Today, I’m up in the Borough of Chapman. Chapman is part of the Northampton Area School District. Probably most of our loyal readers have never visited the quaint community with a population of 200 citizens.

Last year the borough observed its 150th anniversary. This writer was happy to participate in the anniversary celebration.

Fourteen years ago, I spent considerable time researching the community’s history and wrote numerous columns for a weekly newspaper. I thought our readers would enjoy reading about the interesting history of Chapman.

In my past and recent visits, I was welcomed by Mayor Harold “Sony” Kocher and Councilman Dana Ackerman, who was one of my former students at the high school.

I am surprised he is still my friend after all the assignments I heaped upon him in social studies class.

Entering the old “Slate” village, you pass the home of Councilwoman Dorothy Niklos. Her residence, the “Ivy Castle,” a slate-block house, was built in 1845 for the superintendent of the Chapman Slate Company.

Next, you pass the old Chapman School, the second school in Chapman. It is now a private residence. Besides personal interviews, I was given a booklet titled “Chapman Borough and Chapman Slate Company,” published in 1999 by the Chapman Quarries Historical Society.

Adjacent to the borough hall is the Methodist cemetery. Walking through the cemetery, I read the tombstones. They tell us about Chapman’s English origins. Nathaniel Shamin, John Cook, William Card and John Master were born in Cornwall, England. Mary Murray Plymouth and Elizabeth James were from Sydney, Australia. Many stones are solid slate. Residents did not remember the last burial there, but they recalled when family members had removed some of their loved ones and re-interred them in Green Mount Cemetery in Bath.

The community derives its name from Mr. William Chapman, who was born on the Plains of Waterloo in France. His father, also named William, was born in Cornwall, England, and was a member of a company of soldiers outfitted by an English quarry owner. William was severely wounded and his wife, Elizabeth, traveled to nurse her husband. After an extended stay, Elizabeth gave birth to son William.

Young Chapman followed in his father’s footsteps and started to work around the slate quarries in Cornwall at 7 years of age. Seems 7 was a bit young to work in such dangerous surroundings!

William Chapman’s vision was to bring his years of slate experience to America. He would move to the community that now bears his name in 1842 and found The Chapman Slate Company.

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In two weeks, we will trace the early history of Chapman.