The Holcomb report attempts to determine the ancestors of Francis John Chapman. In this report, the father of Francis John chapman is believed to have the initials, "F. C.", based upon his known cattle brand. His wife's name was Mary. The father of Francis John chapman is not Charles Chapman who married Mary Yonge.
Francis could very well be the father of Francis John Chapman since Francis Chapman has the correct initials and is in the proper area. Land given to Francis Chapman are as follows:
1) Francis Chapman received 350 acres BOUNTY between the Saludt and Savannah River. Source: SC Council Journal, page 272, Nov 2, 1768
2) Francis Chapman received 350 acres BOUNTY in Berkley County. Source: SC Council Journal, page 273, Nov 2, 1768
3) Francis Chapman received 300 acres BOUNTY between the Santee and the Savannah River. Source: SC Council Journal, page 591, Mar 7, 1769
The King's BOUNTY was offered to civil officials and military personnel who had been assigned to the colonies by their monarch, and later discharged. The individual who chose to stay in America might claim the King's Bounty and according to their military rank or civil importance, they recieved their land at the King's (not colony's) expense. the few Kng's Bounty recipients are included in these abstracts, and are so marked. Records of their former service should be available from the Public Record Office at London.
The story that the father of FJC immigrated from Ireland comes from a bio of David Fleming Chapman in the "History of Savannah and South Georgia," vol 2. p. 983. "---Mr Chapman's great-grandfather was born in the north of Ireland, where the Scotch-Irish originated, and was one of seven sons. The oldest got the ancestral estate and all the other six emigrated to America, two settling in New York and the others in the Carolinas and Georgia. The great grandfather located in McIntosh county, Georgia, and from there volunteered his service to the forces fighting for the cause of independance and lost his life in a battle that occurred two miles from Savannah. He was twice married, having three sons by his first wife and by his second had one, named Francis, who was an infant when his father was killed in battle."
The father of Francis John Chapman was born in the northern part of Ireland and together with five or six brothers, sailed from Liverpool, England to Charleston, South Carolina a short time before the Revolutionary War. Meager records indicate that he was married twice. There were three sons by the first marriage and one son (Francis John) by the second. Francis John was an infant when his father was killed in battle while fighting for the cause of liberty. Records vary as to the place of his death. An effort has been made to find his name, without success. There are records of many Chapmans in and near Charleston about this time, but nothing to connect them with Francis John. Records on Liberty County, Ga. give his mother's name as Mary. (source: "A Short History of the Chapman Family" by Clyde L. Chapman, 1966.)
Clyde L. Chapman believed that the father of Francis John was married twice - that there were three sons by the first marriage, and Francis John was by the second wife, Mary. Several Chapmans were living in St. Bartholomew's Parish of Charleston district in 1790, and one of these, a John Chapman, had a family with a young male who could have been Francis John. It requires no stretch of the imagination to suppose that this may have been Mary's husband inasmuch as so many families with surnames Parker, Howard, Hiers, Walker, Carter Baxter, and Harrington - migrated from St. Bartholomew's Parish of Charleston district and the adjoining area of Orangeburgh District to Liberty County. (Source: "A History of the Jones Creek Baptist Church", by Elmer Oris Parker, Gateway Press, 2000.)
L. A. Chapman (Uncle Laurice) tells that he has heard from others a story of 7 brothers coming from England. Consistent with first paragraph above.
Comments by Lamar Chapman:
FJC's sister is Elander and nothing more is known of her.
In regards to FJC being the first Chapman to settle in Liberty County, this is correct with possible exception of his mother, Mary. I know of no information to prove that he was born in Northern Ireland. The writer of the Jones Creek book, Elmer Parker, seems to have relied on several undocumented sources. The seven brothers tale has never been proven. Some information was included in a biography of David Fleming Chapman >son of John> son of FJC in Harden's History of Savannah and South Georgia. As you know, many of these stories are word of mouth and may not be correct. There is some speculation that FJC's father was one William Chapman (RS) who was killed in the Revolution near Bluffton, SC. I have the Army records of William Chapman but have not been able to establish any connection. I personally believe that there was a connection between the James Island Chapman's, which I have researched but it was not through Charles, son of William. During the Revolution many families in costal SC moved further inland and this may be what happened to Mary, FJC & Elander. Also consider that she had some money to buy land in Liberty County. My father and his cousin, Ardis Theus, did a lot of research to try to solve this puzzle. Ardis > son of John Chapman Theus, Sr > son of Mary Chapman > daughter of John Chapman > son of FJC. All of Ardis' research was passed on to his daughter, Faye Smith of Claxton, Ga., I am told by her brother, Al Theus, of Ludowici. I have not contacted her but she may have some clues.
I have the pay records of three Chapmans in the 3rd SC Regt during the Revolution. Some doing Chapman research in the past were convinced that on of the Williams was the father of FJC and was killed in battle near Bluffton, SC. One of these was the late Hattie Chapman, daughter of David L. Chapman. There is no proof that I know of.
One pay record for Pvt William Chapman shows him in Capt Uriah Goodwyn's Co. in the 3d Reg't of South Carolina Continental Troops Commanded by Col. William Thompson. from 18 Aug - 1 Nov, 1779, 2 mos, 14 days at $6.60 per month plus $10 for subsistence.
Another records states that William Chapman enlisted on Dec. 1, 1776 and was promoted to Sgt on Aug. 1, 1779. Another pay record for Sgt William Chapman in the same Co. as above from Aug 1-17 and another from Aug 18 - Nov 1, 1779. There are several other pay records for Pvt William Chapman but none of them for duty later than 1779.
There are also records for Robert Chapman who was promoted to Cpl on 1 Nov., 1778 and to Sgt on 17 July, 1779.
Copied from the South Carolina Gazette 1760. Dec 6, 1760. "---That on the 15th ult. WILLIAM and SAMUEL CHAPMAN, two rangers in the late CAPT. SEABURY's company now commanded by CAPT. ANDREW BROWN were going to the rendezvous at Ninety Six about 10 o'clock at night, they were suprized and taken as they were sitting by their fires, at Half-way swamp(9 miles on this side the fort) by 5 Indians, one of whom was the young warrior of Estahtowih. That on the 17th near Twelve Mile river, William made his escape, but Samuel was carried off, and according to letters on the 23d from Fort Prince George, carried into Estahtowih the 19th wher he was most barbarously tortured and burnt the same night.--". The account continues in much more detail but no more mention of the Chapmans.
The 1790 census of SC. list one Wm age 21 of Camden Dist, Fairfield Co., one female and one male over 16. Also Wm of St Phillips and St Michaels parish age 43 one female and one male over 16.
The 1783 Spanish Census of Fla photostat 55 from Ga Genea Mag p 61, No 39 "William Chapman, native of SC, avails, by writing, of the Sp protection without explanining his intention to go or remain, he is a bachelor, his occupation farmer, lives on Talbot I. on St Johns R."
I have records that mentions other Williams but they do not fit the time frame. Example, the Baptist church in Charleston met in Wm Chapman's house before 1699.
The Charles Chapman below is not the father of FJC.
William Chapman Sr., b. circa 1700, d. at St Andrews Parish, S. C.
+Mary Firth (6110), b. circa 1700, d. at St Andrews Parish, S.C.
|-- Mary Chapman, chr. 17 May 1721 at St Andrews Parish, S.C, d. 05 Nov 1750 at St Andrews Parish, S.C.
| +John Godfrey III, m. 14 May 1743 at St Andrews Parish, S.C
| |-- John Godfrey, b. Jun 1744
| |-- William Godfrey, chr. 03 Sep 1747
| \-- Richard Godfrey, b. 01 Jul 1749
|-- Ann Chapman, chr. 02 Sep 1722 at Charleston Co., S.C
|-- George Chapman, chr. 28 Feb 1724 at Charleston Co., S.C
|-- Jane Chapman, chr. 12 Jan 1726 at Charleston Co., S.C
| +Christopher Guy, m. 06 Jun 1751 at Charleston Co., S.C
|-- Catherine Chapman, chr. 16 Apr 1729 at Charleston Co., S.C
| +unknown spouse
| \-- Joseph Chapman
|-- Martha Chapman, chr. 14 Feb 1730 at Charleston Co., S.C, d. at Charleston Co., S.C.
|-- Sarah Chapman, b. 04 Mar 1732 at Charleston Co., S.C
|-- John Chapman, chr. 23 Oct 1733 at St Andrews Parish, S.C
| +Ann Unknown
|-- Elizabeth Chapman, chr. 24 Aug 1735 at Charleston Co., S.C
| +Thomas Godfrey (Garnier), m. 09 Feb 1752 at Charleston Co., S.C
|-- Thomas Chapman, chr. 01 Jul 1737 at Charleston Co., S.C
|-- Dewe Chapman, chr. 1740 at Charleston Co., S.C, d. 01 Jan 1791
| +Sarah Unknown
|-- Charles Chapman, chr. 11 Dec 1741 at Charleston Co., S.C, d. 1794 at St Andrews Par., S C.
| +Mary Yonge, d. before 09 Jul 1795 at S.C
| |-- Jean Chapman, b. circa 1766
| |-- Catherine Chapman, b. circa 1769
| |-- Mary Chapman, b. circa 1771
| |-- Anna Chapman, b. circa 1775
| \-- John Chapman
|-- Rebecca Chapman, chr. 01 Jan 1743 at Charleston Co., S.C
\-- William Chapman Jr.
+Mary (--?--), m. 11 May 1741 at Charleston Co., S.C, d. circa 04 Nov 1743
|-- Mary Chapman
|-- Rebecca Chapman
|-- Sarah Chapman
|-- Jean Chapman
|-- William Chapman III (?), chr. 11 Dec 1748
\-- Christopher Chapman, chr. 25 Mar 1750
+Elizabeth (--?--), m. 19 Oct 1758 at St Andrews Parish, S.C
