Isle of Wight County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Barlow, Benjamin P., 1931 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ BENJAMIN PERRY CHAPMAN B.P. CHAPMAN DIES TUESDAY Had Been Prominent in Isle of Wight Business for Half Century Stricken with pneumonia early Tuesday morning as he lay a patient in Elizabeth Buxton Hospital where he was being treated for injuries received in an automobile accident less than a month ago, Benjamin Perry Chapman retired capitalist of Smithfield and for half a century a leader on business and civic circles in that community, died at 1:40 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. His daughter, Miss Cora L. Chapman who has been his constant attendant for the past two years and who went with him to Newport News when he was removed to the local hospital was with him when the end came. His grandson, James T. Chapman was also at his bedside. Mr. Chapman, who was born in Smithfield, January 30, 1849 the son of Charles Hammel and Ann Fletcher Chapman, had since the early '70s, been engaged in the general merchandise and meat packing business being the second man in that famous town to take up the packing business on a commercial scale. LARGE HOLDINGS He was also largely interested in lumber with holdings in Isle of Wight, Sussex, Surry, Nansemond and neighboring counties on the south side of the James and was a pioneer member of practically every large business and civic interest in immediate vicinity. Telling of his start as a merchant, his daughter said that shortly before 1875 he opened a general merchandise store in partnership with Christopher C. Chalmers. Later he bought Chalmers out, launching out for himself under the firm name of B.P. Chapman, until in 1900 his son was taken in as a member of the firm which then became B.P. Chapman & Son. After the death of his son, James T. Chapman in 1921, he suffered a nervous breakdown and several years afterwards retired from active business. The business was taken over by his son, L.L. Chapman and his grandson James T. Chapman, Jr., the firm name then becoming Chapman and Company under which name it is now operated. CIVIC LEADER For years Mr. Chapman was a director of the Home Telephone Company of Smithfield, a member of the board of the Bank of Smithfield and also a director of the Smithfield Water Company and the Smithfield Steamship Line. He was known as a great friend of the farmers, many of them coming to him in their hour of trouble either for advice of financial assistance and never being turned away without a sympathetic hearing and a promised of assistance. His counsel was law with many of his neighbor's who always looked to him for leadership and relied on his judgment to the minutest detail. He always served as his own attorney, drawing up deeds and other bills of conveyance in connection with his extensive holdings. On February 7, 1877 [sic; '78], he took as his wife Miss Florence O. Britt of Smithfield, who died two years ago last September. In 1927, he and Mrs. Chapman celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with hundreds of people from Smithfield and outlying sections calling at their home to participate in the celebration and wish them many happy returns. SERVED AS SCOUT During the war between the states Mr. Chapman served as a scout under Lieutenant Roy, being but 16 years of age at the time. He never referred to himself as a veteran, however, though his services to the Confederacy were of considerable importance. On June 25, 1929 Mr. Chapman suffered a stroke of apoplexy but since that time had been able to be out and get around considerably in the company of his daughter who was his constant companion at all times since he became a semi- invalid. Just a little less than a month ago Miss Chapman had taken her father to Norfolk to have his eyes examined and they were returning by motor to their home with Miss Chapman at the wheel when on a banked turn near Bennett's Creek bridge when their car collided with a bus of the Peninsula Transit Company, the wet and slippery condition of the roadway following a heavy shower being largely responsible for the crash. SERIOUSLY INJURED Mr. Chapman was hurried to his home, where he was attended by his physician, Dr. Hugh Warren, who learned upon examination that Mr. Chapman had sustained a fractured leg and fractured arm and ordered his immediate removal to the hospital. His progress in the hospital was reported as fair under the circumstances until Sunday morning when his condition took a marked turn for the worse with pneumonia setting in early Tuesday. THREE CHILDREN SURVIVE Surviving him are his daughters, Miss Cora Chapman of Smithfield, and Mrs. Clifford Bangs, of Washington, D.C.; a son, Lewis L. Chapman of Smithfield; the following grandchildren: James T. Chapman, Jr., Miss Lillian Chapman, Perry Chapman, and Oliver Chapman, children of the late James T. Chapman; Bettie Carter Chapman and Lewis L. Chapman, Jr., children of L.L. Chapman and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at Trinity Methodist Church, Smithfield, this morning at 11 o'clock by the Rev. T. McN. Simpson, assisted by the Rev. William Brayshaw. Burial will be in Ivy Hill Cemetery. The Bank of Smithfield and the Merchants and Farmer Bank will close during the funeral hour in respect to the deceased and his family. The Active pallbearers are: J.T. Robbins, R.A. Edwards, W.F. Moody, Leon Chapman, J.M. Chapman, Colgate Whitehead, F.B. Simpson and Fred Wilson. The Honorary pallbearers are: T.B. Wright, Mat Thompson, Dr. Buxton A.S. Johnson, D.W. Chapman, Dr. Stubbs, J.L. Warner, Dr. Hugh Warren, J. Waverly Thomas, W.P. Wilson, Dr. Rea Parker, W.M. Parker, W.G. Elam, John I. Cofer, W.H. Chapman, Dr. Southgate Leigh, J.F. Richardson, Gene Wilson, J.W. Luter, P.D. Gwaltney, Jr., C.W. Warren, J.R. Towell, Jr., E.H. Williams, R.S. Cox, W.H. Sykes; Tom Nelms, Walter Chapman, Frank Gwaltney, Geo. W. Delk, George Gay, E.H. Cofer, J.M. Branch and J.B. Grimes. Benjamin Perry CHAPMAN, retired merchant & capitalist, Confederate veteran, b. 30 Jan 1849, Smithfield, d. 14 Jul 1931, Newport News, interred in Ivy Hill Cemetery*, Smithfield, 16 Jul 1931, "The Smithfield (VA) Times," Vol. 12, No. 15, July 16, 1931, p. 1, col. 2-5 *Isle of Wight County Historical Society {IWCHS} Grave Site Survey Task Force {GSSTF} #48: http://www.iwchs.com/Cemetery-Reports.html Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Carolyn Keen (VAHistoricHouses@aol.com) & Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/obits/c155b1ob.txt