WILLIAM TRAVIS CHAPMAN

The following bio was taken from page 147 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

William (Bill) T. Chapman presently resides in the Chapman Community east of Henderson, Texas. Bill was born, the last of seven children, on June 14, 1923. His parents were John Arthur and Fannie Garrison Chapman, now deceased and buried at Bridges Cemetery. The other children were: Verlon, who never married, now deceased; John Ross, who married Eitha Fay Prior; James Flour, who married Mary Ann Smith; Ruby, who married Jack Tull; Roy, who never married; and Vertie Bell, who never married. All were born and reared in the Chapman Community.

The Chapmans’ grandparents were Thomas Jefferson Chapman, a farmer and school trustee for many years, and Josephine Hoyle, and Thomas David Garrison and Nancy Margaret Farris. Great-grandparents were James Chapman and Nancy Hoyle.

Bill married Frances Leopard June 14, 1952. They have three children: William David, who married Kathy L. Holman July 12, 1975; Debra Jeanette, born September 6, 1960; Gregory Dean, born December 15, 1967. William David is employed at Southwest Tank and Treater Company, Henderson. He and Kathy are members of the Allison Chapel Methodist Church. Kathy is employed at the Henderson High School cafeteria.

Debra (Debbie) is a student at Stephen F. Austin State University, majoring in Early Childhood Education and Special Education for the deaf.

Gregory (Greg) is a member of the Henderson High School band, and is active in Methodist Youth Fellowship.

Bill is employed with Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation as Engineer Technician number four. He is fifty-eight years of age and loves gardening. He was a farmer when he was younger. After suffering two heart attacks and open-heart surgery in 1980, he is still able to work but is somewhat limited. He, along with the rest of the family, is a member of the Blossom Hill United Methodist Church and serves as treasurer at this time.

Frances is an Adult Sunday School teacher. Her hobby is sewing. The entire family is very active in the Chapman Community where they have lived most of their lives. Bill and Frances both attended school at Chapman. She and the children graduated from Henderson High School.

The Chapman’s were among the first immigrants to come to this community from Georgia and Alabama, sometime before 1850. Bill now has in his possession an old weight clock brought here by his great-grandmother, whose lap it safely rode upon, covered with a quilt. She could not risk its bouncing in the covered wagon.

The Chapman Community is believed to have been named for the elder James Chapman because he was the oldest person living in the community at the time.

Submitted by Frances Chapman