JOE 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

Joe Chapman, son of W. M. (Bill) Chapman and Martha (Duck) Swinney, was born in 1869. Bill Chapman came to the Oak Flat Community from Hamburg, Arkansas. His father, James Chapman, came to Arkansas from Alabama.

Joe was the oldest child in a family of ten. There were seven boys and three girls. He grew up on the farm. He spent many hours attending Sacred Harp singings. He married Lorene Scruggs. She lived less than a year after they married and was buried in the Holliman Cemetery in the Oak Flat Community.

Later Joe married Epsie Kelly, daughter of Nolan and Mary Kensey Kelly. After his second marriage, he worked at Whiteman Sawmill in Karo. The couple had four daughters.

Pauline, who died at the age of four years, was buried in Holliman Cemetery. Merline married Walter Moon. They had one son, Walter Don Moon. Don married Brenda Hayner. They have two sons, Walter Don, Jr. (Donny) and Toby Jack. They live in Minden.

Bessie (Polly) graduated from Concord High School and attended Stephen F. Austin College. She taught school at Concord. She was married to Robert Caldwell. Their marriage ended in divorce. Bessie is an accountant and has her business office in San Benito, Texas.

Diamond (Bill) was the youngest. She finished high school at Minden and attended Stephen F. Austin College. She taught school at Sweetgum and Crims Chapel. Diamond died February 13, 1940 and was buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Minden.

While Joe was working at the mill in Karo, he contracted typhoid fever. He died a few weeks later (1912) and was buried in the Holliman Cemetery.

Epsie lived until 1969. She passed away in Houston, Texas. She was buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery.

Submitted by: Mrs. Merline Moon