This story must start back one more generation before Joseph and Dorothy Elmendorf Chapman.

 

The Elmendorf Family

 

Father Johannes (John Felton) Elmendorf was born on Mar 9,1792 in Albany, Albany Co., NY. Johannes married Elizabeth Yeoman, who was born in March of 1813.

 

Children born to them in New York state were: Sarah born about 1834; Margaret S. born 1827, she married Wm Rogers, and they would be parents of Ella and John Rogers. Margaret died Jan 1860, age 33, of TB.; Dorothea born Sept 3,1827, married Joseph Chapman . They would be parents of Joe Chapman, Jim Chapman and many other children; Daniel born about.1831. He would live in the Withee area and would have a son who would move to Seattle, Washington; Moses born 1833; Rachel born 1836; and Olive born about 40. married William J. Foat in 1871 and had a son, John S. Foat, who became a Dr. and he married Grace E Cate Nov 30,1892 and they had daughter, named after her paternal grandmother, Loive Lucrettia b. April 10,1900.

 

The William Rogers Family

 

William Rogers was born about 1802-04 in England or Scotland. He married Margaret Elmendorf, who died about 1890 in Crawford Co, WI and is buried at Haney Ridge Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

 

Their children were: John Rogers born about 1850-52 in Hebron Township, Jefferson Co, WI. He is reportedly buried in unmarked grave in Haney Ridge Township. John would later marry Sidney Medvina Coleman; Ella Annette Rogers b Aug 19,1856 in WI Ella would later marry James Chapman.

 

*Note - Ella and Jim were first cousins; and Edwin Rogers born about 1858.

 

The Coleman Family

 

Thomas Coleman was born Jan 10,1802 in Shelby, Ohio. He married Catherine Bogert July 31,1831.

 

They would have daughter, Sidney Medvina Coleman born Dec 25,1856 in Crawford Co, WI. and she died Jan. 15,1884 Unity, Clark Co, WI.

 

Cause of death was TB and she is either buried at the Chapman family farm cemetery or Brighton Cemetery, both cemeteries are in Unity, Marathon Co, WI (I have not been able to find her burial record).

 

John Rogers and Sidney Coleman were married Sept 18,1873 in Kickapoo, Vernon Co., WI

 

Children of this marriage: Myrtle Emeline, William Thomas, Rose Jeanette, Maude Victoria, and Violet Jessie Rogers.

 

After Sidney Rogers death in 1884 the children were split up. Violet went to her Great Aunt Dorothy (Elmendorf) Chapman, Myrtle to her Great Aunt Emeline (Coleman) Taft, the three oldest were adopted. William by a Sonnestein or Sonstein, Rose by a DuCate or Ducket and Maude by a Brocht. There is no evidence that John Rogers ever spelled his name with an "H". It is believed that his son William started spelling it that way once he came of age and used his birth name again. The Germans living in Marathon Co pronounced the Rog hers with an "H".

I also believe daughter, Rose went to live with the Moses DuCate family who is shown on the 1895 Census

 

 

Now the Joseph Chapman family story can begin.............

 

The Joseph & Dorothy (Elmendorf) Chapman Family

 

Joseph Chapman was born abt. 1823 probably in England.

He married Dorothy Elmendorf abt. 1844 in Canada

I have been told that Dorothy and Joe had 14 children of their own and raised 3 of someone else's or had 17 children of their own. These below are the only ones that could be remembered by grandson, George Chapman:

Joseph born 1847

Rose born ?

Charlotte born abt. Jan 1849

Adelaide (Addie) born 1853

William born abt. 1857

 Jessie born ?

Marvin born 1859

Olive/Olivell b 1855

Nett born ?

James Alfred B. June 10,1863

 

Joseph Chapman, (the father)  died in 1873

Dorothy  (Elmendorf) Chapman died Oct 9,1921

Both died in Unity, WI and were buried on the family farm cemetery.

The family farm cemetery was located on the property in Section 10 of Unity township. In the 1960's or 1970's grandson, George Chapman had a bronze plaque put on the farm showing Joseph and Dorothy, son, William, and two grandchildren were buried there and the original dimensions of the cemetery, 48 feet by 30 feet.  The deed between James Chapman and George Miller (Volume 158 of Deeds Page 3) for $2000, March 20, 1941 carried the stipulation that "one-half acre used as a burial ground never be plowed over."

 

It has been told to me that Joe Chapman was a big man,6'4" and over 300 lbs while Dorothy was petite and a redhead and also VERY religious and would not allow any smoking, drinking, or swearing in HER home. (This was probably due to her Dutch Reformed Church upbringing.)

Exact date of birth for Joseph Chapman is not known yet but according to a census from the town of Hebberin, Jefferson Co., WI taken in 1860 he lists his birth year as 1823,his birthplace as England and his age as 37.

 

The Elmendorf's come from a long line going back to the 1500's in Luster and Kingston Counties, NY in which they belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church there and in their father's generation they must have moved west across the state to Erie Co, NY I have actually traced

this family back to 700 AD with the help of some Roger cousin researchers!

 

By 1844 Margaret and William Rogers are listed on the Hebberin Township, Jefferson Co., WI census and Dorothy's obituary tells us that she and Joseph were here by 1856 and the 1860 census shows them both in Hebberin, Jefferson Co., WI then.

 

In an earlier New York Census of 1850 John Elmendorf is listed with both his daughters, Margaret and Dorothea, whom we know by this time were both married. Joseph Chapman is listed on the same census a few doors down so we can only assume that the women were just visiting their father the day the census was taken.

After Joseph and Dorothy lived in the Jefferson Co., WI area for awhile they could not resist the lure of the wild and moved to Unity, Marathon Co becoming one of the first settlers there and homesteading 160 acres. I have the original land documenting their homestead and signed by President U. S .GRANT.

 

In those days Stevens Point and Neillsville, WI were the two nearest trading posts where on could go and get needed supplies. It is said that Dorothy would get up at 4 am and leave the farm to begin the trek to Neillsville. She would arrive there late in the afternoon, get her supplies and spend the night with a friend. In the morning she would repeat the process, leaving Neillsville at 4 am and arrive home late in the afternoon. What a way to do one's grocery shopping - and we think we've got it rough jumping in the car and going to the store!

It's also been said she sold butter and eggs to help supplement her family's income.

What a busy life this lady must have led - taking care of a husband and home, and all the children and making butter, collecting eggs, and helping run a farm.

 

We know of the other children mentioned earlier that she raised  my great grandmother, Jessie Violet Rogers, whom she would raise from a seven month old infant and she would be called Violet or Vi as Joe and Dorothy already had a daughter named Jessie.

 

She and her husband George Bertrum Shelley, and their two oldest daughters, Dorothy Ruth, and Olive Janette (my grandmother) would be on an early 1900 census, all living with Dorothy Chapman and all listed as "adopted" daughter, son in law, and granddaughters when

in fact Dorothy Chapman was Vi's  great Aunt!

 

Note - when I first began doing this family history in the early 1980's I had to bring "proof" to the oldest daughter of Dorothy (Shelley) Neumann to prove to her that Sidney Coleman Rogers was actually her  biological grandmother, not Dorothy Chapman as she was adamant that she was her "Grandma" Chapman!!!

Other Memories of Children of Joseph and Dorothy Chapman as told to me by George Chapman, son of James Chapman, and Geraldine Shelley Schuh, daughter of George and Violet Shelley.

One of their sons, Joe Chapman, would marry a Chippewa Indian and live on the Lac du Flambeau reservation. He was shot during the Civil War in the head and left for dead until they were picking up the bodies of the dead and discovered him still alive! He would carry the scar over the hole in his head all his life and he would have a paralyzed arm and on that hand wear a black glove all his life too.

This is the Joe Chapman listed on the Marathon County Civil War  pension records as "Joe Chapman Co K 29th WI Infantry collecting a $14.00 disability pension" Joe Chapman would spend his last days living with George and Violet Shelley. my Great Aunt, Geraldine Shelley Schuh, their youngest daughter, says that she can remember he was just about blind when he came to live with them and in a wheel chair by the time he died.

She said she could remember him calling Dorothy Shelley (Boen), her brother, William Shelley and his wife, Rose (Kaske) Shelley's daughter  his "little chatterbox" as she would stand on the footrests of his wheelchair and talk to him for hours at a time.

(In a telephone conversation with Dorothy Boen in the summer of 1982 I asked her about this and she said "Oh my God, she's right and you know,I haven't thought about that in years!"

Aunt Gerry also told me that by the time he was in the wheelchair still being a proud man and knowing he could not get in or out of the chair by himself he would awaken in the morning and say very loudly "Well, I think I'll get up now" and that was the cue for whomever was up to come and help him get up.

Every year my family (Shelley) has a family reunion usually in June each summer and the site varies depending on which family member is running that year's reunion. In the summer of 1980 I was the family member running the reunion. I sent out the invitation far and wide across the United States trying to get as many family members as possible to attend.

George and Bess Chapman came from Texas that year and I had worked with him and Bess all the winter before writing letters back and forth  so as they reviewed what I had,  made corrections and this is when George told me the "stories".

The day after the reunion (Sunday) he told me he and Bess were going to drive up to Lac du Flambeau the next day and see if he could find a cousin, Ollie Chapman Vetternack,daughter of Joe Chapman, whom he hadn't seen in nearly forty years and, would my cousin Jackie, and I like to come along as after all we were the "family historians?"  We said "Of course!"

.When we first arrived in Lac du Flambeau we went to the library to visit with the librarian and ask about Ollie Chapman Vetternack. She laughed and said "Well, you've come to the right place and person to ask. My name is Mary Moon but my maiden name is ...Chapman." She led us to the back door of the library and upon opening the door said "do you see that yellow house up there on the hill? Ollie lives with her granddaughter and her husband up there at that house."

We drove up to that house and upon pulling into the driveway immediately a pack of dogs charged up to the car barking and carrying on. We all agreed till someone came out there was no way we were going to get out of that car! A man came out and approached the car and we introduced ourselves. He said the dogs were friendly and we could come out of the car and wait while he went in to get his wife. While waiting for his return I noticed a Civil War gravestone sitting up against the porch with the name Joseph Chapman Co H 29th Wi.Reg written on it. I wondered what in the world it was doing sitting there up against the porch.The man returned with his wife, and she explained that she was Ollie's granddaughter and that Ollie was pretty much bedridden so would we give her a few minutes to get her out of bed and a little more presentable for company and her husband would stay out in the yard with us while she did this. I asked her husband why the gravestone was sitting out there in the yard like that? He laughed an explained that when Joe Chapman, Ollie's father, died the government sent the gravestone and they had put the wrong Company,(Co H instead of Co K) so she had notified the government and they had sent a new gravestone. The wrong one had been thrown under the porch and there it stayed until this year when he had decided to rebuild the back porch and he had dragged out the old gravestone.

Shortly after his wife came back out and beckoned us into the house. There in a chair in the living room sat this little tiny old lady. It was Ollie Chapman Vetternack!

She was 96 years old........and when she saw George for the first time in 46 years she said "Georgie, is that you Georgie? Get over here and give me a big old hug and kiss!" THAT WAS AMAZING! She was just the the most wonderful little old lady! After visiting with her for about 20 minutes we asked if we could take pictures of her and George? A typical lady she immediately wanted us to comb her hair and pluck out some chin whiskers, haha! We finally convinced her  the "whiskers" wouldn't show on the pictures (and they didn't!)

The rest of the day was spent visiting with many of the descendants of Joe Chapman who lived in the Lac du Flambeau area, a visit to the graveside of Joe Chapman in a nearby cemetery and a visit to the Bureau of Indian Affairs where they were very helpful and shared much more information on this branch of the Chapman family.

Other children of Joseph & Dorothy:

Ollie was their oldest

Rose the second oldest, George Chapman could remember staying with her and her family at the reservation when visiting.

Claudie, a son who is buried up at the Unity Twnsp. Cem. His gravestone reads CLAUDIE CHAPMAN B 1878 D 1883 son of Mr. & Mrs Joseph Chapman.

Another son, unnamed, graduated from the college on the reservation and became an engineer. He left home and was never heard from again.

Another son, Will died rather young and may have had cancer as it is said everything he would eat would go right through him and he would scream in pain. He is buried at the Chapman Family Farm cemetery with his parents.

James Alfred Chapman born  10 June 1863 marr Ella G Elmendorf Rogers born  Aug 19 1856

She died Aug 20 1900 Glenwood City, WI. is buried in an  unmarked grave in Glenwood City, WI

Children of this Marriage:

Alfred Willard born  28 Aug 1885 died  4 Sept 1887

Maud Agatha born Sept 9,1887 died March 25,1906

Surname: Chapman

Source: Marathon County Register (Unity, Wis.) April 6,1906

-----Chapman, Maude Agatha (September 9,1887 - 25 March 1906)

Just before returning home from Idaho James Chapman was called upon to bury his oldest daughter, Maude Agatha, who died March 25th, a victim of consumption

Maude was born at Colby, Wis, Sept 9th, 1887 and was therefore nearly 19 years of age. She was a bright, ambitious young lady and at the time of her death was engaged in teaching school in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has many friends in this vicinity who regret her early demise.

Dorothy Pearl born  23 Dec 1890 died  4 or 5 Feb 1902

Milton born  13 Feb 1893 died 22 Oct 1900

Ralph James born  19 Dec 1892 Rapid City,S D

married  Mar 1919 Rapid City, SD to Letha Fern Klinetobe born  23 Oct 1896 Inmen Neb

Children Bonnie and Dorothy

James Alfred Marr #2 - 28 Nov 1912 to Olla J Gutheil born  2 Jul 1872 died 25 Jan 1931

Children of this Marriage: Roy and George Chapman

James died 13 Dec 1950

James, Olla, and infant son, Roy are all buried  Brighton Cemetery, Unity, Marathon Co. WI.

James would have Roy and George Chapman. Roy would die shortly after birth. Of  James Chapman's children from his first marriage only Ralph would have a full life and raise a family of his own with his wife, Leatha Fern Elinetobe, having two girls, Bonnie and Dorothy.

Jim farmed the family farm and George told me every year he would have to stop his painting in I believe, he said Minnesota (Before WW II) and come home in time for harvesting, to help Jim on the farm. This went on till Jim sold the farm. I have copies of the bill of sale but not at hand as I write this family story.

Evidentially,  after the Chapman family farm was sold when George went into the service during WW II,  after George and Bess were married ,James Alfred (Jim) Chapman spent his summers with his son Ralph and his wife Leatha in DesMoine, Iowa and his winters with his son, George Chapman and his wife, Bess in Texas.

George told me several stories

Story #1 One year George and Jim were coming to Des Moine from Greenville Texas on the train after Jim has spent the winter with George and Bess. George knew how thrifty Jim was so he (George) bought breakfast for them and didn't let Jim find out how much it actually cost. He said if he had told him Jim would never have ate breakfast!

Story #2 One spring it got hot sooner than expected in Texas and they (George & Bess) hadn't got Jim up to Ralph and Leatha's for the summer yet. They had to go out and buy a big block of ice and put it in a bucket and put a fan behind it. George said, "You should have seen that poor old man sweat in that Texas heat!"

Story #3 George said Jim Chapman chewed tobacco all day long and smoked one pipe full of tobacco about 9 pm and had a drink of brandy or corn whiskey if he had it.

 

In the 1970's George and Bess Chapman came up from Texas to attend the annual Shelley family reunion and he had a copper plaque placed on the old Chapman family farm cemetery to mark the burial place of Joseph & Dorothy Chapman and their son, William, and several grandchildren.

 

The plaque gives the dimensions of the original plot as 48 by 30 feet and lists Joseph's death as 1873 and Dorothy's death as 1921 and no death date is listed for William. It is also noted that two grandchildren (unnamed) are also buried there.

George Chapman  was b 3 Jan 1917 on the Chapman Family Farm, Unity, WI

 

He married Jan 16,1947 Greenville, TX, to Bess Mary Fergerson born 16 Feb 1919 Savannah, Oklahoma

 

Parents Joseph George Louis Fergerson and Nancy( Noy) Fergerson

 

George was in the Air Force during WW II and was stationed in Texas for a time and that is how he met Bess. He was a painting contractor till he retired and Bess was a bookkeeper and receptionist for a propane company  till she retired  Both are deceased now.

George & Bess  had two children : Leatha "Ann" born 4 Nov 1946 Greenville, TX married 14 Nov 1970 Rockwall, TX, to Michael Wayne Latham born 4 April 1941 Evansville, Indiana. Their children: Christi and Kimberley and Frederick Wayne Chapman born 25 Dec 1950 Greenville, TX married 6 Oct 1979 Kaufman, TX to Sandra Kay Miklis born 30 Sept 1956 Kaufman, TX; Children Jennifer Renee b. 21 April 1980 Dallas, TX.