lamar CHAPMAN was born 22 May 1895 and died 16 Jan 1973. F v Mary Bernice CHAPMAN was born 10 Jan 1899 and died 6 Oct 1970.
Bud Chapman's third wife was Miss Alice L. Smith, daughter of William Joel and Nettie Hodges Smith. They had one child. She was married three times after the death of Bud Chapman to (1) T. A. Davis, (2) F. B. Griffin, and (3) W. A. Morrison.
Bud and Alice had one child:
F i Edna A. CHAPMAN was born 2 Jan 1901 and died 1 Dec 1992.
Background of Thomas Jefferson (Bud) Chapman
Thomas Jefferson Chapman was born in Liberty County, Ga., near the McIntosh County line. His father built a house in McIntosh County on the old Darrien and Macon public road. This house was finished in 1856. It is still standing although in a bad state of repair. (1966)
When Thomas Chapman was born, his parents differed on a name for him, so he was called "Bud", a name that stuck as long as he lived. Two days before he was 18 (Aug. 20, 1862) he enlisted in the Confederate Army, Co. K, 5th Ga. Calvary Regiment. At this time it was necessary for him to have a name. He named himself Thomas Jefferson. He served until General Joe Johnston's army was surrendered in North Carolina at the end of the war, April 26, 1865. He was mustered out at Smithville, N.C. (Now South Port.)
It seems that different units of command were referred to by the name of their commander. Bud Chapman was known to say that he was in Davant's Company, Wheeler's Regiment, Anderson's Brigade, Kelly's Division and Johnston's Army Corps.
Many interesting stories were told of his experiences and hardships. Many of the hardships came about on account of the shortage of food and clothing. Bud Chapman told of having to forage for food - of living as long as five days on green apples and eating moldy food. On one occasion, he left Savannah, Georgia to go home to get clothing. He was issued a pair of drawers before he left; the rest of his clothing was little more than rags. When he got home, the spinning wheel and loom started - the leather from cow hides made shoes, and in a few days he rejoined his unit.
Once on a cold rainy night in Virginia, he spread his counterpane on the wet ground before a campfire; he lay down on one edge of the counterpane and pulled the other over him for cover. When he awoke the next morning, the fire was out, the rain had turned to ice, and limbs of trees were breaking with the load of ice.
Bud Chapman was in Darien, Ga. just before the place was occupied by Sherman's army on his "infamous" march to the sea. Darien was a lumber and naval stores market at that time. Hundreds of barrels of spirits of turpentine were dumped into the river - when it had floated some distance downstream, it was set on fire. The river was apparently burning. A few days later Bud saw dry goods taken from the stores in Savannah, piled in the middle of Broughton street, and burned.
Thomas Jefferson (Bud) Chapman was standing guard at a bridge across the Cape Fear River near Wilmington, N. C., during one of the last battles that Johnston's army was engaged in. It was at this bridge that Bud Chapman halted General P.G.T. Beauregard. After Johnston surrendered, Bud Chapman made his way back home riding a mule. He arrived home on May 14, 1865.
He was appointed Notary Public and Ex-Officio Justice of the Peace in the 24th GM District of Liberty County by Governor W. J. Northern on 7 January 1894. He served in this capacity for 37 years. It is said that although he had no formal legal training, he had a very good knowledge of the law and gave legal advice to his neighbors and friends. He was often referred to as "squire."
Family of Thomas Jefferson and 1st wife, Christina Fletcher
Children of Thomas Jefferson Chapman by his 2nd and 3rd Wives
From left to right: Edna A Chapman born 1901, Mary Bernice Chapman born 1899, Clyde L Chapman born 1895 & Margaret Elizabeth Chapman born 1894, Dog's name unknown
Date Taken: circa 1908
Place Taken: Chapman home place, Jones Creek Community
Owner: Lamar Chapman