JAMES FLOYD CHAPMAN
The following bio was taken from page 145 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.
Transcribed by Shirley Koym
Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator
A. O. Smith and Susan Jones were married in 1854 in Carroll County, Tennessee. They came to Pine Hill, Texas in 1859, and had six children, one of whom was J. A. J. (Jimmy) Smith, who married Mattie Ann Wylie, daughter of William Wylie, who had also come from Tennessee at an early age and settled in Chapman.
J. A. J. and Mattie had thirteen children: Sudie, Lizzie, Tipps, Thomas Jefferson (Tom), Bessie, Cassie, Johnnie Gay, James Harvey, J. Frank, and Curtis. Three others died at an early age.
Tom married Ruby Gladys Milam on October 15, 1916 in a buggy in Minden, Texas. Her parents were Henry Milam and Sallie Kyle Milam, who had come to Texas from Rex, Georgia about 1906 and settled in Minden. Sallie burned to death by falling into an open fireplace in February 1908. Henry died on April 11, 1925.
Tom and Ruby had four children who were: Woodrow Wilson (1917), (See Smith account), James Henry (1921), Mary Ann (November 18, 1923), and Robbie Jo (1927). Mary Ann graduated from Henderson High School in 1941.
John Arthur Chapman and Francis Louisa (Fannie) Garrison married in 1904 and had seven children, who were: Vertie Bell (1905), Thomas Verlon (1907), John Ross (1909), Ruby May (1913), James Floyd (August 25, 1917), Roy Jefferson (1920), and William (Bill) Travis (1923) (see W. T. Chapman family). Floyd finished school at Chapman and farmed with his father and brothers.
James Floyd Chapman and Mary Ann Smith married on December 13, 1941 at the Methodist parsonage in Henderson with Reverend Clyde Wallace officiating. They lived in Chapman. Floyd entered the service on November 12, 1942 and served three years in World War II in Germany, France, and Belgium as a member of the Air Force 433rd Signal Construction Battalion.
Floyd was discharged from the service on October 22, 1945 and moved with Mary Ann to Pine Hill where he farmed. They had two children Jimmy Lynn (July 27, 1946) and Joy Ann (January 15, 1950). Floyd entered the grocer business, and the family moved to Henderson in 1955 as Mary Ann became employed in a drugstore. Floyd was an elder and Sunday school teacher and Mary Ann, a deacon and Sunday school teacher in Willow Springs Presbyterian Church between Pine Hill and Chapman. Mary Ann later became part owner of The Card Cottage.
Jimmy graduated from Henderson High School in 1964, Kilgore College in 1966, and the University of Texas at Austin in 1969. He became a schoolteacher and taught at West Rusk High School in New London. Jimmy was also an elder and Sunday school teacher in First Presbyterian Church in Henderson.
Joy graduated from Henderson High School in 1968, Kilgore College in 1970, and the University of Texas at Austin in 1972. She also became a teacher at West Rusk High School in New London. Joy married Randall Allen Andrews of Longview on June 8, 1973. They had two sons, Jay Randall (May 12, 1976) and James Allen (August 2, 1979). Joy and Randy lived in Pine Tree as Randy was employed as a banker in Longview. They were members of the Spring Hill Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Submitted by: Mary Ann Chapman