Tehama County CA Archives Biographies.....Chipman, Norton Parker 1836 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 13, 2006, 7:49 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) NORTON PARKER CHIPMAN, the subject of this brief sketch, was born at Milford Center, Union County, Ohio, March 7, 1836. Both his parents were born in Vermont, and on his father's side several of the family were distinguished as statesmen and lawyers in the early part of the country's history. He had such advantages of education while a boy in the private and public schools as were afforded in Ohio; but his parents moved to the farther West while he was yet in his 'teens, and settled in Iowa. Here the boy assisted his father in building up a home and conducting his business as a merchant, but not to the neglect of his studies. Young Chipman was a pupil of Samuel F. Howe, at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa—one of the most successful educators of his day—and later entered college at Washington, Iowa. With a liberal education, but without graduating, he became impatient to enter upon the activities of life, and chose the law as a profession. He graduated later at the Cincinnati Law School, and at the beginning of the war was engaged in practice at Washington, Iowa, as a partner of Hon. Joseph R Lewis, afterward Chief Justice of the United States Court in Washington Territory. When Mr. Lincoln's call for seventy-five thousand volunteers was sent out, Mr. Chipman was the first to enroll his name in his town, and a company was at once there organized. It became Company "H" of the Second Iowa Infantry—the first three-year regiment from that State—and Mr. Chipman was Lieutenant of the company. The Colonel of the regiment, Hon. Samuel H. Curtis,—then a Member of Congress,—appointed Lieutenant Chipman Adjutant of the regiment. Upon Colonel Curtis' promotion as Brigadier-General, Lieutenant Chipman was elected by the officers and was commissioned Major of the regiment by Governor Kirkwood. He took part in the early campaigns in Northern and Central Missouri, and was Chief of Staff to General Curtis up to the movement on the Tennessee River by Grant. He was severely wounded at Fort Donelson while charging the enemy's entrenchments with his regiment. For gallantry at this battle he was commissioned by President Lincoln, Colonel and Additional Aid-de-Camp in the United States Army on the staff of Major-General Halleck, and was, after the siege of Corinth, assigned to his old commander, Curtis, and made Chief of Staff. The Secretary of War detailed him for duty at the War Department in the winter of 1862-'63, where he afterward remained until the close of the war. His position was one of confidence and responsibility, and he was near to that great War Secretary until the war ended. He was Judge-Advocate of several important military courts, and prosecuted and convicted the Andersonville jailer, Wirz. He resigned from the army in 1865, after his promotion as Brevet Brigadier-General by Secretary Stanton, and opened a law office in Washington city, where he built up a large business. In 1871 he was elected, and in 1873 re-elected by the people of the District of Columbia as Delegate in Congress, and was the first and last Representative ever chosen for that office from the District. He was one of the founders of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was the first Adjutant-General under the re-organization, while General John A. Logan was Commander-in-Chief in his first term, and was Judge-Advocate-General for General Logan's second term. His health failing in 1875 he came to California, intending to return to Washington; but he soon became fascinated with the large enterprises then offering and the health-giving climate everywhere to be found. And he never after lived out of the State, but at once identified himself, with her best and highest development. As an evidence of General Chipman's enterprise and tireless devotion to active business: pursuits, he organized, immediately on coming to the State, a large lumbering company, which, in less than one year from its incorporation, had ten saw-mills, two sash and door factories and three flumes in operation; and in 1876-'77 manufactured and sold over 40,000,000 feet of lumber in one season. The investment was large, and, but for the general failure of all enterprises which followed the downfall of the Bank of California, this great scheme would have succeeded and been profitable to its owners. It went down for the time, but was reorganized, and is now one of the most important industries in Northern California. The General has been practicing his profession of the law at Red Bluff since 1879, and has built up a wide clientage, and is among the foremost lawyers of his part of the State. Hi a law partner, Charles A. Garter, has recently been appointed United States Attorney for the Northern District of California, and now resides at San Francisco. General Chipman takes an active interest in all local enterprises and has given much thought and has written and spoken much upon matters concerning the material development of the State, and is a practical and large fruit-grower. He is Vice-President of the State Board of Trade, whose labors are solely in the interest of State growth. He is also President of the California World's Fair Association, whose Executive Committee has in charge the whole matter of the State's exhibit at Chicago in 1893. He has never been active in politics in the State, but always takes the stump for the Republican party on occasions of National and important State elections. He has made the distinctive Republican policy of protection a special study, and his tariff arguments are pronounced clear and convincing by all who hear them, except the tariff-for- revenue believer and free-trader who prefer not to be convinced. At the Republican State Convention in August, 1890, he was a prominent candidate for Governor, and though not nominated he made a most favorable impression, and, as a representative man of the North, the honors of the party may yet await him. General Chipman writes with great facility upon many subjects, and his helpful pen finds frequent expression through the press and periodicals. His annual address at the State Fair in 1886, and at the Stockton District Fair in 1887, published in the State Reports, are full of material of permanent value to agriculture and the fruit industry of California. He was the first to present in satisfactory form the rise, growth and importance of our fruit industries, which he did in a report to the State Board of Trade in 1889. When the people of Northern California shall make up their minds to demand a larger recognition in the distribution of places of political influence and power, somewhat commensurate with the grand capabilities and the existing merits of that region, it is not improbable that General Chipman may be chosen as their leader. General Chipman married the daughter of Robert Holmes, of St. Louis, Missouri, in January, 1865; and his wife has been his constant companion ever since. Their home is widely known for its generous hospitality. Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tehama/bios/chipman389nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 8.2 Kb