born: 1626 Staugnah, Parish Skelton, York, England
or
1635, Stanhope, Durham, England
* ( read Letter from Henry Mercer )
died: May, 1694, Wrightstown, Buck, Pennsylvania
married: #1
Unknown - October 16, 166
children: Ann 1667
married: 2
Jane Sadler June 12, 1670, England
children:
Marah 1671 England
Jane 1672 England d. btwn. 6/1684 -10/1684 ( buried at sea )
Ann B. 1676 England
John 1679 England
Ruth 1682 England
Joseph 1685 Wrightstown, Buck, PA.
Below is the history given in excerts from the " History of Bucks Co. ". Until Kathleen Capps brought to my attention the Henry Mercer letter, it is the information I have followed. I have placed both in this study because I have not researched this new information. Any comments would be appreciated by fellow researchers.
" The pionner ancestor of the Chapman family was John Chapman, who was born at Stanhope, or Stanehaygh, in the county of Durham, England. about the year 1635. He was a son of John Chapman, of Froslerty, Durham and the Parish records show the the family had been residents in that locality for several generations and that some of their descendants continue to reside there." ( Vol. 3, page 379, " History of Bucks Co."
The following is a foot note from Chapter XVI, Wrightstown; 1703, pg. 229, Vol. 1, by Davis:
"There is neither town, nor parish, by the name of Stannah in England at the present day. It is thought that this place is identical with the present Stanhope in the valley of the river Wear, in Durham County. The church records of Stanhope show that the Chapman's of belonged to that parish before John joined the " Friends ", and there he was baptised. As the family records give Yorkshire as the last county he resided in before coming to America, he probably changed his dwelling place after he became a 'Friend'. Durham and Yorkshire are adjoining counties. As Stanhope is in Durham and not in Yorkshire, the confusion of locality remains. ".
"John Chapman, with his wife, Jane Sadler and 6 children left England on the 21st of June, 1684, sailing from Aberdeen, Scotland, reaching Wrightstown in December. Mr Chapman bought 500 acres of land, from Daniel Toaes , in the southern part of town. This is where Wrightstown and the ' Friends' meeting house stand. John and his family lived in a cave until their house was built. Twin sons, Abraham and Joseph were born in the cave on February 12, 1685. John Chapman and family were one the first white settlers north of Wrightstown.
Of the early settlers of Wrightstown, the names of John Chapman, William S,otj and Thomas Crossdale are mentioned in " Besse's Collection" as having been frequently fined and imprisoned for non - conformity to the established religion and for attendance of Friend's Meeting."
Thomas Crossdale's son John married Marah Chapman, February 28, 1697/98 at Dauphin Monthly Meetin, Pennsyvania
