Pioneers of Northwest Ohio - GEORGE & NARCISSUS CHAPMAN, HULDAH E. WINN

From the obituary of Hulda E. Winn, 1908, we can discover more about her line of the family who were very early settlers in Milford Township, Defiance County, arriving in 1838.

Hulda Chapman Winn, shown above with her sisters, was also known as "Grandma Winn" in her later years.

Her obituary -

"OBITUARY - WINN

Hulda E. Winn, known among her multitude of friends, as Grandma Winn, was born at Whitby, Canada, May 25, 1831. Hence at the time of her dissolution, which occurred January 20, 1908. She was of the age of 76 years 8 months and 5 days.

Her parents, the late George W. and Narcissus Chapman, early settlers of Milford Township, this county, were of New England stock, but a short time previous to the birth of this daughter, they migrated to Canada.

Their stay in Canada, however, was of short duration; and while Huldah E. was still a small child, she came with her parents to this country.

About 58 years ago, at the home of her parents, she was united in marriage to Elisha Winn, who departed this life, May 31, 1900. There are left, surviving this father and mother, four sons, viz. George E, John W. , Lyman E. and Will D. Grandma Winn also left surviving her two sisters, eighteen grandchildren, and a great number of more distant relatives.

Mother Winn was reared in the faith of the United Brethren in Christ and all through her long life, clung firmly to its teachings. Throughout her span of life, covering more than three score years and ten, her belief and faith in Christ grew greater and stronger until it became a conviction and when the angel of death hovered above her couch, it was met with outstretched hands, for Grandma Winn saw in the approaching dissolution nought but the beginning of another, a happier and an everlasting life.

Her funeral service was conducted from the U.B. church by her pastor, Rev. J. F. Miller, Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock." (Pioneers of Northwest Ohio)

Her burial took place in Forest Home Cemetery. Hicksville.

Further investigation found her parents, Rev. George Washington Chapman, born in Massachusetts on September 29, 1803. He married Narcissus Hopkins, known as "Nan," born in 1802. They began their farming adventure in Milford Twp. before Defiance County was officially formed.

This obituary leads to the Defiance County History of 1883 where George W. Chapman's story is told, beginning on page 332:

"George W. Chapman, the subject of this sketch, was born in Gill, Mass., on the 29th day of September, 1803, at which place he resided till the year 1921, when he removed to St. Lawrence County, N.Y.  On the 31st day of December, 1822, he married Miss Narcissus Hopkins of the above-named county. Here Mr. and  Mrs. Chapman began a life which proved to be one of toil and hardship, yet withal a most interesting and useful one.

Mr. Chapman was a skilled carpenter, found no lack for work, but in the hope of finding a more desirable location, he moved with his family to Canada in the year 1828 or 1829. There he resided till the fall of 1837, when yielding to the ambition of their young nature, they resolved to emigrate to the West and choose them a home from the forest lands of Western Ohio. 

... Such household furniture as could be conveniently carried was loaded on a wagon, and Mr. Chapman with his wife and several small children* with a single team of horses and heavy loaded wagon set upon a trip that at this day would seem impossible to accomplish."

*The three children born in Canada were Lyman, Huldah and George W. Jr.

Whitby is north of Toronto, making it about a 350 mile trip or more on our good roads.

"They proceeded directly to Geauga County in this State where they stopped for a short time to rest up their horses and decide upon a place to locate. Leaving his family, Mr. Chapman proceeded upon horseback to Milford Township, where he entered 240 acres of land, a part of which was the farm upon which he now resides.  

He immediately returned to Geauga, and having purchased a yoke of oxen and another wagon, he again set out with his family for the chosen home where he arrived the 1st of February 1838.

The trip from Canada to Milford Township was one of hardship and fatigue, having been made during the fall and winter months through a new and unimproved country, a great part of the road being through dense wood, with nothing but blazed trees to indicate where the road was...

The Chapman land in Milford Twp on the 1860 plat map.
 E. L. Chapman may be George's son, Ervin.

"Upon arriving on his land, Mr. Chapman proceeded at once to erect a log cabin and prepare for the comfort of his family.  Chaney P. Lowery, Dinnis Foyles and Eli Coy were about the only neighbors, and each man had to depend upon himself alone to do his work...

Mr. Chapman went upon the line of road passing through the center of Milford Township and, unassisted, felled the trees, felled the logs and cleared a wagon track from his farm west to the St. Joe River, a distance of four miles.

He also worked at masonry and brick work, and, as well, that of cabinet making.

The first schoolhouse in the district was built upon Mr. Chapman's land, and the first school taught by Harriet, his eldest daughter This schoolhouse was burned down in a short time and until another one could be built, Mr. Chapman's carpenter shop was converted into a schoolhouse...

Mr. Chapman has been an active member of the United Brethren Church since 1840, having helped to organize the first society of that denomination ever organized in Milford, and for which society, he labored as local preacher for many years.

Mr.  Chapman's children consisted of four boys and five girls, viz: 

Royal, Lyman, George, Harriet, Jemme, Huldah, Roby and Mary Jane., two of whom are now dead, the others married.

Mrs. Narcissus Chapman departed this life August 27, 1870, aged sixty nine years.  Mr. Chapman then married Miss Dolly Crary, of Potsdam, St. Lawrence County N.Y. on the 5th day of February 1877, with whom he is now living on his old farm in Milford Township.

Thus it will be seen  that Mr. Chapman can truthfully be called one of the most interesting characters of pioneer life in Defiance County, having come here when our county was one vast wilderness he has lived to see it developed into a rich county; has seen nearly the whole of the first generation of its people pass away and that second grow to old age; and although he is now upward of eighty years old, yet with the exception of a crippled limb caused by an injury received while moving to this county, he is enjoying comparatively good health, and still works at the carpenter bench." (Defiance County History,1883)

Mr. Chapman is buried beside his first wife, Narcissus, in the Farmer Cemetery.