Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 419-420 & 423; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
John Lawrence Chapin, an extensive farmer and stock-raiser
of Lewistown Township, has been a very prominent factor in developing
and extending the large agricultural interests of Fulton County. He was
born in Girard, Erie County, Pa., June 7, 1826. He is a son of John C.
Chapin, who was born near Springfield, Mass. The father of the latter,
Consider Chapin, was born in the same locality of Scotch parentage. He
continued to live in the old Bay State until about 1810, and then
started with team for what was then the western frontier, Ohio his
destination. He became a pioneer of Ashtabula County, and at once
entered upon the improvement of a tract of wild forest land that he
bought in Kingsville Township, first erecting a log cabin in the
wilderness for the shelter of his family. There were no railroads in
those days, or canals, and no steamers plied on the lakes, so there
were no markets and the people had to live on the products of their
farms and wild game which was abundant. In the course of time he
cleared quite a farm, where he resided until death closed his mortal
career in his one hundreth year. His remains were buried in Monroe
Cemetery, Ashtabula County. His wife, whose maiden name was Esther
Wallace, was born in Scotland and died on the home farm in Ashtabula
County.
John Chapin was seventeen years old when he went to Ohio with
his parents. He learned the trade of a distiller and after marriage
removed across the State line to Girard, Pa., where he operated a
distillery for a time. In 1834 he emigrated to Indiana taking with him
his wife and five children and making the journey with a team. He
located a few miles southwest of Michigan City, where he took up a
tract of Government land near the Illinois State line. He built a
dwelling on that place, lived there one year, then sold his claim and
removed to Michigan. He took up his abode in St. Joseph and in 1837
left that State and again started westward, accompanied by his wife and
seven children, and journeyed with an ox-team to this county, arriving
in the month of March, that year. A great portion of the country which
he traversed was very sparsely settled, and the most of it owned by the
Government and since sold to pioneer settlers at $1.25 an acres. Joliet
and Peoria were at that time small villages and Lewistown was but a
hamlet. He located in the latter place, but after living there a short
time went to Havana. From that place he returned to Waterford Township,
where his death occurred in April, 1841. He had married in early
manhood, taking as his wife Elizabeth Hardy, a native of Pennsylvania
and a daughter of William and Margaret (Ferguson) Hardy. She died in
Lewistown Township in 1879 at a ripe old age. Of the eight children
born to her and her husband three are now living.
John Lawrence Chapin, of whom this sketch is written, was eleven
years old when he accompanied his parents to this county, and he still
retains a clear recollection of the incidents of pioneer life here. He
was fifteen years of age when his father died and he started out in
life for himself a poor boy. He was endowed with energy, rare judgment
and clear foresight, and besides was industrious and prudent in his
habits. With such traits of character he was not long in working his
way to independence, and in a short time he was able to commence
farming for himself on rented land. He finally purchased twenty-seven
acres of which a small tract was cleared and a log cabin stood on the
place. He took up his abode there and continued to rent improved land
while putting in all his leisure time in clearing his own land on which
he lived until 1852. In that year he sold his property here and, with
his wife and one child, started with an ox-team on a journey to Bremer
County, Iowa, where he contemplated settling. He made a claim to a
tract of Government land on the Cedar River, two and one-half miles
below the present site of Waverly. The country round about was sparsely
settled, and where Waterloo now stands there was not a house. He
erected a hewed-log dwelling on his claim and lived in it one year.
Returning to Fulton County at the expiration of that time he bought
sixty acres of land covered with timber and brush, paying for it $10 an
acre. He at once built a good log cabin and began to clear the land and
prepare it for cultivation. He has it now very highly improved and has
planted choice fruit and ornamental trees, making it a very attractive
place. As a farmer he has been very successful and has acquired wealth
in the pursuit of his calling. He has purchased other land from time to
time until at one time he owned seven hundred and fifty acres of choice
farming land, well stocked with fine horses, cattle and hogs of high
grades.
The marriage of Mr. Chapin with Miss Eliza Fleming was duly
celebrated October 15, 1846. She was born in Ohio, December 17, 1828,
and died August 26, 1885. She was a fine woman in all respects, a
Christian and a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
was held in esteem far beyond the limits of her household. She left two
children--Caroline A. and John L. Caroline married Snowdon Smith, and
lives in Lewistown Township; they have three children--Laura, Ezra and
Earl. John L. married Irene Harrison, and they have two children--Ora
F. and Eliza Florence.
Mr. Chapin is a man of clear understanding and a well-balanced
mind, and the able manner with which he has managed his affairs shows
that he is possessed of fine business talent, and at the same time has
made him an invaluable aid in upbuilding Lewistown Township, and gives
him high rank among its pioneers. Politically, he is a stanch believer
in the principles promulgated by the Republican party and gives it his
hearty support.
