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George S. and Eleanor Adair (Lide) Chapman George S. Chapman, son of William and Esther (or Easter) Seagler Chapman was born in Perry County, Alabama December 23, 1837. At least that’s the date on his tombstone in the Osage Cemetery in Colorado County. The 1850 census in Alabama shows him to be 10 years old which would put his birth date around 1840. He was the second oldest son in a family of twelve children. His grandparents, Enoch and Nancy Parker Chapman had moved to Perry County Alabama from South Carolina via Tennessee in the mid 1820’s. William and Esther were married in Perry County on October 2, 1833. By the 1860 census George and his older brother James M. and James’ wife Nancy E. Woolverton were living in Anderson County, Texas next door to the George Seagler family, presumably a maternal uncle. When the Civil War broke out, George went to Trinity County and enlisted in the 7th Texas Cavalry. He served for the duration of the war. His unit was involved in the defense of Galveston and at least one campaign in New Mexico. After the war ended George returned to Alabama for a time. On December 18, 1867, now 30 years old, he married the 18 year old Eleanor Adair Lide in Perry County and the newly weds moved to Anderson County Texas. Eleanor was the daughter of Jesse and Martha Ann Lane Lide. She was born in Carloweville, Dallas County Alabama just north of Perry County. Her parents had followed her grandparents and several aunts and uncles from Darlington County South Carolina to Alabama in the 1840’s. George and Eleanor’s first son, James Lide Chapman, was born in Anderson County, Texas March 11, 1869. Apparently by that time James N. Chapman and his wife Nancy were deceased because George and Eleanor appear to have taken in their two nephews, Georgie and Sam David Chapman. Before the birth of their second child, Abner, in 1872 the Chapman family had moved to Osage in Colorado County. By the 1880 census George, listed as a farmer, and Eleanor were enumerated in Precinct No. 3, Colorado County, Texas with three children, James L. 11, Abner 8, and daughter Jessie M. 3 and nephew, Samuel D. 13. Georgie, died at the age of 15 on May 26, 1879. He is buried in the Weimar Masonic cemetery. George’s younger brother, David Madison Chapman and his wife Hussie and daughter Ida are living next door. In additon to farming, the Chapman’s owned a cotton gin at Osage. According to an article in the January 3, 1889 Colorado County Citizen, G. S. Chapman, superintendent of the Osage Sunday school was elected as a delegate to the district conference of the Methodist church representing the Weimar circuit. The Bastrop Advertiser in 1890 listed George S. Chapman as one of the attendees from Colorado County at the third annual reunion of Green’s Brigade held in Brenham on February 21st of that year. During the 1880’s George L., Arthur, David and William Seagler Chapman were born to George S. and Eleanor Chapman. Unfortunately, Arthur died in 1889 at the age of seven of “congestion” and is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Weimar. The Chapman’s last two sons, Perry Adair and Hugh were born in 1890 and 1893. Hugh, however, died at the age of three and a half. During the 1890s their older children began to marry and leave home. James Lide Chapman married Susie Pinchback on December 1, 1895. Abner married Jimmie Sullivan and they moved to Goldthwaite where Abner served as a Methodist minister. Jessie married Dick Burford, son of W. T. Burford in 1897 but by 1910 they were divorced and she was working as a seamstress in San Antonio. When George Chapman’s friend W. T. Burford founded the town of Garwood in 1900 the Chapmans moved south to Garwood. Jimmy and Susie Chapman moved to Garwood as well where Jimmy was the head cashier of the Garwood Bank. William Seagler Chapman also remained in Garwood. After his first wife, Blanche Howard passed away, Bill married Myra Williams and they purchased the hotel in Garwood, renaming it the Chapman Hotel. That building still exists in Garwood as the Bucksnag Hunting Lodge as does the Methodist Church where George, Eleanor, Jimmy and Susie were members. George Chapman died in 1906 and is buried at Osage. Eleanor A. Chapman continued to reside in Garwood until her death in 1923. She is buried at Osage beside her husband. George L. Chapman was married to Julia (?) and they lived in Houston. He apparently worked as an engineer at the ship channel. Dave Chapman married Mable (?) and they lived in Bay City. Perry Adair Chapman married Maude Earle Darby, daughter of Ambrose and Emma Berthold Darby, in 1911. After spending the early years of their marriage in Bay City and Glidden, they moved to Houston where he worked as a switchman for the Southern Pacific Railway. Willie Mae Chapman Cole, daughter of Perry and Maude Chapman remembered Eleanor well. She loved to go to visit her in Garwood. She described her grandmother as a pretty little woman who always wore a bow in her hair and had a tatting shuttle in her apron pocket. She remembered that Eleanor always told her to take care of herself and be proud of herself because if she did not no one else would either.
Submitted by Great-granddaughter Judy Talkington |
